Starting a new life overseas can be a tough proposition for anybody. Then imagine what it must be like for professional athletes, expected to perform at the top of their game, and perhaps it’s no wonder DeAndre Yedlin has yet to debut with his new club Tottenham Hotspur.
His transition since joining the English Premier League club in January after his transfer from the Seattle Sounders was one of the main topics of conversation in a recent interview with KickTV’s Jimmy Conrad (above).
“It’s been great so far,” Yedlin said. “The last three or four months have been just kind of settling in, getting used to the guys, getting used to the style of play. Here, driving on the other side of the road, different kind of foods. Obviously the language is the same, but there are still some things I have to get used to. There’s a lot more than people would think.”
He said a big part of his adjustment has been learning from Kyle Walker, Tottenham’s starting right back whose game many people have compared to Yedlin.
“I think me and Kyle are very similar players; I think a lot of people see that,” Yedlin said. “Not only on the field stuff, but off the field as well is even more what I pay attention to. Just what time does he get in in the morning, does he get in early, how late does he stay after, what kind of stuff does he eat, how often is he in the gym, training habits, just absorbing it. He’s actually probably been my closest friend in the club. He’s been excellent to me.”
There is also one perk to being in England, however.
“Fish cakes," Yedlin said, highlighting his favorite food since moving to London.
But the EPL and Spurs will take a back seat this week after Yedlin joined up with the US national team for its upcoming friendlies against Denmark on Wednesday and Switzerland on Tuesday. Speaking of the USMNT, Yedlin revealed the name of the fellow fullback and US legend after which he has modeled his game.
“DaMarcus Beasley,” he said, much to the dismay of Conrad, a former US international defender himself.
