Georginio Wijnaldum Quotes

I like the idea of playing with a bit more tactical freedom, either in a deeper role or supporting the strikers more often.

I've played under different managers, different styles, and most of my career, I was asked to play long.

I often felt as a player in a 4-4-2, you end up being outnumbered in midfield and chasing the ball, so as a manager I liked wingbacks to push forward; it gives the midfield player on the ball three or four options.

I don't say we are a defensive team. I say we are a strong team in defensive terms, but at the same time lacking sufficient fluidity in attack because that will take time to come.

I think Coutinho's a great team player with a huge amount of talent. He can use both feet. He scores goals. He links play well and gets between the lines in attack.

The lower you go down the levels, the more players think they need to hang on to the ball to prove how talented they are, but that's not football.

Playing with Coutinho is easy. He's a very quick player who dribbles well. He knows how to play out wide, and my job is not just to go past and help him: it's also to give the greatest number of passes to him in space around the opposition right-back.

Any coach in my era will reference or look at Guardiola's teams. If you look at the style of play, he has had a huge influence on football. And he has innovated it again.

Sometimes in midfield, it's nice because you do get a little bit more of the ball, and maybe out wide you rely on people to get you the ball.

It's something that I have to learn to do: affect the game in a different way. If I don't get it on the offensive end, try to get it on the defensive end.

I feel comfortable in the playmaker role, but I can play on the left, on the right, and even pivot.

I like to be in contact with the ball, have possession, to play.

I'd say my main quality is keeping the ball and my passing.

All players rolled into one: from defensive midfielder to attacking midfielder to attacker. I want to take the qualities from everyone. I'd like to get to the level where I have everything: Vieira, Deschamps, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Henry, Ronaldo. It wouldn't be bad, that.

At Rennes, I played more down the left wing, but also down the right and sometimes in midfield. At Dortmund, it was the same: I alternated wings. I don't have problems with the position I'll take up.

I don't want just pure roll out of the back four. I want productive mixed play... how many ways can you affect a game?

Someone said that my coaching is a combination of Milan's defensive discipline and the Dutch propensity for attacking football, and I think that is a fair description.

It's a different playing style than at Monaco; there were two of us in midfield there, and here at Liverpool, there's three.

I love to see goals and attacking play; I want us to be entertaining. But it's no good if you're shipping goals.

There is nobody called Test bowler, one day bowler or T20 bowler. It just how you adapt and make a difference to your own game.

I don't know the stats but with Mesut in the team, you are always going to get at least three chances a game from him. He always provides an excellent pass or something, a good move or play that leads to a goal, or almost leads to a goal.

It is vital to maintain possession and to win it back as soon as possible, because if we win it high up, then the opposition has to run 70 metres.

Pochettino likes to play from the back, with the buildup, have the ball.

The manager might like it sometimes when I play up front because I can cause trouble for the defenders, but for me, my best position is defensive midfield, stopping the opposition, and then looking to impose myself on a game.

I like to win the ball back for the team and I can contribute going forward.