Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has paid tribute to his first managerial job at Bournemouth as a great learning experience.
At the time, the would-be manager had just ended his playing days and took up the job at the Seward Stadium as he learned his trade, and ultimately managed the club for nine years.
Following his time at Bournemouth, Redknapp went on to manage West Ham United followed by two spells at Portsmouth either side of a stint at Southampton, before landing his current job at Spurs.
The 64-year-old has also been widely tipped to be the next England boss following Fabio Capello's exit, as the FA look for someone to take charge of the squad ahead of this year's European championships.
"I had some fantastic times later at West Ham and Portsmouth but you have to go back to Bournemouth because that shaped me into the manager I am today," Redknapp told The Sunday Mirror.
"It's a club that remains very close to my heart and I would never discourage any aspiring manager from working their way up from the bottom to the top."
"You get your hands dirty and in those days you covered aspects of managing a team that are unheard of today – and with little or no money."
"Life was damn tough and footballers and managers at that level earned a pittance."
"But they are valuable life lessons and either make or break you."