Southampton legend Marian Pahars draws on his time at St Mary's in new job as manager of Latvia

The 36-year-old, who had been his country’s under-21 boss since the start of the year, took over the senior side last week, following the departure of Aleksandrs Starkovs.

“To be the team’s main coach is a great honour for me,” he said.

Pahars, one of the most popular Saints players in recent times, has given an in-depth interview to the Daily Echo about his time at the club and his blossoming managerial career, which will be printed in tomorrow’s Sports Pink.

While Starkovs, his former coach at Skonto Riga, is the biggest influence on his coaching philosophy – “I take a lot more from him than anyone else,” – Pahars can also draw on his experience from playing under a number of different managers at Saints.

“I use all my knowledge and what I knew as a player in my management career now,” he says.

As part of the interview, he discusses working with the likes of Dave Jones, who signed him in 1999, Glenn Hoddle, Gordon Strachan and George Burley, the manager who opted to release him.

Marian Pahars celebrates scoring against Leeds in 2005.

“As a person, Dave Jones was unbelievable,” says Pahars. “He was so generous. Of course, he brought me to the club, he gave me my chance, so I will never forget that. Without him I don’t know where I will be.”

It was Hoddle, however, who Pahars enjoyed playing under more than anyone.

“As a person, as a coach, as an educator, as a tutor, he was the best for me,” he explains.

Pahars also reveals how Hoddle taught him a valuable coaching lesson that he treasures to this day, convincing him to play out of position, starting wide, rather than up front.

Under Strachan, Pahars felt his freedom on the pitch was restricted, but he still carries plenty of respect for the Scot.

“We played good football with him, but also with him I started to feel more that I couldn’t play like I wanted to. It was very, very structured,” he says. “I’m not like this. I need to be free to play football.

“But tactically we were very good with Strachan. We were like machines under him; it was like a good machine.”

By the time Strachan left, injuries had started to take their toll on Pahars. His appearances were increasingly rare and, in 2006, it was George Burley who called time on his Saints career.

“I didn’t have any relationship with him,” Pahars says of Burley.

“He didn’t tell me anything right to the end. I said to him ‘Listen, Southampton to me is everything. I have problems, but I’m determined. I want to come back, I want to be here, this is my town, I want to finish my career here.’ “But what could I do? He was the boss and he told me ‘No.’ I didn’t say anything. I didn’t shake his hand, I just left the room.”

Marian Pahars discusses growing up in Latvia, his bizarre route into English football, how the flu nearly derailed his move to Saints, his love of the club and the fans, his best goals, and life after leaving St Mary’s in tomorrow’s Sports Pink.