Clasie struggling to adjust to rigours of England
Jordy Clasie admits he is struggling to adapt to the physical demands of the Premier League after joining Southampton in the summer.
The 24-year-old signed for Ronald Koeman’s side for £8million in the summer, but he has started just four Premier League games of 13 so far for Saints.
“I’m feeling good but now I’m at 90-85 per cent,” Clasie explained to the Southern Daily Press. “I know I can be better and I work hard for it on the training pitch and also in the gym when I have time to spend on it.
He added: “[I’m working on] sharpness on the pitch, but also after the training I spoke a lot with a guy that does the warming up and on the runs.
“And I have to do work after the training to run or do something more with the ball.
“I know I can, I have to be, fitter than I am now and now I’m 90-85 per cent. Give me a couple of weeks and then I’m 100 per cent.”
The central midfielder is yet to complete a full 90 minutes for Southampton, but Clasie is confident he will reach this level soon.
“I know I have to work harder than ever. In Holland I play 90 minutes and I’m full, now I play 80 minutes here and I’m full. That’s the level I want to play and know I have to work hard for it.
“But believe me, give me a couple of weeks and then I’m 100 per cent.”
Clasie was substituted after 64 minutes in the 1-0 loss against Stoke City on Saturday and admits that he is battling to adjust to the intensity of the Premier League.
“The first minutes against Liverpool away, I look on the board and it felt like I had been play for 40 minutes and there was only 20 minutes on the board,” he said.
“That’s the level I want to play. The league is a very high level, but that’s why I came to England.
“I want to play at a higher level than Holland and England is the perfect step I think.”
Clasie was tipped as a direct replacement for Morgan Schneiderlin, who departed for Manchester United, by new team-mate Virgil van Dijk last week.
Clasie added, of the comparison: “No, that’s his opinion.”