Quotes from Michael Laudrup

It's always an honour to receive recognition, but I always consider them more important when they come from your colleagues.

Regarding my coaching philosophy, I think it is important to adapt to the team/players and the culture in the country where you are coaching, but to keep possession is a key issue wherever you are.

In the end, we all want to win, and you have to use all the resources at your disposal.

I played the way I did it because I knew it was effective. My intention was to win always, not to gain applause.

I've played under many managers - some fantastic, some average, and some not so good. Even if it's not intentional, you log the good ideas and the bad ones.

Most people probably assume that Hristo is a grumpy, stubborn guy... That can't be further from the truth. He's a cheerful, candid person that never holds a grudge.

I believe in treating players like adults - though if some of them behave like children, you have to treat them as such! - and I think there is big respect the other way from players to the manager.

If I have a keeper who makes a mistake in consecutive games and is dropped, when he plays again, there is pressure on him because that is the level of the game we are at.

We have to let them grow, because young players can always improve. That goes for Jack Wilshere, too.

You don't want to push your young players too much.

At Brondby, we had Daniel Agger, who came up from the youth. He had two years in the team, and then we sold him to Liverpool for nearly £7 million, which is a lot of money in Denmark. As a manager, that gives you even greater satisfaction that winning something as a player.

I don't think I'll see the next Messi in my lifetime.

That is one of the problems big teams face - their rivals always take the field very motivated, and I say this from experience.

I don't think people can imagine a Liverpool team without Gerrard. It is like Raul at Real Madrid and Puyol at Barcelona. They are a rare breed, these types of players.

I was in Spain, with Mallorca and Getafe, which were exceptional experiences.

As a manager, you always want as many players available as possible, but injuries are a part of football, as it is a contact sport.

A small squad means everyone feels part of it and integrated.

When people are booing at the stadium when they win, then it has nothing to do with the results. It is something to do with emotion and feelings, which is an important part of football. The relationship there has nothing to do with results.

I think that when you are part of a football team, it is a group. That means the players and the staff, including the manager and all that administration.

When things aren't going well, it's very easy to blame the coaching staff.

Honestly, who knows 100 per cent what they will do next year?

It's impossible to always move forward, but sometimes even maintaining the status quo is enough.

Robben is more of a one-on-one individualist. He's a player who can decide a game.

Circulation of the ball is important, but it's only useful if you can give it to someone who can make the difference.