Thursday 9 June 2016 11:52, UK
Chris Smalling has paid tribute to former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal for helping him to become a first-choice pick for both club and country.
Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic left United prior to Van Gaal's arrival in 2014 and the Dutchman made Smalling a central component when constructing a new back four.
With the 26-year-old a virtual ever-present, United had the joint-best defensive record in the Premier League last season and, although Van Gaal has been replaced by Jose Mourinho, the England defender remains grateful for his efforts.
"It was great working with Louis and getting a good run of games," said Smalling. "Knowing Louis, he's one that's very tactically aware. Despite the ups and downs of the season, I think on the whole we as a team were very solid.
"We didn't concede too many goals throughout the season. That's something he really implemented on us, whereas in a couple of the previous seasons we did concede a lot.
"That season he really drilled us from the front right to the back in terms of how we move, how we shift, and that's obviously helped me because that's a large part of my game. I think a lot of the defence took a lot of credit from that."
Smalling cites Ferdinand, capped 81 times by England, as "a big influence" and though relatively inexperienced himself at international level with 25 caps to his name, the youthful nature of Roy Hodgson's squad makes Smalling something of a senior figure.
The former Fulham player is rooming beside his 18-year-old United team-mate Marcus Rashford at England's team hotel during Euro 2016 and he said that the young striker had been quick to find his feet.
"Marcus was lucky enough to know some of them because of some of the younger ages and they're around his age anyway, but to start with it's nice that he's got a couple of familiar faces who he knows," said Smalling.
"Now you can see he's a lot more relaxed. You can see him on the training pitch, he's smiling, because it's an easy squad to get to know."
