Style Obsession, Looking Up To Didier Drogba & Bond with Hamilton

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  47 minutes ago

The Football Interview constitutes a new series in which leading personalities from sports and entertainment participate with presenter the interviewer for candid and comprehensive dialogues about football.

We'll explore mental approach and drive, discussing pivotal experiences, professional achievements and individual insights. This series uncovers the individual behind the player.

The Chelsea defender began practicing with Chelsea at six years old and - after developing through the academy and into the first team - is now team leader.

The defender introduced himself to the Stamford Bridge faithful in style, netting on his debut in a comprehensive win over Grimsby Town in 2019.

Currently twenty-five, his professional achievements so far include earning his international bow against Wales in 2020, winning the European Cup with his club in 2021, and being appointed club captain in 2023.

Nevertheless, his journey hasn't been without challenges, with multiple fitness issues affecting him over recent years.

The athlete spoke with the interviewer to discuss his professional peaks, Thiago Silva's influence, and his friendship with multiple Formula One title winner Lewis Hamilton.

The interviewer: Initial inquiry: name, 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 beverage is a specific coffee type.

Kelly: Has it always been a that particular coffee?

Reece: Not exactly, it started with, like, flavored coffees and similar drinks.

Kelly: We'll begin by discussing soccer. What significance does soccer hold to you?

Reece: Essentially, from childhood, it's kind of all I knew in school. I wasn't the most academic student, and I just loved the sport.

Kelly: What's your earliest memory of participating? Is this tough to answer because it was such a significant aspect of your early years and development?

James: Not particularly, just because my recollection is quite poor. My earliest memory was probably, I don't know, attending matches of my brother compete. He's two years older than me, and he used to play as well.

Kelly: It was significant in your household, wasn't it, because your father was deeply engaged? He's a soccer trainer too, isn't he? Share with me a little about that.

The athlete: So there was three children during childhood. We were all football mad, and he obviously was a coach as well, and we used to train a lot with him.

The presenter: Can you recall many of those training periods? Because I read that starting from the four years old, you were outside and he was doing exercises with you in the back garden.

James: Yeah, I recall - the training started young. Fortunately, they proved beneficial for me and my sister [the club and national team forward Lauren James].

The interviewer: Tell me about your first ever team that you played for as a child, its name, and your memories?

Reece: I don't remember much, to be honest. That was Kew Park Rangers in the area. I believe I played for about a year. It was from there that I was scouted for the professional club.

Kelly: And you weren't a defender at first, correct? Explain about your role evolution and its development...

Reece: I began as a forward, and then eventually moved to the wing, left wing, right side, and later to midfield, and then finally at defensive role, and I hated it at that period.

The presenter: Why did you hate it?

The athlete: Because I consistently desired to occupy central positions. There was less involvement with the football as much but eventually everything fell into place and I became a defender since.

The interviewer: You said you started as an attacker - who was your idol?

James: My idol was [the legendary] Drogba. I grew up as a Chelsea fan during youth and he was the athlete I admired.

The host: Identify 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 the loan spell. Transitioning between academy and senior level is most challenging and that is likely what many athletes making the jump find difficult.

The presenter: You're talking about the club, of course. Why was Wigan the right club for you at that period? The location was distant from all you knew in the capital - why did it work so effectively?

Reece: The first thing is that I featured consistently, which proves beneficial. I gained valuable exposure - I moved away from my friends and relatives and had to grow up quickly. Participating on a regular schedule assisted significantly.

The interviewer: Who has had the biggest impact on your career?

Reece: I would say [the experienced Brazilian] the veteran. He's nearly old enough to be my father and has competed at the highest level for many years. He consistently attempted to assist me from the moment he arrived and still does, even now he is departed [after leaving the club in 2024].

Kelly: In what way would he assist you?

James: It was little messages off the pitch. During matches, he would sometimes observe situations that I perceived differently and try and paint a different picture.

Kelly: It was undoubtedly nice to meet him this summer [at the Club World Cup]?

Reece: It was wonderful to see him again. I'm happy that his club did well in the tournament [they were defeated in the semi-finals to eventual winners his team]. It's always good to encounter him.

Kelly: Were you able to return and replay a single game in your career, what would you choose?

James: Assuming the result is remains the same - I'd select the European Cup decider.

Kelly: Other than winning, what was so special about the occasion