Coutinho: I can handle expectation
Philippe Coutinho insists he won't be fazed by the challenge of trying to build upon an outstanding start to his Liverpool career when 2013-14 gets underway.
After arriving from Inter Milan in January, the Brazilian took little time to win over Reds fans with a string of dazzling performances in his 13 appearances before the end of the season.
Indeed, Coutinho's displays drew plenty of acclaim and the 21-year-old is confident he'll be able to handle heightened expectation levels and pick up where he left off, as long as he continues to put in the hard work at Melwood.
He told Liverpoolfc.com: "I always try to be relaxed, always play football and enjoy myself because what I like doing most is to play football, so I'm not concerned with pressure or such things.
"I just try to enjoy myself on the field and always do my best to help the team.
"I'll work as hard as I've always done, always trying to improve each day as much as I can and always trying to learn from the more experienced players and the manager. Always working hard is what is most important."
Such was Coutinho's impact during his first few months at Anfield, his name was printed more than any other on sales of the club's new 2013-14 home kit.
"I saw that on the internet and I am very happy with it," he said. "It means a lot.
"To have such a welcome from the supporters is very important to me and gives me more confidence to play on the pitch."
Despite such an impressive start to life on Merseyside, Liverpool's No.10 has been spending time studying video footage of his own performances to see what aspects of his game he can still be further improved.
"I always try to do my best and always try to improve day by day," he said. "I try to watch some of my videos and see what I can improve.
"What I can say is that I'll always give my all and always do my best."
Another sparkling season for Coutinho could ultimately provide even further benefits for the playmaker, with the 2014 World Cup finals due to be held in his homeland next summer.
"Of course, it's the dream of every player to represent their country and it's not different for me," he said.
"I have this dream, this aim, but I try to think only about Liverpool and having a good season, learning and evolving in my career.
"Then if I get an opportunity [with Brazil], I'll make the most of it."
Picking up from where they left off isn't just something Coutinho will be aiming to do next month.
Liverpool finished last term in fine form and the playmaker is optimistic they can carry on in a similar vein, particularly as the ranks have been bolstered by the arrival of four new players so far this summer.
Outlining the team's aims for the new term, Coutinho said: "Some new players have arrived to help us and the team finished well last year, so we hope to be able to finish within the top four.
"That's what we have always fought for, but we should think on a game-by-game basis because the competition is very long and we have to sustain good performances throughout the whole season."
Coutinho joined many of his teammates in returning to Melwood last week to begin pre-season training ahead of the new season.
The players have often been undergoing double sessions each day in order to ensure they're in prime condition for the big kick off.
While acknowledging the schedule is tough, Coutinho insists the Reds will ultimately reap the rewards of their intense efforts.
"We're training very hard with two sessions every day, so I believe that within a month to a month and a half it will be helping us and place us a little ahead.
"As I've always said before, training sessions here are very hard and very intense and the pre-season is much harder than the ones I've done before.
"I'm already feeling the difference a little but I'll catch up little by little by working harder each day."
He added: "It was great to spend it [the summer break] with my family, be in my country and spend a few days over there with my friends.
"But now I've come back to work. It's warm over here and beautiful, so I hope to have a good pre-season."
One aspect Liverpool's backroom team have been integrating right from day one is the use of footballs in the training sessions.
Gone are the days of laps of the training pitches - and it's a factor the players are enjoying.
Coutinho said: "That's important. The manager likes it a lot that the ball is in all of the training sessions.
"We're always with the ball and always playing technically, so it's important for us because we're getting familiar with it and little by little we introduce it into the field."