And on-loan striker insists he's happy to stay at The Hawthorns
ROMELU Lukaku was delighted he could deliver the killer blow to reward his team-mates for the character they showed to come from behind and beat in-form Norwich 2-1 today.
The 19-year-old striker, who is on a season-long loan from Chelsea, headed home Goran Popov’s 82nd-minute cross to claim his sixth Barclays Premier League goal of the campaign.
And he wasted little time in reiterating how he sees his immediate future at The Hawthorns.
“I’d like to stay here for the rest of the season and there’s no question about that,” said Lukaku.
“I have been patient and I am just 19 so I must not burn myself out as the season is a long one.
“I am looked after very well here and I have players that have the quality to provide me with crosses.
“I am in the perfect environment to learn and do well for two years and then go back to Chelsea and play.
“I had to learn a lot last season but now I have to learn and act on what I have learned.
“The head coach is doing a great job with me and now it’s down to me to earn more starts and do well for the team because the team has to win, and hopefully I can help with that.
“It’s all about minutes on the pitch - and I want to play.
“I love the game, I love football and since I was a baby I have wanted to play.
“Scoring goals is the best feeling there will ever be and everyone who knows me really knows that I am very unhappy when I’m not scoring.
“I get really mad and I scream.
“It’s all about winning and I like to win, and at the moment we win a lot of games here.
“I’m enjoying my time here a lot and my family and friends can see that.
“I am a changed man and I have settled down a lot as it’s very similar here to my home town.
“I am very happy."
Lukaku missed a similar chance from a Popov cross in the third minute to open the scoring against the Canaries and he was relieved to get the chance to make amends.
“We’ve been working on crosses all week so I was prepared for it," he added.
Lukaku missed a similar chance from a Popov cross in the third minute to open the scoring against the Canaries and he was relieved to get the chance to make amends.
“We’ve been working on crosses all week so I was prepared for it," he added.
“I had a similar chance in the first half and put it over so it was nice to put the second one in.
“It was a great cross and I just had to put my head on it.
"I’m very happy that we have players who are able to provide such quality balls.
"I’m very happy that we have players who are able to provide such quality balls.
“Games like that are tricky and sometimes those games go to the side that scores first.
“We showed great mentality and character to come back.
“There has to be credit to all players because they helped each other a lot and we tried to do our best on the pitch.
“We got our win today and we must now try to kick on.
“It shows great character and it showed me we should have great times here in the future.
“Today was a game we won with character but in our next game we must play better football otherwise we will get punished for sure.
“Today was a game we won with character but in our next game we must play better football otherwise we will get punished for sure.
“We know we have the quality players and it’s up to us to be ambitious.
“We have great leaders in the team and they can really push the team forward.
“After the equaliser you could see that everyone was confident we would get another goal.
“In the second half we dominated the game and we scored the second goal.
“At half time the manager was mad but you could understand as we didn’t play the attractive football we are used to and we gave Norwich too much time and space.
“It was a bit strange to lose three games in a row and then have a draw but you have to stay calm and not put yourself under too much pressure.”