Rosenior: 'Cairney can make up for lost time'

"He always had the ability," said Liam Rosenior to 'Sky Sports'. "He was 18 or 19 when I first played with him and that ability was there. I always saw Tom as a deeper-lying, ball-playing midfielder because of his technical abilities. Almost like a Michael Carrick, I thought he could dictate play from there.

"He can see a pass before other people can see it. He has the ability to receive the ball in tight spaces, to play one-twos and to give assists as well as goals.

"In terms of his football intelligence, Tom is unbelievable. I remember when I first went to Brighton and I was begging Chris Hughton to sign him. I was telling him that this kid can do everything."

Matty Fryatt, who also played with Cairney at Hull, went on to say that he would have no troubles adapting to the pace of play in the Premier League. 

"In the Premier League it will be tougher but it will also be easier in some ways," he explained. 

"There are moments in the Championship where you get tackled from behind and are wondering what's going on. Tom was able to handle that and he will get more time in the Premier League to show even more. I think it will suit him down to the ground."