Theo Walcott is about to head into the sharp end of his season. There’s the title race and the little matter of facing Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. You can also throw in the clash with

Wales as part of England’s qualifying campaign for Euro 2012. But when we catch up with Theo he is relaxed and ready to tackle any question that our readers put to him. They include his omission from last year’s World Cup squad, freak injuries, Jeremy Clarkson’s attempt to stitch him up and Gareth Bale’s obsession with underwear…

You started out as a centre forward at Southampton. Is that a position you see yourself playing eventually?Carl Mansell, LondonThe manager spoke to me about what position he thought he could play me in. I think next season you’ll see me play up front a bit more. I see myself as a striker, but it’s quite difficult at Arsenal as we tend to play with one up front. I’m not really a lone striker, I need someone up there with me.Best piece of advice you’ve been given by a manager?Natalie Holt, LeicesterArsene Wenger talks to me about being aggressive – not

kicking players, just running at them. When you’re enjoying it, your best football comes out.You’ve endured a wretched run of injuries – which one was the most painful?Sam Vose, CardiffI first dislocated my left shoulder in March 2007. Every little knock, every little fall, it would pop out and pop back in. It was my first proper injury. I was out for four months – the longest four months of my life. I did my right shoulder as well. That took four months too,

which was horrible. Some of my injuries were due to my body still growing while I was in my late teens, so hopefully I’m over that. Arsene Wenger suggested that your pace could be the root of some of your injury woes. Would you agree?David Adams, EpsomI don’t know. I’ve had a lot of freak accidents. I was walking in from training once and my knee blew up. I could hardly walk. Injuries like that are very strange. I’ve had injuries to the side of my back – it’s an injury a bowler in cricket would normally pick up, not a footballer. Maybe it is the pace, I don’t know. But I’m fit now and that’s the important thing. Did you feel nervous about taking over Thierry Henry’s shirt number?Julie Cobbe, BelfastNo, it’s just a number. I wanted Number 8, but I didn’t know we’d signed Sammy Nasri in the summer. They just handed me 14. Even though Thierry Henry is my

hero, I didn’t really think about it. He was at a game in November with Matthew Fox from Lost. He came over and said hello, but it was against Tottenham, so he wasn’t in the best of moods after. It was great to see him back at Arsenal. How did you feel when you saw Fabio Capello’s name appear on your caller ID on the day the World Cup squad was announced?Andy Ellwood, YorkI was on the golf course at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire. When he told me I wasn’t going to the World Cup, I was upset but I didn’t look to blame anyone. I had to think about what I could do differently next time so it doesn’t happen again. After I hung up the phone, I just got on with the golf. There was no point dwelling on it. I didn’t go out of the country because I hoped there could be a chance I could be re-called. I wanted to be professional about it. I bounced back quite well. I spoke to Capello when I returned to first team duty for England after the World Cup and he gave me some advice. What was it like being on the pitch against Messi at the Nou Camp last season?Amy Turner, Finsbury ParkIt’s an amazing stadium, the atmosphere was brilliant - it was great to see so many of the Arsenal fans travel there. I met Messi the day before the game as I was doing the pre-match press conference with the manager. He is such an unbelievable player. We did well against them last year in the first leg but we are hoping that we will do better this season.Is it true your boots were missing a stud when you scored that famous hat-trick against Croatia in the Euro 2012 qualifiers? Dennis Taylor, NewportYes. It was half-time and I was coming over the concrete and then I couldn’t walk. When I sat down in the changing room I saw that my stud had broken. Emile Heskey and Wazza offered me their boots, but

08 | Sky Sports

T H E O W A L C O T TWorDS YoU LoT

Still only 21 years old, he’s been to a World Cup, run defenders ragged across Europe, and been on Mr & Mrs. How will Theo Walcott fare against our readers’ questions?

Theo Walcott in action for Arsenal

READERS Q&A

yOu Ask THE quEsTiOns

Sky Sports | 09

I decided to stick with my own. Then I went out there and scored two after half-time. I’ve still got the boots. Why did you decide to nickname Gareth Bale ‘The Underwear Bandit’?Richard Welch, EastleighI’ve known Gareth Bale since I was 10. We lived together at The Lodge when we were playing for Southampton. Gareth and I signed the room that we shared before we left. That wall might be worth something now. [laughs] We nicknamed him ‘The Underwear Bandit’ because he used to nick boxer shorts and put them on his head. When the lights went off you knew you were going to get whacked with pillows or something. I can’t even remember the point of it. Everyone saw the funny side and everyone got their share. What was the reaction like from your neighbours after you got the call-up for the 2006 World Cup? Lilly Clark, Ruislip There was a massive queue along the street right up to my house. People had banners saying ‘Come on Theo!’ People were coming to the door every five minutes to say hello and get their shirts signed. My dad had to tape a sign to the gate telling people I wasn’t at home and to come back later, even though the odd time I was there. Is it true that Chelsea invited you to be a ball boy when you were a youth player at Swindon?Natalie Tung, HalifaxI was invited to be a ball boy for Chelsea v Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Liverpool lost 2-0 and I got to meet all of the players. When I walked into the dressing room, Zola was there. I’ll never forget it.You scored a hat-trick in your first-ever game for AFC Newbury. What do you remember most from that stage in your career? Jack Kiely, DroghedaI scored in every single game for them. Back then it was all about kicking the ball over the top and running past your man. It’s not so easy now! It was one of those memories where you think, ‘I wish I could go back to

won everything. You want to be one of those players. I want to do that with Arsenal, and this season we have a fantastic chance of winning silverware. I’m only 21 and I’ve already made over 150 appearances. I want to show people what I’ve got.What’s your best time for the 100 metres? Would you fancy your chances against Usain Bolt?Wayne Mitchell, LondonIt would be great to train with Usain Bolt, but it’d be mental to race him! In Year 9 I could run 100 metres in 11.4 seconds. Now I run it in 10.5 seconds. The only time I ran flat-out for 100 metres was against Liverpool in the Champions League. We tend to do up to 40 metres in training, because that’s about the top distance you’d cover in a game.You once loaned your car to Jeremy Clarkson. Did he do any damage?Matt Devlin, HartlepoolClarkson wanted to test my Mercedes Black Series SL on Top Gear. The car had only just been released and

BOy TO mAn Left: Walcott and ‘The Underwear Bandit’Below: Celebrating a hat-trick against Stoke in 2005; playing for England right: With girlfriend Melanie Slade; with his range of children’s books

that and do it again…’ It’s like school, when you’re there you don’t like it but when you leave school you want to go back – you appreciate it. What’s the story behind your Dad quitting his job to see you play?Wesley Thomas, CastlefordAfter the Wolves game, the manager said, ‘I’m going to start you when we face Leeds away in midweek.’ I phoned my dad straightaway to tell him I’d got the tickets and he had to come up and watch the game. He said, ‘Yeah, I’ll definitely be there.’ He asked his boss if he could have the day off to watch me make my full debut, and she said no. So he walked out the door.[Sky Sports Magazine: This might be from a Spurs fan] You’ve said all you really want is to win trophies. You must be a bit gutted that you’ve won nothing at Arsenal?Steve Geller, Gants HillYou want to look back at your career and look at the number of trophies you’ve won. Look at Giggs, he’s This month’s questions set by Sky viewer James Forrester, St Albans

Sky panellists on their biggest upsets/memorable foul-upsYou ask… THE ExPERTS

Sky Sports | 11

LIVE: EUro 2012 QUALIFIEr: WALES V ENGLAND, SAT 26 MAr, 2.30pM, SkY SporTS HD 2

T.J. and the Hat-Trick and T.J. and the penalty by Theo Walcott, published by Corgi, rrp £4.99. Available now from all good bookshops.

dressing room because we didn’t do so well. Mel doesn’t like watching it back, but I just think it’s funny. Still, it was a nice thing to do for charity. I recently saw a picture of your 21st birthday cake. What was going on there?Melissa Reeves, Burton upon TrentIt was a miniature of me dressed as a knight on top of a castle with a fire-breathing dragon in the castle’s moat. It was massive. I’m glad I didn’t have anything to do with it because it was a nightmare getting it home apparently. I think Mel and her sister designed it – I have a tattoo of a dragon and I believe the idea came from there. I still have the little figure of myself in a box!

they wanted to show everyone. Clarkson did drive it, but he slated it. I heard afterwards that it was because he wanted the car for himself. He was a bit upset that he didn’t get it, but the car had already been promised to me. It came back in one piece, though. Where did the idea to write children’s books come from?Brendon Fox, SwindonThe stories are based around a character called T.J. and I took the ideas from things that happened to me when I was growing up. Lots of children don’t read very much anymore, so I’ve used football to encourage them. I hope that kids will pick up the books because they see either myself or another footballer on the cover and think, ‘That’s cool, I’ll have a look at this.’ I really enjoy working with kids. It was a great moment to see my face on the books when they first came out. When I have my book signings I get lots of parents and children saying how fantastic they are. Some of the parents say, “My kids can’t get enough of the books,” which is nice to hear. Do you get any stick from your teammates when you and your girlfriend Melanie Slade appear in magazines?Jamie Hibbs, Milton KeynesNot really, but I did when we appeared on All Star Mr & Mrs! I got a bit of stick from the lads in the

10 | Sky Sports

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Thierry came to the Emirates but it was the Tottenham game, so he wasn’t in the best of moods after”

kelvin TatumFormer Long Track World ChampBiggest upset:It was a World Long Track race in France in 2001. Lining up next to

me was French wildcard Sebastien Tresarrieu. I looked at his bike and suddenly noticed it was on fire. The cover between his legs was melting! I tried to make him aware of it, but he thought I was trying to put him off. Eventually he must have felt the heat because he threw his bike on the floor. According to speedway rules, the rider should then be disqualified. But, this being France, he was allowed to use his spare bike, and won the race. It was a real upset for me, world champion at the time, to be beaten by a wildcard. most memorable foul-up:He won’t thank me for reminding him, but after Jason Crump won the Norwegian Grand Prix in 2004 he fell off his bike and got trapped under it.

ian Ward Hit over 8,000 first class runsBiggest upset:That has to be Liverpool versus AC Milan in the 2005 UEFA

Champions League final. To be 3-0 down at half-time and win the match is just incredible, it’s sport at its best. In terms of cricket, the biggest upset I can think of has to be Ireland beating Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup. most memorable foul-up:It was my fourth Test for England at a packed Lord’s during the 2001 Ashes. I was chasing the ball to the boundary. I made a full-length dive, scooped the ball back, then realised my strides had fallen down! Before I could throw the ball I had to pull my trousers up, by which time they’d already run four anyway. There were definitely a few chuckles from the boundary!

Phil Clarke Wigan Warriors legendBiggest upset:Wigan’s win in the World Club Championship versus Brisbane

Broncos on 1 June 1994. The Broncos had beaten us two years earlier 22-8. We travelled Down Under after a 46-game season, without our two first choice front rowers. In fact, we won 20-14. Many people have said it was the greatest moment in Wigan’s history.most memorable foul-up:Attempting to deliver the post-match response to the welcome we had in France, in a fake French accent, ranks quite highly. I decided to deliver it like a character from ’Allo ’Allo!. I thought I could speak French until I got up on the stage. The words just deserted me. Most of the audience didn’t know what to make of it.

Rob LeeShot 60 at the Portuguese Open Biggest upset:YE Yang defeating Tiger at last year’s USPGA. Woods had never

lost a Major when going into the final round as the leader. Fourteen times, 14 wins, which is a pretty extraordinary statistic. YE played the shot of his life on the last, a hybrid from the left-hand rough. He held it against the wind off the left and then knocked in the putt. Marvellous. most memorable foul-up:Dustin Johnson at the US PGA this year, final hole, not knowing his ball was in a bunker and grounding his club. There were 1,200 bunkers on that course, so let me tell you, you would’ve asked the question! That was terrible, and the fact that he then holed a putt that he thought had got him into a play-off only made it worse.

Jamie RedknappMade his senior debut aged 16Biggest upset:I’ve got to go for playing for Liverpool and getting beaten 1-0

by Bristol City at Anfield, in the FA Cup third round replay in 1994. I can still see Brian Tinnion hitting the winner past Bruce Grobbelaar. It was the nightmare scenario, a horror show. Graeme Souness resigned as manager three days later.Funniest foul-up:Wearing the Liverpool ‘Spice Boy’ white suit before the 1996 FA Cup final against Manchester United. Usually embarrassment lessens with time, but every time I see that footage it gets worse and worse. I look at myself and think, ‘You’ve got a bad white suit on, then you go and make it worse and put some sunglasses on.’ Awful.

I look at myself and

think, ‘You’ve got a bad white suit on, then you go and make it worse and put some sunglasses on’”Jamie redknapp

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READERS Q&A

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