From The Guardian...
Liverpool’s new signing Danny Ings prepares to play the numbers game
Sweden v England - UEFA European Under 21 Championship - Czech Republic 2015 - Group B
Danny Ings is wary of taking a historically significant Liverpool shirt number and insists he must earn the right to wear one of those worn by Anfield greats over the years.
Ings, part of the England Under-21 squad who are playing in the European Championship in the Czech Republic, will wear the No28 shirt when he joins from Burnley on 1 July, in part because of the pressure of stepping into the shoes of Steven Gerrard et al.
“I stayed away from the low numbers,” the 22-year-old said of his selection. “You have got to take that pressure off yourself as a young lad coming through. That is what I personally think.”
The No7 shirt worn by Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Peter Beardsley and Luis Suárez and the No9 shirt that Ian St John, Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler have donned are traditionally the Liverpool numbers most associated with the weight of history. Gerrard’s career means the No8 has added significance and his departure to LA Galaxy means his number, in addition to the No7 vacated by Suárez last summer, is now available.
Ings, though, who wore the No10 with Burnley, has no interest in taking either just yet. “I would make sure I am established before taking any of those numbers,” he said. “It is such a huge club. That was the thinking behind it. I wouldn’t want to go to Liverpool and chuck a shirt on my back like that … it is pressure you don’t need. The expectation at clubs like that is huge. Obviously I am going to work my socks off to earn that number one day. For now I will take a high number and work hard.”
The transfer fee taking him from Turf Moor to Anfield has yet to be finalised, with Liverpool expecting to pay between £5m-6m and Burnley holding out for something closer to £10m. An independent tribunal will decide on the price if the clubs cannot come to an arrangement.
The disagreement means the move will be slightly more protracted than it could have been. For Ings, though, the potential for a change of scene has been long in the pipeline, beginning with his decision not to sign a new contract at Burnley last summer.
“I knew about my contract situation at the start of the season,” he said. “I had a big decision to make whether to sign a new contract or not. I sat down with my family and agent and we came up with I was going to hold out.
“I had quite a strong season, but obviously we went down and I was gutted. But I thought I did enough to get myself a good move and the next step, and another challenge. It is a challenge I am really looking forward to and I can’t wait to get going.”
Ings has twice impressed as a substitute for England in the Under-21 Championship and could have done enough to force himself into Gareth Southgate’s plans for their make-or-break final group game against Italy on Wednesday. Southgate’s side play with a lone striker in the shape of Harry Kane and thus far Tom Carroll and Will Hughes have been preferred in the starting XI in the role just behind the Tottenham striker.
Ings would perhaps offer a more attacking option at No10 but he is happy to wait for his chance. “That is the competition you want for any side, club or country,” he said.
“You need that competition to push each other along to perform better. We did that against Sweden. Everyone came on and made an impact. That is what the manager needs. You can’t have players come on and not make the impact because the game will slowly slip away from you. It is important you are ready.”
Southgate’s three substitutes against Sweden did indeed help turn the tide, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Jesse Lingard also impressing. The latter’s 85th-minute winner means England go into their final game in the same Andruv Stadium in Olomouc knowing a win will to take them through to the semi-finals for the first time since 2009. A draw may be enough but it would leave them relying on Sweden failing to beat Portugal, which kicks off simultaneously.
Liverpool’s new signing Danny Ings prepares to play the numbers game
Sweden v England - UEFA European Under 21 Championship - Czech Republic 2015 - Group B
Danny Ings is wary of taking a historically significant Liverpool shirt number and insists he must earn the right to wear one of those worn by Anfield greats over the years.
Ings, part of the England Under-21 squad who are playing in the European Championship in the Czech Republic, will wear the No28 shirt when he joins from Burnley on 1 July, in part because of the pressure of stepping into the shoes of Steven Gerrard et al.
“I stayed away from the low numbers,” the 22-year-old said of his selection. “You have got to take that pressure off yourself as a young lad coming through. That is what I personally think.”
The No7 shirt worn by Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Peter Beardsley and Luis Suárez and the No9 shirt that Ian St John, Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler have donned are traditionally the Liverpool numbers most associated with the weight of history. Gerrard’s career means the No8 has added significance and his departure to LA Galaxy means his number, in addition to the No7 vacated by Suárez last summer, is now available.
Ings, though, who wore the No10 with Burnley, has no interest in taking either just yet. “I would make sure I am established before taking any of those numbers,” he said. “It is such a huge club. That was the thinking behind it. I wouldn’t want to go to Liverpool and chuck a shirt on my back like that … it is pressure you don’t need. The expectation at clubs like that is huge. Obviously I am going to work my socks off to earn that number one day. For now I will take a high number and work hard.”
The transfer fee taking him from Turf Moor to Anfield has yet to be finalised, with Liverpool expecting to pay between £5m-6m and Burnley holding out for something closer to £10m. An independent tribunal will decide on the price if the clubs cannot come to an arrangement.
The disagreement means the move will be slightly more protracted than it could have been. For Ings, though, the potential for a change of scene has been long in the pipeline, beginning with his decision not to sign a new contract at Burnley last summer.
“I knew about my contract situation at the start of the season,” he said. “I had a big decision to make whether to sign a new contract or not. I sat down with my family and agent and we came up with I was going to hold out.
“I had quite a strong season, but obviously we went down and I was gutted. But I thought I did enough to get myself a good move and the next step, and another challenge. It is a challenge I am really looking forward to and I can’t wait to get going.”
Ings has twice impressed as a substitute for England in the Under-21 Championship and could have done enough to force himself into Gareth Southgate’s plans for their make-or-break final group game against Italy on Wednesday. Southgate’s side play with a lone striker in the shape of Harry Kane and thus far Tom Carroll and Will Hughes have been preferred in the starting XI in the role just behind the Tottenham striker.
Ings would perhaps offer a more attacking option at No10 but he is happy to wait for his chance. “That is the competition you want for any side, club or country,” he said.
“You need that competition to push each other along to perform better. We did that against Sweden. Everyone came on and made an impact. That is what the manager needs. You can’t have players come on and not make the impact because the game will slowly slip away from you. It is important you are ready.”
Southgate’s three substitutes against Sweden did indeed help turn the tide, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Jesse Lingard also impressing. The latter’s 85th-minute winner means England go into their final game in the same Andruv Stadium in Olomouc knowing a win will to take them through to the semi-finals for the first time since 2009. A draw may be enough but it would leave them relying on Sweden failing to beat Portugal, which kicks off simultaneously.
