Dr Steve Peters has likened Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers to highly successful British cycling coach Sir Dave Brailsford, describling the Northern Irishman as "very psychologically minded".
The psychologist, who will accompany the England squad to Brazil for this summer's World Cup finals, has been working closely with Rodgers' Barclays Premier League title-chasing Reds of late, and clearly relishes the link-up.
"(He's) similar to Dave Brailsford," Peters told the Radio Times. "Very psychologically minded, very challenging.
"He (Rodgers) wants to make sure he's got it right. He will question what I do, engage with it.
"To me, it is just magic to work with somebody like that. You work as a team again.
"And I can't tell him what to do. He will say to me, 'What do you suggest? What do you recommend?'"
Peters has a long and varied history of assignments. He helped the police with the investigation into the Soham murders and he has also spent time working at Rampton psychiatric hospital, which houses some of the most dangerous criminals in the country.
But it is his success in the world of sport that led the Football Association to sign Peters up for the World Cup.
He has helped cycling stars such as Sir Bradley Wiggins and Victoria Pendleton win Olympic gold, is credited by Ronnie O'Sullivan as having spurred him to his last two world snooker titles and has also earned praise for his work at Anfield - R eds captain Steven Gerrard has been seeing Peters for three years and reckons he may not have recovered from a career-threatening injury had it not been for the psychologist's help.
England boss Roy Hodgson last month played down suggestions, however, that the employment of such an individual will help the Three Lions suddenly rid themselves of their dreadful penalty record.
And Peters too was keen to acknowledge he was no miracle-worker.
"I can't make people win," he said. "All I can do is, with your help, increase the probability of winning."
Source: PA
