Anders Pleased With Progress

It’s been almost 12 months since news of Anders Lindegaard’s arrival was announced on ManUtd.com. The Danish international stopper and lifelong United fan signed a three-and-a-half-year deal at Old Trafford last November after joining from Norwegian side Aalesund.

He has impressed every time he’s featured between the posts for the Reds and, during a chat with the club’s official website, the 27-year-old says he is delighted with the progress he has made in the last year…

“First of all I have to say it’s a great honour to play for Manchester United and I’m very proud to be part of this club. If I look back to where I was one year ago I would have cut my right arm off to be in the position I’m in at the moment. I’m so pleased to be a part of this club and this team. I’ve always been a United fan so it’s a dream come true and I enjoy every day I spend here.

“It’s very difficult for a person to prepare to make a move like I did from Norway. It was such a big step to come from such a small team to such a high level here at Manchester United. I don’t think you can prepare yourself for it. You just have to learn as you go along and go with the experience. The whole process has been fantastic. Picking up my knee injury [in March] wasn’t too good, but in general I’m very happy with the way things have gone.

“United isn’t just a big club, it’s also a club that takes good care of you, especially when you first arrive. There are people to help you in every way you could imagine. No matter what problem you may have there is someone to turn to and help you adapt to life here, not just on the pitch but off it as well.

“I must admit the first six months were very difficult. Nemanja [Vidic] and Patrice [Evra] said the same thing [when they joined] because it is hard in the beginning. When I came I didn’t bring any family with him and I didn’t have a girlfriend so I had a lot of time to myself. And dealing with my knee injury was tough. I was part of the team but I didn’t really feel properly part of it, and I didn’t feel that I’d won my team-mates’ respect until we got to America in the summer. The tour was an experience I really enjoyed it and it's been great to be involved in a number of games since then this season.

“Although the first few months were tough I look back on that time now and think it was a healthy period to go through as a human being. I’ve tried to turn it into a positive and get something out of it by learning from the experience. As a footballer I feel I’ve developed all parts of my game in the time I’ve been here. That’s a very important step because if you don’t develop all the parts of your game you won’t develop at this level. All in all it’s been a great year and I’m definitely looking back on it with a lot of pride and happiness.”