Exclusive: Former Man United centre-back Di'Shon Bernard speaks to the Manchester Evening News about life at Old Trafford, Kobbie Mainoo, Omari Forson and a new start at Sheffield Wednesday.
Di'Shon Bernard, for a moment, looks down at the keyboard of the laptop he is speaking via in Sheffield Wednesday's media suite at their Middlewood Road training ground and starts reminiscing.
"It was a very special moment for me," Bernard told the Manchester Evening News. "I think it made it easier for me because I made my debut with a lot of the youth team boys that came up with me, mixed in with a few first-team players, like Luke Shaw and Lingard."It was in Kazakhstan, it was a far trip, very cold, but it was a moment that will live with me forever.
"You could also see that he was very disciplined, even when it came to lateness. He wanted to make sure everyone was professional, not just on the pitch, off the pitch as well. He is one of those managers that is big on that." "Obviously, I was on loan for a few seasons and came back that pre-season and saw him in training," he explained. "I was thinking: 'Who is this kid?' You could see straight away from the stuff he was doing in training that he was going to be a top, top player.
"They need people who are willing to get their heads down, work hard, run about and give energy. I am really happy to see what he is doing." Bernard now finds himself on the other side of the Pennines, donning the blue and white stripes of Wednesday. He signed on a free transfer last summer, leaving Old Trafford in pursuit of an opportunity to put down some roots and find a club he could call home.
He was replaced by former Germany assistant boss Danny Röhl, a highly-rated 34-year-old who had previously served as Hansi Flick's assistant at Bayern Munich and with Germany. Röhl has transformed Wednesday's fortunes, so much so they are now in with a very strong chance of survival. His outlook on football, as well as that of his assistant, Henrik Pedersen, has been an eye-opener to Bernard, who believes he has improved as a result of the German's management.
"It just makes us better as a team and makes me look a bit better as well, to be honest. I can show everyone that I am a defender who is comfortable on the ball and can bring it up, play through the thirds and play through the lines. It has been good." Bernard confessed: "I didn't even realise they had been here until I heard when you kind of heard, to be honest! I think they started that programme a bit after I went on my first or second loan. They weren't doing that when I was coming up through the youth .
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