Ryan Mason has credited Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino with helping him embrace retirement.
The 26-year-old hung up his boots last month after spending 13 months out of the game following a skull injury he sustained playing for Hull City against Chelsea in January 2017.
Remarkably, Mason has remained positive throughout this tough process, and he has revealed how Pochettino contributed to his new outlook on life.
"You love playing for him, you'd run through a brick wall for him because he's a lovely man and a lovely human being," said Mason.
"Don't get me wrong I would never, ever cross him because his morals and values are so strong that if you went away from that it would be hard for him to forget it. But at the same time if you work hard, do what he says right and enjoy your football then he is unbelievable.
"Probably the biggest thing that I can say about him is that he didn't just improve me as a player, he improved me as a human being. He just changed my view on life through his values - he's a big family man, he loves creating friendship and values loyalty.
"Also when I say he changed my way of life, that way of stressing your brain I believe helped me recover from my injury because rather than feeling sorry for myself that experience of being strong mentally with him helped me to change my outlook."