everybody's kung-fu fighting!
Aug. 6th, 2011 10:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meretriculaor, you know, discussing their fave plotbunnies. whichever. if you're not hanging out at ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
touchline right now, why not?
¡PROMPT FIESTA!
a preview of the insanity to be found within (and, you know, me wanting to save the html now that I've gone to the effort of coding it): quotespam, as promised!
Moving to Southampton and into a house with the other 'scholars’, [Bale] shared a room during the 2005/6 season with another football prodigy, Theo Walcott, now of Arsenal. They remain good friends. 'I think he came to the club at under-11s or under-12s so we knew each other from then,’ Bale says. 'All the boys living in that house had a lot in common. I’ve made a lot of friends out of it. But you can imagine what having 12 to 14 boys in a house would be like. Everybody was playing pranks on each other.’
Julia Upson, the lodge’s landlady, has fond memories of Bale and Walcott. 'Theo and Gareth? Always polite, always well-mannered,’ she said recently. 'They haven’t changed at all. They both liked jokes. Things like putting water on the top of the doors, and knocking on doors at night and running off. But nothing major.’
So who’s quicker these days, Bale or Walcott? Theo, Bale says. Did they ever race? 'No, but I know he’s quicker than me.’ How can you tell? 'Just look at him. If you see him, you’ll know you’re slower than him.’ source
Bale's tender years were frequently ignored as the critics passed judgment on his travails. He celebrated his 21st birthday last month, as ever without alcohol, being teetotal. There is a parallel with his former Southampton Academy room-mate and close friend Theo Walcott, who made the move to north London as a callow teenager and has played out his growing pains under a very public spotlight.
"I watched Match of the Day last Saturday," Bale says, "because I knew Theo had scored a hat-trick for Arsenal against Blackpool. I was watching it for his goals, not my own [against Stoke] and I was a bit surprised when Alan Hansen was critical of him because Theo couldn't really do much more than score a hat-trick. People do forget how young we are and they do expect a lot of us. But we know how to take that."
Bale's thoughts turn briefly to the international stage, where his Wales team will face England in Euro 2012 qualifying, raising the prospect of him going head-to-head with Walcott. "They are obviously massive favourites to beat us. We'll go in with no pressure and we'll just give it our all. You never know. We could cause a little upset."
But the discussion soon returns to his own determination to succeed, as Bale is taken back to New Year's Eve and a quiet night at home in London playing Fifa 2010 with his friend. "I had the Peterborough game around the corner so it was just me and him playing and chilling," he says. "It was nothing special, unlike most people in the world. I've had to make sacrifices. You are looked at by a lot of people so you have to keep a good image. But sometimes resting is better than going out and doing stuff." source
The faded red stripe running around the middle is the only outward indication that it is the property of Southampton Football Club.
Yet it was here, in Darwin Lodge, where the scholars of the Southampton academy lived from 1998 until May of this year.
More notably, for one season between 2005 and 2006, it was the residence of Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale. And they even shared room No 9 on the corner of the first floor.
Running Darwin Lodge was Julia Upson, a landlady whose job ranged from being cook and cleaner to counsellor and stand-in mother.
Upson is far too discreet to mention names and, in any case, she stresses that the overwhelming majority of scholars in her care were “fantastic”. And her face instantly lights up when she recalls her two most famous former residents.
“Theo and Gareth? Always polite, always well-mannered,” she says. “Lovely boys who just wanted to play football. And they haven’t changed at all.”
But what about away from the cameras; surely there must have been some mischief and the occasional telling-off?
“A few times for a bit of high jinks, but there was never anything serious with Theo and Gareth,” she says. “Just lots of playing jokes on each other. They both liked that. Things like putting water on the top of the doors. Knocking on doors at night and running off. Plenty of high jinks but nothing major. They are two genuinely nice people.”
So was their success just a once-in-a-lifetime coincidence?
“It was always felt that Theo could achieve great things,” says Upson, “but Gareth’s progress was less certain early on. Gareth was very determined, but he would beat himself up a bit sometimes. I remember him having an ankle injury and worrying if he would ever get into the Wales team.
“I think sharing a room helped both of them. They were a good influence on each other. You have got to have talent to start with, but you must be mentally strong too.
"Some players do let success go to their heads but, with Theo and Gareth, you always knew they had the right attitude and temperament.” source
"Is there anyone faster than me in football - well Theo Walcott at Arsenal for one. I used to room with him when we were both teenagers at Southampton and he is definitely quicker than me.
"We're good mates and I keep in contact with Theo regularly. But yes, he'd beat me in a race." source
Tottenham winger Gareth Bale supports Arsenal, according to Gunners and England starlet Theo Walcott .
Walcott revealed that the two good friends used to share a flat in Southampton while they were playing for the now League One outfit.
“We were room mates. We shared digs in Southampton and we actually signed the room somewhere where we were together. We wanted to make our mark! It’s probably gone now," he said.
“I’ve played with him since under-11s at Southampton. With him being an Arsenal fan, it’s just a shame he didn’t come to us!” source
Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale were starry-eyed 15-year-old room-mates at the Southampton Academy when they made their way nervously to Norwich for an Under-18 fixture one evening in January 2005.
The match had taken on great significance for both youngsters.
Walcott had been suffering a prolonged bout of teenage angst, to which the coaching staff responded by sheltering him from his favourite central striking role and shunting him out to a wide midfield position.
For Bale, the game was even more crucial. Not only was it his debut for the Under-18s but a suspicion was taking root at Southampton that a talent decimated by injuries and growth spurts was taking too long to blossom.
Malcolm Elias, head of recruitment at the Academy at the time, takes up the story.
"Gareth's family travelled all the way up to Norwich from Cardiff,' said Elias. "It was a make or break for him. There were a lot of doubters at Southampton. He had missed a lot of football for one reason or another and people were starting to question whether he was worth persevering with.
"Theo was going through a difficult time as well. We used to play him as a wide player because he was much younger than the other boys. We thought we were protecting him but Theo didn't like it because he wasn't scoring."
Southampton gave Bale his debut at left-back that day and changed tack by giving Walcott licence to play through the middle.
"In their own ways that day, they were both sensational," recalled Elias. "Theo scored a hat-trick by half-time. In the first half he was absolutely devastating as if he was saying to the staff, 'I can handle myself, you don't need to protect me'. "As for Gareth, he was well aware what was at stake but he was calm and composed and played brilliantly. That game was the turning point for him." source
and for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mardia, a special surprise...
(with apologies to the ladies from textsfromfutbol - I meant no disrespect! the joke had to be made.)
touchline right now, why not? ¡PROMPT FIESTA!
a preview of the insanity to be found within (and, you know, me wanting to save the html now that I've gone to the effort of coding it): quotespam, as promised!
Moving to Southampton and into a house with the other 'scholars’, [Bale] shared a room during the 2005/6 season with another football prodigy, Theo Walcott, now of Arsenal. They remain good friends. 'I think he came to the club at under-11s or under-12s so we knew each other from then,’ Bale says. 'All the boys living in that house had a lot in common. I’ve made a lot of friends out of it. But you can imagine what having 12 to 14 boys in a house would be like. Everybody was playing pranks on each other.’
Julia Upson, the lodge’s landlady, has fond memories of Bale and Walcott. 'Theo and Gareth? Always polite, always well-mannered,’ she said recently. 'They haven’t changed at all. They both liked jokes. Things like putting water on the top of the doors, and knocking on doors at night and running off. But nothing major.’
So who’s quicker these days, Bale or Walcott? Theo, Bale says. Did they ever race? 'No, but I know he’s quicker than me.’ How can you tell? 'Just look at him. If you see him, you’ll know you’re slower than him.’ source
Bale's tender years were frequently ignored as the critics passed judgment on his travails. He celebrated his 21st birthday last month, as ever without alcohol, being teetotal. There is a parallel with his former Southampton Academy room-mate and close friend Theo Walcott, who made the move to north London as a callow teenager and has played out his growing pains under a very public spotlight.
"I watched Match of the Day last Saturday," Bale says, "because I knew Theo had scored a hat-trick for Arsenal against Blackpool. I was watching it for his goals, not my own [against Stoke] and I was a bit surprised when Alan Hansen was critical of him because Theo couldn't really do much more than score a hat-trick. People do forget how young we are and they do expect a lot of us. But we know how to take that."
Bale's thoughts turn briefly to the international stage, where his Wales team will face England in Euro 2012 qualifying, raising the prospect of him going head-to-head with Walcott. "They are obviously massive favourites to beat us. We'll go in with no pressure and we'll just give it our all. You never know. We could cause a little upset."
But the discussion soon returns to his own determination to succeed, as Bale is taken back to New Year's Eve and a quiet night at home in London playing Fifa 2010 with his friend. "I had the Peterborough game around the corner so it was just me and him playing and chilling," he says. "It was nothing special, unlike most people in the world. I've had to make sacrifices. You are looked at by a lot of people so you have to keep a good image. But sometimes resting is better than going out and doing stuff." source
The faded red stripe running around the middle is the only outward indication that it is the property of Southampton Football Club.
Yet it was here, in Darwin Lodge, where the scholars of the Southampton academy lived from 1998 until May of this year.
More notably, for one season between 2005 and 2006, it was the residence of Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale. And they even shared room No 9 on the corner of the first floor.
Running Darwin Lodge was Julia Upson, a landlady whose job ranged from being cook and cleaner to counsellor and stand-in mother.
Upson is far too discreet to mention names and, in any case, she stresses that the overwhelming majority of scholars in her care were “fantastic”. And her face instantly lights up when she recalls her two most famous former residents.
“Theo and Gareth? Always polite, always well-mannered,” she says. “Lovely boys who just wanted to play football. And they haven’t changed at all.”
But what about away from the cameras; surely there must have been some mischief and the occasional telling-off?
“A few times for a bit of high jinks, but there was never anything serious with Theo and Gareth,” she says. “Just lots of playing jokes on each other. They both liked that. Things like putting water on the top of the doors. Knocking on doors at night and running off. Plenty of high jinks but nothing major. They are two genuinely nice people.”
So was their success just a once-in-a-lifetime coincidence?
“It was always felt that Theo could achieve great things,” says Upson, “but Gareth’s progress was less certain early on. Gareth was very determined, but he would beat himself up a bit sometimes. I remember him having an ankle injury and worrying if he would ever get into the Wales team.
“I think sharing a room helped both of them. They were a good influence on each other. You have got to have talent to start with, but you must be mentally strong too.
"Some players do let success go to their heads but, with Theo and Gareth, you always knew they had the right attitude and temperament.” source
"Is there anyone faster than me in football - well Theo Walcott at Arsenal for one. I used to room with him when we were both teenagers at Southampton and he is definitely quicker than me.
"We're good mates and I keep in contact with Theo regularly. But yes, he'd beat me in a race." source
Tottenham winger Gareth Bale supports Arsenal, according to Gunners and England starlet Theo Walcott .
Walcott revealed that the two good friends used to share a flat in Southampton while they were playing for the now League One outfit.
“We were room mates. We shared digs in Southampton and we actually signed the room somewhere where we were together. We wanted to make our mark! It’s probably gone now," he said.
“I’ve played with him since under-11s at Southampton. With him being an Arsenal fan, it’s just a shame he didn’t come to us!” source
Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale were starry-eyed 15-year-old room-mates at the Southampton Academy when they made their way nervously to Norwich for an Under-18 fixture one evening in January 2005.
The match had taken on great significance for both youngsters.
Walcott had been suffering a prolonged bout of teenage angst, to which the coaching staff responded by sheltering him from his favourite central striking role and shunting him out to a wide midfield position.
For Bale, the game was even more crucial. Not only was it his debut for the Under-18s but a suspicion was taking root at Southampton that a talent decimated by injuries and growth spurts was taking too long to blossom.
Malcolm Elias, head of recruitment at the Academy at the time, takes up the story.
"Gareth's family travelled all the way up to Norwich from Cardiff,' said Elias. "It was a make or break for him. There were a lot of doubters at Southampton. He had missed a lot of football for one reason or another and people were starting to question whether he was worth persevering with.
"Theo was going through a difficult time as well. We used to play him as a wide player because he was much younger than the other boys. We thought we were protecting him but Theo didn't like it because he wasn't scoring."
Southampton gave Bale his debut at left-back that day and changed tack by giving Walcott licence to play through the middle.
"In their own ways that day, they were both sensational," recalled Elias. "Theo scored a hat-trick by half-time. In the first half he was absolutely devastating as if he was saying to the staff, 'I can handle myself, you don't need to protect me'. "As for Gareth, he was well aware what was at stake but he was calm and composed and played brilliantly. That game was the turning point for him." source
and for
mardia, a special surprise... (with apologies to the ladies from textsfromfutbol - I meant no disrespect! the joke had to be made.)
