It is a normal thing for a young player to want to prove himself in the Premiership.
— Ryan Babel
Before I take an offer seriously, I do my own research.
England is the biggest league in the world. Of course, you have Barcelona and Real Madrid but, as a league, England is in my opinion the best in the world.
Every footballer plays with the hope that people love to watch you. But, for me, there is no sympathy or interest. I don't seem to have any charm for fans.
I have played for Ajax, Liverpool and Besiktas in Turkey - all massive clubs in Europe.
Not everybody is following every league in the world so the Champions League is a platform where everybody can see what you're still able to do.
I went to the UAE aged 28, which normally doesn't make sense to go at that age.
There were situations in my career where I played much better than another player in my position, but that player had a better name in terms of commercial appeal.
I came in on time, I was always a professional.
I suppose people lost interest in me when I left Liverpool; but it wasn't me who left, it was other people who left me. If people had continued to follow me, they would have seen my two good seasons in Turkey which caught the attention of Besiktas and Galatasaray.
In the English 4-4-2 you have to change your mentality from a winger to a left midfielder, having to help your full-back.
I was only used to 4-3-3. For me as a left-winger you have also a left midfielder and a left-back behind you. But in a 4-4-2 you are basically also the left midfielder so you have to help more in defence and I wasn't used to that.
If you see my record I'm not a stereotype killer striker.
In Holland, you can step into the manager's office and ask him for clarity if you don't know why you're not playing and they are open with you.
If there isn't a team that plays my type of game I don't think I could make a big difference. I have to be realistic.
English fans and the English atmospheres are special.
To be a supersub is mentally hard.
The Premiership is maybe the best league, it's a very high level.
My feeling about Al Ain was very positive, was very good, and if my feeling wasn't like that I would never have come.
People try to warn you about certain things, but sometimes you have to experience those things yourself.
Nobody likes me. I know that the Holland boss, Ronald Koeman, appreciates me. But for pundits, TV commentators and in the media, I don't even exist.
Those types of players are always necessary in a team, who are very creative and can break a game open.
Liverpool is my club. I try to follow every game. I still support them, I wish them all the best.
A lot of people talked down about my career at some point, which makes sense.
I'm not really making decisions that people normally expect.
I have never been a difficult person.
Not everyone is Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Even Cristiano Ronaldo's first years at Manchester United were quite difficult.
A lot of things that were written about me bothered me, like my mentality was not good.
For a 20 year old the gap from Holland to England is massive. That's a fact. Not all players are able to settle in directly from day one. I remember even Van Persie needed two, three years but he became Van Persie.
If you see the kids now they have attitude and a strong character. They play one or two games and demand they are involved. I didn't have that. I was too polite. It is not maybe always good to have fight, but gives a stamp - it shows directly that 'I am here. I mean business.'
Everything I did on the left I had to learn in a 4-4-2 system, it wasn't natural. To collect the ball on my wrong foot.
I liked mostly to play football on the ground and have a little bit of playing tactics rather than just up and down, long balls and second balls. That's not really my game.
It is clear I have enough qualities to be in the starting XI of Liverpool. But when you never get a real chance, it's difficult.
I'm not the type of player who gives up.
I know Robin van Persie very well and he is a great person and I have a lot of contact with him over the phone and text messages.
Football players have to grow up very fast. It's a tough life sometimes.
If you are 20 you don't have the same life experiences as at 25.
I play for my country and I am an established international.
During your career, you have to make decisions. Sometimes maybe you don't make such a good decision and at the end you have to try and recreate a position.
No, I never doubted my ability.
My career's been a bumpy road, but at the same time I think I am living proof that if you put enough work into things you decide more or less where you want to end up.
If you are young and you don't get rewarded with game-time, or don't come into games, it is difficult to try to still be hungry in the training sessions.
When I left Liverpool, I could have stayed in England but that would have meant joining clubs that didn't play football - just a long-ball game.
I was 20 years old went I went to the Premier League. When you are 20, you need from other people, you need people to talk to you. But when I went over there, nobody helped me.
I came from Ajax where you play 4-3-3 and as a winger they didn't want you to defend.
Turkish people are very emotional, very passionate about football, really want to see their team do well.
I definitely made the wrong choices. I left Holland too early, I probably should've stayed one more year for my development, but these things happen.
I think the 20-year-old me from that time, if I could have been managed under Jurgen Klopp, I'd have benefitted.
As far as I can judge, English football is not for everybody. You need to have the lungs for it, you need to have the strength for it.
To be underestimated is my biggest motivation.
