Chris Smalling

“I've had many setbacks.”

“Whether it's the Premier League or the Champions League, I can showcase my abilities.”

“Ultimately it's the simple things that make a difference.”

“A good pre-season is essential if you want to do well.”

“To have a chance at a big club, if it goes well and the club is happy and I am happy, then I can definitely see a longer-term future in Italy.”

“A manager has to have all different sides covered.”

“I think I've played a lot in the Premier League and now I can bring my qualities that I've learned to Italy, and that is something I am looking forward to.”

“I want the supporters to know that we're always striving to improve.”

“My wife is vegan and has been for a few years.”

“Of course you want to be playing in the summer.”

“I just have to make sure that, whenever an opportunity arises, I keep taking them.”

“At home we try to plan what we cook in the week.”

“I think the more games the better and I am always one that would rather play than train.”

“You know that without the whole team working together, it's a very hard job for the defenders, so everyone plays a part.”

“A lot of successful teams are based on having two or three solid partners that rarely change.”

“You work every day technically, physically but so much is in the mind. Look at when players go on big scoring runs, then stop scoring. It's not that they are any different physically, it's very often mental, confidence, concentration.”

“When you've got the experienced players around you who've won countless trophies and titles between them, you want to rise to them.”

“I knew when I did get a consistent run that I could go from height to height.”

“My mum tried her best. Now I try to make her life as enjoyable as I can because she has done so much for my brother and me.”

“Football was always a dream, but a distant dream until when I was about to go to university. I'd had a couple of trials, but it wasn't a realistic dream, it was a kid's dream.”