Tim Sherwood says he is seeing some real character and spirit amongst his Aston Villa players at the moment.
The Villans are looking to turn the tables on a horror season by fighting their way out of the drop zone and into safety in the final 10 matches.
Sherwood has seen the likes of Charles N'Zogbia and on-loan winger Scott Sinclair step up since his arrival and feels that the squad is going through a positive change ahead of the business end of the campaign.
"I am honest with them," he said of his players.
"I used to hate managers telling me I am not playing because of this and that. I used to look at them and feel I am not playing because you want someone else to play in front of me.
"I tell these guys I went and got myself fit and made myself ready for the time I was put in the team because when I get the shirt no one else is getting it off me. Those are the kind of characters I want in the team and that is what I am seeing at the moment."
