Liverpool legend admits he was AGHAST after completing Merseyside move

Former Liverpool star Pepe Reina admits he was left AGHAST at the British weather after first completing his transfer from Villarreal back in 2005. 

The Spaniard came in to replace Champions League hero Jerzy Dudek, going on to spend eight seasons as first-choice at Anfield. 

He won the UEFA Super Cup and FA Cup among other honours for the Reds before moving on loan initially to Napoli in 2013, where he again hooked up with the Liverpool manager who signed him, Rafael Benitez. 

Reina came to Merseyside with a reputation as one of the top goalkeepers in Spain, proving his worth as a three-time Premier League Golden Glove award winner and a Liverpool player of the year in 2009-10. 

However he expressed his doubts about the move to his wife Yolanda after finalising his move from the sunny Castellon region of Spain. 

"I spent two weeks looking at my wife and saying: 'What is this?',” he told La Liga World.

“We came from somewhere where the average temperature was 25 degrees but there, in July, it rained non-stop for two weeks. I was aghast. I didn't expect it and it was difficult to adapt to all that."

The World Cup winner nonetheless put worries to the back of his mind, knuckling down and becoming one of the most reliable keepers in the top flight throughout his near-decade of service in Liverpool’s goal. 

"It was difficult because I was still a kid,” he said. “I was 23 years old. In the end, though it can be difficult to adapt, you adapt to everything when you are doing well, when you are happy, when you are comfortable and when you are valued. 

"It was the most important time of my career, when I performed at my best, where I felt at my best at a collective level. I spent eight wonderful years at Liverpool."

Reina wants to follow Gerrard and Xabi Alonso into coaching

Reina, now 41, also revealed his plans to move into coaching like ex-teammates Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso once his playing days end. He is remarkably still on the books of Villarreal, after his career took him to other clubs like Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Lazio and Aston Villa. 

"I want to be a coach,” he said. “As if 35 years were not enough, I want to continue coaching for another 30 years. I am passionate about it; I like it a lot and I want to prepare well to try it out. 

“I’m sure I’ll be one of those coaches who protest a lot, who step onto the pitch. For me the most important thing is being able to manage the group well on a human level. You have to communicate well, get your message through, and believe in yourself. 

"When it comes to tactical aspects, I think that players today are more prepared and have an easier time understanding things, but believing in the message seems very important to me.”