SHAYNE FAIRMAN, Star Writer

England and Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge said he remains determined as ever to return to the top of his game in the 2015-16 Barclays Premier League.

The 25-year-old England-born striker was hampered by injuries last year, and, at one point, club manager Brendan Rodgers revealed that he had strained a muscle in his left thigh for the ninth time in his career.

"I am looking forward to next year," Sturridge told Star Sports.

"I know what I can do on the football field, God's given me a learning curve and I am grateful to God for everything I've been through," Sturridge said of injuries which sidelined him last season.

"I know I will come out stronger because I know what I can do on the football field," he added.

The striker was recently in Jamaica for the third annual Daniel Sturridge Foundation and Fun day which was held in Greenwich Town, St Andrew.

Sturridge faces a six-month lay-off following complex surgery in May which is intended to cure a chronic hip problem.

Sturridge said the way he was brought up has prepared him to the many life obstacles.

Stay humble

"It instilled me with hunger, with drive and with passion, with the will to win, will to be the best, and want to achieve in life," he told Star Sports.

He said that his philosophy is to "stay humble and keep the faith in God."

Sturridge, whose grandparents are Jamaicans, said the main hope behind his foundation is to give hope to people.

"I want them to understand that they can achieve anything they want as long as they stay focused and stay out of trouble, which is very important," the striker said.

"There is a lot of potential to be great in Jamaica. I grew up in an environment in England, in Birmingham, Hockley, where it wasn't a great place to grow up," he reasoned.

Hockley is an inner-city district in the city of Birmingham.

"I was fortunate enough to have an uncle who I looked up to who played football. I saw at close hand a nice car and a nice house, but I also saw the other side of things, the bad side of life where you see drugs, gangs, shootings and stabbings and so forth."

"You can see both sides of life, but you have to understand that you can excel in life."