Graham Alexander praises former Burnley FC boss Cotterill

Cotterill faces his old club tomorrow at Fratton Park, for the first time since leaving Turf Moor just over three years ago.

In the meantime, the man he paid £200,000 for three months earlier has since gone on to play in the Premier League for the first time in his long and distinguished career.

Back then, in August 2007, signing the 36-year-old from neighbours Preston, where he had attained legend status, came right out of left-field.

But no one can argue with the logic now.

Alexander – now Burnley’s oldest Post-War outfield player – has made 157 appearances for the club, including 61 in the promotion season, when he missed just 26 minutes of action all campaign.

Preston had been unwilling to offer him more than a one-year contract at the time, and Cotterill decided he was worth two – with Alexander going on to win two more extensions, that will take him into five seasons at Turf Moor.

And Alexander said: “Steve showed a lot of confidence in me at 36 to sign me from Preston and give me a two-year contract.

“He obviously believed in me at that time, and it was a great boost to my confidence to come and play for a manager like that.

“It was just a shame it was only for two or three months.

“He gave me nothing but support from the day I signed.”

Cotterill had hunted high and low for a right-back, but, having signed one in Alexander, he pitched him into midfield in his first game at Colchester – a tactical shift that proved key for Burnley in winning promotion.

Alexander said: “He put me into midfield in my first game. I hadn’t played there for probably eight to 10 years, since before my time at Preston.

“He obviously saw a little bit of a future for me for that role, and knew that I could give something to the team playing in central midfield.

“It was only the injury to Michael Duffwith his knee that made me go back to right back.”

Alexander spent the rest of his first season in his more accustomed role at right-back, forming an important partnership with Wade Elliott that drew praise from none other than Arsene Wenger.

He was back in central midfield the following season under Owen Coyle at Crystal Palace, and the rest is history:

He said: “When Owen took over, after a while he put me back in midfield.

“But Cotts put me in there early doors, and he’s a top man.

“He’ll be looking to win. I know how competitive he is.

“That’s the nature of the man.”

Cotterill would like nothing more than to pick up three points tomorrow, but admits he is anticipating April’s return more, when he can bring a team back to Turf Moor.

He returned to the club for the first time in three years as a Sky Sports pundit for the live win over Derby on Saturday, and he said: “It was good going up there the other day, and it was nice to see a few people.

“I was taken aback by the welcome. I thought people were great with me, and I’m very thankful for that.

“When you go back to a club you never know whether what you did there has been appreciated.

“But I was invited into the boardroom afterwards by Barry Kilby, and it was like we had never been separated.

“He is a top chairman and a top man and it was great to share a glass of wine with him after the game.

“I’ll be looking forward to going back up to Turf Moor again.

“That’s when it will have more of a bearing for me than it will this weekend, going back there as a manager.

“For me this is another home game.”

Portsmouth have climbed away from the bottom end into play-off contention, but Cotterill feels clubs have to start clawing back QPR and Cardiff as soon as possible.

He said: “What every club has to be careful of is not letting QPR and Cardiff run away with it, then you’re left with a scramble for the play-offs.

“But that’s the pleasure of the play-offs, as everyone at Burnley has found out.

“If you can guarantee it, it is the best way to go up. You get the finances, the trophy, the medal and you gain promotion.”