Daniel Sturridge believes he is finally ready to show the footballing public what he is capable of — and has thanked Brendan Rodgers for giving him the platform to fulfill his potential.
Sturridge was seen as one of the brightest talents in England as he rose through the ranks at Manchester City, amassing 34 caps for his country’s youth teams.
In 2009 he signed with Chelsea but, although he won the Premier League, two FA Cups and a Champions League at Stamford Bridge, he was never a regular in his favored striking position.
Now an integral part of the Liverpool team after signing in at Anfield in January, the striker feels as though his time has come.
“I’m very grateful — very grateful to the manager for giving me an opportunity,” the 23-year-old told Liverpoolfc.com. “I was at Man City before Chelsea and everything was fine there, in fairness. I didn’t have any problems, everything worked out, but I chose to leave because I didn’t feel it was the best place for me to further my career. I moved on to Chelsea and had success. We won trophies and I have medals but in terms of my own individual ambitions, I didn’t get to fulfill them.
“Hopefully here, now I’m at a club that believes in me with a manager who believes in me, I can give the fans something to smile about. I thank the manager for giving me the opportunity to get where I am today.
“My driving force isn’t to prove people wrong. I am just trying to fulfill the talent that God gave me.
“I don’t feel any pressures about coming here and playing up front because I’ve been doing that since I was six years old. To me, it’s not a pressure.”
Having spent his career to date with two of the country’s top teams, Sturridge could be forgiven for taking a move to another big club in his stride.
“What the manager said to me when I first joined is that words don’t describe it,” he said. “You have to be here and be a part of it to understand. When I joined I immediately realized what he meant.
“I don’t think I could tell someone — you just have to be here and a part of it to understand the feeling. I’ve enjoyed every minute since I joined the club. It’s been a great time here for me and I’m enjoying part of the future here.
“I’ve been coming in, working hard, getting on with my teammates, and the staff and everyone has made me feel really welcome. I can’t complain! I get on with every player — everyone’s been great. I feel like this is my home now. I don’t have any worries about the future.”
