Big Interview Charlie Adam

The Stoke player is ready for his biggest fight yet.

Charlie Adam has changed.

It’s an admission the Stoke City man makes freely. Seven months ago, the sudden death of his father, Charles Snr, turned his world upside down. Everything suffered.

Given compassionate leave by the then Stoke boss Tony Pulis, darkness took hold. Games were missed, questions were asked, people grew worried.

Then one goal changed everything.

Saturday, April 27, 2013. Stoke City 1-0 Norwich. Scorer Adam.

In the moments immediately afterwards, the Dundee-born midfielder pointed to the sky, dedicating the goal that brought him back to life to the man whose life inspires him still.

Then, he knew for sure. Adam had changed as a person. But not as a footballer.

Charlie explained, “It was the hardest part of my life.

“When you lose somebody after 27 years, it’s tough especially if it’s your dad. In the aftermath, I wasn’t the same person.

“It hit me hard. I was really struggling and I wasn’t playing football, either. That made it doubly as hard.

“When something like that happens and you’re on the pitch, you blank everything out and focus on the game.

“But when you’re not playing, you spend more time thinking about it and it’s really not nice.

“When I finally got back in, I was loving being involved. And when I scored that goal against Norwich, it was a huge relief.

“It meant the world to me because it made me believe that I could get more like that in future. It felt important.

“It made me realise that I was still the same player I always had been, and after everything that happened it was a big release because football was always important to me even though I wasn’t playing.

“It was a tough time, but getting on the pitch on a Saturday gave me a new lease of life.

“When I wasn’t playing, it made me think a lot more and that was difficult.

“But when I got back in, I enjoyed it and I’m desperate for this season to start now so I can pick up where I left off.”

But where exactly did he leave off?

Ask a Liverpool fan and there’s a risk the answer will be laced with disappointment.

Adam’s high-profile £6.75-million move to Anfield came off the back of a stunning first season in the English Premier League with Blackpool, after he’d been sold by Rangers for £500,000.

He was hailed as Scotland’s top midfielder, but he struggled to hit the heights in a toiling Reds side.

A little over a year later, a £4-million switch to Stoke City followed then his father’s tragic death and all that came with it.

It’s been a nightmare period, but Adam has no doubt he still has the ability that made him one of the Premier League’s hottest properties.

“The season ahead is a big one for me,” he admits.

“The last 18 months have been disappointing on the football side.

“But I want to get back to doing what I do best, hopefully scoring a few goals and showing the kind of form that got me the move from Blackpool to Liverpool.

“That’s the key for me now. Playing games. That’s what it’s going to take to get my form back.

“I think working with new manager Mark Hughes will help in that respect. He’s been excellent so far.

“He’s come in and adapted a few things, changed the way we’re going about everything, and the lads are enjoying it.

“But the most important thing is the first game of the season that’s when we’re going to be judged.

“I’m desperate to play football and if I can do that on a regular basis again as I know I can I can get my form back.”

And he’ll need to.

There was no place for Charlie in Gordon Strachan’s last Scotland squad, the 1-0 win over Croatia in June.

It was a decision the ex-Ranger understands, but it’s one he doesn’t want to allow Strachan to make a habit of.

Tomorrow, the national manager announces his squad for the friendly against England at Wembley on August 15.

The venue holds happy memories for Charlie, having scored or Blackpool against Cardiff City in the 2010 Championship Play-off and won the Carling Cup there with Liverpool.

If Charlie can play his way back into international contention, it will be hard to ignore the feeling that the dark days will be well and truly over.

“I want to get back in,” he said, determination audible in every syllable.

“The boys had a great result against Croatia and I want to be a part of that going forward.

“We’ve got a big friendly against England coming up and I want to be involved in that first and foremost, and the remaining qualifiers beyond that.

“Missing Croatia was frustrating because I feel I’d done okay coming on at half-time against Serbia, but it had been a long time since I’d played, to be fair.

“Having to watch isn’t something I’m any good at, especially when I feel like I’ve got something to offer.

“That’s how I feel about Scotland. I love playing for my country and I’m desperate to be involved again.

“It’s up to me to get myself back in the picture, though, and I can only do that by getting myself going for Stoke, getting into a good run of form and scoring a few goals.

“That’s what I’ve done throughout my career. It’s what I’ve been brought up doing.

“Not being able to do that over the last 18 months and particularly the last six or seven has been really hard.

“But I’m ready to go again. I loved playing at the end of last season and I’m absolutely raring to go at the start of this season.

“It’s a big one for me but I’m ready for it.”