Posted by Dan - 20/08/2008

Q. Alright Richard, nice website mate, did you design it yourself? If so, nice skills! How is dr.cap coming along after your visit to the den? Finally, what music do you listen to?

A.

Thanks! But no I didn't design it myself (big thanks to Christina Demetriou!)

Dr Cap is doing well, we've still got the store in Leicester and well soon have a great website to go hand-in-hand with the store (www.drcap.co.uk). Unfortunately we hit problems regarding the Dragons' Den investment so it never went ahead.

As for music, I've got a wide taste, all depends what I'm doing. For instance before a game I'd listen to something a bit heavier than after training! Currently got a Goo Goo Dolls CD in my car which is great. If you have any recommendations then do let me know!

Posted by Emma Trill - 26/07/2008

Q. Hi Richard, i was wondering do you or any of the other players get star-struck when you play against the big teams? I know for a fact if i played against Steven Gerrard or Joe Cole I would freeze!

A. It's hard to speak for a lot of the lads but I remember coming up against Man Utd for the first time and yeah, I gotta be honest, I found it a bit surreal, just the idea that players you've watched countless times on TV are actually on the same pitch playing against you.

The way I decided to view these games was the mindset that I'm going to show you what I can do, I want to prove I can play against the very best. That idea gave me a real buzz and, after playing in some of the games I've played, it also gives me a lot of confidence knowing that I can play against the very best.

I think I can speak for most of the lads when I say that once you've had a taste of playing against the best, you want more.

Posted by matt welsh - 15/07/2008

Q. Hi Richard first of all nice site. I was just wondering do you have any pointers to help me with my goalkicks? I can get height but no power behind them - would you think i need to try different techniques or work in the gym on my lower body?

A.

It's something that I've been questioning for years. I look at the likes of Ben who can boom it a mile and, after quite a bit of research, I believe I know what it boils down to.

Firstly, and most importantly, I believe it's your technique. The way you approach the ball, making sure you drive right through the middle of the ball with a good follow-through. Secondly, power is very important, so doing leg weights and also try doing a kicking action using some clingy band, this provides resistance so will help with power.

I also believe flexibility plays a part; the more flexible the more of a whip action you will get. Lastly and unfortunately, I believe genetics play a part. I do believe that some people are naturally more powerful in their legs.

Take Ben for instance: he's barely done any form of leg weights in his life but just seems to be very powerful when it comes to kicking a ball.

I do believe you can maximise it by focusing on technique and strength but some people are just naturally more powerful. Who knows though, once you perfect your technique and gain more power you may find out that you are one of these naturally gifted people.

Now for some technical advice on kicking...something that has helped me a lot is to relax.

Relaxed muscles move quicker, so when approaching the ball imagine your foot is a heavy weight, one which you can swing back and swing through at great speed.

Try not to think to much about getting the ball in the air as this will cause you to put too much back spin on the ball and lose distance, just think about driving the ball at head height. At first try not to kick to hard as you'll lose accuracy but the more you practice the further it'll go. When I take goal kicks now I only kick at 80 per cent because I know if I go any harder I'll lose accuracy.

Hope this helps.

Posted by Steve Scott - 10/07/2008

Q. Hi Richard. I was reading recently about how the old Forest player Frank Clark used to entertain his team-mates on long journeys with his guitar playing. I wondered whether there are any keen musicians in the Watford squad?!

A. Unfortunately not!

That would be great to have one of the lads to serenade us on the bus but all of the lads are too busy on their laptops, iPods or playing PlayStation on the back of the bus!

I don't think there's anyone who can play instruments either. I believe John-Joe is learning, he's very heavily into his music and went to Glastonbury etc., but I'm not sure what standard he's at. It's something I'd love to learn but probably not until I'm retired.

Posted by Alex D - 08/07/2008

Q. Who were the unfittest players coming back to pre-season training and were they punished in any way? Also how do you rate your fellow goalkeeper Scott Loach? He is quite highly rated from what I've heard.

A.

Yeah I'm a big fan of Loachy. I roomed with him in Austria and we get on great and he's going to be a top keeper and is already well on his way.

For those who don't know much about him, he's only 20, he's 6ft 3in, very agile and most importantly he's got an excellent attitude, really wants to learn which is great for Alec as his coach. I'm just hoping I can fend him off for a few more years!

Regarding lads who were unfit, there wasn't anyone who stood out this year. In years gone by there have been a few but the group that we have now are a very fit group. I think that's a big priority of Aidy's. You look at the majority of our players and they are all very quick and very fit, which I believe is essential in football now.

Posted by James Barber - 07/07/2008

Q. Hi Richard. Superb website you have here. Has there ever been a time when Watford were linked with someone that you personally don't like, and you kept your fingers crossed he didn't come? Do you know anyone else who has had this feeling?

A.

To be honest I haven't experienced that, although I'm sure a few lads have. I have known of instances where one of our lads has had an altercation or two during games and have then ended up on the same team later in their career.

An example of this would be Clarke Carlisle and Ade Akinbiyi; they had quite a few run-ins when playing against each other but when Clarke joined Burnley he teamed up with Akinbiyi and as it turns out they now get on really well from what I hear.

That tends to be the case in a lot of instances. Players pick up reputations and are judged without anyone really knowing them.

I moved to Blackburn for a year, who had the likes of Robbie Savage and Craig Bellamy at the time, both of which don't exactly have the best reputation in the world, but both of whom I got on well with.

Posted by daniele kitchen - 02/07/2008

Q. Hi Richard. I've posted here before. I'm 15, 5 ft 10ins but I feel I'm too short. I'm desperate to get into football and I've got trials booked in the summer. I was wondering, do you know if there is there anything I can do to aid growth?

A. Unfortunately I don't! Otherwise I'd have used it myself! To be honest, though, in my opinion 5ft 10ins is more than enough, try not to let that become an issue and, if anything, use it as motivation to be that much better than those you are up against.

Providing you are technically solid, brave and commanding then height shouldn't be an issue. And if you are still young then who knows, you may still grow, I'm still hopeful now!

Posted by Adam Wilkins - 02/07/2008

Q. Hi Richard Thanks for your detailed answers. In response to the last question I fell out of love with the game a lot when we signed some players during the Vialli year who were paid huge sums for a club like ours and their percieved attitude was poor. I guess as a fan I take players not being good enough, but the lack of effort is unforgivable. This is exacerbated when they take home a week what the average fan makes a year. I'd take a pay cut to play for our club and give the proverbial 110%. Your point about player loyalty is also very relevent. It seems to me that too many young players show promise then sign for a big Premiership side only to spend the following years in the wilderness. I think playing squads should be limited to about 25 - this would pretty much stop larger teams buying players and keeping them in the reserves. It would aslo level the playing field a little for the smaller clubs and perhaps make the game less predictable than it is now. Its also a bit depressing to think that a club of our size won't be able to get into the top four withut an outsider bankrolling the team.

A.

It's a fair point and there's arguments for both sides. I guess what it all boils down to is that football is a massive business which means excessive money equals success. By the same token, a young player being signed by a larger team will more often than not get a contract that may well set them up for the rest of their life.

That then begs the question for the player, do I stay here and have faith in my abilities that I can stay injury-free, progress and make the move when i believe it's best for me and not jus be another squad player? Or do I take the contract in front of me and take my chances? Or do I stay with the club which has given me my upbringing and accept i'll never be on the top wages but can help progress this club as far as i can?

It can be a tough question, for a top club it's a no-brainer, a kid's got talent then we can take a chance on him whatever the cost; if he makes the grade great, if not I'm sure there's plenty others who will. It's sad in some respects but it's the way of football.

The positive aspect to all this in my eyes would be that a team without excessive money may not be a 'top four' team in the near future, but that makes the challenge that much greater and more exciting. Any success that is achieved requires enormous amounts of hard work and dedication from not only the team but the fans and therefore some may argue enjoyed even more. I choose to take this view!

Posted by Adam wilkins - 22/06/2008

Q. Hi Richard Nice website, I have a few questions 1) Are you as fit as the outfield players? I mean you don't have to run around much in the 90mins :-) 2) You have always come across as an intelligent person - this is quite unusual for a football player, do you think this is fair comment? 3) What is your favorite book? (my sister is asking this one) 4) I've read John Barnes autobiography, he says when he was at Watfrod he was earning about 35k a year (I think). This was a good wage for the day but not huge. Now a footballer of his calibre would earn that a week, do you think it is too much and has this distanced the players from the fans? Thanks Adam

A.

Hi! In answer to your questions...

1. I am as fit but in a completely different way. For instance I find it tough to do the stop-start running that they do in a game but they'd find it tough to do the drills we do as keepers; for instance getting up and down many times as part of an exercise. We all have body fat tests done regularly and I've always fared well in them which is a good indication also.

2.  Yeah I guess it is fair to some extent but it's easy to place all footballers in the same catagory and it's quite common for people to do that.

I guess because you generally leave schoool at a young age with little in terms of education and it isn't a requirement of the job to do any form of studying, the brain possibly doesn't get used as it might do in other lines of work.

But my argument against that would be that you have to be intelligent in other ways. The examples I'd use would be Wayne Rooney and David Beckham, most people's opinions of these would be that they aren't the most intelligent but when it comes to a game of football they see situations that very few would see and their brains would work in a completely different way to many 'ordinary' folk.

In terms of education, I was fortunate in that I went to a good school and grades were very important so I managed to get some good GCSEs before I left. I do believe it's vital to have that, it took off a bit of pressure when I was a scholar at Watford because I always knew I had something fall back on if things didn't work out.

3.  I have a few for different reasons - 'It's not about the bike' Lance Armstrong, 'Awaken The Giant Within' Anthony Robbins and 'Tthe Celestine Prophesy'.

4.  The game certainly has changed in recent years and money has become more and more of a factor.  I do believe the wages are extortionate but my theory is that it compares to someone who is at the top of their chosen trade, they will more than likely receive large financial rewards in most lines of work.

Being a footballer is a highly desired job and very few are priveliged enough to become one and I am very aware of this.

The amount of lads that haven't made it over the years I've been at Watford is in the 1000s, so for those that do make it the rewards are there.

The part I don't like about it is that I believe the idea of loyalty to a club has diminshed in recent years.  Testimonials are few and far between now and that, in a large part, is due to money. A player will go where he is offered the most money, he may have little or no connection with that club and may move several times in his career and make huge amounts of money without ever really realising his potential.

I take my hat off to the likes of Wayne Rooney or Christiano Ronaldo and the like because they are at the top of the tree, something that millions of us are trying to do but they've done it with years of hard work and dedication.

In terms of distancing players from fans I think this comes down to the individuals. I know there are a lot of lads at Watford who will chat to all the regulars before and after a game and know most by first name terms and are quite happy to be approached on a night out etc. and take it as a massive compliment. 

I'm sure you will find a few who aren't like this but then I'd also guess that was also the case years ago. I don't believe the increased wages need play any role in players and fans becoming detached.

My thought is that is it due to the fans that we are held in such high esteem and it's for that reason that I and many other lads will make the extra effort when we can.

I would be interested to hear anyones alternate views?

Posted by sillick - 18/06/2008

Q. What made you realise that you wanted to play football?

A.

When I was young I loved everything about football and I knew everything too! Any player in the top league and I could tell you something about them!

Then I realised I was quite good and continued to learn. Fortunately, Watford picked me up at a young age and I had the opportunity to improve with the help of top coaching; the better I got the more I realised I could make a living out of doing something I loved and thankfully I am still with Watford today and fulfilling a childhood dream.