Fashion Passion, Idolizing Drogba & Friendship with Hamilton
- Published
This Sports Conversation represents an innovative program in which prominent figures from sports and entertainment participate with presenter the interviewer for frank and comprehensive dialogues about the beautiful game.
We'll explore mindset and motivation, covering pivotal experiences, career highlights and personal reflections. This series reveals the person beyond the athlete.
The Chelsea defender started practicing with Chelsea at the age of six and - after developing through the academy and into the senior squad - is now team leader.
James announced himself to Chelsea supporters in impressive fashion, scoring on his debut in a comprehensive win over Grimsby Town in September 2019.
Currently twenty-five, James' career highlights so far include making his international bow against the Welsh team in 2020, claiming the European Cup with his club in 2021, and being named team skipper in 2023.
However, his journey hasn't been without challenges, with a series of injuries impacting him over recent years.
James sat down with the interviewer to discuss his professional peaks, the Brazilian's impact, and his relationship with seven-time F1 world champion the racing driver.
The defender discusses the veteran's influence on his professional journey
The interviewer: Initial inquiry: identity, your origins, and what's your coffee order?
The athlete: The name is Reece James, I grew up in Mortlake, near Richmond - I expect more people will recognize that location. My coffee is a specific coffee type.
Kelly: Has it always been a flat white?
James: No, it started with, such as, flavored coffees and stuff.
Kelly: We'll begin by discussing soccer. What does football mean to you?
The defender: I mean, from childhood, it's kind of my entire focus in school. I wasn't the brightest kid, and I simply adored the sport.
Kelly: Your first recollection of participating? Is this difficult to answer because it was such a significant aspect of your childhood and growing up?
Reece: Not particularly, just because my memory is quite poor. My earliest memory was likely, I don't know, attending matches of my brother compete. He's my senior by two years than me, and he used to play as well.
Kelly: It was big in your family, wasn't it, because your father was so heavily involved? He's a football coach too, isn't he? Share with me a bit about that.
The athlete: So there was three of us during childhood. It was all football mad, and he obviously was a coach as well, and we frequently practiced extensively with him.
Kelly: Do you remember a lot of those sessions? Because I learned that as young as the age of four, you practiced outdoors and he was doing drills with you in the yard.
Reece: Yeah, I remember - the training started young. Thankfully, they proved beneficial for myself and my sister [Chelsea and national team forward Lauren James].
The interviewer: Talk to me about your first ever team that you played for as a youngster, its name, and what can you remember?
The defender: My recollection is limited, frankly. It was Kew Park Rangers in the area. I think I played for about a year. It was from there that I was scouted for Chelsea.
The host: You didn't start as a backline player at initially, correct? Explain about your role evolution and how that changed...
Reece: I began as a striker, and then subsequently moved to the wing, left side, right wing, and eventually to midfield, and then eventually at defensive role, and I disliked it at that period.
Kelly: Why did you hate it?
The athlete: Since I consistently desired to play midfield. You didn't touch the football as much but eventually everything fell into place and I've been a right-back since.
The defender claimed the prestigious trophy in that year when his team defeated Man City by one goal in the final in Porto
Kelly: You mentioned you began as a forward - who was your idol?
James: My idol was [the legendary] Drogba. I grew up as a supporter during youth and he represented the player I admired.
The host: Can you think of a turning point in your professional life - an experience that has influenced your development and the player you have become?
Reece: I would probably say going on loan. Transitioning between academy and senior level is the hardest and that is probably what many athletes making the jump find difficult.
The presenter: You're referring to the club, of course. Why did Wigan become the right club for you at that period? It was miles away from all you knew in the capital - what made it successful so well?
Reece: The primary factor is that I featured week in week out, which helps. I acquired a lot of experiences - I moved away from my friends and relatives and had to grow up fast. Playing on a consistent basis helped significantly.
The interviewer: Which individual exerted the greatest influence on your career?
Reece: I would say [Brazil defender] Thiago Silva. He's nearly sufficiently experienced to be my father and has competed at elite standard for many years. He consistently attempted to help me from the minute he arrived and continues to, presently he is departed [after leaving the club in that year].
Kelly: How specifically would he help you?
Reece: It was small pieces of advice away from games. During matches, he would sometimes observe situations that I saw differently and attempt and offer alternative perspectives.
The presenter: It was undoubtedly nice to meet him recently [at the Club World Cup]?
Reece: It was wonderful to see him again. I'm happy that his club did well in the tournament [they lost in the semi-finals to eventual winners his team]. It is always good to see him.
The interviewer: Were you able to return and experience again one match in your professional history, which would you pick?
James: If the outcome is remains the identical - I'd select the European Cup decider.
The host: Besides winning, what made it exceptional about that night
