Pablo Hernandez relishing prospect of Leeds United Premier League 'present'

The Spaniard always hoped that one day he would return, especially after signing for Championship outfit Leeds United in August 2016.

Four years later it’s finally mission accomplished with Hernandez determined to make the most of a late top flight “present” and showing absolutely no signs of stopping as the path to his 36th birthday nears.

As a club, Leeds United will end what has been a 16-year wait for Premier League football on Saturday evening when Marcelo Bielsa’s newly-promoted Whites step out at Anfield against newly crowned champions Liverpool.

Very few members of United’s squad have experience of English football’s top flight - six players to be precise in Adam Forshaw, Patrick Bamford, Helder Costa, Liam Cooper, Tyler Roberts and Hernandez who is by far he most experienced with 57 Premier League outings for Swansea to his name.

Over six years have passed since the last of those with Hernandez taken off as a 77th-minute substitute in a 1-0 loss at home to Southampton on May 3, 2014.

Two months later a new challenge presented itself as the playmaker joined Qatari side Al-Arabi, from where loan spells at Al-Nasr Dubai and then Rayo Vallecano were next.

By the time Hernandez then moved back to England in August 2016, the Spaniard set himself another new goal - to help the Whites back into the country’s top flight after what was already a 12-year wait.

It took longer than he and Leeds had hoped for, but four years later United and Hernandez are back with the 35-year-old relishing the prospect of what he describes personally speaking as a Premier League gift.

“I think for me it’s like a present that I can play again in the Premier League,” said Hernandez, speaking with leedsunited.com

“But when I arrived here to Leeds in my mind I had just one thing, to try to help this club to come back to the Premier League.

“Obviously after a long time I knew this was a difficult challenge but I always had that in my mind and finally now I have achieved that with this club and this club brings me the possibility to play again in the Premier League.

“For me it’s a big present and now I will try to take this present and in my mind just to think one thing, to try and enjoy this experience in the Premier League and to try to help this club stay in the Premier League.”

For Hernandez and Leeds, first up comes what is now the division’s acid test. Liverpool away with the Reds approaching the new season as defending champions for the first time in 30 years.

But Hernandez says United are relishing the prospect of their trip to Anfield and their experienced playmaker is fully intent on enjoying every single second of life in the Premier League.

Hernandez will be 36 by the time the 2020-21 Premier League campaign is scheduled to finish with the attacking midfielder’s birthday being on April 11 - the day after United visit Manchester City.

“I think each player is different but in my case I try to do everything to help myself to keep a good condition and to play football,” said Hernandez.

“I feel good. Obviously I don’t feel like ten years ago but I feel good and I enjoy it a lot on the pitch. The day I don’t enjoy it on the pitch then the time is over for me.

“But I keep this mentality. I enjoy every game and every day in the training ground and I always try and say this to the young boys, that you need to not just enjoy the games because they are beautiful and it’s football but you need to try and enjoy every day because we are lucky people in the world.

“Our work is our passion - to play football - and we have good salaries and you need to enjoy every day, in the training ground, in the dressing room and obviously in the games.

“I think everybody in Leeds feels excited. Sixteen years is a long time for this club and now we have a good chance again to put this club where they deserve to be which is in the Premier League and fighting with the big clubs in this country.

"The players, the staff and everybody in the club and especially the fans are excited. We start with a big game and this is the place where everybody wants to be and we have a big challenge now in front of us.”

Assessing the recent level of his own displays over the last few seasons and even improvement under Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa, Hernandez reasoned: “If I look at the last few years, in numbers, in statistics, with goals and assists, probably the last two years are the best in my career.

“And with Marcelo I learn new things. I know sometimes that when the players arrive to 33, 34, 35 - like me - you have a lot of experience and maybe you think that you know everything about football. But you can improve more and Marcelo helped me to improve.

“I think my role on the pitch changed a little with him because I play more in the middle.

"In my career in general I play more on the wings and I think this type of thing has helped me to improve. The mentality of Marcelo I think he puts this mentality in all of his players and this helps us to improve.”

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Thank you Laura Collins