Allen: Aragones helped us
Joe Allen has spoken of the fight he endured during the early part of his career to prove that height did not matter on the football field.
At 5'6, our new midfielder is one of the shortest players in the Barclays Premier League - not that you would know it from his controlled performances against Arsenal and Manchester City.
Now, in an interview in the second issue of the new monthly Liverpool FC magazine, Allen tells all about his quest to prove the doubters wrong.
"It (height) might have been an issue for other people but never for me," he said. "It was something I had to fight against but I wasn't really bothered. I kept chasing my dream, believing in myself. You have to be single-minded.
"You could ask anyone in this dressing room and I'm sure they'll tell you that there were people that doubted them. That's why they're here now, I guess; because they had the mental strength to prove the doubters wrong. I think football is a game where there is a style of play or position for anyone.
"I think talent is essential in football. On a football pitch it is the technique of a player that always makes the difference, not his physical power.
"Physical fitness is an important part too, but anyone can work on it. Technique and talent on the other hand are innate. You either have them or not. If you don't have the talent, you can't play football.
"I suffered a period in my career because of my small size. In 2002, 2003, it was said that I couldn't play in midfield because you had to be physically strong to play there. I proved this theory wrong.
"For me, Luis Aragones has been a pioneer in this field, an apostle of the beautiful game that has proven that, with technique, you can also achieve things. And talent is the key."
Elsewhere in the magazine, manager Brendan Rodgers answers more of your questions, Jose Enrique explains his happy disposition and Jonjo Shelvey shoots some pool with one of world snooker's top 10.
There's a lot more too, including exclusives with Ian Rush, Roy Evans, Didi Hamann and Glenn Hysen to name but four.
Readers can subscribe here or by calling the hotline on 08700 20 20 20. The magazine is also available in digital format on Newsstand or via the Pocketmags app on Kindle Fire and Blackberry Playbook.
