Stephen Ireland says Manchester City teammate Didi Hamann is the best footballer he's ever played with.

"Didi is the best I have ever played with," he praised. "He has great footballing intelligence in the way he reads the game even to the point where he draws free-kicks from the opposition."

Ireland also remarked: "It is crazy what has happened here in just a few short months, really the transformation has been breathtaking.

"If you look back to how we struggled at home last season to what we have achieved this season it is almost bizarre."