Former Liverpool and England star Daniel Sturridge is adamant he’s not feeling any nerves ahead of his A-League Men’s debut, but just how many minutes he’ll get against Adelaide on Saturday night remains to be seen.
Sturridge only finished his two-week quarantine period last Thursday, and he had his first Perth Glory training session with his new teammates on Monday.
The 32-year-old hasn’t played a professional match in almost 21 months, but Glory are hopeful Sturridge will be able to play a cameo off the bench at HBF Park on Saturday night.
“That’s for the manager to decide,” Sturridge said of how many minutes he will get.
“I mean I’m available. I’ve been training prior to coming here.
“Of course it’s difficult in quarantine to train, you can’t play football or do anything that is natural to a football player.
“So now it’s about adjusting again. Laying on the bed and trying to train as much as you can on a bike or doing things inside is never the same as playing football.
“It’s about getting match fit now and being in football shape again.”
Sturridge is a two-time UEFA Champions League and FA Cup winner who scored 67 goals during a six-year spell at Liverpool and also won a Premier League title with Chelsea.
But his last professional match was way back on February 22, 2020 when he featured for Turkish side Trabzonspor in a 2-2 draw with Besiktas.
Sturridge’s contract with Trabzonspor was terminated in March that year when he copped a four-month worldwide ban for breaching betting rules.
The former England international said he didn’t sign for a club once his ban ended because he was waiting for the right fit.
Glory pulled off one of the A-League’s biggest coups when they signed Sturridge on a one-year deal in November.
Despite spending so long out of the game, Sturridge said he’s not feeling any nerves or pressure to perform.
“I don’t feel nervous at all,” he said.
“I’ve played this game since I was four years old. I’m 32 now. So we’re talking 28 years of doing something that you love.
“I don’t see this as work, I see this as my life. This is what I love doing, this is what I’m passionate about, this is everything I’ve dreamt of doing and everything that I’ve lived for.
“I feel like it’s going to be a great feeling when that time comes (when I score a goal for Glory), but I’m not putting any pressure on myself to score goals or get assists.”
