William Carvalho in long chat with Sporting TV and the Sporting Journal

William Carvalho sat down with Sporting TV this week for an extensive interview, covering everything from the midfielder's most nervous moments to the importance of spells out on loan.

SPORTING – In a recent interview you said that you felt nervous on three occasions: your debut for Sporting CP, your first cap for Portugal and the final of Euro 2016. How about now, is this another occasion?

WILLIAM CARVALHO – [Laughs] No, I wouldn't say that. This is something that I always do, so I am used to it.

It is easier to make a successful tackle or talk with a journalist?

[Laughs] tackling. I feel natural when I am on the pitch.

What about in training, do you still get the odd butterfly?

Training is normal for me after so many years.

How about out on the pitch then? Do you still think about your debut?

Not really, but I feel the same responsibility of representing a big club that I did on the first day.

Your made your debut in 2010/11, against Guimarães (replacing Matías Fernández in the 89th minute). You then went out on loan with Centro Desportivo de Fátima (six months) and then Cercle Brugge (one and a half seasons). What that important for you?

Yes, it was. With Fátima I actually played as a central defender for five or six matches, which I wasn't used to. I adapted well and it was good for my experience.

Would you say that it is important for the younger players in the squad to spend time out on loan? João Palhinha, Daniel Podence or Francisco Geraldes, for example.

Of course. They were on loan for half of the season and they gained a lot of maturity and experience. Today they bring extra quality to the squad.

So how much can a player actually grow in that kind of situation?

On the pitch you can a lot, because you play a lot. That is the only way a player gets better. Sometimes at a club as big as Sporting CP we don't have a lot of opportunities, so it is better to go out on loan and come back stronger.

We recently heard that when we take you our of your comfort zone (the Sporting Academy)... well what about in the kitchen?.

[Laughs] Well I can do the basics.