Scotland star Stuart Armstrong had his arm twisted by Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl to play in a more advanced position.
The former Celtic midfielder has been in a rich vein of form in the Premier League of late after embracing a change in his game.
But highly rated German gaffer Hasenhuttl has explained it was no mean feat to talk the Scotland star around to his way of thinking.
He said: "Our history together was not the easiest one. He is a smart guy.
"He has a very clear opinion on where he wants to play. I had to speak lots of times with him to convince him about how the number 10 is the perfect position for him in my shape.
"A lot of players have their own view on where they should play and it is important for every manager to convince the players about their strengths and what they have to learn.
"He has accepted that this is a good position for him and he has, especially in the final third, some really good moves and can score always.
"From the physical side of things, he must really take care of his body because he has had some injuries also this season.
"He’s a guy who is really investing a lot in the pitch and sometimes gets some light injuries that affect him for two, three weeks and it’s always a setback and that’s what we must avoid in the future.”
