Willy Sagnol has taken the time to praise Manchester United attacker Anthony Martial and feels the 19-year-old is mature beyond his age.
The current Bordeaux boss worked with Martial during his time as France Under-21 coach, handing the former Monaco starlet his debut at the tender age of 17.
Sagnol received his fair share of criticism at the time about his decision to field the inexperienced attacker and he is pleased that he is now being proven right.
"It is easy to say now: 'Hey guys, I already said that Martial was a phenomenon two years ago'," Sagnol told France Football.
"But the fact is that I played him at the U-21 team when he was only 17 and played in the CFA with Monaco's reserves.
"Some people told me I was crazy at the time, but he was a kid I really liked, quiet and humble.
"But once you scratch the surface, he is actually mature beyond his age."
Martial has scored three goals in two Premier League appearances for United since joining them from Monaco on transfer deadline day.
‘Even though Kevin Keegan was my boyhood hero, we never really saw eye-to-eye. That was an underwhelming time for me – I felt on the outside’: Newcastle cult hero reveals disappointment over how things went under King Kev
Alexander Isak puts uncertainty over his Newcastle United future to bed amid fresh PSG and Arsenal links
