Nigel Reo-Coker is convinced he's playing for one of the game's best managers in Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill.
The midfielder told Villa's website: "There is a lot going on at the minute with regards to certain players but we are not concentrating on that. We are the ones who are here still and we have to prepare for the new season.
"It's a simple quote that everyone knows, but 'Rome wasn't built in a day'. That's a simple fact of life. Martin is a very intelligent man. He knows what players we need.
"He didn't let us down last year and look what we achieved and we know he is not going to let us down this year. The fans just have to be patient.
"People had written us off last year before the season had even started - they said we would finish just above the relegation zone, in the bottom half of the league and not even in the top 10.
"People can say whatever they want to say, at the end of the day it is their opinion. We know how hard we work when we come to the training ground and what we want to achieve as a group of players collectively with our manager and where we want to go."