Stoke City boss Mark Hughes has revealed his respect for Southampton manager Ronald Koeman as the two prepare to do battle in the Premier League this afternoon.
The pair have come up against each other on a number of occasions during their playing days, and Koeman's style of play left an impression on the former Manchester United star.
"He understood the game and he had lots of international experience," Hughes is quoted as saying by the Basingstoke Gazette. "He was never one to run around too much, he was more of a thinking man's centre-half.
"He had a great career. I used to watch him at international level and his range of passing was outstanding. He was a big part of the success of the Dutch teams of that era, so I used to enjoy going up against him.
"It was always tough going up against Barcelona at the best of times. They were always top quality players and you knew that's what you'd get from Ronald Koeman."
Southampton host the Potters on the back of their 8-0 thrashing of Sunderland.
Phil Archbold
