Noel Whelan is sure that Leeds United head coach Paul Heckingbottom has already had a big impact on striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga, who he is managing well and coaxing the best out of.
The German striker was inconsistent under previous boss Thomas Christiansen and was regularly criticised by Whelan, who bemoaned his lack of mobility up top.
But Lasogga is currently in a rich vein of form, having scored three goals in the Whites' last four Championship games.
Whelan thinks that Heckingbottom is having an impact on the German and the pair have already struck up a good relationship.
"You can see a fitness level coming back to him and that makes him a better forward", Whelan said on BBC Radio Leeds.
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"The effort levels he is putting in now, the manager has got to be really pleased with him. He looks like he is playing with a bit more of a smile on his face.
"He has put a lot of work in and he's done that since Paul Heckingbottom has taken charge.
"He is managing him better. He is obviously talking to him, it looks like the relationship is really good between the player and the manager.
"That makes a difference", Whelan added.
Lasogga is on loan at Leeds for the campaign from German Bundesliga side Hamburg and the Whites do not have an option to keep him on a permanent basis.
The German has remained coy on what his future might hold at the end of the season.
