Interview With Nani

Nani has been United's most influential attacking player this term. But in an exclusive ManUtd.com interview, the Portuguese winger says he must replicate that form in the season's important stages for it all to count...

You’ve scored and created a lot of goals this season. Are you pleased with your form?
I’m really happy but it’s what I do from now until the end of the season that really counts. Everything I do now has the potential to be very important, to play a big role in helping us to hopefully win the league. I want to give my best and keep performing. I feel great that, so far this season, I’ve been able to help my team a lot but that won’t mean anything if we’re not successful. Some people are saying I’m one of the most important players in the team, somebody who can provide a bit of magic, but I still think I can improve certain aspects of my game and I’d like to score more goals and create more chances.

What’s better: scoring or assisting?
When I help my team-mates score I feel just the same as when I score myself. The main thing is that we win and lift trophies at the end of the season. I don’t care who scores or sets the goals up.

You’ve scored 10 this term – eight with your left foot. That’s phenomenal for a right-footer…
When I was very young I used to go to the local square where we played football and practice alone. Sometimes I’d spend all afternoon there on my own, practicing with my right foot and then with my left foot. I’d practice curling the ball, hitting it hard… I always wanted to improve. And now, when I hear statistics like that, I feel very proud because I know that all my hard work has paid off.

Mostly you’ve played on the right wing in Antonio Valencia's absence. Is that your preferred position?
To tell you the truth, it’s no easier for me on the right than it is on the left. When I play on the left everybody expects me to cut inside onto my right foot. Because they expect me to do that it means that sometimes I can surprise them and go on the outside and use my left foot to cross. It doesn’t matter to me which side I play on because I’m confident of beating my opponent on either side and I can cross and shoot with both feet.

So you’re not worried that if Valencia regains fitness soon you might find yourself back on the left?
No, not at all. Antonio’s return will be fantastic for the team because at this stage of the season we need all our big players fit. Also, he will be another option going forward. In recent months, I’ve often been the only wide player in the team so a lot of our play ends up going through me and I create a lot of chances for the team. Sometimes that’s difficult: some days not everything works for me and on other days the opposition might double up on me. The more players we have that can produce a little bit of skill or a great cross for the strikers, the better that is for the team. Antonio adds another wide option.

Another winger, Ji-sung Park, is also nearing fitness. He’s not played since December…
Ji was very unlucky to get injured after he came back from the Asian Cup. We really need him back in the team because he’s an important player for us. He gives us another attacking option and I think we missed him in the side. Also, the more players who are fit the better the team plays because those who are in the starting XI know that there is somebody else right behind you waiting to take your place. In those situations you know that in order to play more often you have to do more on the pitch. That’s good for the team.

Our attack often gets the headlines, but how important has the defence been?
Our defenders have been fantastic and that makes everybody else confident. It helps the attackers relax and play with freedom when we know we're unlikely to concede. The defenders help in more ways than just defending.

So, how many trophies will United win this season?
All of them, I hope! I think we’re in a good position in the Premier League and we’ll do our best to win the Champions League and FA Cup as well.

You’ve already won the league twice with United. Do you really have the same desire to win it again?
Of course. We want to win the league every season. You don’t get tired of winning trophies. Last season, when I went on my holidays, the first week I couldn’t stop thinking about how we lost out in the league to Chelsea. Thankfully there was the World Cup soon afterwards so I had something else to look forward to. This year, there’s no World Cup, so I know it could be a very long summer. I don’t want that to happen. I want to be on holiday with a big smile because I’ve won at least one trophy.

And finally, what everybody wants to know is how you manage to wear your socks back to front?
[laughs] Ha! I’ll be honest with you: the first time it happened was an accident. It was a new kit and I didn’t know which way I was meant to put them on. I realised I had got it wrong when I saw everybody else had the Nike tick facing the front. But then when it came to the next game, I thought: ‘No, I might wear mine like this again’. Since then it’s become something of a superstition.