I managed to get the first interview with El Khalifi as most of the other reporters were at Rio Tinto watching the All-Stars practice or up at Park City watching Everton practice.
It may have been the lack of comfort in a new environment, or not being comfortable with English (although he speaks it well), or maybe it was the jet lag, but Rachid was pretty short with his responses as you can see.
Here it is in it’s entirety:
KIR: Tell us your thoughts on being here.
Rachid: I’m happy to be here. For me it’s different here, but I’ll try to do my best. I just came yesterday night – for me it was a flight 13 hours. I try to do a little bit easy, because I’m a little bit tired, but I’ll try to do my best.
KIR: You had a chance to come earlier, tell us what happened then.
Rachid: Yeah, the negotiation was not good and we had a lot of differences, but now it’s good and I am here.
KIR: What do you see as your role on this team?
Rachid: I will be important and I want to help the team. I want to do my thing here with the club.
KIR: For those who don’t know about you, what are the skills that you bring?
Rachid: I think they must come and see. I can’t tell something about me. They must come and see the game.
KIR: You looked comfortable on either side. Do you have a preference?
Rachid: Yeah. In Holland, I play right and left. It’s no problem.
KIR: What is your natural foot?
Rachid: I think right.
KIR: You mentioned in the Dutch papers that you wanted to play oversees. Why is that?
Rachid: Because when I was little I always want adventure. I wanted to go always to another country.
KIR: You played with the team in preseason, what were your thoughts about the team?
Rachid: The feeling was good. And talking with the trainer (coach) I felt very good. And the training and the boys are good. And that made my choice to come here.
KIR: The team has a game in Chicago on Saturday are you planning on traveling with the team?
Rachid: I hope so. That’s a question for the trainer. I can’t decide.
KIR: Last question, do you have a nickname?
Rachid: No, my name – I have it from my mother and father, so that’s my name.
