“When I am Sir Alex’s age I would hope to be lying on a beach with a cigar. But his determination to go on and win things at the very highest level is frightening. It rubs off on you and it certainly has on me in the short time I have been here.
“Do you remember him when we got that draw at Highbury towards the end of last season? The way he went over to the fans fists clenched? That encapsulated the passion of the man and how much he enjoys it all. There cannot be many managers in the Premiership who know all the names of the 15 and 16-year-old lads around the club.
“He is not just concerned with the first team but he watches the young kids, youth cup games, reserve games, the lot.
“It’s a real lesson for any professional and it is one of the reasons why he has been so successful.