Luis Melville of Brentford FC Community Sports Trust and Westside 89.6FM caught up at the weekend with midfielder David Hunt to chat about recent signings and of course the little matter of the World Cup!!
Join in the World Cup discussion on Westside 89.6FM this Saturday 2-6pm with the Community Sports Show in association with Brentford FC Community Sports Trust. Phone (020 8571 1188), email (presenter@westsideradio.co.uk), or text the studio (Text the word 'Westside' followed by your message to 60300 - will cost you 1 standard text message) and get your viewpoint heard.
Luis Melville: Well firstly David how are things going since the end of the season?
David Hunt: Not too bad. I'm nicely rested up but starting to go a bit cold turkey as I'm missing my football but other than that I'm good.
LM: I've been reading on your blog Life of Another League (http://lifeofanotherleague.blogspot.com/) that you already have started doing some training in advance of your return for pre-season?
DH: I planned to do some training in the off season and it's going really well. I'm feeling in good shape and things are going to schedule.
LM: Moving on to Brentford, all the action to date concerning signings has been on the goalkeeping front with Richard Lee signing from Watford and Simon Royce coming in from Gillingham as a full time goal keeping coach. I know you have got first hand knowledge of Richard Lee so can you give us an insight into him and his capabilities?
DH: Firstly, he is a great lad and an excellent keeper with a very professional attitude. I've known him since I was in my teens. Our ex-girl friends at that time were best friends and we got to know each other then through the youth team. I know he is a great goal keeper.
LM: He has been a perennial number 2 at Watford. In terms of what he can offer to Brentford will he be able to step up to the plate?
DH: I definitely think so. You say he was number 2 but you have to look at the competition and who he was up against. To be fair to him he has had Ben Foster, Mart Poom or Scott Loach who is in there now to compete against. That's fierce competition for that number 1 position. It's not a bad standard ahead of him. Richard has had some Premiership experience as well. It's not even a question to me whether he can step up to it.
LM: You can often gauge a players standing at a club by what the supporters say on their club fan sites. It seems that on the whole Watford fans are sad to see him go so that is probably a good sign for Bees fans?
DH: It's a testament to him as a player and a very good professional. Like I said to him though, 'Did you want to be a number 2 for the rest of your career or did he want to prove that he is good enough to be up there?'Hopefully he will prove it now.
LM: Further good news with Leon Legge signing his new contract. From a players perspective, how difficult a challenge was it for Leon to bridge that gap between playing in Ryman Premier football and then making the leap straight into League 1 football in the toughest League 1 for many years?
DH: It's been a big challenge but he has taken it in his stride. I think it actually gives hope to players out there like some of my friends who are playing at non league level that they can break into the professional game at a later age. There is always a doubt that if you are playing non league whether you are good enough to step up but Leon has proved at 24 it is possible. He has shown that despite coming in at this level very late and also picking up awards which I think have been thoroughly deserved that anyone can do it.
LM: If we can switch to the World Cup. I think your cold turkey may have a bit of cure with 64 games in the next month. In your opinion how does the fact that Rio Ferdinand is now out affect England's defensive options and their World Cup chances?
DH: I don't think it will affect them too much. He obviously has a lot of experience and a top class defender but I think they have got good enough cover in Ledley King and Michael Dawson. On my blog England XI I have John Terry and Ledley King as my starting central defensive pair.
LM: Which leads me onto when you selected your England team Rio was still fit but you went with the Terry/King pairing. Why was that?
DH: I just think that they are better defenders that Rio Ferdinand. Who am I to say and I can mostly only judge the games I see on television. However I did go and see the last North London Derby and I thought Ledley King was phenomenal. With John Terry you know exactly what you are getting with him on the pitch week in week out. It's sad what happened with him off the pitch but he is a player that must be in the team. As long as Ledley King can stay fit then I think that it is a good pairing. Dawson deserves his chance because he has been outstanding all season.
LM: Everyone seems to have an opinion on the goalkeeping situation so we might as well get one more opinion. Where are you on that question?
DH: I've selected David James in my team. I think he is a great keeper. He is prone to a mistake but what keeper isn't? It's just that they highlight him more than anyone. In my opinion he is the best keeper out of the three of them. If they all played for the whole season and you had to judge them then he would be first choice in my eyes.
LM: You've helped us out on your blog by predicting the last 16 teams. One major casualty seems to be the Portuguese?
DH: Obviously that is the toughest group but the news that Didier Drogba could be out may change my prediction on that with Ivory Coast possibly going out and Portugal getting through. I think with a fit Drogba then they could be a surprise package in the whole competition. I'll probably get the last 16 wrong but it's a good bit of fun.
LM: Well you said it was a bit of fun so I thought we could play out your final 16 and see where it takes us. Your last 16 would have England playing Australia. Your prediction on that one?
DH: I can see England getting past Australia.
LM: That potentially throws up a Quarter Final against the French. That would be an interesting game?
DH: France isn't exactly having a great time at the moment so I can see that as a possible England win.
LM: So England have made it to the semi-finals!! Here where it starts getting really tricky. Probable opponents are going to be Brazil but we can't rule out Holland. I think most people would back Brazil.
DH: Well my partner is half Dutch so it is a bit tricky and I'd never write off Holland. To win the World Cup at some stage you are going to have to beat a really top team. If all England's players are on their game they could definitely do it?
LM: Well England in the final and if everything goes right in the other half of the draw they will be walking out against Spain in the final of The 2010 World Cup Final. Just Torres and Villa in the final! Easy peasy!! So it's an England v Spain final for David Hunt.
DH: Am I predicting an England v Spain Final??I would like to see that final but if I am predicting I think it will be a Spain v someone else final.
LM: Well it was just a bit of fun and wishful thinking. Another interesting point you made in your blog was the style of play of the England and Spanish teams and that you much preferred the way the Spanish play. What do you think is the issue with the way England play that causes you to prefer the Spanish way?
DH: I think it's a cultural thing about the way they play their football. Having been to Spain and seen it first hand they are just technically totally different to the way we play back at home. I think it's an ethos in the way they play the game and the earlier we can start to get players playing like that then things can change. I find England very one dimensional. Don't get me wrong it works to a point as they win games but if it was me that is not the style of football I would play which would be more inventive.
LM: One thing that stands out about the Spanish is their ability to keep the ball for long periods and we saw that to a lesser extent with the way the Mexicans did that to England at Wembley. That is something England seems to struggle to come to terms with. Is that a cultural issue with the way the game is played here?
DH: Yes. I think so. Generally those sorts of teams aren't direct and are happy to keep the ball and be patient. In that game where England had the edge was in their finishing.
LM: Thanks for your time and we look forward to speaking to you on Westside 89.6FM throughout the World Cup.
DH: It's been a pleasure.
