How does he connect with the players?
I think he has a good relationship with everybody. Of course, as a manager, it’s hard because you always have to choose your first 11 and then you have to choose your five subs and then you still have 20-25 guys in the squad. So, it is never easy for a coach, but I think as a group we can manage it quite well. Like I say, he has a good relationship with everyone, he’s honest with everyone and he will tell you if you are in a good way but he will also tell you if you’re in a bad way.
What did he do to keep you focused as the title got closer during the last month or so?
I don’t think he had to keep us focused. We are professional football players. Everybody is focused on the next game. Everybody knew what we could achieve. And I think as a manager, of course, you have sometimes to give some extra indications and stuff like that. But as a professional, you don’t have to be pushed by someone to work every day or to get ready for the weekend.
You are close to Mohamed Salah. Just how good has he been this season?
Yes, unbelievable. It feels like every week he has been breaking another record. As I think Ronaldo said once, he doesn’t follow the records, the records follow him. I think Mo could say the same now, because every week he sets another record. There are a lot of players in our team who played a huge role in this season but yes, of course, Mo was one of them.
Talking of Liverpool legends, you have a tattoo on your arm of a Steven Gerrard quote that he gave long before you played for Liverpool. Why?
The quote is just me. ‘God gives you talent, but when you don’t work and sacrifice and do everything you have to do, it brings nothing.’ Probably Steven Gerrard was thinking the same way, but I felt like that’s me, you know? Inside I was like, that’s how my life works, that’s what I’m thinking. That means you have to work every day, every second, every minute towards your goals if you want to achieve something. If you’re happy to be where you are now, then it’s enough, but if you want to get more and more and more, one more year and one more year and one more year, then you have to be prepared to do all that extra work.
