Kevin Keegan: "He has been vitally important, and the one player who stitches it all together. He just gets on with it.
"Michael (Owen) captains the side, but I see him as another captain out there.
"He has got great experience. Nothing fazes him and he is not scared to say what he thinks if something is not quite right.
"I often go to him or Michael, the experienced players and say, 'Is the training a bit hard today'? or, 'Do you want to do more'?
"They can be a good barometer of the club from a players' point of view, and it is a good barometer. It will not be their opinion, it will be what they think is right.
"They are very important people to have around your club. They are called leaders, and you cannot get enough of them."