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| Ogbonna signed for the Hammers from Juventus this summer for £7.9m |
TODAY, for the first time in his career, Angelo Ogbonna will walk under the famous 'This is Anfield' sign that Bill Shankly hung there "so the opposition remember who they are playing against".
But the former Juventus defender - self-composed air, handshake like granite - is not one to be affected by such psychological trickery.
"Scary? Why?" he asks completely genuinely. "This is my world. It's my job. If I was going to be scared of a sign on the wall, I might as well go and become a dancer.
"Why should the atmosphere scare me? Why? It is just a game of football."
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| West Ham defender Angelo Ogbonna is set make his first appearance at Anfield on Saturday |
In fairness, Ogbonna has stared death in the face before and survived but not to tell the tale.
He was 20 at the time and had just cemented himself as a first team regular at Torino after a spell on loan to Serie C1 side Crotone.
Unable to sleep following a win over Napoli just three days before Christmas in 2008 he was driving through Turin in the early hours. Visibility was poor in the freezing fog and Ogbonna steered his Smart car off a high bridge near Beinasco, plummeting four metres into the icy torrent underneath.
Luckily the water was low and he was rescued by police and fire crews.
At first it was feared that he had fractured his shoulder but after he was taken to Orbassano hospital he was diagnosed simply with chest trauma.
"It was a long time ago," he said. "I would rather forget it. I don't want to remember it. I don't want to talk about it anymore. It is in the past."
Does it make him want to seize the day more?
"I really don't want to talk about the crash," he said.
Nevertheless, beneath a ready sense of humour which emerged regularly during the interview, it appears the Italian, born to Nigerian parents, now has a much healthier respect for life.
"Every day I am scared... of everything," he said, suggesting Shankly's sign is the exception that proves the rule. "If you are not scared of things, you cannot go on and achieve big things in life."
Is he scared, then of facing Christian Benteke today? "Not expecially."
Spiders? "No, for Italians, they bring money."
Mice? "I actually see mice as my role model. When they sleep, they get eaten."
The word "scared" crops up on one other time during our conversation on the very front row of seats at an Olympic Stadium being prepared to host the Rugby World Cup next month before being turned over to become West Ham's more permanent home at the start of next season.
The club, who revealed their final vision of the claret and blue seating this week, are keen to point out to fans that the oval-ball tournament marks a pause in construction and what they describe as the "Westhamification" of the Olympic Stadium will continue as soon as the final pass is thrown.
It may not feel like their home yet but no doubt the whole move highlights the East London's club's ambitions. That said, they are no Juventus, a club with which Ogbonna won the Scudetto twice and the Coppa Italia.
It is not a trade many people would make, even for a chance to play in the Premier League.
"Maybe they are too scared to," he said. "For me, this is better for my life and for my football life. I had to make that decision to come.
"I really wanted to play in England and this was a really good opportunity for me, so I chose to sign."
One of the big question marks around football until the transfer window closes is whether former Juventus team-mate Paul Pogba will be heading in a similar direction, either to Chelsea or Manchester City.
"Paul Pogba is my friend," said Ogbonna. "I know his quality and that he can change every team in the world. Football is our job. But everybody is putting pressure on him.
"I don't talk with him about any team. I talk with him about life. It is better for him, better for me and better for everybody."
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