As Race-Gate continues to rumble on with Suarez’ refusal to shake Evra’s hand in the match this weekend, I wanted to give you my perspective.  I have been on the receiving end of racism throughout my career and anyone who read about my most recent encounter at PAOK will know that I prefer to take the wind out of the abuse.  Every player is entitled to deal with it in the way they see fit.  What has amazed me with the recent Suarez and Terry cases is the way that the fans have responded.
The official word is that racism is unacceptable in today’s society and we are trying to fight it with initiatives such as the ‘kick it out’ campaign but all of this is just ‘words’ if it isn’t supported by the fans.  Last weekend hearing the Chelsea fans booing Rio Ferdinand because his brother is alleged to have received racial abuse from one of their squad was astounding to me!  Fans are so quick to judge footballers and their ‘lack of moral compass’, just look at the reaction when Rooney swore to the camera in a moment of passion, yet they seem to lack one themselves.  In any other walk of life I don’t believe that anyone would support an alleged racist with no evidence to disprove it, yet in football, fans seem to forgive anything.  Perhaps they have become so used to supporting their team and swearing that it was a free kick, foul, penalty etc that they just continue to blindly defend them on more important matters too.  It seems that in football the loyalty is to the badge but that badge is only ever as good as the sum of its parts.  How are those Chelsea fans going to justify booing an England player to their kids who were with them in the crowd?  I asked my Twitter followers and had some replies from Chelsea fans who said they were booing but tried to say it was more because they don’t like Rio.  But you can’t cross wires like this – if after the court case, Terry is found guilty, I sincerely hope that the Chelsea fans don’t continue to stand by him.
I know that football is a competitive sport and players and fans alike do everything they can to put the other side off.  There is a place for lighthearted banter about the stadium, city, club, even individual players but it should be related to their football, not the colour of the skin.

Moving on from how I feel about the double standards fans have towards players and clubs. I think its disgrace how the John Terry situation has been handled in comparison to the Suarez – Evra saga. I have spoke to numerous players that are in the premier league from different cultural backgrounds and everyone seems to think that the FA have helped make the punishment, which we all think John Terry will receive, not effect the ambitions of the National team at this summers European Championships.

While I do rate John Terry for what he has done throughout his career, I don’t think he should be given any special privileges. For all the hassle and baggage which it has brought to the England camp and the next boss, is it worth it?

Not in my eyes. With or without John Terry in the squad, let alone as captain, I do not think it will have a major significance on what England will achieve at the Euros.

Rohan Ricketts

The perfect read for budding footballers!

Now kids can give themselves the best chance of becoming a professional football player
with the new eBook ‘Passion for Football’ by Rohan Ricketts.

Professional footballer Rohan Ricketts was like the majority of young boys, spending his
childhood kicking a ball around. He went on to join Arsenal Youth Team and has played
in the UK Premier League, the MLS in Canada and for teams in Europe, most recently in
Germany. This month he made his next career move by joining Irish Premier Division
Champions Shamrock Rovers.

In Passion for Football Ricketts examines what has contributed to his success so far and
gives advice to young players who have their sights set on a career in football. Using his
wealth of experience in the world of football, both on and off the pitch, he takes them from
starting out in the school team to flying high and diversifying for career longevity.

Using his F.A.C.T.S (Focus, Attitude, Confidence, Tenacity and Skill) approach to football
he explains the essential skills and attitude needed to succeed. In each section he gives
examples from his own career to pass on what he has learnt to the next generation.
Ricketts is passionate about Youth Development and its importance for the future of
football worldwide.

“In my experience, those who have a greater desire to succeed are more often than not the
ones who do succeed. Those who are single minded, driven and have the burning desire
inside, have more chance of making it to the top than the ones who think that owning a flash
pair of boots is the most important thing. You have to want to finish in first place, and strive
for improvement every day.”

Don’t just take Ricketts’ word for it – Passion for Football includes interviews with fellow
players from around the world including Tom Huddlestone, Mark Bright, Zesh Rehman, Paul
McVeigh, Darren Bent and Maurice Edu. Recognising that preparation and your support
network is as important to your success as skills are; Ricketts also includes articles by
specialists from behind the scenes on Nutrition and Fitness.

Written in bite size chapters, this eBook is a must read for kids and parents alike!

Available from £3.99 at
iTunes
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.com
Amazon.de
Notes for Editors:

Rohan Ricketts is a 28 year old English footballer who started out in the Arsenal Youth Team
and went on to play for Tottenham Hotspur, Coventry City, Wolverhampton Wanderers
and Barnsley in England before moving to Toronto to play in the MLS. It was in Toronto

that he started to be more involved with the media, with his own web show Rollin’ with
Ricketts and regular appearances on TSN and Fan590 radio. When he left Toronto to return
to Europe he played in Hungary and Moldova before signing for Wilhelmsaven in Germany
for the 2010/11 season. He has just signed for Shamrock Rovers in the Irish Premier Division
and is looking forward to playing a part in their league and Europa Cup campaign.

An articulate and knowledgeable professional, Rohan writes for a range of media including
The Sabotage Times and his own Online Magazine Column10.com. This summer he was an
analyst on TSN’s coverage of the Under 21 European Championship and is a regular Guest
on radio stations such as TalkSport in the UK and Fan 590 in Canada.

Useful links

www.rohanricketts.com

www.column10.com

Follow Rohan on Twitter @rohanricketts

Follow Rohan on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/RohanRicketts10

Contact

For more information or for interviews contact Kate Hamer at hamerkate@gmail.com or on
00447854 625278

Some say show racism the red card, well I like to say show racism it can’t faze you and keep it moving. This is what I had to do last week during our Europa tie against PAOK Salonika in Greece. Coming to the stadium from our hotel was a very long drive. I was running through the game in my head like I do before every game. I gave a little thought to the fact that I was playing in a country where I may face a bit of racism. It’s not something I like to worry about, even though it’s likely to happen.

As we warmed up I could see the crowd slowly building up to what turned out to be around 20,000 PAOK fans. What a great atmosphere it was! I was on the bench to start with and I was chomping at the bit just to get on the pitch to do my thing.

So anyway, as the game kicked off, I took my seat on the bench and watched as PAOK started off brightly without really hurting us. It must have been after 20 minutes when I felt like taking a pee, so I got up and made my way to the changing room. I had to go down some steps to get there and a portion of the PAOK fans sit directly in front of these steps. I expected to get a bit of flack off them but I did not expect one of them to shout out ‘ NIGGA ‘! To which my reply was a thumbs up and a smile, while making my way down the stairs to the toilet. This prompted a loud roar from the fans who were sitting there.

As I was in the changing room, I noticed a bunch of bananas sitting on the side. I thought I would take one out with me to show these fans how much of a NIGGA I really am. Damn ignorant people. Rather than reacting to their negative energy which could have caused real uproar, I converted it into a complete mockery!

So as I came back up the stairs, I had the banana in my mouth, swinging it so they could all see. I knew this would show them that I couldn’t care less what they called me because I was more than aware and proud of what colour I am.  They all reacted exactly how I predicted. With a big cheer. Heeeeeeey! I just laughed and raised the banana to which made them laugh and cheer even louder. Now this was not jeering or them hurling abuse, it was people laughing at what I had done to their malicious gesture.

Anyway as the half came to an end I got up to warm up and I took the banana with me just to show them once more, that I wouldn’t let their small-minded action have a negative effect on me. I would just deflect it back on them, very subtly.

Before I stepped on the pitch to warm up at halftime, I turned to them with the banana in hand and I held it up as if it were a Olympic torch. They roared with laughter. I then threw it on the bench and went to warm up. They could not take their eyes of me at this point, cheering every time I touched the ball. It was funny how this so called NIGGA had now got their full attention and I was not even playing. I had now converted them into in my role as an entertainer. Using my humorous tactic and making them laugh, silenced them so they wouldn’t even think to say a word about my skin colour for the rest of the game.

Anyway, the second half started and then finished in a 2-1 win for PAOK. I thought we should have got a draw but we did not finish off our chances.

As the final whistle went and the players headed down the stairs back to the changing room, the fans who I had the encounter with, all rushed to the fence stretching out their hands screaming for my shirt and for a touch of my hands. I could only smile and laugh at how I had transformed them. Without too much hesitation I told them to f**k off…..naaaa I’m only joking. I would never do that. Instead I reached out and gave at least a dozen of them a high five which led to even more fans coming forward. I couldn’t give them my shirt because it wasn’t that kind of party but I did give them a nice little lesson.

If any of you reading this get confronted in a similar situation with racism, find a way to manipulate it. Obviously if you are outnumbered by a gang, it’s better to get your Usain Bolt on and zzzing. But when it’s just people making remarks like those I faced last week, just smile and give them the thumbs up to show that you have no problem being the NIGGA or whatever race you may be.

Show racism it won’t faze you!

RR

It is no secret in the football world that Charles Collymore has been at the centre of allegations regarding bungs. One of the most notable and well documented examples was the BBC’s Panorama programme ‘Football’s Dirty Secrets’ back in 2006 which exposed him and two others in his trade – Peter Harrison and Teni Yerima.

The story sent shockwaves through the football world, with Collymore accused of ‘touting’ striker Enoch Showumni to Millwall whilst he was still on the books at his parent club Luton Town. There were further allegations that he had agreed a “sham arrangement” with an agent who was unlicensed as the striker eventually moved to Bristol City.

These allegations couldn’t be proved, as the Football Association couldn’t prove the charges made against Collymore three years later. But there is no doubt that the reputation of agents had been tarnished, and there has been no shortage of bad press for their breed in recent years.

The journalists have had their say, pundits have given us their insight, but no one has got the agent’s view on their reputation and the dealings that go on. Collymore, with 12 years experience as an agent, has a better level of expertise than any pundit can realistically offer. So exclusively for Column 10 we have been able to get the other side of the story, starting with the dealings of the dramatic transfer deadline days.

The real deal with transfer deadline day

Q: What is the pressure like when transfer deadline is approaching and some of your players still do not have a club? Can players get verbally or physically angry towards you?

Charles Collymore: I don’t think I would name anyone, because it is not fair on the individual. The pressure is at its highest, especially for out-of-contract players, because the majority of them still have mortgages to pay and bills to pay just like anybody else. So it can get a little anxious for them when they don’t have a club. I think, in the main, players only get angry when they know or they believe that you’re not trying your best for them. In the past I have had a few lively words with clients who have not been happy when things haven’t developed as quickly as they would like. In the end, we always get to the right solution, whether that is finding a club or being very honest with them – and that is what you have to do with these guys. You have to be straight with them and tell them ‘look, I can’t do anything or I can do something’. Even if that means you end up parting company with them as a client, and allowing them to look for that solution, then it is important that you do that.

Q: Has there been occasions, for you, when you have parted ways with a player?

CC: Yes, yes. It’s happened a few times.

Q: When it gets to the last days of the window and there are many deals offered to players. How do you prioritise one deal over another?

CC: There is a lot more sides to this then there is probably perceived when you’re watching television and looking at the deadline. In the main, we largely know about the deals, a few weeks before hand and some that will go down to the last few hours. I have had deals that have gone down to the last hour. And because we have an idea of what those deals will be we focus essentially on the ones we can complete. Sometimes it is impossible to get a deal done in the time allocated. It is just not going to happen because you can’t agree terms, the club can’t agree terms or people logistically can’t get them down to do a medical. There’s things, sometimes out of control, that prevent that from happening – even down to your club releasing somebody else so someone can come in, but that deal didn’t happen and the knock on effect is that we can’t get our deal done. So, in that timeline, essentially what we do is focus on those who have the absolute best environment provided to get the deal completed, and that is essentially how we prioritise it. But we do have a line of sight really, two or three weeks beforehand, as to those deals that are most likely to go down to deadline day.

Charles Collymore: At the centre of bungs allegations in 2006

Q: Why is it that so many deals, that have been discussed for a long time, still come down to the last few hours before the transfer deadline?

CC: Well there are a number of factors that may influence that. Like I said, a club may be waiting for another player to be sold, to have that deal in place, so that they can use the funds from that deal to make something else happen and that might have taken a long time. Or they have got to be able to release funds from their existing player budget to be able to afford to bring somebody else in. There are many moving parts to a deal, and if all of those moving parts don’t move at the right time then the move doesn’t happen and sometimes it can happen quite late. Moreover, it is a commercial decision. Sometimes some people think that if you leave it to the absolute last minute then they might be able to get a more competitive deal and, again, that’s part and parcel of it. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t.

Q: Does panic set in when deals are being rushed through so late?

CC: I am not sure I would use the word panic. But sometimes there is a conscientious decision by some clubs to leave it late, because they think it enhances their commercial hand, and that is their prerogative.

Q: Why is it that a lot of deals are only cleared and announced the next day, after the deadline has come and gone?

CC: A lot of that is down to the fact that – although the deal, the registration and the relevant forms have been handed in on time – by the time the clearance has actually been recieved and the press get notification of that it doesn’t happen until the next day. So, the deals are expedited as far as we’re concerned on deadline day but they just haven’t gone through the due process to get announced in time. There are special exceptions. The FA can provide special circumstances for a deal to be done later and, when that happens, then that obviously gets announced later as well. But, generally speaking, it is a process of completing the clerical element of it and then getting announced.

Q: Rohan Ricketts is an example of a player who has made a living outside of his native United Kingdom, having plied his trade for Toronto in the MLS after spells at Arsenal, Tottenham, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Barnsley in England. Is it increasingly harder for British players to come back to the UK and get a chance here?

CC: Rohan’s a wonderfully gifted footballer and, in the career he has had already, he is going to have a better career then a lot of players are going to have. He has turned out for some wonderful clubs in his life – having worn the colours of Tottenham, Wolverhampton Wanderers and played in the MLS . He has had a lot better career than many can dream of. But we do find this thing in England that, if they have left the country, very rarely do they ever come back. Whereas, in a lot of European countries the guys go away, do what they’ve got to do and come back for a final swansong at home, that doesn’t really happen that much here.

What are your thoughts on the deadline day drama and what are your perceptions of agents? Let us know what you think via twitter, @Column10, or by ‘liking’ Column 10 on facebook.

The next part of this three-part series will look at the power balance between players and agents and the hard negotiating that goes on behind the scenes. Make sure you keep up-to-date with Column 10, with the next part coming tomorrow.

Rohan Ricketts

Last night’s Champions League semi final first leg in The Veltins-Arena, saw Schalke take on the in form Manchester United. Schalke would have gone into this game high on confidence, after their 6-2 demolition of current CL holders, Inter Milan, in the quarter final.  But for a few reasons they did not seem to turn up.  Manchester United were undoubtably the favourites to go through, but I don’t think they thought it would have been such a smooth ride last night.

After watching Schalke destroy Inter, Fergie had to show some concern in his approach. This was evident through his selection of two more industrious wide men rather than Nani, arguably their player of the season so far. This decision, which saw Man United set out with a 4 5 1 come 4 2 1 3 formation, Rooney taking up a floating role to deadly affect, was a major foundation in the direction of the game.

It’s not often that you hear that a German side are tactically out maneuvered. But yesterday evening it was a tactical master class.

Schalke started off with a 4 4 2 and from the kick off they struggled to get to grips, while out of possession, with the movement of Carrick, Giggs and Rooney. These 3 were picking up the ball and distributing it wisely. While Schalke’s midfield, seemed to always be second to knockdowns and limited on options.

Man United took this advantage and absolutely ran with it. Creating chance after chance, with Hernandez unfortunate not to have a first brace. The slickness of some of the passing and interchanging amongst the United players was a joy to watch.

Hernandez was spinning in behind the centre halves, penetrating the back line. This stretched Schalke allowing the United defence and midfield to take up a more advanced starting position.  Dictating the game with ease.

Half time came and to everyone’s surprise it was still 0-0 thanks to Neuer, who was my man of the match.

The second offered more of the same. Man United dominating possession with precise passing and movement. It was a true collective performance with United players executing their role superbly.

It was only a matter of time before it came and it was a sweet move indeed. Rooney with the subtle slide rule pass and Giggs with the finish, giving United the vital away goal. One nil and now Schalke were forced to push in search of equaliser.

This only made things worse. Leaving gaping gaps for United to exploit, which they did to great effect for the second goal. A flying Valencia to Hernandez, who tees up Rooney for a side foot finish.

The game was now out of touch and Man United controlled possession and broke at will with the introduction of Nani, Scholes and Anderson.

As the final whistle was blown many would be surprised to look back and admit that there was not a true individual stand out performer on the night, but more so a superb team performance. Something which best describes Man United’s season.

It’s still early to say, but Manchester United has now taken a giant step into the CL finals in May.

Looking at United’s squad before the seaon started many had written their CL chances off. As a Man United fan, I must admit, I too did not think they had a chance of winning the CL nor the PL. But I must say they have really shown great character, hunger and ruthlessness.

The stars, Rooney, Giggs, Ferdinand, Scholes have been quietly impressive. Nani and Berbatov probably being the pick of the squad.

But for me the star this season has been Alex Ferguson. The man has managed to galvanise a team that has probably been their less threating team, on paper that is, for the last few years.

This type of achievement has really put an irreplaceable aura around Sir Alex Ferguson.

Do I hear talk of retirement slowly being muted in the Ferguson household?!

Well for United’s sake I hope so.

Over the last week I’ve been involved in several debates with fans on Twitter and some of my friends about the big football issues making headlines this week, from Frank Lampard’s lack in play making skills to Fernando Torres’ lack of confidence and goals but, the most prominent has been Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.

After sealing his hat trick in a … comeback against West Ham at Upton Park, Wayne’s temper got the better of him and he was blatantly seen and heard screaming, “F*****g get in there!” This heat of the moment response landed Wayne in hot water with the FA and, not surprisingly, football fans around the world. As a player I can appreciate how he felt and how that might have spurred on his reaction. When you’re having a poor first half and the fans are giving you stick it is easy to get caught up in the moment when you triumph. You feel it’s your chance to silence the critics.

Even though I can understand the motive behind his reaction I thought that it was wrong and an incident that viewers shouldn’t have had to witness – although though there’s probably a small minority of fans out there that loved it!

A fine was probably sufficed but a 2 game ban in my eyes is a bit harsh especially after hearing that the touchline camera picked out Rooney. Without that camera man’s assistance we would not have heard those words. We may have been able to lip read, but that’s something which we see on numerous occasions during live games on TV.

While I thought he was wrong, I did not think that he deserved to be crucified by the mainstream media and majority of fans. There was even a police officer from Wolverhampton who wanted to have to say. He went as far as suggesting that if Wayne had committed that “offence” on his turf he would have been arrested and put in jail. Jeeeez, give me a break mate, you work in Birmingham where vulgar words are a chorus on a Saturday night out, and you’re telling me you would arrest an individual for using such words without serious intent. I think you know, and I know, you’re winding yourself up, Mr. Police man.

I would like to put another thought out there to the FA and the fans that have taken part in the Wayne Rooney slating game. Fans nowadays are as abusive and vulgar as us players. Football fans in every league, park and playground around the world scream words of hatred at opposing team players for no reason, other than them being on the opposing team. Go on – say it, it is
passion. Yeah, right!!

You are all quick to say that Wayne is supposed to be a positive role model and instead he’s setting a bad example to kids when he loses his temper. Think about all of those times you’ve been on the terraces or amongst a crowd of fans in the pub watching the game, I bet you’ve been known to swear and curse regardless of the children and young families around you.

Remember, I am not condoning what he has done and how he has reacted, I am just raising an awareness of the bigger. We can all play a part when trying to nullify the use of such language just for the sake of it. If you live in a glass house, don’t throw stones.

This week has been full of transfer speculation as we are nearing the end of the window.
Charlie Adam’s proposed moved to Liverpool, and talk of Torres making a move to Chelsea has gained most of the media attention this week. Well, that was until Andy Gray and Richard Keys were caught out making sexist comments towards female officials off-air – well it was meant to be off-air. Thanks Sky!

The comments that were made about Sian Massey, suggesting that women on a whole did not know the offside rule, were very shallow coming from men with such great responsibility and prestige. It goes to show that these slick, sharp-suit wearing broadcasters ain’t as politically correct as we perceived them to be.

Many people have jumped on their backs celebrating their misfortune as they lost their lucrative jobs in the blink of an eye.

Personally, I am sad to see the back of them – Andy Gray in particular!! Yes, his comments were sexist and not very wise choice of words. Women from all over the world would have been on their feet, angered to know that such thoughts could be held amongst some of the biggest broadcasters on the planet. The reality is, most are still of the shallow opinion that football is a man’s game and has no place for women, period.

The fact that men have been given 99% of the officiating roles in the game has echoed those views. Nonetheless we have still seen countless errors in decision making from referees and their assistants. Leaving me to say “women come in and show us what you can do”. It’s a free country and you have to right to pursue whatever career your heart chooses.

I’m not siding with women here, I am just stating what’s right!

The one thing that I think was totally wrong in this saga, was the sacking of Andy Gray.  For me the man is irreplaceable for what he brought to the table.
He made comments that are heard in changing rooms, pubs and homes throughout the world! Whether they are sexist or not, it does not warrant a man, who has given 20 years to Sky, to get sacked because he made a comment which should not have been aired! Ludicrous!

I suppose women are gonna slate me but women you and I both know, you have heard the comments from your male friends down the years and have you ever asked for them to be sacked? No!
I wanna find out who the rat is that set them up or made the error that left them hung out to dry!
Andy Gray, go join ESPN and make them the force they are in the states, as for Mr. Keys, I hope you did not get Jamie Redknapp into trouble with Lou Lou.

Rohan Ricketts

You might thinks that all agents are the scum of the earth but for a naive, young player entering the jungle of professional football, Mr Ten Percent can be a life-coach, a philosopher and a father-figure all rolled into one.

It’s getting to the business end of the January transfer window so naturally people are slagging off football agents. Everyone thinks they’re slimy, greedy middle men but there’s the other side.

Agents play a vital role for so many young players whose parents aren’t educated and can’t help them make the right career decisions. If my dad was smart enough he could have been my agent but he’s an electrician and so from the very start I needed someone to help me make the right choices.

I got my first agent when I was 16 and his name was Eric Walters. At the time he had a very small business and used to also drive a black cab and some of the other players at Arsenal used to laugh at him because he wasn’t big time. They used to joke and ask me “Where’s your dad Eric?” because he’s a black guy. He would turn up in his taxi and when others took the mick, he would just say “I don’t need that flashy stuff”.

My first agent Eric Waters was like a life-coach, a philosopher and a father-figure all rolled into one.

But he was a really good person with strong morals and just wanted to provide a good service for players. When I was at Wolves I was tapped up by West Brom. They were playing nice football with players like Jason Koumas and they wanted me to join them in January to help them push for promotion. So they gave Eric a call but he just told me to sit tight and play my football. He wouldn’t dream of doing anything illegal.

He was like an agent, a life-coach and a philosopher all rolled into one. You could call him at one in the morning if you had a problem with your missus or something had happened to your car. He’d leave his house and come and help you. That guy actually loved and cared for me and even to this day, he feels like a father figure to me.

Today I find myself once again looking for a new club. If I get picked up this will be my tenth club in ten years. Looking back I realise that a lot of the errors I’ve made in my career are because I didn’t listen to Eric Walters.

He said to me “Rohan, don’t be going from agent to agent, stay with one and trust them” and he was right. But I left Eric because I didn’t think he could get me the best deal and since him I’ve probably been through another 10 agents.

I left him because he was telling me things I didn’t want to hear. He’d tell me what to do with my money. He’d tell me how to spend it, what to buy, what not to buy and who not to buy it for. But when you’re a young boy who’s come from nothing and you’re given money, you don’t want people telling you what to do with it. You want to treat your friends.

I wanted my friends to live the dream with me. I wanted to use my money to get them into certain clubs and meet certain people and enjoy a certain standard of living. But too late I realised it was all one way and when I stopped playing for the big clubs with the bigger salaries, all my so called friends disappeared…

Since Eric, I’ve had sharks, I’ve had crooks, I’ve even had agents that wouldn’t bother answering my calls. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s find an agent early who you can trust. Find an agent who understands you and who believes in you. Stay with that person and have a good relationship with them because in football you need that stability.

In the past we have seen many players make decisions which they have later come to regret while under the influence of alcohol. The most recent incident involving Andy Carroll. In his case excuses can be made, given his young age. But we can’t hide away from the fact that as pro players we are very influential on the younger generation so when its time to be held accountable I hold my hands up. I have witnessed many nights out with the lads, most of which ended up in lots of laughs and quirky antics. One night out which was not so pleasant, happened a few years back when I was at Barnsley. We got together for a team night out which was quite rare. Leeds was the location. The night was vintage! Alcohol had loosened up the whole crew and dance steps were just flowing, even from the shy players. In the midst of all the fun, a few young ladies had been invited over to the table. It was all light flirtatious stuff. This was until our keeper, suggested one of the girls get her tits out for the lads! We were not expecting to see them, but the young lady took offence, rightfully so, and spat her drink in his face. His reaction was immediate. Shoving her in the face. Tempers were fiery and her friends intervened physically and verbally. Before we could blink, local lads were over asking what was going on. Luckily enough security were close by and the situation was diffused quickly. I remember one of the Brazilian lads saying to me, “you English boys like to drink too much for no reason”. This was so true! Looking back now, I am sure that player would never have made such an outrageous suggestion if he were sober. But then again who is sober on a night out when you have a shit load of cash and lots of willing drinkers. These moments can be avoided, but one must exercise balance. No one says we can’t drink, but we must realize that we are role models whether we like it or not and we may be targeted. What’s funny is that the black lads and the white lads had a different drinking style and culture, within the same circle. The white lads would generally opt for the beers and a splash of champs (champagne). While the black lads loved to splash on that Dom P, Moet or Cristal. Why? I have no clue. Maybe us brothers have been watching too much P. Diddy and co on MTV Base. I have made a few jokes here and there but nothing can escape the fact that we must be more responsible not just for the next generation but ourselves. I think that too often the public blame pro players and other celebrities for being poor role models, when these people are not obligated to bring up the the children. It is harsh, but let’s be honest parents, should we really allow TV and media to raise our kids??? We will take the backlash when it’s due but we are no different from the people watching the TV in terms of wanting to let loose now and again. All in moderation should be the motto.

As a footballer I’ve sat in a fair few dressing rooms and seen some crazy stuff that players get up to when they’re not on the pitch.

I remember being at Arsenal as a young boy, there was so many guys who would bring the changing room alive with their humour and spontaneous practical jokes. The first person who springs to mind was Ian Wright. I still laugh when I remember watching him drive off with the team coach at the London Colney training ground.

Being at Spurs was no different, the banter was hilarious. Robbie Keane and Jamie Redknapp were also great people to be around. They would love to wind each other up by secretly sending prank texts from the other one’s phone. Robbie would text Louise Redknapp pretending to be Jamie and then Jamie would get revenge by texting the Ireland manager from Robbie’s phone.

Of course there’s also all the usual stuff you have to put up with like someone cutting up your brand new Armani suit and putting shit in your shoes. But sometimes the wind-ups aren’t always so obvious.

When I was at Barnsley, Andy Johnson had a phobia of cotton wool so we put loads in his jeans. When he came back after training he put his hands in his pockets and started freaking out and having a bit of a seizure. He got so mad that he threatened to bring in a dead rat because he lived in a farm house and had some big ones kicking about.

I remember one player at Spurs who had slept with this girl who was in the public eye and she wasn’t the best looking. When the boys, especially Robbie Keane, found out about it they never stopped hammering him about it. They even got her number from his phone and started calling her up.

Players are like hunters who can smell their prey – if they sense weakness they’ll kill you.

You do get some guys who are goody two shoes – a bit more sensible than the rest. They get ripped to pieces every day with banter and if they’re not strong they end up wanting to leave the club. Sometimes it gets too much because players don’t stop. Players are like hunters who can smell their prey – if they sense weakness they’ll kill you.

For the most part it’s pretty funny but sometimes it can be too much for a player. When I was at Arsenal there was a young Italian kid called Niccolo Galli who was an amazing player and an amazing person but some English guys would get on his back so much he used to go home crying. They would say what are you doing here – you shouldn’t be in England. It got too much for him because he was only 16 and a foreigner living in another land. Sometimes I have to deal with that here inMoldova. If you’re weak they’ll get under your skin you and make you wish you could go home.

At Spurs there was one player who used to get hammered because the others didn’t rate him. They’d banter about his bad touch and that he was ‘stealing a living’. They’d make out they were only joking but you know never a truer word said in jest. It got really bad one Christmas party and I don’t know if it affected him but he left Spurs pretty soon after.

I saw one manager actually holding a player up by the scruff of his shirt – the kid was in tears.

I’ve met some players that are so crazy you do wonder where they’d be if they weren’t playing football. There was this one guy who kept me laughing the whole time. Once we went on tour and out of nowhere he ran across the hotel lobby and did a two footed tackle on a plant pot in and smashed it to pieces. He was only wearing his flip flops!

Then there was this other bloke was at Tottenham who was ruthless. We were on tour one time and he needed to go to the toilet but his roommate was in there so instead he shat on the floor . Then he put a £50 note on it and left the room. I used to ask him what he was going to do at the weekend and he’d always say something like: “Get drunk, get into a scrap and end up in a cell. Bob’s your uncle, I’ll be back in Monday morning.” He knew he was going to get arrested before he was even drunk!

I’ve seen players fight each other in the dressing room. I remember after one game a really big name star was talking to younger player who called him a ‘fucking cunt’. The star just smacked the kid and busted his nose up for being too mouthy. In terms of physical size they were as big as each other but the big name player is a star and in his mind that made him King Kong.

It’s not just the players who get wound up in the dressing room. Some managers get really heated too. I saw one manager actually holding a player up by the scruff of his shirt – the kid was in tears. One time, I saw a manager go face to face and nose to nose with this great big player who he thought wasn’t putting his life on the line for the team. The gaffer was clearly looking to get a reaction from the player in the hope that he’d take his anger out on to the pitch. Funnily enough,it worked.

But then again that’s just the way it is when you’re around men all day, every day.