TNC & VAVEL Interview Partick Thistle New Signing Nathan Eccleston

23-year-old Nathan Eccleston was a product of Liverpool's excellent academy system. However, after just nine first team appearances and a series of loans, Nathan moved to pastures new. A move up the coast was found and Blackpool was his chosen destination. After some more loans, Eccleston recently signed for Partick Thistle and is keen to get things back on track.,

Once the opportunity to interview the former Liverpool starlet arose, it was a chance we couldn't turn down. He spoke exclusively to VAVEL and TNC about those days at Liverpool and the loans and moves that followed.

It’s perhaps the most commonly asked interview question, but where did it all start for you? You obviously had to work very hard, but how did your opportunity to become a professional come about?

"I was at the Bury FC Centre of Excellence set up, from the age of 9-15."

A few years back, you were one of the most highly rated youngsters in the Liverpool set-up, renowned as a prolific goal scorer for the reserves, but it never really worked out for you at Anfield. Why do you feel that is?

"Liverpool is a massive club and even at youth level there is competition for places from all over the world. The higher up I moved the harder it become to score goals. Most of my appearances came as a winger at Liverpool, so it was much harder to have a goal scoring impact!

Is it fair to say that since your loan spell at Charlton Athletic, whilst a Liverpool player, you’ve struggled to nail down a permanent first-team place at any of your most recent clubs? (If yes, do you think there is any reason why that is?)

"Yes, that's fair to say. I think my eagerness to play regular football has blinded my decisions in regards to picking the best team. I feel it's been hard to adapt to the Football League, coming from Liverpool and the football which I played at youth level. It's different to Championship and League 1, but at 23 I'm a lot more mature and playing at Coventry has made me a lot sharper than recent years."

Have you, at times, found the lack of regular playing time hard? Did it ever rock your confidence? Or has it ever gotten so severe that you have considered giving up?

"I think any footballer will be disappointed with minimum footballing time. I think Blackpool has been my biggest test. It's been a frustrating 2 years, due to injury and not being selected, but it made me a stronger person and made me want to succeed even more. I've never thought of giving up not once. I will always remain to believe in my own ability."

Do you feel as if you haven’t been given the playing time you deserve at certain clubs?

"I think so, yes. At Blackpool, when I signed, the manager that brought me to the club left after 10 weeks. Then throughout that season I suffered from hamstring injuries continuously. In my second season I found myself not being used as much as I'd like, then I moved on later that season to Coventry and played the remainder of the season on loan."

Despite not breaking into the first team regularly, you still made nine appearances for Liverpool’s senior squad and thrived for the Academy. If you could go back, is there anything you would have done differently, or do you believe you did everything you could have?

"I think I was very naive when I was 18, 19, 20, 21 and I didn't realise what an opportunity I had. I'm very proud of what I achieved at Liverpool and I think if I had that opportunity again I would work a lot harder, in my own time, to improve my own personal game."

You twice reached the FA Youth Cup final at Liverpool, beating Manchester United in 2007 and losing to Arsenal in 2009, what was it like competing at such a high level so early on? Did it fuel your desire to compete at the top level?

"I think as a kid you always dream of playing at a top level and in big stadiums, so to play at Anfield and The Emirates stadium at such a young age only made me want more!"

Who were the best players you played with or against at youth level? And do you know where they are now?

"I remember playing against Bojan Kirkic (Stoke) at international level and he was the best. At club level, I'd have to say Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), he took us apart in the Youth Cup Final. The best player at youth level I've played with was Raheem Sterling, even though I was a few years older and he was young, I could tell that he was going to be a top player."

When you signed a contract tying you down at Liverpool until 2013 back in 2009 - were you confident that you could go on to become a first-team regular for the club?

"At that time, no. I was still a young pro and had been rewarded for doing well at youth level. I still had the likes of Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt, and Ryan babel ahead of me. It wasn’t until Roy Hodgson came along that I thought I was good enough to be around those players and it was him who gave me that belief."

Even if you haven’t featured regularly for your loan clubs, do you feel like you have gained anything from your time on loan at the likes of Coventry, Carlisle and in the past Charlton and Huddersfield? Or would you have rather stayed at your parent club and fought for your place?

"As I say, I think if I could do things differently I wouldn't have been so quick to go on loan and would have made better choices. I think if I'd of continued to play in the reserves at Liverpool, for another season at 19, it may of been better for my development."

Talking of loans - do you feel like loan periods are beneficial for players and clubs in the modern game?

"I haven't done particularly well from my loans, so it's hard to say. I just feel they are good if you play in the right team and regularly."

Nathan, in the few months you were without a club – what was it that you were looking for in your next venture? Was it simply a case of looking for opportunities of first-team football, or was there a particular way of playing you were looking for?

"Whilst I was without a club, I knew it was a case of taking the right opportunity. The level of football or team didn't matter, but what was more important was playing regular football and playing in my favoured position, which is centre forward."

When you receive an offer from a club – how much do things like location of the club affect your decision?

"To be honest, I'm older now and I don't have any responsibilities or any mortgages. No wife and no kids, so my decision is purely based on the football."

You rejected a number of offers already before choosing Partick Thistle, without revealing too much of the personal details – is there any way can you say why you chose not to accept any of those offers?

"It was only up until recently that I considered offers from the UK, as I wanted to go play football overseas. I looked at offers and spoketo clubs, but in the end I thought Partick would be good for me. It's a different country and I can go play with no distractions and focus entirely on my football."

A few weeks ago, you said you were looking for the ‘right move’, as you made the decision upon your next club. Why is Partick Thistle the ‘right move’ for you?

As I mentioned before, I think it would be a good opportunity to play regular football in the Scottish Premier League with good clubs and supporters.

On a personal level, what do you feel you can offer your new club?

"I've spoken to the manager and I've expressed to him my own personal targets that I demand of myself and we both will work towards getting the best out of me at senior level."

Do you set yourself personal targets for every individual season? How important are they to players?

"In life I think you have to set individual targets and goals and football is the same. This year I will be focused more than ever."

Many people find their passion for football early on in their lives. As a professional footballer, do you still feel the same love for the game as you did growing up as a kid, or does it ever begin to fade away?

"I think it's a different passion once you become pro. People have different reasons why they play football. But for me I'm still the lad from the estate that will go and pay £5 to play five-a-side with my mates. Football is in my blood and, even though it can get me down as a player and a fan, I still love the game."

Many footballers often talk about the heroes they had when they grew up, and how their playing styles inspired them throughout their careers. Were there any players you looked up to, and if there were do you feel like their way of playing affected how you play today? Or were you more interested in having your own style?

"The biggest influence growing up was always foreign players, the likes of Ronaldo from Brazil. I always used to look him play. His style was inspirational. I always liked Henry, the way he performed in the Premier League was amazing. I also respected the English strikers such as Alan Shearer and Andy Cole – they were different type of strikers, but clinical goal scorers nevertheless."

As a bright-eyed 18-year-old with the world at your feet five years ago, where did you see yourself being now? Do you feel like you have achieved as much as you wanted to since then?

"Definitely not. That's why now, more than ever, at 23, I want to achieve more. If you told anyone, as a young English player, to have played: 5 times in Europe, 2 times in the Premier League; The FA Cup, and League Cup they'd maybe be happy with that, but I'm not. I know where I want to be and I will do anything to achieve it."

In comparison, where do you see yourself five years from now?

"Only time will tell..."

You’re still only 23 and you clearly have plenty of potential, as has been shown over the years, so what do you think you can still achieve?

"I think I can still play in the Premier League with hard work and dedication. I look it, like every footballer and every fan, and dream of playing at that level. It's regarded as the best league in the world and as a player that's where you want to be."

You’ve said you would like to play in the Eredivisie, would you say that playing in any of the top European leagues is an increasingly attractive proposition to footballers nowadays? If so, why do you think that is?

"It's just something I've always wanted to do - play overseas as a youngster. I regularly looked Barcelona, I had a Dutch coach at youth level and I played my best football under him. My old teammate Ryan Babel said I would love playing In Holland. So maybe, in the future, I will play in a top European league."

You still regularly tweet and talk about Liverpool, do you think you will always maintain a link with the Reds just as other past players have done? (If yes, why do past players feel such a connection to the club even after they have left?

"Liverpool is regarded and notoriously known all over the world for being one of the biggest clubs in the world. As a 15-year-old I cried when I got the call when they wanted to sign me. I spent 7 great years at Liverpool and they feel like family - the club and the city still to this day. Every week I travel from Manchester to Liverpool to get my hair cut and visit friends and I’m still in contact with players."

If you maintain this link to the club, what do you think of the job Brendan Rodgers has done since joining in summer of 2012?

"I was fortunate to work with Brendan in pre-season. I said to fans when I left he's going to be a success. I knew straight away, I think his mentality towards how the game should be played is very, very different to most managers I've worked with. He's very experienced and knows football. He will take Liverpool and the mentality of the style of play of English players and teams forward for years to come!"

Rodgers has afforded a number of youngsters opportunities and is renowned for his man-management which has seen many players, young and old, blossom under his guidance. Do you think there is any difference into how the Liverpool academy graduates are treated now in comparison to when you were there? Are they afforded more chances nowadays?

"One thing he said to me, when I asked him if I should leave, was if I was 18 or 19 I wouldn't be leaving but at my age it’s the best for me to play games . The records speaks for itself - Scott Sinclair, Joe Allen, Raheem Sterling; John Flanagan, Andre Wisdom and many others. What other manager in recent years gave opportunities to many home grown talent at big clubs?"

Is the current approach to handing out opportunities the right way to go about nurturing youth products? Do you feel that clubs give enough care to their younger players?

"I think it's very difficult these days. It's easy to give opportunities when teams are doing well, but it's when teams aren’t doing so well managers are less likely to play young players. Managers know it only takes a few losses and they'll be under pressure, so not many have time to give opportunities to inexperienced players."

Changing the subject a little - The Premier League is as open as ever, what do you think of Liverpool’s chances this season, both domestically and in Europe, after their busy transfer window? Can they exceed expectations again, or will they fail to reach the heights of last year?

"The Premier League is always hard and gets better each year. So it's hard to say, but I think they will do well in Europe. As teams haven't played them and will find it difficult to play at Anfield."