"Martin Keown was really competitive but Thierry Henry was similar, he wanted to win every game."
"I love Africa. I am very grateful for everything I have in Europe but everything I'm learning I want to help my continent to get better - in football as well."
"My dream is to win the World Cup with an African team, for my continent."
"For me, life is about being happy. Life is about enjoying and that's it."
"When I played football I wanted to make people happy. This is the way I am. I can't be someone else."
"Stephen Keshi is a good coach and he has changed Nigeria into a respectable team."
"My job is to try do the best for the team, like every other player."
"I have always been the kind of player who tries to help those around me."
"I can learn so much from working with Brendan Rodgers, he is a top manager."
"Every game is challenging and sometimes things don't go well for you but you need to be able to come back and carry on fighting."
"A season is like a marathon and there will be plenty of ups and downs."
"There is great respect for Liverpool in the Ivory Coast."
"I love playing at the same club as my brother."
"I won the title with Arsenal in 2004 and it is harder to defend it the following season."
"It is all about working hard, focusing and doing our job."
"I will keep playing for the national team until I feel I can't offer them anything."
"I was better than certain players at Manchester City but I was left on the bench. Before I left the club, I told the people in charge that they would regret letting me go."
"Managers come to clubs bringing players with them and they want to pick them at all costs - whether they are any good or not."
"Yaya was much better than Sergio Busquets at Barcelona. But he was behind him in the pecking order and he found that hard to accept. I advised him to come to Manchester City while I was still there."
"When you do a good tackle, or block, the Kop they really appreciate that and they let you know it."
"Whether I start or not, I will do whatever I can in whatever way to play my part."
"You need to be honest, even if you hurt people."
"As players, we have the best job in the world and if the manager said, 'You haven't worked hard enough, you will only get half your wages this week,' it would make the players fight harder."
"I'm a professional footballer and, to me, playing regularly is the most important thing; money is secondary."
"You cannot have a place in the team - even if you are an international - if you don't show what you can do in training."
