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Daniel Agger is known for possessing a brutally honest streak a mile wide, and that honesty was never more showcased than when doing interviews in his native language. His move to Brøndby means it's all Danish, all the time, and it was only a matter of time before he would share additional details on his departure from Liverpool.
"I'm going to try and make it simple," Agger said to assorted press and fans at his unveiling ceremony* on Monday. "This is what I wanted. This is what I felt was right. And if something feels right to me, I do it.
"My body is tired yeah, but it's not <em>that</em> tired [enough to retire]. I have a lot to contribute with. I had a lot of options. I also had an option to stay [at Liverpool], but there were many reasons why I chose Brøndby. The most important reason was that it felt right. I believe in myself and when I feel something is right, it's right."
The injury concerns were mentioned in Agger's final Liverpool interview, and while perfectly legitimate for a player with his injury history, still felt like a bit of a smokescreen for a deeper reason. A move away from a physical league is one thing, but a move back to one of Europe's much smaller leagues when other options were apparently on the table spoke to something other than just the injury concerns.
"I've had a good base [in Liverpool] for almost nine years," Agger continued. "I'm the type of guy who needs structure, security and a safe base, and I had that in Liverpool. From one safe place to another. They know me in Liverpool, and they know that when I say something I mean it. I didn't have to push that much for it to happen."
Nostalgia for his boyhood club aside, Brøndby offered what other European clubs who might use Agger for a season or two before moving him on could not: a sense of stability and, more importantly, a sense of being home. As much as Agger may love football, there are some things he obviously values above and beyond the fleeting trappings it can sometimes offer.
* Special thanks to Tumblr user ynwasophie for the translation. Sophie's native language is Norwegian but speaks Danish and English, so apologies to any Danish speakers if it's not a perfect translation.
