So, ultimately it’s about using the experience to look forward?

Yeah definitely. Whatever set backs you have in life, whether that’s in your job or socially or however, I think you’ve got to use it and learn from it. I know that I’ll take everything that I’ve experienced in the last 18 months and use it to make wiser decisions going forward.

Who has helped you get through your injury?

There are a lot of people who you talk to when you’re injured. You can’t point the finger of blame at anybody because injuries are part and parcel of football. I’ve been injured before and I’m sure I’ll be injured again at some point, the same as every player. You need good people around you who aren’t negative and don’t bring you down, you need positivity and I get that support from my family, friends, teammates and manager.

Do you feel like you’re well positioned to pass on advice to other players now?

It’s difficult to give advice to people when you know that they’re suffering and they’re in a tough place. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for example is a good friend of mine and he’s going to be missing the majority of this season – his injury was far bigger than mine too. There are small pieces of advice you can pass on but the most important thing is to consistently be positive around them and keep their spirits up.

Let’s talk about Liverpool. Have you grown attached to the city yet?

Yeah I have. Liverpool Football Club has such a huge fanbase that it’s difficult to go anywhere without anyone noticing you, but the fans are always very supportive because they’re crazy about their football.

You’re a Southern lad. Have you adjusted to life up north yet?

I’ve lived up here for 4 or 5 years now and I’ve got two young boys at school up here and they’re starting to develop northern accents too which is funny. My eldest will come back from school and some of the stuff he says will sound proper Scouse which makes me laugh. My family down south notice it more when we go back down there! But we all love it up here, we’re really enjoying it. I think I'll probably move back down south when I finish playing though, as I do love living by the sea, but right now we’re all really happy.

Let's talk haircuts, obviously. Where did the inspiration for the summer mohawk come from?

I was just bored to be honest! My wife thinks I’m having a mid-life crisis… but I’ve always done different things with my hair, I’ll give anything a go. I’ll sometime just tell my barber to surprise me and I just go with it. With the mohawk, it was the summer and I wasn’t playing and I was bored basically! Now it’s the winter so I think I’ll just keep it normal for a bit. I’ve got rid of the long hair now, it was too high maintenance so I’d never go long again. It was that thick that it hurt when it was in a bun, it would get in my face when I was playing so I’m done with that. My wife is happy now that it’s short, so that’s all good.

Where do you look when you’re styling yourself when it comes to fashion?

I’m relatively into my fashion, it comes and goes I suppose. Sometimes I’m quite lazy and will wear joggers and stuff, and then sometimes I fancy giving it a bit of a go.

You were back in the England fold recently. Was that a confidence boost?

It was going alright until I got injured in my first day of training! That was a nightmare, but the manager has been great with me and I’ve been in communication with him all through the summer. I know that when I’m back fit I still have something to offer to England and I feel like I can make them better. It’s been frustrating to be injured but it was great following them in the summer and seeing them do so well at the World Cup.

You're a PUMA man. How much do you look forward to a new boot drop?

Yeah, always. I’m really liking the new silver design, and the ones that are coming out in January look cool as well. I’ve been solo repping PUMA for a while in the Liverpool dressing room but a few more of the lads are jumping on board now so I’ve got some company. I’ve been with PUMA for a long time now and that says a lot about how much I enjoy wearing the boots. The comfort is so next level that sometimes I haven’t even had to wear the laces.