Per Mertesacker Quotes

Per Mertesacker

Profession : Coach

Birth : September 29, 1984

I've never had that dream in my head: 'I want to play Bundesliga or Premier League.' I was a fan, but it was never the dream that one day I was going to make it, because a lot of people had told me already that I wouldn't.

Per Mertesacker

Living in London is very different to living in a little town in Germany.

Per Mertesacker

In Germany I already know everything, I know every stadium.

Per Mertesacker

I've played for 15 years and played in five major tournaments. I know what it gives me in terms of the joy, in terms of the love for the game. But I'm done with it.

Per Mertesacker

For almost 15 years, professional football is about yourself: How can I improve? How can I make myself better? Before winning a game was the short-term reward that meant everything. Now, I can look at the bigger picture.

Per Mertesacker

If there is a really good player at U16 level who disrespects the coach, if you then say: 'You can go somewhere else then. That is not how we do things here.' That would be powerful.

Per Mertesacker

I had a totally different upbringing, totally different background, raised in Germany, small town, now I am in London taking care of 180 kids who think they are the one percent who can make it in professional football.

Per Mertesacker

It's hard work to do important games for the club every three or four days, that is very physical.

Per Mertesacker

The best players in the world play in the Premier League and therefore it is the best league.

Per Mertesacker

I loved the Olympics.

Per Mertesacker

I wasn't that good at football aged 14 or 15. I didn't take it too seriously.

Per Mertesacker

My father said, 'You're not going to make it.' That took a lot of pressure from me. I took football like a hobby.

Per Mertesacker

Doing something for others helped to not put that focus too much on football and to put things into perspective of how fortunate we are.

Per Mertesacker

When people are acutely depressed, many of them seem to want to hide.

Per Mertesacker

You learn a lot from defeats. As well, you need to learn from victories.

Per Mertesacker

There's always that mental battle, who's going to have that confidence to be on the front foot.

Per Mertesacker

Sometimes you need a humbling experience to think about a few things.

Per Mertesacker

It is a lot of fun here in England and at Arsenal.

Per Mertesacker

It is an important duty at Arsenal for the experienced players to show the younger ones that there is a chance to make it into the first team.

Per Mertesacker

I was talented at a young age, but I still had to grow and develop further.

Per Mertesacker