French starlet Anthony Le Tallec says he can't wait for the moment when Gerard Houllier tells him he's playing first team football for Liverpool.
Le Tallec, who arrived from Le Havre in the summer, has become an instant hit with Reds' fans following an impressive pre-season campaign, during which he netted his first goal for the Reds against Hong Kong.
The Liverpool manager admits he has been taken by surprise at the speed in which Le Tallec has settled into his new life at Anfield, and Houllier has hinted he is closer to a first team place than even he envisaged so early into the new season.
"I'm really pleased with the start I have made here," Le Tallec told Liverpoolfc.tv. "This is one of the most important clubs in the world and to think I am part of the first team squad here is very exciting.
"I'm a bit surprised to be so close to the first team already but at the same time I am very excited. Being part of the squad is a great experience for me and isn't something I expected so soon into my career here. I did well in pre-season and that helped me a lot. Now I just can't wait to make some appearances in the Premiership. That's my dream and my target."
Le Tallec's pre-season performances ensured he became an instant hit with Reds' fans all over the world. His skill and trickery as well as his eye for a pass and his ability to find the back of the net more than backed up Gerard Houllier's claim that this was a young "gem" of a talent.
"I enjoyed the pre-season games," Le Tallec said. "It was difficult in the early days here because I didn't know too many people and I was in a different country, but the players made me feel at home very quickly and from then on things got easier.
"It felt weird to be training with all of these star players, but I always believe in my talent and ability and I know the manager wouldn't have signed me if he didn't believe in me.
"It was important for me to have a good pre-season and to show the players and thefans what I could do. I felt that the games went well, and scoring a goal in Hong Kong was a real bonus as well.
"I couldn't be more settled here now. I love this club and want to do as well as I can here for as long as I can. It's great that the fans seem to like what they have seen from me, although I have to say I find it bizarre when I see supporters walking around with my name and number on their backs. It gives me a great feeling inside because it's always important to have the respect of the fans."
Le Tallec - who lists his hobbies away from football as "shopping and playing DVDs" - accepts performing in the Premiership is a completely different challenge to turning it on in friendly matches, but he says he is ready and willing to show what he can do whenever the manager hands him that first chance.
He said: "I feel ready to play in the first team. I know it will be hard for me to play regularly early on in my career because there are a lot of huge players here, world class players. But I want to be challenging them. I can promise I will give 100 per cent every time I wear the red shirt because I know what this club means to the supporters.
"I want to play as many first team games as possible this season, and I want my debut to come along as quickly as possible. We all have to have targets to aim for in football and mine is to break through here as soon as I can."
From
the official siteNice to see the lad is eager to get into the first team, but it would be foolish to throw him in at the deep end now. Ideally it would be better to put him into a side full of confidence and on some sort of unbeaten run.
I can see him being handed a first team place sooner rather than later though.