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Former Premier League striker credits John Carver with best form of his life

7 years ago
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John Carver has been credited as the man who has revived a former Premier League striker’s career and helped him produce the ‘best form’ of his life.

Nikos Dabizas helped recruit John Carver as Omonia Nicosia’s new Manager last summer and then between them, the club’s Director of Football and Manager then brought in Matt Derbyshire as one of their star signings.

Rotherham had let the 30 year old forward go and the player was more than happy to head off to Cyprus when the offer came.

Having played Premier League football for the likes of Blackburn and Birmingham, it was a gamble for Derbyshire to take, but in John Carver he claims to have found his perfect manager.

The striker has already scored 21 goals and says ‘John Carver has made me the main man and given me the confidence’.

Describing John Carver as a ‘great man manager’, Matt Derbyshire says that this is something ‘which is drifting out the game’.

Matt Derbyshire talking to The Mail:

“The stats say I am in the best form of my life.

“John Carver has made me the main man and given me the confidence every goalscorer needs.

“He knows my idol was Alan Shearer and takes every chance he has to mention him in training, having worked with him as Sir Bobby Robson’s coach.

“I take it all on board – John Carver is a great man manager, which is drifting out the game.

“He knows when to put an arm around your shoulder and when to push. I need that as a player and I’m sure thousands of other footballers feel the same.

“I knew the lifestyle would be great and the standard of football is better than people think.

“It’s very competitive. I played in all the leagues in England and on our day we could give anyone a game, it’s a more technical league than the Championship which is more like basketball, non-stop back and forth.

“The tempo is slower here. We’d find it hard in the Championship if we played their style, but likewise if Championship teams came to Cyprus and tried to outpass us, they wouldn’t get near.

‘I’ve found a club now where the manager wants me and the team relies on me. I don’t have to do as much running around, he wants me to conserve my energy and come alive in and around the box.”

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