In an interview, Bournemouth centre-back James Hill said he has reached his current position by constantly raising his own standards and will continue to work hard for a starting spot in the team.

Bournemouth, nicknamed "The Cherries," will travel to Hill Dickinson Stadium to challenge Everton, nicknamed "The Toffees," in the 26th round of the 2025/26 Premier League season.

In the last round, Bournemouth managed a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa after James Hill assisted Rayan to score. After a five-game unbeaten run (3 wins, 2 draws), Bournemouth currently sits in 11th place in the standings with 34 points.

James Hill, 24, said, "It feels great to be at this stage and really involved in the game, and I'm very grateful for this opportunity. The beginning of the season wasn't easy, and I had to work hard to get to where I am now. It all comes down to maintaining a high standard in training and being ready for any opportunity."

"So far, it's been a very good season, and hopefully this momentum will continue. I joined the squad during a relatively difficult period of the season, when there were a lot of games, but this was the moment I had been waiting for. I trained hard every day to earn this opportunity, and I'm very glad that moment has come."

James Hill shared, “It’s difficult for any player when you can’t play. But if you look at our team, you’ll see it’s a very young team, and everyone is eager to fight for a starting position. I have great support around me, both my father and my agent have taken good care of me in some situations. But at the end of the day, it’s that inner desire. From the time I started playing in Fleetwood Town, I had to have that motivation to strive for the first team and keep moving forward.”

"Being loaned out was actually to improve myself, hoping that one day I could challenge for a starting position and get a real opportunity. When you're eager to fight alongside your teammates on the field, it's obviously very painful not to play. But if it's not your turn yet, you have to fully support your teammates. Right now, being able to start feels really good. I must continue to work hard and keep striving forward."

In addition, James Hill said, "I'm probably the most demanding person of myself. I won't give myself any credit until the end of the season because the job isn't done yet. The team has to keep putting in the effort every day in training, and I think that's what every player in the Premier League should do."

Image source: Internet