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| Koeman is more than aware of the threat posed by Stoke |
RONALD KOEMAN believes Mark Hughes has built a Stoke team in his own mould - tough, fighting and always causing problems.
Hughes, who Koeman came up against many times during their playing days, was a technically gifted but physical striker who did not give defenders a moment's peace.
Koeman, whose Southampton side host Stoke today, said: "Mark, as a player, was a tough one. He was always fighting, in an honest way, on the pitch.
"He was always trying to cause problems. He never made it easy to play, he was always pressing, with good movement.
"He was always playing with a high intensity and he is doing that as a manager with his players. They play with a high intensity, they give their opponent really hard work to beat them and that's a reflection of the coach.
"Maybe they have a little bit more individual quality now. Bojan, Xherdan Shaqiri and Ibrahim Afellay are not really strong, physical players, they are technical players. That changed a lot but the system is the same and we know we have to play at a good level to beat them."
Hughes, meanwhile, believes Jack Butland has blown all rivals out of the water to be England's undisputed No2 goalkeeper.
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| Koeman remembers Hughes' high-intensity playing style, and believes his team mirror him |
Butland has been sensational since taking over following Asmir Begovic's £9million switch to Chelsea in the summer and won his third cap in the friendly against France in midweek after taking over from Hart at half-time.
"He just seems to step over every hurdle and milestone that comes before him," said Hughes.
"There was a time when everybody seemed to have a game here and there but nobody wanted to grab the shirt.
"But Jack has done that. It's almost hard to believe that this is his first real season in the Premier League."
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