Per Mertesacker Quotes

I want to be held accountable. I want my teammates and my coaches to push me to be the best that I can be.

In order to gain the respect of your players in the locker room, you can't just perform on Saturday. You have to do it consistently during practices, meetings, and in the weight room.

There was no question that in our house doing well, doing it the right way, school, sports - there was an expectation. One of the things I've taken away from that is that I'm unafraid to expect a fair amount from people. It makes them so much better - you're doing them a disservice if you don't.

I learned a great many things in the Marines that helped me as a football coach. The Marines train men hard and to do things the right way, just as a football team must train.

I definitely challenge people. But hopefully, I am working harder than anybody else, and so people won't resent the fact that I want them to work hard, as well.

You need a commitment which is long term and a commitment to leadership, because that's the only way you build excellence.

I'm going to come in and be a hard worker, and I'm going to try to lead by example and be a great teammate, and everything on the field is going to take care of itself.

I'm at my best when people are depending on me. If it's just on me and I don't have nothing to do, I'm going to be lazy. On the football field, it's every single day, every play, knowing that people are depending on me to make my play. That helps me elevate my game to another level.

I'm just trying to do my job and my part to make this a team that people respect.

In every team, you have to win the respect of your team-mates, working a lot and really sweat blood.

If you don't train in a certain way because you think you won't play, you have to do more in the week to show why you deserve to play.

Some people think all I did was trash talk. But ask my teammates, coaches - they saw how hard I worked, how hard I prepared.

I learned to respect the coach and to do everything within my power to show that I should be the one playing. That's exactly what I did during my three years under Mourinho.

I was lucky enough to train with Carragher and Gerrard, and watch what they did on a daily basis - they never missed a session. I'd look how Carragher played, how he spoke and he was big to follow.

Every day, I have to work and show the coach I work well and I deserve my place.

Every day at Team Alpha Male, I'm improving. The biggest thing with that camp is everyone is so positive and has the work ethic to go out there and push the pace and keep going and going and going.

Winning begins with culture and character matters.

As long as my guys are out there and doing what I'm asking, and they're giving their best, I don't think anybody can ask for much more than that.

Tevez is an absolutely world-class player. But what surprised me more than anything is the way he sacrifices himself to help the team. He works like a mule!

I've got a great team around me. They keep me working hard; they keep me focused.

I think Carmelo is a great player. He makes players around him better. Whatever thing, whatever Carmelo wants me to do, I will do that out on the court just to prove that I'm worthy enough to be on the court with him, starting with the dirty jobs - just getting rebounds, getting shots, getting blocks, and just running the court.

I admire Luis Enrique's desire to work and improve.

When done with heart, commitment, and integrity, every job is equally important.

All my coaches will tell you that I am a great professional.

That mindset never changes. It should never change. If you've been in the league for 14 years or been in the league not even a day, you should have that mindset that you're going to go out there and prove yourself and earn a spot.