Wataru Endo was caught in a whirlwind almost as intense as the one that first brought him to Liverpool.
Having been thrown in at the deep end shortly after his surprise and swift arrival from Stuttgart, the Japan international spent the majority of his first two Reds performances in a side reduced to 10 men.
Such circumstances were hardly conducive to helping the 30-year-old adapt to his new surrounds after exchanging the Bundesliga for the Premier League, a culture shock that has caught many a player unaware.
Recent evidence, though, suggests Endo is coming to terms with life in a Jurgen Klopp midfield. After an encouraging showing against Leicester City in the League Cup last week – his pass teed up Dominik Szoboszlai’s thunderbolt strike – Endo once again impressed during a 45-minute showing in the Europa League win over Union Saint-Gilloise on Thursday.
That he joined Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez in being replaced at half-time in a pre-arranged substitution hinted heavily the Japanese could be given the nod in the number six role when Liverpool visit Brighton on Sunday afternoon.
And the importance of his contribution to the Reds was underlined during an early conversation with his new manager.
“It was a surprise for Liverpool fans for me to come here, but the manager knew me very well as a player,” says Endo. “That was a very important thing to me.
“After I first came here I have had some conversations with him. The manager told me that he had known of me when I was at Stuttgart. And he told me ‘we are so offensive as a team, we need a number six, a defensive midfielder’. That’s why I came here.
“What I do here hasn’t changed from what I’ve done with Stuttgart and the national team. I just try to do my best in every game and training session. It’s getting better, definitely. If I play like I did for Stuttgart and the Japan national team, then I can play for Liverpool, yes.”
Endo adds: “The difference here is the German teams like to sit back more when they defend, but here at Liverpool we always press high.
“The first couple of games were quite difficult because a lot of the time we were down to 10 men! When we’re training I just try to do my best, the intensity and physicality in England are totally different to Germany. But now I think I have adapted, and now I’m showing my best on the pitch. That is the most important thing for me.
“I feel a lot more comfortable when I’m playing now. Also it helps that the other players also know me better. I feel much better.”
Endo, who has played in Europe since leaving homeland club Urawa Red Diamonds for Belgian Pro League side Sint-Truiden in 2018, has long been a student of the game and his position in particular.
“I have watched Premier League and Champions League matches, and I always keep an eye out for the number six to see how they play,” he says. “There’s nobody in particular (I look out for), it’s just watching the number six every time.
“Jurgen Klopp? I watched his matches when he was at Dortmund, because one of my ex-coaches liked to copy Klopp’s style of play.”
And Endo believes his four years spent with Stuttgart – the first campaign a loan spell during which he played alongside fellow loanee Nat Phillips in helping the German side back to the Bundesliga – have helped his acclimatisation.
“I think so, yes,” he says. “A lot of German people speak English! For me, it is very comfortable living here. I don’t speak German very well so it is more comfortable here and for the kids. They were going to international school in Germany so speak English already.
Sunday’s game could see Endo come up against his international colleague Kaoru Mitoma, who has been one of the Premier League’s standouts in the last 12 months and terrorised Liverpool during Brighton’s 3-0 win in the corresponding fixture last season in January.
The game is likely to prove a huge draw in Japan, even though it won’t finish until the early hours of Monday morning in Tokyo. But when asked if he’s spoken to Mitoma since arriving in England, Endo says: “No, actually. I would say it is a pleasure to play against him. He did very well last season, so I will try to do something. I (always) thought he could play in the Premier League. The same as Takehiro Tomiyasu (at Arsenal).
“There aren’t so many Japanese players in the Premier League, especially the biggest clubs, so Japanese fans are interested. If I play, there will be a lot of interest. Mitoma you imagine will play, they’re not sure if I will play. If I do, they will be excited. My family came over last week, finally. My life is getting back to normal.”
Liverpool are already in the last 16 of the League Cup and are in a strong position in their Europa League group, and stood only two points off Premier League leaders Manchester City going into the weekend’s round of fixtures.
And Endo is aiming big. “This season, of course I would like to win the Premier League, the Europa League also,” says the Japan national team skipper. “That is what our fans want us to achieve. That is a possibility. We want to challenge for titles as much as possible.”
