Former Stoke City and Derby County manager Gary Rowett has praised Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi and identified one crucial part of his side.
Rowett, out of work since he was given the sack by Stoke in January, is impressed with Forest and Lamouchi with the French international guiding the City Ground side to second in the Championship and level on points with West Bromwich Albion in top spot.
Lamouchi reckons automatic promotion is not on the cards for his side, who are unbeaten since the second game of the season - their latest win coming in a 1-0 success over Brentford on Trentside on Saturday.
And while Rowett, who has also managed Birmingham City and Burton Albion, didn't quite go that far he was very complimentary of the former Ivory Coast boss.
A former defender himself, Rowett also recognises a good centre-back pairing when he sees one ands thinks the current duo at the heart of Forest's back line, Michael Dawson and Joe Worrall, underpin Forest's surge to the top end of the Championship table.
"He’s (Lamouchi) brought a really steely edge to them and he’s done that everywhere he’s been," he told Quest's EFL highlights show.
"He’s got a fantastic record and they look very organised,"
"Dawson and Worrall at the back are a key element for them and Forest look a lot more defensively solid."
