Intervju med Luke Casserly
Vi kollar läget med australiensaren Luke Casserly efter ett år i den guldkantade klubben.
Hej Luke!
Tjena!
Har du lärt dig svenska än?
Nej...
Så vi ska inte ta intervjun på svenska?
Nej, nej.
Okay. You have been central midfielder, right wing defender and left wing defender in the three games here. You are hopping around, what do you say about that?
The story of my life, really. It´s always been the same but today it couldn´t be helped - Erik came down with the flu. But it´s been the story of my career, really. I play in different positions when there are injuries or suspensions, but I am happy to play. I enjoy to play, so...
You don´t bother being in different positions?
Obviously I have positions I prefer over others.
Which are?
I really like to play as a defensive central midfielder, but we don´t really play that kind of game where that fit in but I´m happy to play.
Last year you had a coaching team that was english speaking, which must have been easy for you. What about that now?
Well, it was easy for me, but Olle has been very good. Whenever we have team meetings; if I am not sure of anything I should ask and after most meetings he goes over with me in english what he´s said. So he´s been good about this. As long as Olle doesn´t mind I certainly don´t mind...
I´ve noticed in trainings that sometimes when he says what the excersise is about, he explains to you afterwards in english what he´s said. Do you pretend not to understand on purpose in order to avoid a part of the training?
(skratt)...yeah, less running... No, no. It´s not like that at all...
The guys go out running, and then he explains to you - what? That you should run clockwise...? And then you skip one lap...
(skratt) No, he likes to have a small chat before every training. And then it´s a quick rundown in english to me afterwards. That´s OK.
Do you think there are going to be big differences in the way the team is going to play this year, compared to how you played under Stuart?
No, not really. Obviously, there is difference but I think both Stuart and Olle start from a solid defence. Olle is very good with the defensive work, you can see in the games that we´ve played already. We´ve only been together with Olle a short time, but defensively we´ve been very well organised. So, I think Stuart was similar that way as well.
What about last year when you didn´t play that much, did you ever get bored with being in a cold country up north not playing the game you love?
It´s a beautiful country, and a beautiful city, so it´s okay that way... Yes, last year, when I first arrived I played straight away because there was a lot of injuries. And then I got injured against GAIS and was out for six weeks. When I was ready to play again, the team was winning every match. Of course it was going to be tough for me to play, then at the end when we started to lose a couple of games I went back in for the last two matches.
It worked quite well for you in those games, too. Against Häcken and Elfsborg.
Yeah, those two and Halmstad. That was quite good for me and I really enjoyed that. It was just a shame for me - on a personal point - that there were no games left. For my first season over here... obviously I would have liked to play more games, but it was a big adjustment. The type of football is very different, I really had to change the way I play. So all in all it wasn´t too bad.
Were you prepared for you not playing every game?
I was told that, the week before I arrived. Stuart said it would be a while before I would start to play, but like I said I played right away because there were injury problems. Which was good for me; when you don´t know the other players and you don´t know the system so well, it´s good to play games.
How do you get along socially in Stockholm?
Well, I don´t really have much of a social life, that´s for sure! We´re training too much... My wife will arrive back in Stockholm when we come back from La Manga. I´ve been away from her for a while and she is pregnant. So we´ll have a Swedish child. So, it´s been nice, familywise it´s been fantastic for me. In Sydney I was away a lot with football and my wife had her own business - a hairdressing salon. So now we get to spend much more time together.
Now we´re back where it all started last year...
Yeah.. well, I had a nicer trip here this time... It took me about forty hours last year. From Sydney to Singapore, Singapore-Paris, Paris-Madrid. From Madrid to Malaga and then a five hour taxi ride to La Manga. "Tack så mycket"...
And you had to pay for the trip yourself if you wouldn´t sign with AIK?
Well, what the deal was is that if I was to sign with the club then the club would pay for it. But I didn´t pay for the trip, my agent did. He was obviously confident enough that it would work out. And it worked out well for everyone. I´m pleased; it´s a good club in a nice city. The guys in the team are very good and we get along well, so it´s a nice place to be.
Great, thank you and good luck!
