InterviewRio Ngumoha: This is every kid's dream - I have to keep pushing on
A patient Rio Ngumoha is trying to extract all the learning he can from being around Liverpool’s senior players this summer.
The attacker is part of the Reds’ 29-man squad currently in Hong Kong for the first leg of the club’s pre-season tour in Asia.
Arne Slot’s team embarked on their journey across the world just hours after a 5-0 friendly win over Stoke City at the AXA Training Centre, during which Ngumoha was on the scoresheet.
There is an almost-permanent smile upon the 16-year-old’s face as he goes about developing the skills Liverpool recruited in him last season.
“I feel like the experience is just indescribable really,” said Ngumoha during his first Liverpoolfc.com interview, after training in Hong Kong on Wednesday morning.
“Training with the best team in the world so young, it’s like every kid’s dream really. Just keep on pushing now.
“[It’s] amazing. Training here in Hong Kong, it’s a beautiful place. The sessions are intense and tough but as a footballer you love training, you love playing on the pitch every day, so it’s been very good.”
After arriving at the club in September, Ngumoha featured across the Reds’ youth teams in his maiden campaign and made his senior debut in an Emirates FA Cup tie in January.
He is one of a small crop of young players selected for Liverpool’s spell in Asia, with Slot able to call upon the vast majority of his senior options.
And Ngumoha is both appreciative for, and aware of the importance of, the opportunity to see how Premier League champions conduct their work on and off the pitch.
“Training with the best team in the world; the players that you get to train with, you learn from them and you really test yourself against them. It has been very good,” he continued.
“Patience is key. I don’t want to rush anything. I’m young. Just keep working hard, pushing hard and just showing the manager what I can really do, and affect the team.
“They really help the young players – especially me, Trey [Nyoni]. They help us really settle in. [Mohamed] Salah was one of my role models growing up obviously, so it’s really big [to be] learning from him.
“Everyone is really professional and you can see why they’re at the top. They’re always thinking about football, recovery, little things like eating right. So, [you] definitely can learn a lot from them.”
Ngumoha now hopes he will gain further game time when Liverpool play their next pre-season warm-up, against AC Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday.
“Obviously the stadium is just over there and looks beautiful,” he finished. “I can’t wait to play, it would be good.”