New Ipswich Town striker Ali Al-Hamadi has given his first interview to TownTV from Qatar, where he's been playing for Iraq in the Asian Cup. Mark Heath brings you more...
Confidence.
Any professional athlete needs it in droves. For some, depending on their sport and position, it's more important than others.
Strikers, that most highly-pressured of footballing species, need it like fish need water. For those tasked with scoring the goals to win their team matches and fire them to promotion and glory, self-doubt is an affliction which can render them impotent in front of the target.
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You get the impression Ali Al-Hamadi doesn't suffer from a lack of self-belief. Which is good, because he's about to make the step up from League Two to a side chasing promotion to the Premier League, and he'll be expected to bring goals with him.
He admitted: "For me, it’s just having that balance between being humble but also confident in myself.
“I do have that edge, I’d say I’m a very confident person and I’m not just here to make up the numbers.
“I’ve not had much Championship experience to this point, but there’s a reason why I’m here – I’m here to make an impact and to start making my stamp on the team.
READ MORE: Al-Hamadi in profile
“That could be straight away, or it could maybe take a few weeks. That’s the beauty of football sometimes, you never know what’s going to happen.
“All I can say is that I am ready mentally and physically, and I’m just excited to get going and hopefully make an impact.”
He arrives at Town having made just such an impact at fourth tier AFC Wimbledon, bagging 17 goals and seven assists in all competitions already this season.
But he's under no illusions that Championship defences will simply bend to his will as he makes the step up.
"I set myself a target at the start of this season of 20 goals, so I’m quite close to that now," he explained.
“I love scoring goals, I’m hungry to score goals.
"I understand that it’s a step up now in the Championship and I’m going to have to get better and get sharper and overall better as a player to be able to keep that going.
"But I’m confident in myself and my ability, and I’m sure I’ll keep that form going, hopefully until the end of the season.”
READ MORE: Town linked to Bundesliga striker
Confidence. There's that word again.
Its something which, to a man, Town's players would say they're imbued with by boss Kieran McKenna, a manager known to focus on what his charges do well, rather than what they don't.
Asked about his new boss, Al-Hamadi said: "I spoke to him about two weeks ago when I heard about the initial interest and we had a good conversation on the phone.
“He laid out what the pathway for me is, what he expects from me, what possible opportunities could be for me at the club and where it’s going.
“When a manager as good as that and a club as big as Ipswich come with those type of conversations – I’m a very ambitious person and I want to get to the top level – it was a really good conversation and he’s been top throughout the whole process.
“Credit to him and everyone else for making it happen.”
WATCH: Our reaction to Al-Hamadi signing
He continued: "I’m football mad, so I watch a lot of football, any game that’s on TV.
"Whenever I watch Ipswich it’s just high intensity, hungry off the ball and obviously attractive football on the ball.
“It’s just high intensity, high energy – that’s what you associate now when you think of Ipswich.
“I think that fits my character quite well. I’m quick, I’m powerful and I like to get people off their seats, so I’d say I’m quite a good fit for what’s going on at Ipswich now.
“When I think of Ipswich I just think of really high energy, high pressing on the ball, really good on the ball and exciting attacking football, which is what any young footballer wants to be involved in.”
He'll get the chance to be involved soon, with Iraq now out of the Asian Cup after a 3-2 defeat to Jordan.
The trip to Preston this weekend may come a bit too early, given his recent international commitments, but the home clash with high-flying West Brom a week later could well be a perfect stage for his debut in blue.
As you'd expect, Al-Hamadi can't wait.
"I’ve played there just the once, with Wycombe," he enthused of Portman Road.
"I remember it being an electric atmosphere, an amazing stadium with amazing energy from the fanbase, so I’m looking forward to it.
“I’ve had experience now of playing in front of large crowds with Iraq, so it doesn’t phase me one bit.
"I’m excited if anything, it feeds me and motivates me to want to perform and score goals, it’s what every kid dreams of.
“I’ve heard amazing things – Ipswich is known for having such a good fanbase and atmosphere, and I’m just looking forward to stepping out in front of them sometime soon.”
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