“Having someone like him in the team was incredible” – Neco Williams hails influence of former Liverpool star | OneFootball

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·27 November 2020

“Having someone like him in the team was incredible” – Neco Williams hails influence of former Liverpool star

Article image:“Having someone like him in the team was incredible” – Neco Williams hails influence of former Liverpool star

During an interview with the official Liverpool website, youngster Neco Williams spoke of the influence of Adam Lallana in the dressing room.

Lallana was one of the first favourites of Jurgen Klopp after the German arrived at Anfield. His dynamism and ingenuity made him a quintessential Klopp midfielder, but after a great deal of investment was made into the squad, he lost his place in the starting lineup.


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As a result, the once England international departed Liverpool in the summer to sign for Brighton, the Premier League champions’ opponents this weekend. While Lallana, who is injured, may not be able to feature, that hasn’t stopped Neco Williams waxing lyrical of his influence ahead of the game.

Speaking to Liverpool’s official website, Williams is quoted saying:

“The first day I went up to Melwood, he was there talking to me and giving me advice. With Adam, he’s a top athlete and a top player.”

“When my breakout season came, he helped me massively. Adz would be a leader on the team and he would be the first one to tell you if you do something bad or give the ball away – he’d be the first one on you. But if you do something right or do something well, he’d be the first one to say, ‘Well done’ and applaud you. Having someone like him in the team was incredible and he massively made me comfortable in the team.”

For a player like Williams, a youngster entering a star-studded dressing room, you need players like Lallana to put an arm round your shoulder and show you the way. Not every player has it in them to be that sort of role model, but Lallana clearly does.

While Liverpool’s fortunes on the pitch will change little in wake of his departure, it certainly sounds as though he will be a loss to the dressing room and every young player vying for a place in the squad going forward.

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