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

• Published
  Less than an hour ago

This Sports Conversation constitutes an innovative program in which leading personalities from athletics and entertainment join presenter the interviewer for frank and comprehensive dialogues about football.

The program examines mindset and motivation, covering pivotal experiences, professional achievements and individual insights. The Football Interview reveals the person behind the athlete.

The Chelsea defender began training with the London club at the age of six and - having progressed through the academy and into the senior squad - is now team leader.

James announced himself to the Stamford Bridge faithful in impressive fashion, scoring on his debut in a 7-1 victory over the opposition in September 2019.

Currently twenty-five, his professional achievements so far include making his international bow against the Welsh team in 2020, winning the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, and being appointed team skipper in 2023.

Nevertheless, things have not always gone smoothly, with multiple fitness issues impacting him over the past four seasons.

James sat down with the interviewer to discuss his career highs, the Brazilian's impact, and his relationship with seven-time F1 world champion the racing driver.

Kelly Somers: First question: name, your origins, and your preferred coffee?

Reece James: I am Reece James, I grew up in Mortlake, near Richmond - I expect many will recognize that area. My beverage is a flat white.

Kelly: Was it consistently a that particular coffee?

James: No, I began with, such as, vanilla lattes and similar drinks.

The presenter: Let's start by discussing soccer. What significance does soccer hold to you?

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

The interviewer: What's your earliest memory of participating? Is this difficult to respond to because it was such a big part of your early years and growing up?

James: Not particularly, simply due to my recollection is quite poor. My first remembrance was probably, unsure, attending matches of my sibling compete. He's my senior by two years than me, and he used to play as well.

Kelly: It was big in your household, correct, because your father was so heavily involved? He is a football coach too, right? Tell me a bit about that.

The athlete: So we were three of us growing up. We were completely soccer-obsessed, and he obviously was a trainer as well, and we used to train extensively with him.

Kelly: Can you recall a lot of those sessions? Since I read that starting from the four years old, you practiced outdoors and he conducted drills with you in the back garden.

James: Yes, I recall - the training started young. Thankfully, they proved beneficial for myself and my sister [Chelsea and national team forward his sister].

Kelly: Talk to me about your first ever team that you played for as a child, its name, and what can you remember?

The defender: I don't remember much, to be honest. It was the local team in Kew. I believe I was there for about twelve months. It was from there that I was scouted for Chelsea.

Kelly: And you weren't a defender at first, were you? Talk to me about your positional journey and its development...

James: I started off as a striker, and then eventually transitioned to wide positions, left side, right side, and eventually to central positions, and then eventually at defensive role, and I hated it at that period.

The presenter: Why did you hate it?

Reece: Since I always wanted to play midfield. There was less involvement with the ball as frequently but one day everything fell into place and I became a right-back since.

The interviewer: You said you started as a forward - who was your role model?

James: The player I admired was [Didier] Drogba. I grew up as a Chelsea fan during youth and he was the athlete I admired.

The host: Can you think of a turning point in your professional life - an experience that has influenced your development and the professional you have evolved into?

Reece: I'd likely identify the loan spell. Transitioning between academy and senior level is the hardest and this represents likely what most players transitioning upwards find challenging.

The presenter: You're referring to Wigan, naturally. What made did Wigan become the right club for you at the time? It was miles away from everything you were familiar with in the capital - why did it work so well?

Reece: The primary factor is that I played week in week out, which proves beneficial. I gained valuable exposure - I moved away from my companions and relatives and had to grow up fast. Playing on a consistent basis assisted a lot.

Kelly: Who has had the biggest impact on your career?

Reece: I would say [the experienced Brazilian] the veteran. He's almost sufficiently experienced to be my father and has competed at elite standard for so long. He consistently attempted to help me from the minute he arrived and continues to, even now he is departed [after leaving the club in that year].

Kelly: How specifically would he assist you?

Reece: It was little messages off the pitch. On the pitch, he would sometimes observe situations that I perceived alternatively and try and paint a different picture.

The presenter: It must have been nice to meet him recently [during the tournament]?

The defender: It proved great to reconnect with him. I'm happy that his club performed admirably in the competition [they were defeated in the penultimate round to the champions his team]. It is always good to see him.

Kelly: If you could go back and experience again one match in your professional history, what would you choose?

James: If the outcome is remains the identical - it would be the Champions League [final].

Kelly: Other than victory, what made it exceptional about the occasion