Tomorrow’s (October 16) clash against Liverpool promises to be a testing encounter, but one defender Danny Rose is thoroughly looking forward to getting stuck into.
Ahead of the game against the Reds, Rose explained how hungry he is to get back to work following the international break, against some of the best opposition in the division.
“We are playing against a team that are going to be fighting for the league so it’s going to be a very difficult game,” Rose said.
“I think people should expect a very attacking, exciting game because both teams have very exciting offensive players.
“I think the game will be a difficult one for both teams. We’ve had nearly two weeks of working with a new manager, so hopefully we will be able to show the new ideas that we have been working on in the past couple of weeks.”
After a spell of not playing regular football, the full-back admitted how happy he was to be back featuring again on a matchday and how much he’s enjoyed playing for the Hornets.
“It’s been great getting involved again and playing in front of fans again,” he said.
“I missed the drive to the stadium. I get a little bit anxious before games and I hadn’t had that feeling so I nearly forgot what it felt like. The butterflies in the stomach, I have music that I listen to, the walk out of the tunnel - I’ve missed that. There have been a few feelings I’ve missed but I’m happy to be experiencing them again.
“I’ve missed it and this will be my fifth game now and I’m really enjoying it. Hopefully, I can keep improving and playing some good football.
“[The transition] has been a lot easier than I expected. I’ve not found it difficult or strange, that’s partly because the lads have made me feel right at home straight away – so have the staff. Bizarrely I’ve felt fine and it’s not been strange or uncomfortable in the slightest.”
Following the arrival of new Watford Head Coach Claudio Ranieri, Rose has enjoyed getting to know the new boss and is hopeful of improving his own game using the Italian’s wealth of knowledge.
“It’s strange because he has this name within football of being a very nice man which he is, but he has an aura around him on the training pitch,” Rose said.
“You don’t want to make a mistake. Even though he welcomes mistakes, he doesn’t accept anything less than 100 per cent effort. He keeps me on my toes and hopefully it will be a very successful spell.
“He has managed a lot of big teams previously. My first memory of him was at Chelsea almost 20 years ago. Obviously, then what he did at Leicester City. We [Tottenham] were in the race to try and catch Leicester that season. I’m very aware of his achievements and the great teams he’s managed. It’s phenomenal. I feel very lucky to have the chance to play under him.”
The 31-year-old believes Ranieri can have a huge impact in charge of the Hornets and is excited to get started against Liverpool on Saturday.
He added: “The wealth of experience and knowledge will be valuable for this team that is going through a rebuild. We had a lot of new players in the summer, but what we need now after an inconsistent start to the Premier League is a manager who has a little bit of know-how and can tell us what needs to be done. We’ve trained hard but it’s been business as usual.
“We had a meeting and he said that he was sad to be here because it is at the expense of another manager, but at the same time it’s a great opportunity for us. He explained his ideas and principles. I’ve had great chats with him and I’ve enjoyed working with Ranieri so far. Long may it continue.”
