Derby County: Ex-Ram Craig Bryson on former teammate John Eustace

I’m not sure I’d ever imagined Eusty being the manager of Derby, but the way he came across off the pitch and the way he spoke, you could always see him being a coach or a manager. You could see him going down that route.

I wouldn’t say he was loud in the changing room, but when he spoke, he spoke sense and with the authority that everyone would listen to and take note of.

It’s a cliché in football, but I don’t think he ever gets too high or too low. He’s good at staying calm. I don’t remember him ever coming in and shouting or screaming in a changing room. He just sat down and spoke with authority. He had a good way of putting himself across.

I can imagine with him being the man in charge, he would be a really good calming influence.

There weren’t many players throughout my career that made me a much better player, but he definitely did. It was his positioning behind me and talking me through the game, telling me when to press, which way to show them – he was very good at that, managing the game, within the game.

He was pivotal that season. He’d manage games. When he was in the team we were a much better unit, and to an extent, he sacrificed his own game for the team.

I think he’ll be a great manager and has been already.

It’s a big statement from him, leaving a club in the top six and coming and taking over Derby [in their position]. He obviously believes in himself.

I remember going to watch him with some of the other Derby lads when he was managing at Kidderminster – we were bitter he never left us any complimentary tickets; we had to pay to get in.

He knows what Derby’s all about – the training ground, the stadium, the fans – if you get it right at Derby, then in my opinion it’s a much better job than the Blackburn job.

When Derby went through tough times with administration, that’s when the fans rallied together, and you could see the size of the club. They went down to League One but still had massive attendances.

Even if they do go down again, which nobody wants, I think they’ll still get the crowds, and the fans will be there through thick and thin. John knows that. I think he’ll get the backing he wants and probably needs from the board. I think it’s a really good appointment, and I hope it goes very well.