Szmodics opens up on Tomasson downfall and Eustace's impact

The Blackburn Rovers star revealed all on the No Tippy Tappy Podcast, speaking in-depth about the season, his future and much more.

In particular, the Championship's top-scorer gave some fascinating insight on the differences between Tomasson and Eustace. 

The quotes speak for themselves and so here is a full transcript of everything he said on the two Rovers bosses.

What was the impact of John Eustace coming in?

"A lot of credit to Jon Dahl Tomasson because he improved me as a player, defensively and as a complete player.

"I always knew I could score but he took my game to another level. I was really upset actually when he left because we had a great relationship. He still texts me now quite a bit.

"John Eustace came in, unfortunately, to lose his job at Birmingham, and his style of football is very different to Jon Dahl. He's more direct but he changed the mentality when he came in.

"Under Jon Dahl, we were falling down the table when he came in. We got ourselves in a relegation scrap but he came in and he changed the mentality. He has a saying which is 'fighters not victims'.

"We are a young team and we fell to a lot of criticism which showed on the pitch. I think teams turned up to Ewood Park and thought they could bully us. At the end of the season, we stood up to that.

"John Eustace's man management is brilliant which is important. He pulled me on his first day and said 'You're the best striker in the whole league' and even if he didn't think it, it made me feel like that. That took my confidence to another level.

"I took the role of 'I'm going to keep Blackburn in the league'. I'd done so well to that point, that people probably expected me to fall away, playing midfield. With the manager's confidence and the lads, Eustace made us so together and I think that's why we didn't go down."

Is that the difference between a manager and a coach?

"It gives you a bit of a kick, lads that weren't playing saw it as a clean slate.

"Under Jon Dahl, we never had a day off, occasionally a Monday off. We were always in on a Sunday and he said when he was at AC Milan, he never had a day off in three months.

"You will lose some players that way. Some think you must have a day off. John Eustace came in and said you'll have Sunday and Wednesday off. We played our first game and beat Stoke 3-1.

"It gave everyone a lift. John Eustace said at the end of the season one his best team talks was telling us we got two days off. Everyone wanted to give back.

"I think under Jon Dahl, we were too in routine. If you lost on Saturday, you were in on Sunday and nobody wants to be there. When you're winning, it's great, when you lose it's not.

"John coming in and offering two days off, that gave everyone a lift straight away.

"Jon Dahl never did team talks. We'd do our work through the week and then leave the players to it 'You know your jobs, go and do it'. John would show us a motivational video and he would get you up for the game more.

"He wouldn't be scared to switch it up. Jon Dahl was very set on how he wanted to play and if it wasn't working, you were being booed, we're still playing this way.

"You could lose on Saturday, you're in Sunday and it's a long week with no day off. With John Eustace, we had a schedule. If we beat Sheffield Wednesday, we were offered three or four days off. It's a motivation thing that you don't realise you need."

Who is the best manager you've worked under?

"I've had Jon Dahl Tomasson who was tactically a genius, the best I have ever had. 

"When I first joined Blackburn, I found it very tough. I was on the phone to my agent saying 'I can't do this, I don't understand what he wants me to do'. 

"Once you understand it, it's so simple. He wants you to pass wide and make a run into the line between the 18-yard box and corner flag. That's where all the goals come from via cutback areas.

"Other managers have said the same but he was dedicated to it. Off the ball, tactically, he was spot on. If you understood what he wanted, you'd play.

"He could be very harsh if you didn't do what he wanted. You'd be out, you wouldn't play. John Eustace focused on mentality and you have qualities from both.

"As a footballer, I had more time with Jon Dahl. I'd have to say he is the best manager I've had, not just in the last two years but my whole career. He was tactically brilliant and I have come on leaps and bounds."