Joe Allen is 'loving every second' of his time at Liverpool, with the new boy living the dream after securing a summer switch to Anfield.
Brendan Rodgers raided his former employers Swansea during the summer transfer window for Wales international Allen, with a ?15million deal taking him to Merseyside.
The 22-year-old admits things could not have gone much better for him in 2012, with an impressive season with the Swans followed by an Olympic outing with Team GB and a big-money move.
He now finds himself lining up alongside the likes of Steven Gerrard on a regular basis, but is confident he can handle the added expectation being placed on his shoulders.
Allen said: "I'm loving every second here. It's very inspiring. When I look alongside me and Steven Gerrard is standing there, that's something you never would have dreamed of.
"As a kid and a budding footballer you look up and admire footballers like that. Having been in the Olympics and played alongside Ryan Giggs as well, it's been an incredible couple of months.
"But in all fairness, I think the most important factor has been the settling-in process. Every single player, every staff member at the club has made a massive effort in welcoming me with open arms.
"I have been able to concentrate purely on my football. I'm trying to become a sort of all-round player.
"And the only thing which gives me satisfaction is getting the results.
"At the end of the day, that's what it is all about. I'm as bad a loser as everyone else in that dressing room so I have got to do what I have got to do for the team and try to win football matches.
"No one's going to deny that there is pressure on footballers. It's a career we have chosen, though, and we all live with that.
"I said on the day I signed here I wouldn't do anything different to what I had been doing, which is give my all.
"That's all you can do. You have got to remember the reason we're playing this game is because we love it."
