Interview with Hamza Choudhury: Leicester midfielder at the time of the England boys' goals and balls | Football news

Hamza Choudhury rose in grade at Leicester

"I still have to pinch myself. It is a little crazy that I was not going to see them and the ball player in the game a short time ago," said Hamza Choudhury. "It’s amazing."

For the Leicester midfielder, it sometimes sounded like a surreal promotion of the Foxes' boy playing for his home team in the Premier League.

He has fond memories of looking aside, admiring Andy King's performance in the middle of the park when Leicester won the League 1 title. And then the championship. And then the Premier League.

"Kingy is someone who really stands out for me," says Choudhury. Sky Sports through a video call, as he ponders seeing Leicester as a boy, ambitious to fight his way through the ranks of the young.

"I feel like what he did is amazing to be honest and that he is the most authentic, humble and hardworking guy I have ever been have never met. I feel like Kingy is someone I have constantly seen. "

Now is the time for Choudhury to try to forge his own lead role in the Leicester midfielder.

Choudhury face former Leicester midfielder Chelsea N & # 39; Golo Kante

The 22-year-old's development has been hailed by boss Brendan Rodgers this season, particularly after a game-changing appearance in the Leicester Carabao Cup semi-final first leg with Aston Villa.

But on teammate Wilfred Ndidi, Choudhury knows he has real competition for the starting role in the Leicester midfielder.

4.4 Ndidi tackled for 90 minutes is the highest in the Premier League this season and significantly higher than the next best central midfielder, Oriol Romeu with 3.2. When the injury prevented him from running five games, Leicester only took two of 15 possible points.

Choudhury's goal is to become an integral part of the team.

Choudhury scored his first Premier League goal on New Years Day in a 3-0 win at Newcastle

"To be honest, I think Wilf has had very good seasons in recent seasons," said Choudhury. "Having been so successful this season, he has drawn more attention to what he is doing, but I feel like everyone on the team knows how how important it is to us and how effective it is. "

"He is still very young, he is only a year older than me, but I watch his match and I try to take it apart and I try to improve my play and I try to improve myself. "

"I feel like we are both seen as a kind of destructive midfielder, catching the ball and just playing it, playing forward and keeping the ball running. I have I feel like I have that in my game but I feel like I have to improve and offensive and move the ball forward and also create opportunities. "

Improvement under Rodgers

Choudhury laughs with boss Brendan Rodgers

Choudhury's determination to improve is a repeated theme of the interview. And with Chef Rodgers, he has a manager who prides himself on focusing on the details of each of his players. It is a combination that should pay off for the ambitious Choudhury.

"I feel like he came in and that many aspects of my game have improved," said Rodgers' Choudhury.

"He works a lot personally with me and the other guys on a lot of post-training video analytics and little snippets that we can work on to improve and hopefully take us to the next level."

"I think at the level where our game is right now, it is necessary (video analysis). All the best players do it and you should be able to adapt and learn new ones situations. "

I feel like it happened and that many aspects of my game have improved

Hamza Choudhury on Brendan Rodgers

With his distinctive hairstyle, his teammates joked that closing the hairdressers during the running of the bulls had not been a problem for him, and his difficult approach, Choudhury excelled on the field.

His performances are closely watched from Bangladesh, where he has a family – "it is surprising to receive good messages from members of the community" – and he is already a role model for aspiring British and Asian footballers in the city. .

"If I affect it positively, it's something I'm really proud of and I hope I can continue to do it," he said modestly.

But Choudhury is convinced that he has not yet arrived where he wants to go.

The ambitions of England

Choudhury has seven games with England U21

The former ball player wants to become the team's first star in Leicester. And then step into Gareth Southgate's England squad in the near future, as do Leicester teammates Ben Chilwell and James Maddison.

"It is a goal that I intend to play for England and I am working hard to get closer. But at the moment I am trying to keep my feet on land and work as hard as possible for Leicester and try to settle into this team before thinking of England. " ", told me.

"I really enjoyed it this season and, obviously, with the success that comes with it, I think we all gutted that it stopped at this point, but I & # 39; ; hope that this will continue and that we can continue and secure this third place.

"I think it is very important for us to stay in shape, especially when we start running again and continue as we were."