Alexander Isak - The Football Interview

0:00This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

0:30at Whole Foods Market. Saturday, September 26th, two of combat sports' most dangerous strikers collide. Bare Knuckle. Liverpool's own Darren the Gorilla Till goes to war with Cuban powerhouse Yoel Soldier of God Romero. Plus, the Bare Knuckle Middleweight Championship of the World is on the line when the reigning champ Dave the Redneck Mundell defends against undefeated British challenger Jack the Meat Cleaver Colon. BKFC 94, Till vs. Romero. Watch it live only on The Zone. Sign up now at DAZN.com.

1:11Today's interview is with the Swedish striker whose career has taken him across Europe, ending up in England with Newcastle and now Liverpool. He's the joint Premier League record signing. Welcome along to the Football Interview, Alexander Isak. How do you feel in terms of physically, mentally, where you are at the moment? No, I feel good. I feel good. I feel like I'm in a good place. The team is in a good place. And I think the positive is it feels like things are getting better and better each week, each training session, which makes me and the rest feel confident going forward. You've got a new manager as well, so it must really feel like a fresh start for everyone around here.

1:51What's Antonio Arreola done for you, though, specifically? He just came with his football to the club, the way he wants to play and the high intensity style of play which I think will benefit me, will benefit the club and the way the club wants to play football. So I hope that's the plan. What does he ask from you as his striker? He asks me to be part of the defending but to defend in positions where when we win the ball so we can counter quickly and get the ball forward to the offensive line. That's interesting because normally a manager would ask a striker to score goals but the fact that you said straight away about defending, is that what he wants to do, make your all-round game better?

2:44No, no, so you said score goals, but he wants me to defend. The way we defend, we defend to score goals, so the defending is, in the end, an attacking weapon. I've also noticed, particularly with your goals against Ipswich, it looked like the team got the ball to you really quickly. I remember when I think back to some of your best moments at Newcastle, the team were playing getting the ball to you quickly. Is that what you need to be at your best to score goals? Yeah, I think that's what the team needs. And it's not just about getting a ball to me, it's about getting a ball forward, getting a ball to all of the offensive players quickly, I think.

3:27If we can do that, then we should score more goals. Talk to me about this relationship with Cody Gakpo, because it looks like, I know you've known him for a season, but it looks like it's pretty special. No, he's definitely been successful so far. He's very versatile. He can do most things on a pitch. He's comfortable out wide, but he's also comfortable coming deep and receiving the ball. And yeah, as we've seen, he's delivering. He's really good as well. Where did the love of football come from? For me, it came from the streets. In the school, free time, always playing football. At what point did you think, OK, I could make it here?

4:13Probably around 15. Where were you at that point in your football career? I was in my local club, ARK. I think I was under 19, training with the first team sometimes, every now and then. You had quite a lot of success quite young there, didn't you? It feels like there was quite a lot of eyes on you from quite a young age. Yeah, I think my breakthrough, especially in Sweden, and was very early. So yeah, I was really young. Did you always have aspirations to maybe end up in the Premier League? Yeah, as a part of the journey for sure. I always wanted to play Premier League, but I always wanted to play in Spain as well, which obviously I did for three years.

5:00What was the experience like in Spain? Because it feels like that was where the world really started to get to know about Alexander Isak. I grew up watching a lot of Spanish football so playing there was really really nice and obviously my first big breakthrough I would say was there. Has that influenced how you play and it must be quite nice to have a Spanish manager here now for you as well, do you like that? Yeah, for sure. I think I recognise a lot of the daily work methods and training sessions. I recognise a lot of those things from my time in Spain. The World Cup, how was that for you? Because I know you played in the Euros, but your first World Cup in the summer, did that come at a really good time for you because it enabled you to have a focus towards the end of last season?

5:51Yeah, for sure. With the injuries last season, the World Cup was perfect to have that period where I can play and gain rhythm and form. And on top of that, obviously, it being a massive experience, you know, playing for your country in a World Cup is, I think, a dream of most people. And yeah, it was just brilliant. And Graham Potter as well, the manager, someone that Premier League fans will know very well. What's he like to work for on the national stage? Not really good. I think obviously he's English but he has a really good connection with Sweden as well and even speaks Swedish which is very good.

6:45Is he any good at it? Yeah for sure. Yeah he speaks he speaks really well it's very rare I would say. So yeah it's been I think it's been brilliant so far and really appreciate around the squad. What would a successful season look like for Liverpool this year? Everyone knows the success for this club is winning trophies. Multiple? Yeah of course winning one trophy would also be a success but yeah trophies is a success for the club this big year. And for you personally I think was it 23 goals was your best return at Newcastle? Is that right? Have you set yourself a target for this year? No. Do you set targets?

7:32You just want to score as many as possible? Yeah, just want to score. I want to score every game obviously. Everyone is different. Some like to set targets, some don't. I'm the one that don't. But with how you're feeling now, do you back yourself to exceed that this season? We'll see. Every game, one game at a time. And finally, finish this sentence for me when I finish football I will? I will chill out. Which fits in nicely with the chill. I think that's what everyone says and then they end up becoming coaches or whatever. So you think you'll probably end up becoming a coach? I don't know I don't see myself being a coach but yeah what you feel now is probably different to when you're 40.

8:22Yeah and you've got a few years in Alex thank you so much for speaking with us today thank you

8:34We'll be right back.

8:57Winning a league like the WSL, you have to be at your best every single week. Listen with the BBC Sounds app.

9:08You might drink it every day, but did you know that the history of tea is steeped in skullduggery, colonialism and industrial espionage? I'm Greg Jenner, host of You're Dead to Me. We're the comedy show that takes history seriously. And in our latest episode, we spill the tea on tea. Join us to unpack the ancient Chinese origins of the drink and find out how it became the national drink of modern Britain. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.