“The football world today is measured by goals and trophies,
not just today – it’s always been that way. So obviously in my
position lots of goals are expected.
“I always want to be scoring a lot of goals and contributing to
the team with assists and goals most of all. I feel really annoyed
when I don’t score. I demand a lot of myself and I want the best
for my team, my club and I’m happy when we win. But when I
don’t score, inside I’m annoyed.”
Liverpudlians have been lapping up his Samba style with the
‘no-look’ flicks and tricks and his eye for a telling pass. Quizzed
about his repertoire of silky skills, he says: “We learn this over
time. We pick things up here and there in training of course and
by watching videos.
“It’s a case of wanting it, wanting to be constantly evolving
and growing in every way. This has helped me on the pitch.
I’ve been doing well, but I hope it doesn’t stop here and that I’ll
always be improving.”
His calm character also helps. Sadio Mane, one of the main
beneficiaries of Firmino’s assists, recently described his team-
mate as “a great guy and the quietest man I have ever met in
football!”
Of his laid-back personality, Bobby says: “I am really calm
off the pitch. Of course on the pitch we are all different, in a
good way, trying to give our best for winning. Off the pitch I am
a quiet guy. Always smiling, like you can see, and that is very
important.
“I’ve been told a few of the guys try to smile like me. I don’t
know, but mine is obviously the best out of all of them! I’m
happy, not that they copied me, but that they also wanted a
smile like this. I hope it continues and people are increasingly
happy!”
Firmino’s evolution into the attacking fulcrum he is today is
in no small part down to his relationship with Jürgen Klopp,
who took charge of Liverpool five months after Firmino’s arrival
at the club. The Brazilian refuses