Bassey: Why Premier League Is Easier For Me

Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has disclosed that adapting to life in the Premier League was easier for him than in the Netherlands.

The Nigerian international has proven himself a key figure in the Premier League, being named Fulham’s Player of the Season for 2024/25.

In a chat with AjaxShowTime, Bassey stated that he was more comfortable playing in England than in the Dutch League.

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“The English league is easier for me because I am used to English football,” he said. “Many managers come from abroad, mine is Portuguese, but it is the system I am familiar with. What you do at Ajax takes time.

“Players who were new needed more time to adapt. When you are young, and at that time I was 21 or 22, I might have needed another season to settle in. Just like in England. I needed a year there to settle in as well. After that, I played most of the matches and became Player of the Year at the club.

“I feel like I understand the game more, but that is clearly due to the experience you gain,” he added. “The only way to know you are doing something wrong is to simply do it wrong. But it is also about the mentality. You have to be willing to make mistakes so that you can improve.”

He also noted that the Dutch League is highly tactical and require understanding of the game.

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“It was the tactical aspect of understanding where you need to be and knowing where your next pass is going.

“At Ajax, a full-back plays more like a number six in possession, or he moves as soon as you receive the ball. So if you understand it tactically and know where your next pass needs to go, it becomes easier.

“If my first touch was to the outside, which was natural for me because I expect the full-backs to be there, my passing lane was immediately blocked, because the full-back at Ajax can cut inside.”