POP’S EYE STEAK

Father figure Dougie beefed Oli up

I would never have questioned a manager as to why I wasn’t playing.

The minute you do that, you’re disrespecting them. I might moan but I’d never vent my frustration in anger. You had to ma ke a st atement in training or on the pitch when you got a chance. Quest ioning the manager just winds them up a n d ma k e s matters worse.

I can’t say I’ve ever been in a dressing- room where I’ve felt some of the stuff that has gone on has verged on bullying.

Of course, you always get strong opinions and big characters within any squad.

It’s ironic we’re now getting these kind of high- prof ile stories in the women’s game. In men’s football it happens almost every week.

That’s because the men’s game gets so much media coverage and exposure.

Believe me, there are big egos in women’s football.

I just hope the negativity doesn’t spread because, post Euros, it’s important the game continues to grow.

The domestic season will resume soon after the break and I would love to see an upturn in crowds because of the popularity of the games in Holland.

At Nottingham Forest, the Scot took so much interest in his young winger he even advised him on what STEAKS to eat in a bid to make him stronger.

Burke says Freedman wasn’t just a manager to him at the City Ground when he burst on to the scene.

The £13million Red Bull Leipzig star claims the gaffer was more like a father figure as he broke into the Forest side and set the Championship alight.

That’s why the Scotland ace believes Hearts should appoint the 43-year- old as their next boss.

As revealed last week, Freedman is keen to replace Ian Cathro at Tynecastle and is one of several high- prof ile candidates on Craig Levein’s radar.

At Crystal Palace, the Scot helped nurture players like Wilfried Zaha, Nathaniel Clyne and Yannick Bolasie who al l moved on for huge transfer fees.

But Freedman’s development of Burke at Forest was instrumental in the wideman’s move to the Bundesliga big-hitters.

He gave the teenager his Championship debut at 18 and helped him grow into a potential superstar.

He’s now the most expensive Scottish player ever and a full international.

And according to Burke, he wouldn’t be where he is today if it wasn’t for Freedman’s unstinting belief in him