Adam on washing kit and Alonso

From washing his own kit at Bloomfield Road, through to bringing back a proud Scottish tradition at Anfield, here are the thoughts of our new No.26...

Journalist: When Kenny Dalglish drove you through the gates at Melwood you must have felt that it had been a long time coming in finally making it here?

It was a long four or five months and obviously with all the speculation in January it was tough. When you get an opportunity to come to a club like this, you think that it might never come back. Fortunately I've got a manager who wanted me to come again in the summer and I was just delighted to get that reward and join this club.

Journalist: Rumour has it, you had to wash your own kit at Blackpool. Things are obviously very different at Anfield so did you always set your sights on playing for one of the top teams - in particular Liverpool?

When I went back to Blackpool at the start of the pre-season I was only there for two days so I never had to wash my own kit, which was nice! I think the rest of the lads are back to washing it again now though. At the end of the day, that's how the club was run, and I totally respect that. It's not a problem to wash your own kit. That's life and part and parcel of being a footballer. To come to a club like this, and to be able to walk out at Anfield in front of 40,000 passionate fans who back the team to the hilt, home and away, is something I'm looking forward to. It's a challenge that I've got to be ready for, because if I'm not, it's going to be tough. I look forward to trying to get into and help the team, because the lads did very well when the new manager came in last season.

Journalist: Would you say that the last five years with spells at Rangers and Blackpool have been a learning curve to get you where you are now and are you still learning as a player?

Well, I think I'll still be learning for the next 40 years about the game. I like to enjoy the game and I like to learn. I was young when I was at Rangers and I only played a few games so I had to go on loan and went to Blackpool. Some people said it was a step backwards but I saw it as a step forward and now with this move to Liverpool I see that as another step forward. I'm just fortunate enough that I've been able to play with some good players who have helped me get to this position but I don't want to rest and just say that I'm here to make up the numbers. I came here to play and to hopefully help the team.

Journalist: There was a lot resting on your shoulders at Blackpool and you were their talisman with a lot of responsibility. Can you transfer that to here at Anfield?

If you look around the dressing room there are internationals everywhere, but I want to try and play the way I can - the way that got me here. I can't change my game - I just want to try and play the way I did last year and the couple of years before, improve as a player and get better. I'm only going to do that playing with these players that are in our dressing room and if I get an opportunity to play then I'm looking forward to it.

Journalist: You have been compared by supporters as a player who can admirably fill the boots of Kop hero Xabi Alonso - is he a player you feel you could follow in the footsteps of?

Xabi Alonso was a top player at this club. He's a World Cup winner, he's won the European Championships. He's done everything as a player and he's at one of the best clubs in the world with Real Madrid, so it's nice to know that people think I might come in and replace him -  but I'm coming here to be Charlie Adam and not to replace anybody else. We have top players in our squad who are ready and want to challenge and win as many games as we can next season, because it's going to be tough. Life's not easy and we have to come here expecting a tough ride but once we come to the end of the season hopefully we'll be happy with our achievements.

Click on the play button below to watch our new boys meet the press at Melwood

Journalist: There is always a great expectancy at Liverpool FC - is it right that the fans think you should be challenging at the top at the end of the season?

Of course. This is a massive club all over the world but there's no point in me saying that we want to finish here or there because we know we will finish where we deserve to at the end of the season. We want to do our best and if we give 110 per cent every week then the fans and the manger will be happy. We'll have our targets but these targets will be kept in the dressing room and if we achieve them then we'll all be happy at the end of them.

Journalist: What impact has Kenny had on you in your short time here?

I've only been here three or four weeks and I've learned different things from him on the training ground every day. He's always there on the training ground and has two fantastic coaches in Kevin Keen and Steve Clarke. Steve's Scottish as well which helps and it's like us Scottish boys are taking over the club again! It's nice to have people that you can go and talk to about your game. Steve Clarke has worked at Chelsea and has worked under José Mourinho and he's also been to West Ham so he has a good pedigree of coaching. If you can't work for these guys then you're going to be struggling and it's nice to be able to work with these coaches and the manager.

Journalist: Even though your spell at Rangers was frustrating, have you proved that there is more than one way to get to where you want to be in life?

I had two-and-a-half great years at Blackpool, eight years at Rangers and had some very happy times there. The two-and-a-half years at Blackpool were amazing and I'll never forget the fans, the manager or the club. The players there were special, but time has moved on and this is a new chapter. I want to try and play the same way that got me here and I'm looking forward to it. Everybody has setbacks in their career but it's how you react from those setbacks. Now I'm a Liverpool player I don't just want to just rest and say 'That's me done' for the next however many years. I want to be here and I want to stay here. This is a wonderful club with wonderful people in charge and hopefully I can repay their faith with my performances on the pitch.

Journalist: Before Liverpool came in for you did you ever feel like you had reached your career goals?

You're always confident in your own ability and I never felt like I had low points in my career but there were points were I wasn't playing regularly. I forgot all of that over the last two-and-a-half years and coming here is another step forward. I'm on the right road if I want to achieve things and hopefully I can do that at this club.

Journalist: Which is the highest point of your career so far? Helping Blackpool into the Premier League or coming here to Liverpool?

They're both very different things. Liverpool is a worldwide club but it was still an honour to play for Blackpool and to achieve what I achieved. Nobody expected it with Blackpool and I think it was the biggest achievement ever in the history of the English game, considering the budget the manager had and the players we managed to get in. Coming to a club like Liverpool and walking through the door everyday and seeing the European trophy sitting there you realise it's such a special club, and there are not many clubs like it in the world. Hopefully I can get the opportunity to play for us and do well.