Slaven Bilic has revealed that former West Ham United playmaker Dimitri Payet did not "act like a star" during his time in East London.
At the start of 2017, Payet stated that he wanted to return to Marseille after just 18 months with the Hammers, and the French international eventually managed to engineer a transfer to the Ligue 1 side.
However, Bilic - who was sacked as West Ham boss in November - has praised Payet for his contribution after quickly becoming a fans' favourite at the club.
The 49-year-old told Goals on Sunday: "From his first training session - maybe it was because of the new country or that the fans were crazy about him - he felt really important. He also said that for the first time in his career, fans were singing a song about him.
"He was the star of the team but he didn't act like a star. He was very calm and a very good influence in the dressing room. It was a great time for him and the club."
Payet scored 15 goals in 60 appearances in all competitions during his time at West Ham.
Darren Plant
