EBERE EZE is developing into a future England prospect – thanks to the influence of two Three Lions’ bosses.
Steve McClaren gave a teenage Eze the chance to be the chief creator in QPR’s attack.
While Roy Hodgson has been schooling the 22-year-old on the defensive side of the game since he joined Crystal Palace for £16million this summer.
Eze is aiming to become the complete package using both managers’ advice and has aspirations to make his country’s senior side one day.
But for now his goal is to become a key player for Aidy Boothroyd’s Young Lions, who take on Andorra tomorrow at Molineux.
Recalling his time working under McClaren, who coached England for a year in 2006, Eze said: “Steve was great for me.
“He instilled that first confidence in me to be like, ‘OK, you’re going to be the creator, the one to help the team to create and score goals’.
“Giving me the number 10 shirt at QPR was a big thing for not just me, but the club.
“The faith that he put into me was unbelievable, and I can’t thank him enough for it.”
Eze scored his first Premier League goal with a brilliant free-kick in Saturday’s 4-1 demolition of Leeds at Selhurst Park.
He also grabbed an assist but it is his work without the ball that he is learning most under Hodgson, in charge of his nation between 2012-2016.
The Greenwich lad, who is eligible to play for Nigeria through his parents, explained: “The way Roy speaks to me and the advice he gives me are only going to give me confidence and help me improve.
“I’m still learning the attacking front as well, but I feel my biggest steps forward are coming on the defensive side, because I have to be so alert and so concentrated.
“I’m doing things that I wasn’t necessarily having to do at QPR.
“I feel like I’m learning so much and I feel like, if I continue to do that, then I’ll be in a good position.”
Tomorrow’s clash with Andorra gives Boothroyd’s side the chance to make up for the embarrassing 3-3 draw they suffered against the minnows last month.
One positive from that game was a stunning through-ball from Eze to set up a goal for Eddie Nketiah.
It gave hope that playmaking Eze could be the man to pick the lock if England are struggling to break down teams at next year’s Euros, for which they have already qualified.
Yet rewind the clock four years and the Londoner was fearing football would not work out for him after being released by Millwall.
The Eagles starlet recalled: “It built huge resilience in me, being released.
“It is not the best feeling and you’re not in the best space mentally.
“You have to get back up again, not allow your setbacks to determine where you end up in life.
“I feel that was something that was forced into me after being released. I had to get up and be strong.
“Of course you have doubts, of whether you’re going to get your professional contract, whether you’re going to be what you would hope you’d be.
“But for me, it was the support of my family and people around me that continued to instil that faith in me, and being religious as well.
“Having faith was huge for me that I would always believe that I would get to where I hoped to get to and thankfully, and thanks to God, it has worked out.”
