Style Obsession, Idolizing Didier Drogba & Friendship with Hamilton

• Released
  47 minutes ago

This Sports Conversation constitutes an innovative program in which leading personalities from athletics and entertainment participate with presenter Kelly Somers for frank and detailed dialogues about football.

We'll explore mental approach and motivation, discussing pivotal experiences, career highlights and individual insights. This series uncovers the individual beyond the player.

The Chelsea defender started training with Chelsea at the age of six and - having progressed through the academy and into the first team - is now club captain.

James announced himself to the Stamford Bridge faithful in style, scoring on his debut in a 7-1 victory over Grimsby Town in September 2019.

Now 25, his professional achievements to date include making his England debut against the Welsh team in 2020, claiming the Champions League with his club in 2021, and being appointed club captain in 2023.

Nevertheless, things have not always gone smoothly, with a series of injuries impacting him over the past four seasons.

James sat down with Kelly Somers to talk about his career highs, the Brazilian's impact, and his relationship with multiple Formula One title winner Lewis Hamilton.

Kelly Somers: Initial inquiry: identity, where you're from, and what's your coffee order?

The athlete: I am Reece James, I was raised in Mortlake, near Richmond - I expect many will know that location. My coffee is a specific coffee type.

Kelly: Has it always been a that particular coffee?

James: No, it started with, such as, flavored coffees and stuff.

Kelly: We'll begin by talking football. What does football mean to you?

The defender: I mean, from childhood, it was practically my entire focus 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 difficult to respond to because it was such a significant aspect of your childhood and development?

James: No, simply due to my memory is so bad. My first remembrance was probably, unsure, going to watch my sibling compete. He is two years older than me, and he also participated as well.

The host: It was big in your household, correct, because your father was so heavily involved? He is a soccer trainer too, right? Tell me a little about that.

Reece: So there was three of us growing up. We were all football mad, and he obviously was a trainer as well, and we used to train a lot with him.

Kelly: Can you recall a lot of those training periods? Because I read that starting from the age of four, you practiced outdoors and he was doing exercises with you in the back garden.

Reece: Yeah, I remember - the training started young. Fortunately, they proved beneficial for myself and my sister [Chelsea and England forward Lauren James].

Kelly: Tell me about your first ever team that you represented as a youngster, what was it called, and what can you remember?

The defender: I don't remember much, frankly. That was the local team in the area. I believe I was there for about twelve months. From that point that I was scouted for Chelsea.

The host: You didn't start as a backline player at initially, were you? Explain about your role evolution and how that changed...

Reece: I started off as a forward, and then subsequently moved to wide positions, left wing, right side, and eventually to central positions, and then finally at defensive role, and I hated it at the time.

Kelly: What caused your dislike for it?

The athlete: Since I always wanted to play midfield. You didn't touch the ball as much but one day everything fell into place and I've been a defender since.

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

Reece: My idol was [Didier] Drogba. I was a supporter growing up and he was the athlete I looked up to.

Kelly: Identify a turning point in your career - an experience that has influenced your development and the professional you have evolved into?

The defender: I would probably say going on loan. Bridging the gap between academy and senior level is most challenging and this represents likely what many athletes making the jump find difficult.

The presenter: You're referring to Wigan, of course. What made did Wigan become the right club for you at that period? The location was miles away from everything you were familiar with in the capital - what made it successful so well?

James: The first thing is that I played week in week out, which proves beneficial. I acquired a lot of experiences - I moved away from my friends and relatives and had to grow up quickly. Participating on a regular schedule helped significantly.

The interviewer: Which individual exerted the greatest influence on your career?

The athlete: I would say [Brazil defender] Thiago Silva. He is almost old enough to be my dad and has played at elite standard for so long. He consistently attempted to help me from the moment he joined and still does, even now he is not here [having left Chelsea in that year].

The host: How specifically would he assist you?

Reece: These were little messages away from games. During matches, he occasionally see things that I saw alternatively and attempt and offer alternative perspectives.

Kelly: It was undoubtedly nice to see him recently [during the tournament]?

Reece: It was wonderful to see him again. I'm happy that his team performed admirably in the tournament [they were defeated in the semi-finals to eventual winners his team]. It's consistently positive to encounter him.

The interviewer: Were you able to return and experience again a single game in your career, what would you choose?

Reece: Assuming the result is going to be the same - it would be the Champions League [final].

Kelly: Besides winning, what was so special about that night