Monday 10 August 2015 07:40, UK
Glen Johnson has backed former Liverpool team-mate Philippe Coutinho to become one of the world’s best players.
The full-back suffered defeat against his old club as Coutinho struck the only goal in a tight game at the Britannia Stadium.
Johnson, for one, was not at all surprised that it was the Brazilian who proved the difference between the sides.
“In the week building up to it I was telling them, he’s the one,” he said. “For me, he will be one of the best in the world.
“He’s one of the nicest boys in the dressing room as well and he’s the sort of player you need when you’re in the last 10 minutes when your back is against the wall, he can produce pieces of magic like that.”
The game was Johnson’s debut for Stoke and he admitted that it was odd to come up against his former team-mates so soon.
“I’ve got a lot of friends there and spent many years there with most of those players so of course it is weird seeing them so close to you but on the day you’re fighting against them,” he added.
“You’re obviously a professional but last night when you’re thinking about it and you’re mates [at Liverpool] are texting you it is a bit odd but it’s football, it’s what we do, and when the whistle goes you’ve just got to get on with it.”
The former England right-back insists he has been made to feel ‘very welcome’ at his new club and believes he is getting close to full fitness again after a limited pre-season.
“It’s getting there, obviously I only played 90 minutes in pre-season,” Johnson said. “The last 15 minutes I felt it but I felt good for it.
“Everyone has different times off and different reasons why they can’t play pre-season games. You need more than one 90 minutes in pre-season but things don’t always go your way and you can’t always prepare ideally.
“You just have to try and get minutes on the field really. Even if you play two or three games in friendlies it’s still not the same as the first game in the Premier League. Everyone will feel the first game.
“It’s such a quick game, everyone is naturally fit and with the crowd, it saps your energy and you obviously want to do well for every minute. It’s hard on the body but you get used to it with games, it’s as simple as that.”
