Eunan O’Kane has claimed that Leeds United boss Thomas Christiansen reminds him of Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe.
Midfielder O’Kane is currently an important player at Elland Road and has made 14 appearances this season.
The 27-year-old has become a key man in the centre of the park under Christiansen, who become the Whites boss in the summer when he replace Garry Monk.
O’Kane has revealed that Christiansen reminds him of current Premier League manager Howe, who he played under during his time with Bournemouth.
“The biggest compliment I can give him is that he’s as close to Eddie Howe as I’ve seen,” O’Kane said, as quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post correspondent Phil Hay on Twitter.
Big backing for Christiansen from O’Kane. “The biggest compliment I can give him is that he’s as close to Eddie Howe as I’ve seen.” #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) November 3, 2017
Christiansen, 44, moved to the Yorkshire giants in the summer and has been tasked with trying to get them back in the Premier League.
His side have made a decent start and are seventh in the league table, but five defeats in their last six has stalled their progress.
O’Kane has compared him to Howe, who is regarded as one of the best young English managers around.
Howe has helped Bournemouth clinch promotion from League One and the Championship in the past few years.
The 39-year-old has guided the Cherries to 16th and ninth-placed finishes in the Premier League over the past two seasons to help his reputation grow.
OPINION
Howe has earned rave reviews over the past few years due to the attacking style of football he has introduced at Bournemouth and is now a recognised manager in the Premier League. His side have become a possession-based team that play an attractive brand and he is at the core of their success. Leeds fans would love Christiansen to emulate the work of Howe over the next few years and help them return to the Premier League. He has made a decent start during his first spell in English football and made a quick start as the Whites flew to the top of the Championship table. However, he now has to mix things up to help Leeds end their poor form and get back in the race for promotion.