Rangers midfielder Steven Davis has been handed the ultimate compliment by Gus Poyet ahead of Northern Ireland's clash with Greece.
The duo go head to head later tonight in the final round of Nations League fixtures with the hosts already guaranteed top spot in League C Group 2 while Ian Baraclough's men will be aiming to avoid dropping down to League D. Light Blues star Davis is in line to earn his 140th international cap for his country in a remarkable feat.
Greece boss Poyet only managed 29 caps for his own national team during his playing career and says he has 'huge respect' for players who turn out that many times for their national team at any level. He has also hailed the 37-year-old for the way he manages and controls the tempo of games ahead of the showdown.
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He said: “In my career I only played 29 times for the national team so the difference to someone like Davis is massive.
"He knows the game so well, he manages the game and the tempo, when to accelerate and when to slow it down.
“He has the confidence of the people around him and again I have huge respect for people who play that number of games for their national team at any level."
Veteran Davis has played eight times in all competitions for Giovanni van Bronckhorst's Rangers side this season.
He has also been a consistent figure for Northern Ireland, featuring in their first five Nations League games - playing all but 13 minutes of the group football ahead of tonight's finale.
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