In his most in-depth interview following his move from Swansea to Liverpool, Joe Allen tells CHRIS WATHAN about his contrasting emotions during a summer that has changed his life
FOR once, passing wasn’t an option for Joe Allen. The lure of Liverpool, after all, had proven too much for Brendan Rodgers just 10 weeks earlier.
So when his former manager had opted to pay the record-breaking figure it took to end Swansea City’s resistance, ultimately there was only one outcome.
Yet that’s not to say there wasn’t anguish for Allen.
Sat in the bar of Wales’ hotel base in Cardiff Bay, the 22-year-old told the story of how the thrill of him signing the paperwork at Liverpool’s Melwood training ground and posing with one of the game’s most iconic shirts confirming his move to one of the biggest clubs around had left him with little time for reflection – until he returned to his Merseyside hotel room.
Then, he explained, it all hit him.
“I was making a choice to leave behind a large part of my life,” he said. “I’ve got a massive attachment with Swansea and that won’t change.
“I was with the club during its lows, when there was the chance the club could have dropped out of the league and a danger of whether we’d even have a youth set-up for me to be in.
“It’s the only club I’ve known and then, on top of that, things had been going so well . . . it would be difficult for anyone to leave something they love.”
Still, a wide grin then broke out when he spoke of the experience of visiting the Anfield dressing room for the first time as a Liverpool player a few days later.
‘Surreal’ was how Allen described being introduced to a team of household names that he is now not only a member of, but being hailed as an integral part as Rodgers looks to create a new Anfield dynasty.
“These are guys – like Steven Gerrard – who I’ve watched for years and years and never even dreamed of playing against them, let alone with them,” he said.
“From that side of things, from an opportunity point of view the decision to move was pretty simple. There’s the mixed emotions, the low, of leaving Swansea but I’ve always dreamed of joining a club like this. I’ve described it as a difficult, easy decision.
“The quality at the club is exciting and I can only see it benefiting my game.”
But the reason why Rodgers pushed so ruthlessly for Allen is that the pass-master will ultimately benefit Liverpool. The notion is that, although always an Allen fan, his move for the Pembrokeshire youngster was accelerated when the Northern Irishman realised that he had no-one to play that central role in the possession game he preaches.
In other words, he had no-one to play the Allen role, so went and got Allen instead. As well documented, he didn’t come cheap and, for £15m, the Kop will expect the finished article.
With big money comes big expectation.
“You can only do what you do,” said Allen, who admits the fee is flattering but knows that the manager who sanctioned it won’t expect anything other than the player that impressed so much last term.
“I try not to think of that side of things. I have a love of the game, I want to play and enjoy it and work to be my best.
“Of course, there’s pressures that come with it all. It’ll be new to me but I have to deal with it and cope with it. I’m not naive enough to pretend it won’t be there. I’ve got to be confident enough that they won’t affect me. I’m pretty faithful that if I can keep doing that, keep focused with that attitude then I can be at the level I need to be at and get better with it. I think I can.”
But pressure can have differing effects on people. Allen is aware that there will be those eager to compare him with previous Liverpool British buys of recent years, those who have failed to come anywhere near expectations.
Yet a taster of the focus he is now under came in the recent Olympics, a spotlight in which Allen still flourished.
“I did notice the extra attention if I’m honest,” he said of his Team GB experience, his appearances coming against the backdrop of the raging speculation of Liverpool’s interest. “Maybe people were surprised by me and my performances, maybe some weren’t. You don’t think about it, you just keep going.
“If anything, I think being in the Olympics was probably a good thing for me at the time the speculation was happening. I had something to focus on to block it all out. I wasn’t sure of half of what was being written or said because I was able top concentrate just on training, performing and being part of something quite special that may not happen again.
“I’m not sure how I would have dealt with it all if I wasn’t able to do that and all the questions coming about my future.”
It’s safe to say for a player so grounded, his feet have hardly touched the floor.
Things were eventually settled soon after his return, a decision made after lengthy chats with family and the impending birth of his and partner Lacey’s first child all taken into consideration. Within days it was done and then onto an important international fixture and then two days to get used to the fact he’s starting the season with a liverbird rather than a Swan on his chest.
“It’s been insane, but I’m excited,” he said, speaking with the confidence of a player who realised last term that he was not out of place among the big boys.
“You have doubt and you have doubters, those who said we would go back down or it’s too high a level and I’m sure that will be the same this time.
“But we achieved what we achieved last year and we deserved to be there. It allowed us go into games expressing ourselves and not shying away from the occasions and opposition and we reaped the rewards of that by the end of the season where you saw a massive difference. I’ll take that with me into this and be ready for it.
“I think Swansea can too. Things change and I’m sad not to be leaving there, but I’m sure they will go from strength to strength.”
