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00:00I'm Kelly Summers and this season I'll be interviewing some of the biggest names in football,
00:04asking them the questions they don't normally get asked as I try to find out more about the person behind
00:09the player or manager.
00:11The first half will be on football, the second on their life away from the game.
00:15This isn't just any interview, this is the football interview.
00:19And this week's guest is the Brentford captain, Nathan Collins.
00:31Let's firstly talk about your first memory of playing football.
00:36One memory that always pops into my head, it was my first goal at like four or five and I
00:42took it around the keeper and I scored.
00:44I don't know if it actually happened, I don't think anyone knows if it actually happened, but it always just
00:47pops into my mind.
00:48There was no witnesses to this?
00:49Potentially not, I've never actually said it really openly, so I think it happens, but I'd be surprised if it
00:54didn't.
00:55Well you've certainly...
00:55If I just know it just so clearly.
00:58Take me back to that time in your life, was football a big thing?
01:00I grew up a bit of football basically, like everything I'd done throughout my whole life was a bit of
01:05football.
01:06Or any kind of ball really, I played a lot of Gaelic football as a kid.
01:09I would have trained football twice with my team during the week and then I would have trained twice with
01:13my Gaelic team
01:14and then I had a football match on the weekend and then a Gaelic match on the weekend.
01:17So my parents would drive me to my match, watch that match, finish that match, go home, eat something really
01:22quick,
01:23straight back out the door for another match and then they'd go to the pub and relax.
01:27They were finishing me then, they were happy.
01:29Was there ever a chance you could have gone into Gaelic football rather than football?
01:32Were you good?
01:33I was not bad.
01:35When I was that age I was bigger than everyone, I'd have to run over everyone, so I had that
01:38advantage.
01:39I'd love it, I'd love to go back and play one day or when I finish football, I'd really enjoy
01:43it.
01:43Talk me through your first football team then, you've told me about this goal that the jury's out on whether
01:48it got scored or not.
01:49What was the first proper team that you played for?
01:51The first proper team would have been Cherry Orchard.
01:53I think my grandad was a coach and at some time he might have played for them.
01:57My dad played for them, my uncle played for them, my cousin played for them, my other uncle played, my
02:01older brother played, my younger brother played.
02:03You were always going to be a footballer, weren't you?
02:04I probably had no choice really, did I?
02:06I started there for like 6, 7 and I played there until 15.
02:10I grew up, basically I've done a lot of my growing up playing football there.
02:15There was times I'd train with my brothers to him and they'd be four years older than me and my
02:18dad would put me into that training session and I'd get bullied and battered and I think he kind of
02:24wanted me to get that feeling.
02:26Character building.
02:26Yeah, where then I'd go back and I'd make sure I'd still have to do the best at my own
02:30age group and then when I go with my brothers I'd have to do a lot more to be there.
02:34But it was a bit of character building. I always just wanted to be the best player I could be.
02:39What was your big break then or the moment?
02:41I guess my first break could be when I made my debut for Stoke. Away to Swansea we were down
02:47to nine men.
02:48I think the game was kind of over with 10 minutes to go and the manager put me on and
02:52maybe that was my big break of getting a chance or just putting my name into a first team match.
02:56Going into a game where your team are down to nine men, that's character building.
03:00Yeah, I was thinking of it now, I was actually kind of mad.
03:03You came over to England when you were quite young, didn't you? How old were you?
03:06I was 15, yeah.
03:07What was that like?
03:08I loved it.
03:09Did you? Desperate to escape home, were you?
03:11I left school and played football for every day.
03:13You put it like that.
03:14Yeah, I loved it. Listen, it wasn't easy.
03:17You see all your mates growing up together and, you know, kind of making that jump from like a teenager
03:24to an adult and kind of enjoying life in a different way.
03:27Where I was in digs, just dedicated, just sleeping early, eating and just playing football and not really participating in
03:34life itself.
03:35So that was always tough to see that.
03:37And, but it's all I ever wanted was just to play football.
03:41So like, I wasn't really that bothered.
03:42I just, I was so happy just to be able to be in at an academy and enjoy my game.
03:46We've gone on to have a brilliant career over here in England, a few different clubs now.
03:51Has there been any particular game that if you could relive it, you would?
03:56My Ireland debut, maybe something like that.
03:58Maybe the Hungry game, relive that over and enjoy that whole moment again because stuff like that doesn't happen often.
04:04Go on, make the Ireland fans happy.
04:05Talk us through your memories of that Hungry game.
04:08It's a blur.
04:08All I remember is the last few minutes.
04:10That's all I really cared about at the end of the game.
04:12It was a bit of a nutting game, kind of.
04:13There wasn't a lot of chances either end.
04:15I don't think we were playing our best.
04:16I don't think they were playing great.
04:18I think it got to, what was it, 75th maybe?
04:21And you're just like, I don't know.
04:23It's just not happening really.
04:24It's not clicking.
04:24We're not creating enough.
04:26And then magic, a little bit of magic from Finn.
04:29He chipped a little pass through for Troy and I love the finish.
04:31And then you're like, oh, there's a chance here.
04:32There's a massive chance.
04:34And then last kick of the game, he gets a toe onto it and you're like, you can't believe it.
04:40There's pictures and you just see like a hundred Irish players and staff just running.
04:46Not in any direction, just randomly.
04:48And you're just like, how can this game sometimes just have this effect on you and on your body?
04:53And I think that's why you play football.
04:55I think that's what you want, them moments to enjoy them.
04:57And just to have them moments in life is something special.
05:01Have you allowed yourself to think about the possibility of winning that playoff and what the summer could look like?
05:07Not really, no.
05:08I knew you'd say that from your mind, Domingo.
05:10No, no, I can't because then I won't be able to focus on what I have to do here now
05:15and my job at the moment of playing Premier League matches.
05:17Well, incredible times for Ireland and potentially even better.
05:20It's not been so bad at Brentford this season, has it?
05:22No, it's been an enjoyable season.
05:24Yeah, really good.
05:25What's the secret?
05:26Because everyone wants to know, you'll know that the wider kind of noise was that you've got a new manager
05:32in, never managed in the Premier League before, lost Thomas Frank.
05:36It's going to be a difficult season for Brentford where you've dispelled any of those theories.
05:41When you're in football, you hear a lot of things and you see on TV and whatever, on Sky Sports,
05:45whatever, on BBC.
05:48We never said that.
05:50But like, nobody knows what's going on in the building.
05:53No one knows the quality of squad we have or players we're bringing in or the staff, the hours they
05:59do.
05:59So when we come back from our off to summer off and we come back in, it just felt like
06:06another day.
06:07What's Keith Andrews like as a manager? Because understandably, given what he's done, the whole world is now fascinated by
06:12him.
06:13I've known Keith a long time. So before he was a manager, I've known him since I was like 16.
06:18I've known him a long time. I had him under 17s, Ireland, 18s, 19s, 21s.
06:23So were you pleased when you knew he was getting the job?
06:24I was buzzing for him.
06:24Well, you can't really say no at this point, can we?
06:26No, I didn't.
06:27But no, I was buzzing for him because I know how hard he's worked to get to this stage of
06:30his career.
06:31He has that balance of when to shout at you and when to be your mate.
06:35And that man managing is really important.
06:40Let's try and get to know you a little bit more away from the pitch.
06:44Firstly, I always like asking, what were you like as a youngster?
06:48If you ask my mom or dad, they'd say I was a head case.
06:52I was just a bit itchy. I always had to move.
06:54I could never sit still and relax. I always had to do something.
06:57So they had to burn me out.
06:59I always wanted to be in the grass or playing football or just running around just to drain my energy.
07:04And I think it was hard work for my parents. I'd say it like that.
07:07It sounds like maybe it was quite a chaotic household. With how many siblings have you got?
07:11I've got older brother, younger sister, younger brother.
07:14So I think it was just a constant battle of me trying to beat my older brother.
07:18It was so hard because of the age difference.
07:20We all had training at different times and they'd be running out of the house and you'd forget your boots.
07:24Or they'd be taking two cars different directions.
07:27It was a bit of a carnage, but you wouldn't have it any other way.
07:30Are you still close now?
07:31Oh yeah, of course. I talk to them more or less every day on the phone.
07:34Every chance I get to go home, I will.
07:36My mom goes to every game, home and away, and she watches them all.
07:40So she flies over? Are they still in Ireland?
07:42Yeah, they live in Ireland. So she flies over and she goes everywhere, to be fair. She's mad.
07:47Home and away? Yeah.
07:48That is some commitment.
07:49I know. I tell her, listen, you don't have to. And she's like, no, I want to.
07:53Not everyone's got a son that's a Premier League footballer, though. I kind of get the appeal.
07:56I think, yeah, I don't think she watches the matches. I think she just looks at me the whole game
08:00and sees what I'm doing.
08:02I come after her, why were you scratching your leg so much in the match? I don't know.
08:06How do you know that?
08:08Oh, bless her. That's really sweet.
08:10How would your best friend describe you?
08:13I'd like to think that they describe me as just the same lad I was as a grown-up.
08:18The first thing popping out, they wouldn't say I'm a footballer. I think they'd just say,
08:21ah, Nathan, yeah, he's just a good lad. He's a bit of crack and he comes out when he can.
08:25But I don't think they'd look at me as a footballer, which I really enjoy.
08:29And it just means when I'm with them, I can just be myself and just enjoy being one of the
08:33lads.
08:34So if the manager gives you a day off, what would you do?
08:37It depends on the weather. If it's like a weekday and it's good weather, I'll play golf with a few
08:41of the lads here.
08:42And we'll get out in the sun.
08:44Are you any good?
08:45I'm all right. Listen, I can play. I'm not the greatest, but I'm not the worst.
08:48Who do you play with here?
08:50The group right now is me, Kino, Lewis Potter, Chris, Azure, Hakon, Valdemersen.
08:57It's a good crew because we have a lot of players and we do a little Ryder Cup stall here.
09:01So it's staffy players.
09:02Wow.
09:03Yeah, because there's a lot of players and we done that last year.
09:06So we done 18 holes in the morning.
09:08We went for some lunch and then we done 18 holes in the afternoon.
09:12And yeah, it was really good fun. Players won.
09:15Oh, that was a nice question.
09:16Have you got any secret hobbies?
09:18I like cooking. Is that something?
09:21When I cook, I just like, I don't know, I think I just forget about everything.
09:23I'm just in my own little zone and just my head kind of goes quiet, which is nice.
09:28Yeah, yeah. Are you a good cook?
09:29It depends who you ask.
09:31If I was asking your girlfriend?
09:32Yeah, she's actually saying, no, you're getting better at cooking.
09:36Yeah, I was like, does that mean I was bad?
09:39Fair enough.
09:40What do people get wrong about you the most?
09:43Maybe I get a bit of stereotypical, oh, he's just a footballer.
09:46Like, maybe they, maybe they get that.
09:50And then, oh, he's actually pretty nice to talk to.
09:52He's all right.
09:53He's kind of relaxed.
09:54He's chill.
09:54Yeah, yeah.
09:56And just, I think, I always say, the main thing I just want to be,
09:59like, I always want to be just a good person as well.
10:01Like, I think that's important for me, just to be a nice person,
10:03a good person, a caring person.
10:05As much as I want to be the best footballer I can ever be,
10:07I also want to be, like, the best person I can be.
10:10And I think that's something that I always strive towards as well.
10:12What's the toughest moment of your career been?
10:14Has there been a tough moment?
10:15Tough?
10:15I had one game for Brentford against Wolves.
10:19And I had two mistakes in the game.
10:21I gave away two goals.
10:22We lost 3-1 or something like that.
10:24And I got battered off the Wolves fans.
10:26Because I just left Wolves and the fans had so much to go against me
10:29and so much stick.
10:30I was like, oh, my God, this couldn't have got any worse.
10:32But that, to be fair, that night Thomas Frank rang me
10:35and he's like, listen, yeah, that's probably the worst game
10:38you'll ever have in your career.
10:39And he's like, so it's only up from here.
10:41And I was like...
10:42That's a pretty good way of looking at that, actually, isn't it?
10:44You're not really wrong there.
10:45If you weren't a footballer, what would you have been?
10:48I don't know.
10:49I don't know.
10:50I don't have a clue.
10:53I'd never thought of anything.
10:54It's probably a good thing you were a footballer then.
10:55No, I'd never thought of anything else.
10:57That's the scary thing, like, I never thought of doing anything else.
11:00I never thought of participating.
11:01I was always sports.
11:03If it wasn't football, it would be a different sport, most likely.
11:05OK, then when you finish, could you see yourself, Nathan Collins, the coach?
11:09I don't know.
11:10I'd like to just relax maybe and stay away from football for a bit.
11:13As I put a lot into it and I put a lot of effort into it
11:17and try to learn and watch a lot about football.
11:19So maybe a bit of a break from there.
11:22I'd like to just relax for a few years and just play some golf.
11:26Chill out with my family.
11:28Sounds like quite a good plan.
11:29If you can do that, why not?
11:30And then maybe I'll get into sort of, maybe, I'd like business a bit.
11:33I'm trying to get into that, but I can't really.
11:35You're trying to get into business, aren't you?
11:36I'm trying to just like...
11:37What are you trying to get into?
11:37I don't know, really.
11:38I'm just trying to get into it a bit.
11:39Saying I'm trying to get into business is quite broad.
11:42Maybe become a crypto billionaire.
11:43That'd be nice, wouldn't it?
11:44It'd be quite nice.
11:45If you find out how to do that, let me know.
11:46Yeah, I will.
11:48As I said, I don't know.
11:49I'll see.
11:49I'll see when that comes around the corner.
11:52I'll take it a bit more serious.
11:53But now I'm trying to enjoy football.
11:55I'm getting the feeling that you're just one of those mixed games.
11:58Yeah, we'll see how it goes.
11:59I should have known that was going to be the answer.
12:00And what are you proudest of in your career?
12:03Probably playing for my country.
12:05Yeah, it was a big moment for me and my family.
12:09My family and my uncles, my cousins, we all had all the caps.
12:12Ireland, underage.
12:13We had 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21s.
12:15We never got a senior cap out of five people that played nearly professionally.
12:22We never got a senior cap.
12:24So for me to be able to get it, it was kind of just a good feeling for everyone that
12:29has impacted us in that journey.
12:32That family name can have that senior cap to it.
12:34That was a really proud moment.
12:35If you could only achieve one more thing in your career, what would it be?
12:39Win the World Cup.
12:41Everyone says that.
12:42Can I say that?
12:43Why can't you say that?
12:43You come in the World Cup.
12:44Yeah, that would be unbelievable.
12:45That's every place.
12:47Yeah, I think so.
12:47Yeah, that would be, yeah, that's the, I'd retire the next day.
12:52Thank you for your time.
12:53Perfect, thank you so much.
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