James Milner - The Football Interview

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

The best B2B marketing gets wasted on the wrong people,

so when you want to reach the right professionals, use LinkedIn ads.

LinkedIn has grown to a network of over one billion professionals,

including 130 million decision makers,

and that's where it stands apart from other ad buys.

You can target your buyers by job title, industry,

company, role, seniority, skills, company revenue,

so you can stop wasting budget on the wrong audience.

It's why LinkedIn ads generate the highest B2B return-on-ad spend

of major ad networks.

Spend $250 on your first campaign on LinkedIn ads

and get $250 credit for the next one.

Just go to LinkedIn.com slash broadcast.

That's LinkedIn.com slash broadcast.

Terms and conditions apply.

Today's episode is sponsored by Smart Travel,

a podcast from Nerd Wallet.

Do you have a friend who treats airfare like a puzzle

and somehow always ends up with a first-class upgrade?

Smart Travel is like that friend.

Minus the group texts.

Nerd Wallet's travel journalist break down the pros and cons

of travel decisions,

like when lounge access is worth paying for,

and which hotel loyalty programs actually pay off.

Make your travel dollars work harder.

Follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app.

The football interview on the football daily podcast.

I'm Kelly Summers and this season I'm interviewing some of the biggest

names in football asking them the questions they don't normally get asked

as I try to find out more about the person behind the player.

And this week's football interview is a slightly different one

as we reflect on the incredible career of the Premier League's

all-time record appearance holder James Milner.

Well James, good to see you.

I always start these interviews.

But I go back to the very beginning.

What would a young James Milner have made of what you have achieved

for becoming the Premier League all-time record appearance holder?

Yeah, I think it's hard to say.

I suppose when you're that age you just try to get in the first team

at first and foremost, you know,

get in and around there and stay in there.

And then that's the next thing.

And then it's always what's the next achievement

and never rest on your laurels sort of thing really.

So yeah, I definitely won't be thinking too far ahead.

Never mind.

It's 20 odd years ahead and thinking I'd still be playing, yeah.

Has it all been quite surreal?

Because there's been so much understandable hype around it.

You get into the record when you were going to break it

and the fact that you have, is it being quite weird?

For me, I've obviously been asked about it a lot.

Sorry, sorry to add to that.

No, no, no, no.

Obviously, yeah.

Which is obviously a nice thing in terms of people like knowledge

and it's a big number.

It's a lot of games, but I've just been concentrating.

I'm doing my job for Brian really.

And if they hit the number then great,

he wasn't something that I'm like,

I need to do this when everyone else asked,

asked lots of questions about it.

And I think the narrative around it then is like,

that's the only reason why I'm still playing sort of thing.

And for me, like, if you spoke to me or anyone else,

I would just want to contribute to my team

and keep pushing and helping the club here.

There's been some really nice tributes

and stuff like that.

Messages about, obviously, which is,

I don't want to downplay those.

And sort of seeing like it doesn't matter anything.

Because obviously, it's so nice

and some of the things people have said is fantastic.

But for me, individual stuff,

it's something maybe you look at when you're finished off.

For me, it's always about the team

and just doing your job.

And hopefully I can keep doing that.

What is your first football memory then?

First football memory would be lead united

when in the first division title

and my dad picked me up in the lounge.

And throwing around and saying,

enjoy it might never happen again in your life.

And I would have been five at that point.

Oh, really?

So at that point, you knew it was leads for life.

Yeah, that was the first memory.

And then we started going to games and stuff

after the season ticket.

And yeah, we went from there.

What about kicking a ball then?

Were you kicking it then?

Yeah, I mean, maybe.

I can't remember kicking much of it.

I remember playing my first ever game

for the local team.

It was Westbrook Juniors.

And we lost 16, too.

And it was like full-size pitch, full-size goals.

You got bounced back from that spot.

I love that that stuck with you, the actual score.

Yeah, exactly how many you've conceded.

Yeah, it has played a season there.

And then that team stopped.

And then the next team I played for was under 12.

I think I was nine.

And then I got scouted for leads.

Which I imagine was the dream, wasn't it?

When your dad lifting you up.

Yeah, I mean, it was weird really,

because until that point as a kid,

I never really thought about being a footballer.

Obviously, I loved football, and I was playing football,

but it never crossed my mind.

I could actually do it myself, yeah, for whatever reason.

I mean, you're nine years old, and yeah,

you're just being a kid really.

So that was the first time.

And then going and putting the leads training

on and having a trial.

And obviously, that was special as a leads fan.

And then that was the dream, then.

Can you remember your first training session of these?

I remember my first training session with the reserves.

David Batty was one side of me,

and someone else was another, and I'm like,

oh my god, there's bats like legend.

Yeah.

And getting over that, and then pretty quick,

got shoved over the first team.

And he's got gold over.

I don't know if someone got sent in,

although he didn't have a number.

And it was like, go training the first team,

and you don't have time to think about it.

And you get involved.

I just remember the speed of it.

It was like, wow, this is ridiculous.

And I remember, like, welcome to the first team, kid.

Like, sort of thing, you get tested.

You know, you get enchanted out.

If you give it away, I remember breaking my nose, actually.

In training, I got a pretty strong tackle

from one of the younger players in the first team.

But it was maybe three.

I mean, I was 16, so it was maybe 20.

But I got kicked in the face on the floor and brought my nose.

And I was one of the early days.

And yeah, you got a tough one up and get on with it.

But, you know, the senior boys were great.

Mills and Mills and Gary Kelly and Matt Viduka.

Alan Smith was, you know, the one I looked up to.

He was the guy who come to the academy

and scored with his first touch on field

and done what we all wanted to do.

So he was the, and then the lead

as a academy had been so great over the years.

You know, Harry Kuhl and Woodgate, Paul Robinson,

and all of a sudden, the list goes on.

And looking back now, at 16, nothing just on my GCSEs

and then being with the first team, it's like, puff.

But at the time, you just focused

and trying to prove that you belong there.

2002 was quite a big year for you, wasn't it, really?

With everything, was it first Premier League goal,

Premier League appearance?

And you were so young.

Yeah, and like I say a lot about now,

and you think how young you were,

three, four months before I'd been doing my GCSEs and my mates,

you know, I was still in the sixth form

and coming to watch Alan Road

and you're playing on Alan Road

and then played a few games.

Can you maybe first go?

Yeah, I think I'd come on early for Harry Kuhl,

maybe Limpht out, Jason Wilcox whipped across the front

and I got at the front post and then we played two days later.

Alan Road, 26, 28, he played and, you know,

I've come on early again, someone else got injured

and was lucky enough to score again, so.

Have them quite quickly.

Yeah, so it was a bit of an explosion at that point

and you know, two goals in three days

and obviously Wayne Rooney was doing his thing before that as well

in the same season, two, 16 year olds coming through it there.

Same time, so, you know, as good as he was,

I think that took quite a lot of pressure off me as well

because there was a lot of limelight on him.

So although I was doing okay,

I think the majority of the spotlight was on him.

So I think that'll probably help me as well.

Who was the best manager that you've played under?

I mean, it's tough because obviously you'll go back to Terry

and Subobby and you think, like, absolute legends

and, you know, I'm so thankful to someone like Terry Venablezoo

and a team that wasn't doing particular well

to have the confidence to stick a 16-year-old in.

You go through the years and then, you know,

you're looking at someone like Jürgen,

who, I think, all around, I'd have to say,

Jürgen in terms of, as a mum, as a character,

you know, how he improved me, what I learnt from him,

the relationship we had in terms of being a lot of say

exactly what we thought and be taken in the right way

and knew that we were both 100% in everything we did.

That's sometimes result in any clashes?

Yeah, now and then, not many.

Not many, but it was a clash that, you know,

he knew I wanted to win and he was the same

and we didn't have any big clashes, you know,

he'd maybe tell me to shut up at times and things like that.

But he knew I just wanted to help him

and frustrate him whatever way and things like that

and he was always done with respect.

Obviously, the times you'd come in out of time

and you'd expect to rock it and he was the opposite.

He was really soft.

Another times you'd be on fire and playing the other one

and coming and go mad over one little thing

just to keep on your toes and, you know,

99% of the time he got it bang on, didn't he?

So, yeah, I think it was an all-round manager.

I think he was high level and when he came in at a Liverpool,

we weren't by any means the favourites.

You know, in the Premier League to win anything.

So, what he built there was special.

The best B2B marketing gets wasted on the wrong people.

So when you want to reach the right professionals,

use LinkedIn ads.

LinkedIn has grown to a network of over one billion professionals,

including 130 million decision makers

and that's where it stands apart from other ad buys.

You can target your buyers by job title,

industry, company, role, seniority, skills, company revenue

so you can stop wasting budget on the wrong audience.

It's why LinkedIn ads generates the highest B2B return

on ad spend of major ad networks.

Spend $250 on your first campaign on LinkedIn ads

and get $250 credit for the next one.

Just go to LinkedIn.com slash broadcast.

That's LinkedIn.com slash broadcast.

Terms and conditions apply.

Craving bold, authentic taste without kitchen chaos.

True nature meets Hawaiian Kahlua pork delivers.

Slow roasted tenderness with smoky tropical notes.

Pre-cooked perfection.

30 years supplying the finest restaurants.

Chances are you've already had their pork.

Heat in two minutes, shred for plates or bowls.

Complaints turn to second helpings and laughter.

Real meat, real flavour.

Go to truenaturemeats.com.

Code free meat for 20% off.

Plus free New York strip.

Texas smoked brisket and Mediterranean chicken

with code free meat at truenaturemeats.com.

From a small village on the banks of the River Nile,

everybody call me Muhammad Batina.

It's our name or nickname.

That call me more.

To the biggest stages of world football.

Go for the camera.

Salah is more than just a player.

He's an icon, a symbol, a king.

Muhammad Salah represents a dream.

For Egyptians, for Muslims, for Africans.

More than just the foot of the clear, he give us hope.

I'm Kelly Kate.

This is Sporting Giants, Mo Salah.

Listen on BBC Sounds.

What's one game, and I think we've established

you've played a fair few that you wish you could relive?

I think it's hard to do one, I think, at the early,

and first goal at Elham Road, the Chelsea game.

I think reliving that as a leads fan and not being that old

and not playing for leads that much longer.

I'd loved to experience that again.

I'd probably say it has to be Barcelona, I think, in the semi-final.

Obviously, losing heavily in the first leg against a world-class team

like Barcelona, and we had players missing on the night as well.

I think to be able to turn that around and win 4-0 was an incredible night.

And I think that was probably our special evening.

So that's what we're going to do.

Yeah, I think that was probably our special evening.

So that's the highs, what about the toughest moment?

Yeah, being relegated with leads, I think, is up there again a long time ago,

but you wait so long to play for your home-time club,

and the year before I met Medavia, I think we got to the Champions League semi-final.

So then a couple of years later to get relegated,

I think any time you lose a final, and I've been fortunate to win a

some trophies, but I've lost a few finals as well, so that's never nice.

Is there one in particular that you look back on?

I think Champions League finals, when you lose anything.

The first one, you know, Bale Scors, one of the greatest goals in the European Cup history,

I would say, to, you know, a flowed ball into the box by Skull Kick.

In a game where, you know, we just got back in one all,

in that time, we had the team where you had that momentum,

and we'd just dominate teams for 10, 15-minute spells,

where the speed we put into the game was ridiculous, and we could have one team,

and we had our backs up and the fans were with us, and to do that goal,

it just, you know, killed the momentum of the game.

And then the other Champions League final, you know, where we played really well,

and, you know, they had a row-bought in goal, and saved everything we just

chucked it in basically. So, I think, you know, to lose the European Cup finals is probably

very low. Personally, probably last year was very tough, I think, with the Injured,

and, you know, obviously the Ragerat, and not knowing what was going to happen,

I think that was probably really tough here.

Did you ever think that would be it?

Yeah, I think probably everyone did.

The physios were working with, and people like that, I think, you know,

to not be able to lift you foot for six months as a 39-year-old football,

it's probably not the ideal scenario where you're going to turn around and say,

yeah, you're going to be on fire next year, and play games.

So, I think, for me, that was probably a driver that he was so unlikely,

and, you know, you want to prove again, prove, prove he can beat the odds,

and luckily enough, managed to do it, and it's great to be back out there this year,

and playing and being with the boys out on the field.

I'm sure a lot of people like myself have come and try to get you to

you to reflect on everything since you've reached this landmark,

but has it given you the opportunity to look back at just how much football has changed?

And I want to know what maybe you don't like as much?

Yeah, I mean, yeah, I was changed like we've had a few conversations and topics around it,

I think it was one early this year, when we just got a goal in the carabiner,

I think, and I feel the unboys had the tiny shimp hands on, and I think, you know,

people's shimp hands now are that small, but because you can't really tackle,

whereas when I first come through, the first pass you got, you know, you're getting walloped

from behind, as a winger, the fullbacks coming through your first one, and it's the same first one,

it's like, yeah, right, and it's the first one's free, and, you know, you could go in quite hard,

whereas now you have to be very careful, you know, and you can still do, obviously,

firm challenges, but if you get the tiny, this run bit wrong.

So, I think, obviously, that's changed, the pitches have changed,

the pitches are obviously a lot better now, and you should have appeared in probably November,

December, January, where it was a bit ropey, and, you know, you might even be like,

keep it wide today, like the back passes wide of the goal, because it's bubbling, obviously,

we're fortunate, that's changed, on the not so fortunate side, I would say, my opinion,

the AR coming in is obviously a big change, and something that I'm not overly

in favour of, but that's my personal opinion.

I've also heard a fair few people talk about being at your 40th in January,

and it was like, who's who a football?

Yeah, I mean, when you've played, as long as I have, and fortunate to play with so many good people,

yeah, it's tough to see each other, as often, obviously, with the schedules and stuff,

so it's great to get together, and I mean, that's an amazing thing, in football, and the strange

thing that you can be so close with people and spend so much time traveling,

and going through ups and downs and successes together, and you get really close, and then one day,

a transfer happens, and that's certainly gone, and, you know, like, men alike as well,

we're not great at keeping in contact, or the odd message here and there, and that's the strange

part of it, and then, obviously, people get older and retire, and, obviously, people, a lot of

people that I've played with now, you see them on TV every time you turn it on, I thought I'd

played it and played it and played it, and played against them, and he was horrible, so.

What do you think they said about you? Yeah, I think I was thinking that I was, but,

yeah, I think that's strange as you go through, and you go to that process, and, you know,

you're coming closer to that little. What's the one thing that people get wrong about you the most?

I don't want to say it, but I'll probably say the boring thing, but I'll never have to cut that out,

so I don't mind, I don't mind them thinking. It's an all-enact.

Yeah, I think so, yeah. Have you kind of embraced that in a way?

Yeah, I don't mind at all. We've had a laugh with it on social media and dive into it and stuff

like that, and, yeah, it's good. Can you not boring, are you? I'm told by quite a few people.

Well, there's an opinion, isn't it? I suppose there's plenty who might think that, but, yeah, you know,

like, it's been quite funny, and there's been a lot of fun around it. I've had fun with it myself,

and, yeah, I don't mind getting involved with the bump in the changing rooms and things like that,

so people who know me will probably question it, but I'm more than happy with people. I'm in that opinion.

Tell me something about yourself that was surprised me, that you're not boring. Don't say that.

Started learning, trying to learn how to play the piano last few years.

Okay, how come? I bought the kids a keyboard for Christmas. They went to bed and I started

tinker around on it, and then a bit more and a bit more, and then developing it all right,

let's get a piano on, yeah, I went from there. Does that tell us a lot about your personality,

in terms of you can't just do something, if you're going to do it, you're all in, and you've got

to prove everyone wrong. Yeah, pretty much, yeah, I think if I'm doing something, I'm doing it

to the best of my building and having a good go, so. Are you any good? And what can you play?

I want to say I'm good, but I'm improving. I play a bit of Elton John and Adele and things like that,

so yeah, I'm okay, but over the next few years, maybe I'll have a bit more time while I can practice a bit more.

What you proudest of? I'd probably say the two things to me was being able to go to Man City,

I don't want anything for a long time, and being part of that group that won the first trophy

there and started this era of success and being part of that, and then being able to go a Liverpool

in a time where they hadn't won too much in recent history, and being part of that success,

I think being able to help two different teams start an era of success in their

recent history, I think you're lucky if you can do that with one team and experience those

things, I think to be able to do that with two, and I think that's something I'm proud of,

and I'd say that's probably more me than an individual record, it's something that you've achieved

as a group. How long can you go on for? I mean, who knows, things change very quickly in football,

like I say, after last year where I couldn't lift my foot, and especially when you get a bit

older, things change very quickly, so, and football changes quick and I say who knows, but

how I feel currently, I could probably do a few more years if I wanted to, but it has to be the

right. Do you want to? I feel physically and mentally, I still have that drive, and still,

I get looked after very well there, the physios are fantastic now and how to allow me and the work

and when to push and when to pull back, so that's very good and help me being the nick I'm in and

touch would be pretty good with injuries this year, but again, who knows what the club wants,

they're happy with me here and things like that, so there's a lot of moving parts, but I still feel

pretty good. And if not, Premier League manager? Yeah, I mean, that's some days you think, yeah,

that would be interesting and something, I could be good at another day, you know, you see

out of the job is it's so difficult, they'll get a lot of time there to stamp your mark on a team

these days and things like that, so who knows, there's a lot of aspects that have been fortunate

enough to be around, you know, learning from Jürgen and then coming here and being involved in a

lot of conversations last year when his injury in the manager has been brilliantly including me

in a lot of things and learning and thinking, you know, when you get to a certain age, you think

so much more about the team than yourself and you thinking about dynamics and personalities and

when to give people a kick up the ass and when I put an arm around them and and thinking how

this all affect the team instead of just yourself and because I've played so long, I feel like I've

been in that period for quite a while. That's been a great learning curve, but I know I had

e-works and now I do have to work and I think after playing for sale long and having that

intensity for sale long, I think the first thing I've probably to have a bit of rest is.

And finally if you could tell a young James Milner one thing, now what would it be?

I'd probably say enjoy it more but I don't think it's possible, I think you're always pushing for

the next game and the next win and so I'd probably say try and enjoy it as much as you can and

be young James and I'll pull this out, now let's get on the next one.

Well James, thank you so much for talking to us today, it's best of you.

I'm Rich Hall and this is Sports Strangest Crimes Presents Confessions of a Super Bowl Strieker.

If you trust me what I do, I say to them well, by day or by night.

The story of one man's mission to conquer the holy grail of Strieking the Super Bowl.

Mark Roberts is too largely for his body. He's just like the entertainer. Mark pushes the boundaries

of what is socially acceptable. No, John's Texas. It's really strict but then the more

false about it, the more false I'm gone. What are you about? Sports Strangest Crimes Presents

Confessions of a Super Bowl Strieker. Listen on BBC Sound.

Warning, the following Zippercruder radio spot you are about to hear is going to be filled with F words.

When you're hiring, we at Zippercruder know you can feel frustrated. For Lauren even,

like your efforts are futile and you can spend a fortune trying to find fabulous people,

only to get flooded with candidates who are just fine.

Fortunately, Zippercruder figured out how to fix all that and right now you can try Zippercruder

for free at zippercruder.com slash zip. With Zippercruder, you can forget your frustrations

because we find the right people for your roles fast, which is our absolute favorite F word.

In fact, four out of five employers who post on Zippercruder get a quality candidate within

the first day. Fantastic. So whether you need to hire four, 40, or 400 people,

get ready to meet first rate talent. Just go to zippercruder.com slash zip to try Zippercruder

for free. Don't forget that zippercruder.com slash zip. Finally, that zippercruder.com slash zip.

Finding great candidates to hire can be like, well, trying to find a needle in a haystack. Sure,

you can post your job to some job board, but then all you can do is hope the right person comes

along, which is why you should try Zippercruder for free at zippercruder.com slash zip. Zippercruder

doesn't depend on candidates finding you. It finds them for you. It's powerful technology

identifies people with the right experience and actively invites them to apply to your job.

You get qualified candidates fast. So while other companies might deliver a lot of,

hey, Zippercruder, find you what you're looking for. The needle in the haystack.

See why four out of five employers who post a job on Zippercruder get a quality candidate within

the first day. Zippercruder, the smartest way to hire. And right now, you can try Zippercruder

for free. That's right. Free at zippercruder.com slash zip. That zippercruder.com slash zip zippercruder.com slash zip.