Caleb Okoli with the Leicester he’s having a completely different season than last and he’s enjoying every single moment. The Foxes defender himself is the one talking about it Changing Room Chronicleslooking back at the recent past: “Just a few months ago I experienced one of the toughest moments of my career, with relegation to Frosinone on the last day. Now I play in the Premier League, a fantastic championship, and I try to enjoy the moment without ever giving up one centimeter”.
What differences do you notice with Serie A?
“It’s true what they say, the Premier League is played at a different intensity. Here everyone is used to ‘always going at 3000’ and there is a very high athletic level, but it’s not just that. The technical level is also incredible. There are players who only need one ball to punish you and also the pitches are spectacular and make certain plays easier. Since I arrived here I have only played on perfect pitches, it’s really crazy.”
How’s your adjustment going?
“I’m trying to learn as much as possible from my teammates and from the more experienced players. Every match I face very strong players, like Haaland who I can’t wait to mark, and I can never afford to let my guard down. The team that supports me The most impressive so far, however, has been Arsenal. We played at the Emirates and it was really tough, because they have this ‘oppressive’ style of play.”
Are the systems newer than the Italian ones?
“In the Premier League you are amazed by all the stadiums. When I entered Old Trafford I just thought: ‘Wow’. The atmosphere here is really different. In all the matches. Every time it feels like being in a show. From the flames to the “Entry to the fans’ trumpets, it’s as if every match was a show.”
How do you live at the sports centre?
“I was shocked when I saw it for the first time. I grew up in Zingonia and until this summer I thought that centers like that were the best. But when I arrived here I was speechless, I assure you that we are on a another planet. There are 21 courts and one of them is covered. Then we have two gyms where nothing is missing and we also have everything in terms of recovery, from saunas to swimming pools.”
What is your typical day?
“We almost always train in the morning (meeting at 9.30), so I leave home around 8.30 and it takes me about 20 minutes to get to the sports centre. Usually this journey helps me wake up. The first thing I What I do at the center is breakfast. We have a room, shared with the U-21 boys, which is huge and has several chefs who prepare meals for us according to our diets. After that we are ‘free’ until 11am, except for tactical meetings , And I usually take advantage of this time between therapies and muscle activation, to be at my best on the pitch. The sessions on the pitch usually don’t last long, an hour, a maximum of an hour and a half, but they are very intense and with few breaks at the end of training it’s time for therapies, massages and recovery. Then again we all have lunch together and around 3pm I go home, where I try to rest and spend my time with family, friends or watching tennis.”
How exciting was Spalletti’s call to the national team?
“I experienced some wonderful rallies and the only regret I have is that I wasn’t able to make my debut. However, I believe that being able to be part of this journey is also important and I’m sure that in the future I will be able to make my debut. The coach had already come to talking to me when I was in Frosinone last year. He explained some things to me about being a footballer and made me understand the responsibilities we have. He also gave me technical advice. It was a real pleasure to have that chat.”
Atalanta has a special place in his heart.
“In my career I have played with very strong players. The strongest is undoubtedly Lookman. On his best days he is unstoppable. From the first day I saw him I understood that he had something special. He has impressive physical strength and a shot incredible. Among other things, he scored in Genoa on the day of my debut. He also played here in Leicester and the Primavera fans still remember him. I lived with Kulusevski for a whole year convinced he could do it footballer at high levels. I won’t deny that over the years seeing his career take off between Parma, Juventus and Tottenham has given me extra incentive and motivation to make it. I kept telling myself: ‘If Dejan is also realizing his dream I can join him’. We met this year at the championship opener and, while we were warming up in the second half, he told me a little about what football is like in England.”
Which coaches were most important to you?
“Gasperini and Atalanta taught me dedication to work. Di Francesco at Frosinone, on the other hand, gave me a lot of confidence and made me grow. In fact, last year’s relegation was very hard to face, because we were a close-knit group that believed so much in salvation. We met again the day after the last match to say goodbye and it was a difficult moment.”
Who is your role model?
“Van Dijk. Since I’ve been here I’ve watched all his matches and I’m always impressed by the way he behaves on the pitch. He’s a born leader and manages to convey all his calm and charisma. I can’t wait to face him “.