DEFENDER Joe Bennett admits he has a lot to thank Tony Mowbray for  after the youngster enjoyed a successful breakthrough season at Middlesbrough.

He became a regular starter soon after Mowbray arrived at the Riverside last October and the 21-year-old has emerged as one of the club’s most valuable assets.

His performances have already alerted several Premier League clubs, with Liverpool and Sunderland having both watched the left-back.

The last seven months have been in stark contrast to Bennett’s time under Gordon Strachan though, and the defender admits he was low on confidence until Mowbray took over.

He said: “I have to thank the gaffer because without him I wouldn’t be where I am now. Ever since he came into the club he has been really good to me.

“I played a few games under Gareth Southgate but then Gordon Strachan didn’t really fancy me, so my confidence was at a low. But Tony Mowbray has been really good to me.

“People know I hadn’t played a lot of football before he arrived but I’ve played nearly every match since.

“He shows belief in me every day in training. He tells me what he wants me to do, telling me to get forward, make assists and get crosses in, which I naturally do anyway.”

As well as gaining several top-flight admirers, Bennett has broken onto the international scene after England Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce handed the Rochdale-born defender his first call-up in February.

Unfortunately, Bennett just missed out on Pearce’s final 23-man squad for this summer’s European Championships in Denmark, but the defender reveals he is already working on improving his defensive qualities ahead of the new Championship campaign in August.

“I think last season was a good one for me,” Bennett said.

“I’m only young, so I am going to have a few bad games, but hopefully next season can be just as good for me, if not better.

“My defending needs to improve, I know that. Everyone knows I can get forward and try to create things, but my defending is what I need to work on. As a left-back, that’s got to be my main priority.

“I’ve always said that Ashley Cole and Gael Clichy are the best full-backs around. Cole’s defending possibly wasn’t so good when he started out but he is a world class left-back now and a good defender too.

“If I can improve my own defending then maybe I can emulate what he has achieved.”