Glen Johnson excited by new Liverpool season

(GETTY IMAGES)

Liverpool defender Glen Johnson is looking forward to the new season with confidence having signed a contract extension at Anfield.

The England defender, like many of his team-mates, endured mixed fortunes in the previous campaign as he looked woefully short of form under Roy Hodgson but was rejuvenated after Kenny Dalglish's arrival in January, playing well out of position at left-back.

Johnson committed his long-term future to the club yesterday and admitted it was an easy decision.

"I'm very pleased. I've been here a couple of years and it's great to be staying here for a few years longer now," he said.

"For the club to want me to be here is a great feeling and I did not have to think twice about signing.

"I think I am improving all the time at Liverpool. You're never too good to improve - and my aim is to just keep improving.

"With the squad we've got now, the backroom staff and the way things are going, things are looking positive. The club is looking to bring a few more players in, so the future is looking bright.

"We've made a couple of good signings already and with a few more we will be a right force in the coming season.

"I'm quietly confident (about the new season). If we take it game-by-game I think we'll do well."

Work behind the scenes at the club's Melwood training ground continued this morning with reserve team captain Andre Wisdom signing an extension to his contract.

The 18-year-old was capped by England Under-19s last season and he also featured on the first team bench as an unused substitute on a couple of occasions under Dalglish.

"He made fantastic progress. He's got great potential and a great future ahead of him," said director of football Damien Comolli.

"We have shown for a while that if young players are good enough they will be rewarded.

"It's an achievement in a way but he should not just sit on this contract and wait to see what happens - he should show that he is hungry and wants to keep progressing."

Comolli praised the influence of Dalglish, formerly an ambassador for the club's academy, in bringing the younger players through, having given John Flanagan and Jack Robinson runs in the first team late last season.

"Kenny has got a way of saying the right thing at the right time to them, boosting their confidence and making sure they're relaxed, whether it's in a game or a training session," added Comolli.

"For players like Andre, he saw what happened last season with Jack, John and Jay Spearing, so he must be thinking he could be the next one - and that's what we are pushing him to do."