Always need to be ready both physically and mentally in Premier League, claims Allan
Allan has made 35 appearances for Everton
|Everton midfielder Allan has admitted that the difference between football in England and Italy is the fact that the game is faster and more intense plus teams always need to be ready for anything. The 30-year-old signed for Everton from Napoli last summer, making 35 appearances for the club so far.
A lot was expected from Carlo Ancelotti’s side especially after Everton signed both Allan and James Rodriguez in a blockbuster summer transfer window. But the Toffees struggled to thrive with them eventually finishing tenth in the league and that had a lot to do with the fact that the club lost several players to injuries along the season. That included Allan and Rodriguez but while the Colombian has now left the club, the Brazilian continues to thrive for Everton.
Things have changed under Rafael Benitez for the 30-year-old midfielder but at the same time, Allan remains a mainstay in the Everton squad and a key player for Benitez. Yet, the Brazilian is still shocked at the differences between English and Italian football especially after a 5-2 loss to Watford, which came on the back of an Everton collapse. It saw Allan admit that the intensity is far superior in England and the fact that “there are no games you can take lightly” only helps to the allure.
"That's the biggest difference from Italian football. It's faster and more intense. As we saw in that game, you can concede four goals in a short space of time, so you always need to be ready both physically and mentally, knowing things can turn even after 90 or 95 minutes. There are no games you can take lightly,” Allan told Sky Sports.
The problem for Everton was that at the end of the 2020/21 season, Real Madrid came calling for Ancelotti and the Italian opted to leave and sign for the Spanish side. His replacement, Rafael Benitez, has been met with a lot of trepidation from the fans but the Spaniard seems to have turned the tide with a very impressive start. It saw Allan further reveal that while his experience with Ancelotti was good, things are going well with Benitez as well and he’s helping the team improve.
"My experience with professor Ancelotti was really good and important for me, without doubt. We were obviously not expecting his exit but we know these things happen in football and, as he said himself, it was an opportunity he couldn't refuse.
"But it's been a great experience working with Rafa Benitez. He is a really experienced coach who has worked at some of the biggest clubs and won a lot of trophies. He is helping us all improve as players on the pitch and helping us improve as a group as well,” he added.
