Style Obsession, Looking Up To Didier Drogba & Bond with Hamilton
- Published
The Football Interview constitutes an innovative program in which prominent figures from athletics and show business participate with host Kelly Somers for frank and detailed dialogues about football.
We'll explore mindset and drive, discussing pivotal experiences, career highlights and individual insights. The Football Interview uncovers the person beyond the athlete.
The Chelsea defender started training with the London club at the age of six and - after developing through the youth system and into the senior squad - is now club captain.
The defender introduced himself to the Stamford Bridge faithful in style, scoring on his first appearance in a comprehensive win over the opposition in September 2019.
Currently twenty-five, his professional achievements to date include earning his international bow against Wales in 2020, claiming the Champions League with his club in 2021, and being named team skipper in 2023.
Nevertheless, things have not always gone smoothly, with multiple fitness issues impacting him over recent years.
The athlete spoke with Kelly Somers to talk about his professional peaks, the Brazilian's impact, and his friendship with seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton.
'He's nearly old enough to be my dad' - Reece James reveals the veteran's influence on his career
Kelly Somers: Initial inquiry: identity, where you're from, and what's your coffee order?
The athlete: I am Reece James, I grew up in Mortlake, near Richmond - I expect many will know that area. My coffee is a flat white.
Kelly: Was it consistently a that particular coffee?
James: Not exactly, I began with, like, flavored coffees and similar drinks.
Kelly: We'll begin by discussing soccer. What does football mean to you?
The defender: Essentially, from a little kid, it was practically my entire focus in education. I wasn't exactly the brightest kid, and I just loved the sport.
The interviewer: What's your earliest memory of playing? Is this tough to respond to because it was such a significant aspect of your childhood and development?
James: No, simply due to my memory is so bad. My first remembrance was likely, I don't know, going to watch my sibling play. He is my senior by two years than me, and he also participated as well.
The host: It was big in your family, wasn't it, because your father was so heavily involved? He's a soccer trainer too, isn't he? Share with me a little about that.
Reece: So there was three children growing up. It was completely soccer-obsessed, and he naturally was a coach as well, and we frequently practiced a lot with him.
The presenter: Do you remember a lot of those training periods? Because I learned that starting from the age of four, you were outside and he conducted exercises with you in the back garden.
James: Yeah, I remember - the training began early. Fortunately, they proved beneficial for myself and my sibling [Chelsea and England forward his sister].
The interviewer: Tell me about your first ever team that you played for as a child, its name, and your memories?
Reece: My recollection is limited, to be honest. That was the local team in Kew. I think I played for about twelve months. From that point that talent spotters noticed me for the professional club.
Kelly: And you weren't a defender at initially, correct? Talk to me about your positional journey and how that changed...
James: I started off as a striker, and then eventually transitioned to the wing, left wing, right side, and eventually to central positions, and then finally at defensive role, and I disliked it at the time.
The presenter: What caused your dislike for it?
The athlete: Because I consistently desired to occupy central positions. You didn't touch the ball as much but one day it just clicked and I became a defender since.
Reece James won the prestigious trophy in that year when his team beat Manchester City by one goal in the final in the Portuguese city
Kelly: You said you started as an attacker - who served as your idol?
James: The player I admired was [Didier] Drogba. I grew up as a supporter during youth and he represented the player I looked up to.
The host: Can you think of a pivotal moment in your professional life - an experience that has influenced your development and the player you have become?
Reece: I'd likely identify going on loan. Bridging the gap between youth and first-team football is most challenging and this represents probably what most players transitioning upwards find difficult.
Kelly: You're referring to Wigan, of course. Why was Wigan the right club for you at that period? It was distant from all you were familiar with in London - why did it work so effectively?
Reece: The first thing is that I played week in week out, which helps. I gained valuable exposure - I moved away from my friends and relatives and had to grow up quickly. Playing on a consistent basis helped a lot.
The interviewer: Which individual exerted the greatest influence on your professional journey?
The athlete: I would say [Brazil defender] Thiago Silva. He is almost old enough to be my father and has played at elite standard for so long. He always tried to assist me from the moment he joined and continues to, presently he is not here [after leaving the club in 2024].
The host: In what way would he assist you?
James: It was little messages off the pitch. On the pitch, he occasionally observe situations that I saw differently and attempt and paint a different picture.
The presenter: It must have been pleasant to see him recently [during the tournament]?
The defender: It proved great to see him again. I'm happy that his team did well in the tournament [they lost in the penultimate round to eventual winners Chelsea]. It's consistently positive to encounter him.
Kelly: Were you able to return and replay a single game in your professional history, which would you pick?
James: Assuming the result is going to be the same - I'd select the Champions League [final].
The host: Besides winning, what made it exceptional about that night
