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I'm not going to say the Dutch league is naive but they all play to win. In the Premier League, you have teams with a different idea.
I was always a shy little guy and people in Holland are famous for having big mouths! So you've got to have a big mouth to defend yourself.
The position as a striker is the hardest one in the Premier League. If you look at some top, top strikers, even they struggle to score goals here.
I can be quite fiery. I was worse when I was younger but even now, when there is a bad decision from... it doesn't matter who, I sometimes want to scream.
The Premier League is probably the best in the world so if you have a lot of players who play well there, it's normal that they are going to grow as players.
Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie are two of the best strikers in the league and the reason I came to the Premier League was to play against people like them.
I chose Spurs and I think it's turned out well. I felt I was joining a great team, with great plans and the personal chats I had with people at Spurs were great.
It took me five years to get my first trophy with Ajax but it feels like you have to win a trophy to win more and then they follow. It's just the belief you can win it.
I think the way City spends, I would say it's a lot of money. But they spend it in a responsible way. They attract good players, young players and they cost a lot of money.
I get along well with at least 10 guys at Tottenham, but if I were to leave tomorrow, I'd get a text and that's it. Just like at Ajax. It's mostly at school that you make friends.
Benfica is a club of the people, with ambition domestically and in Europe and that was important to me, I really want to achieve things and Benfica has the same ambitions that I have.
I had a great time at Spurs and made lots of friends, and learned lots of things - perhaps even more off the pitch than on the pitch from my family at Spurs, and I will miss everyone.
Six years at Ajax and eight years at Tottenham, that reflects the way I want to be as a footballer, I like stability and that is what Benfica offered me and that was very important for me.
I think I enjoy life in England because there is a lot of respect amongst the people here. People are very nice to each other - they are respectful, particularly of traditions, which I like.
In more than 10 years, I've formed three real friendships. Mousa Dembele, for example. We've known each other since we were 12, our wives are from Amsterdam, he lives in London and we both have a kid.
When you start at Ajax and you're six or seven years old, you're in the best team in the league - always. And you have to dominate, at home and away from home. A draw is never enough. A win is never enough.
I am who I am, and I try to influence the team in my own way, especially with my performances on the pitch. If possible, I try to help the team in the dressing room as well by offering encouragement where needed.
Vermaelen is like a role model to me. His life is all about football and he's extremely disciplined. I'm more laid-back than he is. Thomas isn't the type of person to go out for a drink on a regular basis, unlike me.
I've played with some great players and against some great players, and Sonny is special, he's so humble and I think that you underestimate that because of the work he puts in, then his quality, outstanding left foot, right foot.
Of course you have Messi and Ronaldo. And then you've got a lot of players who are very close to each other and I think Gareth Bale is one of them, like at the level of the best teams in the world. He could play for every team in the world. For me he's a world class player.