England midfielder Harry Winks says he wants to repay Sampdoria for the faith they showed in him during his injury crisis: ‘I feel obligated now to give everything.’ The 27-year-old made the switch from Tottenham to Samp last summer but struggled with an ankle injury that impacted his playing time in the early part of the season. Surgery has alleviated the injury for now and the English International is finally getting time on the pitch with the Blucerchiati, making a telling impact in recent games. Speaking with The Times, Winks explained why he feels an obligation to the club who have stood by him, despite having the option to send him back to Spurs:
“I feel like I let the club down in that sense. I’m not sure if there were discussions between Sampdoria and Tottenham but it could have been an easy decision to send me back and say let’s leave it. I said from the start, I don’t want to leave, I want to push to be fit for the second half of the season. And credit to the club, they stuck by me. That’s why I feel obligated now to give everything. I want to repay the faith when I get the chance.
“Italy? Everything is different, the weather, the culture, the people. Being in Genoa and by the sea means everyone has different routines to where I’m from in a city like London. I’ve got a dog, who I now walk down the beach. It’s different but it’s enjoyable. Since I came here I wanted to embrace everything and commit to it fully. I want to take in as much as I can.
“Ordering food? I can do all of that. I have a patisserie next to where I live so I go there with the dog most days and we get some slices of ham and some bread and a little coffee. I’ve got the essentials. The thing is now when I go in, they look at me and they think it’s going to be the usual, so we don’t have to say anything. I don’t know what the usual is in Italian. I just smile and look and that’s enough. Same as always please.
“Since I arrived I’ve seen so many different types of pasta. They have so many here you don’t see in England. Genoa is known for its pesto as well, Genovese pesto is something else. On my first day we had some dinner at the team hotel and they brought me this Genovese pasta, it’s called a trofie pasta, which is really, really nice. I have to try to stay away from it to be honest because otherwise . . . I’ve tried to make the pesto myself, but it’s never the same.
“Vialli’s passing? I’ve never seen anything like it. The whole city came together, thousands of fans outside the church and in the streets. So many people came to pay their respects. For such a difficult and sad moment, it was such a beautiful experience to be a part of. I remember my first game here, sitting in the stands and watching, just listening to the fans. Football is a way of life here, like a religion.
“The move to Samp? I spoke to Sampdoria, the manager, the director of football, and one thing that really attracted me was historically they’re a huge club. The main driver was I wanted to play for a team that wanted me, that respected me enough and wanted to commit to me in that sense. I wanted to feel wanted and appreciated because in the last couple of years it was difficult at Spurs. I didn’t have that feeling.”
