Pundit Jermaine Jenas thinks that ex-Tottenham Hotspur ace Serge Aurier has become a different player with Nottingham Forest.
Former Tottenham Hotspur right back Serge Aurier has turned his career around with a move to Nottingham Forest.
That is the view of pundit Jermaine Jenas, who played for both clubs in his career.
Forest drew 1-1 with Brentford on Sunday afternoon, rescuing a point having been 1-0 down.
Steve Cooper would love a few more wins on the board but eight points from seven games to start the season is a decent start.
Serge Aurier earns praise from Jermaine Jenas
One man who played the full 90 minutes in that Forest draw was Serge Aurier with the Ivorian playing a key role at right back.
The numbers don’t look incredible; Aurier managed two tackles, one accurate cross, one interception and one clearance.
Aurier has been hailed though with pundit Jermaine Jenas raving about Aurier whilst speaking to BBC Sport.
Jenas highlighted that Forest boss Cooper seems to get the best out of his players.
The former Forest midfielder highlighted Aurier as a great example of that, believing he has become a ‘different person’ at the City Ground.
Jenas remembered Aurier’s time at Tottenham as being a little wayward, but now thinks he is thriving as he was named Forest captain on Sunday.
“I feel like he tries to get more out of his players, to keep on improving them,” said Jenas. “Serge Aurier is a good example of that, which is why I asked Cooper about him after Sunday’s game.”
“I watched Aurier a lot at Tottenham – it didn’t quite work out for him there for some reason – and he looks like a completely different person at Forest. Cooper has made him captain and, sometimes when you give players more responsibility, they show a different side to themselves,” he added.
Tottenham’s right back has been chopped and changed since Kyle Walker exit
Aurier was supposed to be the big replacement for Kyle Walker following his 2017 move to Manchester City.
The 30-year-old showed his quality in fits and starts but never really lived up to the billing after joining from Paris Saint-Germain.
Aurier battled with Kieran Trippier for a little while before he was sold to Atletico Madrid; he’s now starring for Newcastle United in the Premier League.
Kyle Walker-Peters, Matt Doherty, Emerson Royal, Pedro Porro and Died Spence have all had a go with Tottenham’s right back spot becoming an issue in recent years.
Aurier wasn’t at it for most of his Tottenham career but now seems to have found a real home with Forest.
