Theo Walcott Interview
SoccerBible: Let's get straight into your footwear, you're currently wearing the Nike Superfly III football boots, how are you finding them?
Theo Walcott: Well they're a part of my game - speed - that's what they're known for along with looking nice. There's been some mental colours, but that's all about catching the eye, and there's a lot of special players wear these boots, like Cristiano Ronaldo. But they're absolutely stunning boots and they're light as well, being so quick you need to feel like there's nothing on your feet, and that's how I feel in these.
SB: You mention there's been some "mental" colours, do you have a preference when it comes to colour?
TW: I would just like white and red to match the Arsenal kit, and at times just an old traditional black. But these days a lot of the kids look at the bright colours and they want them, and that's what it's all about now. It's changed from the past, when coaches could say you just wear black
boots, football's moved on, players wear what they want and as long as they do it on the pitch is the main thing.
SB: Do you notice what your team-mates are wearing, say when they turn up to training with a new pair of boots?
TW: Yeah we always get sent them, so there'll be a stack of boots in the lockers and you always want to go over and have a look, but they're not better than mine! It's good to have different brands competing, like the F50's which are light and very similar to these, it's good to see something else.
SB: How many boots would you say you get through in a season?
TW: Well I don't get through too many to be honest, maybe four so not many at all. These boots have already been damaged though as I got kicked in the first game. But I've just been taping it, you'll notice me in a few games with just tape around my boots, but it's because I've scored in them so I don't really want to take them off.
SB: Do you wear the same boots in training as well as a match?
TW: I tend to wear the moulds in training, but I'll always wear studs in games as I feel like I get more grip. [At this point John Barnes interrupts to say hello to Theo.]
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SB: After referring to John Barnes as a "legend", who would you say is your playing hero?
TW: No I don't, but when I see Wrighty he's always got good things to say, and I'll always listen to what he's got to say. He also believes I should play up front, which is nice as well! SB: Is that the goal for this season, to secure a regular central role up front?
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allows it and changes, and if we're winning the formation won't change. But that's something for the manager to think about. I'll play anywhere for Arsenal, but hopefully given my chance up front I can do something, because I've always been more of a striker than a winger and I think I could show a bit more up front.
SB: There's been an influx of players at Arsenal, and despite only playing with them a short time are you happy with what you've seen?
TW: All of the signings are fantastic and hopefully they can add to our squad.
SB: We've heard good things about your fellow Mercurial player Ryo Miyaichi, does he look like a good prospect?
TW: Ryo's got a nice change of pace and some good tricks. I think he's just got a slight knock at the moment but we'll start to see him grow soon. It's great that he got his work permit, because he went on loan last year and did very well. I think time will tell what kind of player he will be, but I saw him in training the other day and he's very confident and a great finisher. But there's a lot of competition at Arsenal so it will be tough, but he's got the right head and he's a very clever lad who gets on with it.
SB: So in training, who's the fastest player?
TW: Me! Armand Traore was very quick, he was right up there as well but he's just left, so it's me. Sagna's quick, but I'd win that race, and Gervinho is very quick as well. But I like to think I'd beat them all!
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SB: And who's got the best skills?
TW: Yes definitely. The start we've had isn't the best, but we've bounced back from disappointing results. We do it for the fans and for ourselves, it's been so long without a trophy that we need |
to win something, but we'll just take every game as it comes, win every game and see where that puts us at the end of it.
SB: Will yourself and the club miss the players that have left?
TW: Yes we will miss them of course, but we wish them all the best in their careers. I think that you just need to wish them all the best in their careers now, everyone just needs to forget about that, it's in the past . Everyone's happy now, so we need to not dwell on it.
SB: And looking further afield, ambitions for England?
TW: Firstly it's to qualify for the European Championships in Montenegro, we only need a point but we need to go there and win that. England need to go that one step further in the competitions to prove to everyone how good we are. The managers getting it right with the young and experienced players now, and we're a massive nation who need to be getting to semi-finals, so hopefully we can go that one step further.
SB: There's a lot of competition on the wings with the likes of Downing, Young and Johnson, and as you've previously mentioned you want to play a central role, so is it the dream to play up front for England?
TW: That would be one of the dreams, but I would have to obviously do it for the club first. Although when you play for your club or your country you're happy to play anywhere, it's a dream to be there. But when there is so much competition for places, it's always nice to go into tournaments and have players who can play in different positions, so hopefully that will benefit me.
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SB: We mentioned playing for England, which you do in front of the Wembley crowd, so what's it like for the Mars competition winners? TW: It's special, it brings back memories form when I was younger and getting a chance to play with your heroes, because I never had that, Mars give people the chance to play with the pro's. It's not serious as well, you can just go out and enjoy it, and it's nice to see the fans and for them to see something different. It's also really nice for us to get the chance to spend time with the fans. SB: Is it still special everytime you step out onto Wembley?
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SB: How important is the work Mars are doing for the game?
TW: Well they've got facilities scattered throughout the country, it's so easy to find a venue. It's for all sorts of ages and doesn't matter if you're the greatest footballer in the world, it's just nice to get out and have the numbers to actually play. When I was younger I didn't really get the numbers as there was only ever a couple of us to play, so with Mars you get to meet people as well.
SoccerBible was speaking to Theo Walcott at the recent FA Mars Just Play session at Wembley for Mars competition winners. You can check out all the action from the day here, along with our interview with Peter Crouch, and to find out more search online for Just Play.
