Eric Dier: "I found a great locker room and a fantastic staff" | OneFootball

Having scored a first goal in Rouge et Blanc against Le Havre on the opening round of Ligue 1 McDonald's in his first official match, the English central defender spoke to the press before the trip to Lille.

It didn’t take him long to prove himself decisive. Having arrived in the Principality this summer and having had a good preseason with AS Monaco, Eric Dier found the opposition’s net in his first appearance in the French top flight, Saturday against Le Havre (in a 3-1 win). It was a dream debut for the England international at the Stade Louis-II, a performance which he hopes to build upon against LOSC this Sunday (8:45 p.m.), as he explained to the media.🎙️

His Ligue 1 debut

I’m very happy to have started with a victory, and to have scored my first goal is definitely a pleasure. I think it’s a positive start and a great foundation to build on. My adaptation has been quite easy, I’m not that young anymore, so that helps a little (smiles). As soon as I arrived, I found a great locker room and a great staff! My role now is to help the team as best I can.

His position as a center back

I had the opportunity to play as the left of the two centre backs during some preseason matches. It’s always interesting to experiment with a new position. Playing on the other side may seem trivial, as was the case against Le Havre, but I think a lot of things change. I’ve already played in both positions in previous years, so I’ve gained experience in each, and I now know where I need to be more attentive.

I've already had the opportunity to face him many times, notably during his time at Arsenal and Chelsea, but also with the national team. I think he was one of the most underrated strikers in England at that time. Everyone knows his qualities; he's very good with the ball and very strong in duels.

On Oliver Giroud

I’ve already had the opportunity to face him many times, notably during his time at Arsenal and Chelsea, but also with the national team. I think he was one of the most underrated strikers in England at that time. Everyone knows his qualities; he’s very good with the ball and very strong in duels. I expect to see the same player as him, because he really takes care of himself, so he certainly hasn’t lost any of his power. I can’t wait to face him again.

English players in Ligue 1

I don’t really know how to explain the large number of English players in Ligue 1! Everyone is different, and each player’s journey is unique. Personally, I think that as a player, playing in different countries is very positive for their development. I wish them success.

Je n’ai joué qu’un seul match alors j’ai besoin d’un peu plus d’expérience pour pouvoir donner mon avis. J’attends avec impatience mon premier match à l’extérieur, ce sera l’occasion de découvrir un nouveau stade et une nouvelle atmosphère. C’est toujours agréable de joueur contre de nouvelles équipes et de nouveaux joueurs. J’ai hâte d’y être.

His relationship with Christian Mawissa

I really like Chris! I think he has fantastic potential. He has great physical and athletic power and a lot of ability with the ball. His mindset allows him to continue his development; he is still young and he must continue like this to achieve his goals.

Ansu Fati‘s preseason

He works very hard and is doing very well. We obviously know his qualities and he shows it to us in training. We feel that he is eager to get started and play his first minutes with the Club. We have several attackers with a lot of quality and as defenders, it is the best possible situation.

His view of Ligue 1

I’ve only played one game so I need a bit more experience to be able to give my opinion. I’m really looking forward to my first away game as it will be a chance to experience a new stadium and a new atmosphere. It’s always nice to play against teams and players I’ve never faced before. I’m looking forward to it!

His role in the squad

We have a well-balanced team, with many young players with high potential who are well supported by experienced players such as Paul Pogba, Lukáš Hradecký or myself. They have a lot of room for improvement and it’s very engaging as a team. I can’t wait to see them develop and I have to help them exploit their potential. I obviously push them more than they do (he smiles), but I feed off that and I enjoy doing it.