Sepp van den Berg arrived at Liverpool from PEC Zwolle in 2019 and finished his debut season at Anfield by making four appearances for the Reds senior team.
In order to allow the 20-year-old continue his development, the Merseyside club sent him on loan to Preston North End at the start of this year. In the last window, his temporary stay there was extended for a further 12 months.
Regional Dutch newspaper De Stentor have carried out a detailed interview with the centre-back, where he discussed how difficult it was for him to stay away from family and friends initially.
“It was tough. Especially the loneliness. But what do you want? In Zwolle I had everything and everyone around me. My parents, my brother, my sister, my girlfriend, my friends, school, football. And suddenly I was alone in a house, far away,” Van den Berg said.
“The contact [he missed the most]. I could Facetime, just like I played a lot on the PlayStation, with my brother and my friends. But that is different from meeting physically.
“Of course, I was well received at the club. Virgil van Dijk, for example, quickly asked if I would sit next to him in the dressing room. And Adam Lallana helped me pick out the clothes. But to chill with those guys outside of football, or to talk as an unknown boy with world stars such as Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mané, you don’t do that so easily. That also made it tough.”
The Netherlands U21 international, however, came out of this tough situation, thanks to the help he received from his mother.
“By doing something I’ve never done before, which is expressing my feelings. I’ll never forget it. I was Facetiming with my mother and suddenly became emotional when she asked how it was going,” he explained.
“I was so relieved then. From that point on, sometime in November, we also decided to talk more about how I feel. And that helped enormously.”
There have been some opinions suggesting the Dutchman should not have joined the Reds at such an early stage of his career. Van den Berg, however, feels otherwise and also explains why.
“You don’t say no to a club like Liverpool. Everyone has their opinion, but I see it as a fantastic step. And what if I had said no? Who’s to say Liverpool would turn up again two years later? For the same money I get injured. Or out of shape. Then I can already tell you: then they will not come,” he stressed.
Van den Berg is of the belief a temporary move to the Championship is a step back, but it has helped him enjoy regular first team minutes. He has made 21 league appearances this season.
“Yes, in terms of level it is a step back. But for someone who wants to play and gain experience in English football, it’s ideal. In this competition, we play three times a week. Trust me, it won’t make you any worse,” the defender added.
Van der Berg’s compatriot Virgil van Dijk established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the world at Anfield. The 20-year-old dreams to become better than the ex-Southampton man.
“My dream is a starting place at Liverpool and the Netherlands’ senior team. I also hope to become even better than Virgil van Dijk. I know: with that I set the bar high. But I think you should always dream and think big,” Van der Berg concluded.
If it doesn’t work out at Liverpool, the player feels he has nothing to be disappointed about.
“That’s why you have to enjoy it to the fullest. Whatever I do. And if for some reason it doesn’t work, fine. Because I know I don’t have to blame myself,” Van der Berg said.
“I have even developed quite a few cooking skills. That would never have happened if I had stayed in Zwolle. Then my mother would have cooked for me every night. As no doubt she had just washed my clothes. But I’m getting better at that too. I just leave it in the laundry basket a little too long.”
