Socceroos defender Harry Souttar’s Premier League experience has been a ‘whirlwind’

Having only had a small taste of the English Premier League, Socceroos defender Harry Souttar doesn’t want to end up back in the second-tier next season.

Socceroos defender Harry Souttar says it’s a “dream come true” to be playing in the English Premier League as he prepares himself for a relegation dogfight with Leicester City.

World Cup hero Souttar, who joined Leicester in January on a five-and-a-half-year deal from second-tier Stoke City, described his first seven weeks with the Foxes as a “whirlwind”.

Following last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Brentford, Leicester is a point above the relegation zone.

“It’s a dream come true to get there because every person wants to be playing their football in the top league,” Souttar said on Thursday in Sydney, where he’s preparing for the Socceroos’ clash with Ecuador on Friday night.

“It started well with a couple of wins, and we’ve had some poor results, but if you look at the table, it’s so tight. From 12th to bottom, there’s (four) points in it.

“Our fixtures have been really tough, but that’s what you want.

“Coming off the back of this (international) break, we’ve got four games with teams around us that are going to be massive in terms of where we finish at the end of the season.”

Socceroos star Harry Souttar is ready to face Ecuador on Friday night. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Souttar said the main differences between the Premier League and the second-tier English Championship were “concentration and tempo”.

“I don’t think it would be fair for me to say there’s no god players in the Championship because there’s fantastic players in the Championship,” he said.

“In (Premier Leagues) games the big difference I’ve seen is for 10 minute spells you’re sprinting everywhere – there’s no rest.

“Then there’s a little five-minute break and it’s back to it. The highs and lows would be the biggest difference for me.”

Souttar, who recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee to play at last year’s World Cup in Qatar, was grateful for the belief shown in him by Socceroos coach Graham Arnold.

“Over the last 12 months with injury, I worked my socks off to get back fit and get in the (Australian) team. I know the boss (Arnold) put faith in me, and he’s big on the mindset of players,” the 24-year-old Scottish-born Socceroo said.

Originally published as Socceroos defender Harry Souttar’s Premier League experience has been a ‘whirlwind’