NATHAN Ake says Eddie Howe is unique among the managers the Dutchman has played under during his embryonic professional career.

Cherries loan player Ake worked with both Rafael Benitez and Jose Mourinho at parent club Chelsea.

And during previous temporary spells away from Stamford Bridge – at Reading and Watford – the 21-year-old was managed by Steve Clarke and Quique Sanchez Flores.

Discussing Howe, Ake told the Daily Echo: “He is a bit different to the other managers I’ve had. He works more in training. He always likes to work at 100 per cent, work the players hard.

“He does things tactically very well. I really like him as a manager. He’s a good manager and a good coach. He tries to help and improve the players.”

Ake is yet to break into Howe’s team but, typically for a man who uprooted from Holland to move to west London at the age of 16, he quickly acclimatised to life at Vitality Stadium.

“When I came in for the first couple of days, the other players really tried to help,” said Ake. “After a couple of months, you start to know the place and it’s not really necessary any more. But on the pitch, of course, they still try to help me.

“I saw straight away that the team is tight. There’s a lot of things to do. Sometimes you go to the cinema with other players. It’s a good group so it was easy to settle in.”