David Moyes is hoping to rebuild Jack Rodwell's career at Sunderland having previously handed him his Premier League debut at the age of 16 during their time together at Everton.
Rodwell would make 85 league appearances for the Merseyside club before he was eventually sold to Manchester City in 2012, but the prodigious youngster failed to live up to the hype and only made 16 league appearances in two years before being sold to relegation battlers Sunderland.
Under Sam Allardyce, Sunderland spectacularly avoided relegation last season before moving on to take on the England job opening the door for Moyes to make his Premier League return and reunite with Rodwell.
Moyes said life will not be easy for the midfielder under his stewardship but backed the Englishman to return to top form.
"I hope I can help him," Moyes said. "Jack was a boy who was really highly regarded. He looked as if he had the makings of an England regular in central defence or midfield.
"I'm not too sure if the move he made was the right one when he went to Man City, and I think that stalled him. But, more importantly, he was probably stalled by his injuries.
"He had a couple of injuries at the end of his time at Everton as well with his hamstrings and he’s had real problems with them.
"But Jack knows how I work – I'll probably whip him harder than I will whip the others because I know what he’s capable of and I need to get him right.
"I think that's probably what Jack needs as well. I think he needs to realise, 'Come on now, you've got to really come up to the plate and see if you can do it.' He's a technically-gifted player and he needs to really get over the thoughts that his body can't cope. His body can cope because he’s a great athlete."
