I know it is difficult to play in a big club like Manchester United as a No. 10 because you know how many goals you have to score to play there. So I thought I had to add something to my game. I had to give more options to the manager.
I know it could be a bit more difficult in England because you are not playing all the time and you play in different positions. But I do expect to score many goals for Chelsea and I hope to keep the average of between 10 to 20 goals a season, that would be good.
How can you create a team and bring all these egos together? The main goal for Manchester United is for them to play well - and not have a player saying, 'I play well; I scored two goals'. Because if I score two goals, but three goals go into our net, then we lose.
I've always had a goal to win as many trophies as I can and to play for a club like Manchester United.
My mind was always set on joining Manchester United. How can you not go to United? I don’t play for money. I play for glory and winning championships. I’m happy here. I hear people complain about the weather, there’s nothing to do and the food. But, for me, it’s not like that. I play for a club I love, the biggest club, and everything else doesn’t matter.
When you know how the coach ticks and how he wants to play football, it makes the decision easier. But for the main part, I came to England because of the club Manchester United.
Chelsea was the most difficult time. In the middle of the season, I already knew that I wouldn't play again, because the club had decided I wouldn't play. It was a frustrating decision because I felt rather good, and I thought that I could contribute something.
I think I was called 'the pianist' because of the way I play. It's true that I don't score many goals, just a few, but they are beautiful when I do score! I think it's more about my style of play, how I touch the ball, how I pass the ball, how I move it.
We had a chance to see a lot of different styles of play and you had to adapt to the different style each team plays. That?s going to help us come tournament time because the game in the Pac-10 is different from the Big East and we know how to adapt to the different styles. I?m glad I had that opportunity.
Do I feel I should have been given more time? Of course I do. To go to a club like Manchester United and follow someone like Sir Alex after the time he had been there, to stay for ten months... It couldn't be a revolution at Manchester United; it had to be evolution. It had to take time.
It's difficult to say with words what Manchester United means for me. For anyone. It's amazing to play for this club, with the history of this club, for the fans, for everything. It's amazing to be part of this club.
I think Manchester United is a much bigger club than any manager in the world, and the manager who comes in should respect what Manchester United is.
I used to play as a No. 10, in Bilbao, in most of the games, but when I came to United, when you come to one of the biggest clubs in the world, you realise that if you want to be a No. 10, you have to score 10, 12 goals per season.
We got anxious at the end of the weekend in our urgency to try to score the winning goal. Ended up playing far too many long balls forward. That style of play doesn't suit Manchester United. We must continue to play football and enjoy the game. If we do that, eventually things will come right for us.
Two or three years ago, every game I want to score. And after I score a goal I have a spark and I'm so happy I want more. Now I'mkind of different. I'm not saying I lost my spark - I still have it - but I don't chase the goal as much as I used to. I'm playing for the team andI still know I can score, but it's different than two or three years back.Look at great teams like Detroit a couple of years ago; they winthe Stanley Cup and guys only score 25 goals, nobody has a really big season. You have to play defense, that's how you win.
During my time with Maccabi Tel Aviv, I learned how to play better by using my head. I was given the chance of playing a more forward position so I could score many goals. In short, I have become a player who can score goals and win games.
I always said to the directors that the minute a player becomes more powerful than the manager of Manchester United, it's not Manchester United. You have lost control of the whole club. So I always made sure that I was in control. They always knew who the manager was.