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VOLUME 01 / ISSUE 04 / OCTOBER 19

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FA NC Y

an Wonderland... We take a walk through the Belgi

FL UT TE R?

Something in the

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CONTENTS

LINE UP Editor Danny Stone editor@halftimewhistle.co.uk TEL:0207 3055844

Sub Editor Laurence Kilpatrick Marketing Manager Hassan Allan marketing@halftimewhistle.co.uk TEL: 0207 3055845 Art Editor Dave Partridge art@halftimewhistle.co.uk Cover illustration Kevin February Features Writer Josh Modaberi

BELGIUM SPECIAL

Wordsmiths Danny Stone

5 Images ©ACTIONIMAGES unless indicated otherwise Printed by Bishops Printers Ltd, Walton Road, Farlington, Portsmouth PO6 1TR

BELGIUM FEATURE: SOMETHING IN THE CHOCOLATE? We take a walk through the Belgian wonderland.

X-ILES John Bostock bucks the trend with a move to Belgian side Royal Antwerp.

11 STICKERBOOK HTW’S current Belgian best XI.

halftimewhistle @htw_mag

13 JIMMY FLOYD HASSLEBAINK Burly striker-turned touchline pragmatist.

15 YOUNG GUNS PSV’s wonderkid Zakaria Bakkali

ONE-ON-ONE: TUBES! We turn the tables on football’s most unique interviewer.

20 CHASE & STATUS Arsenal fan Will (Status) on his chart-topping due and table-topping Arsenal!

22 FANCY A FLUTTER? We join forces with Betfred to preview the month’s football .

28 PUB GUIDE Can’t get to the game? Watch it in a HTW recommended pub instead.

29 MIND GAMES

© Halftime Whistle magazine 2013. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or reproduced without prior consent of the publisher. The publishers recognise all copyrights contained in this issue. Where possible we acknowledge the copyright holder.

The HTW quiz plus win a copy of Football Manager 2014!

30 TV GUIDE

BELGIUM SPECIAL

Something in the an Wonderland... We take a walk through the Belgi ence Kilpatrick Words: Danny Stone and Laur

amed for its waffles, moules-frites, chocolate, Tintin and - of course - its premium lagers, Belgium has given much to the world, however, as the locals will tell you, in the sporting arena the Flemish have so far left a rather modest legacy. That said, the winds of change have been blowing across this area of the Low Countries of late and owing to the explosion of talent that has been lighting up the Premiership, optimism is high amongst football fans at least. Indeed, Messrs. Benteke, Hazard, Lukaku, Mirallas and Fellaini have become as synonymous with our Saturday evening’s entertainment as their more viscous fellow expatriates Hooegarden, Leffe and Stella Artois. The Belgium question has, to a certain extent, been on the lips of the football community for some time. English fans in particular have been looking-on enviously as the seemingly inexhaustible conveyor-belt of talent hailing from across the channel carves its way through Premier League defences, in so doing making a mockery of our own national side’s pretensions to glory. If you add to this the media frenzy which has been whipped up in the wake of - pseudo-Belgian - Adnan

Januzaj’s exploits for Man United, we can safely say that the cat is out of the bag on this particular ‘Golden Generation’. All this hype surely begs the question (pay attention Greg Dyke): what factors and circumstances have combined to usher in this new era of Belgian football? Is it careful planning, revolutionary youth development, downright luck, or a bit of all three? Halftime Whistle went on the hunt for answers and asked some of the people in the know.

Changing history Unlike their namesakes in Northern England, the ‘Red Devils’ of Belgium (aka the national side) are anything but a footballing dynasty and have historically flattered to deceive. Despite being the same size as Portugal their only notable International achievements arrived in 1980 when they finished as runners-up in the European Championships and, before that, a highly controversial Olympic Gold Medal in 1920. Between the years of 1938 and 1982 they qualified for only four World Cups before a ‘Golden Era’ of sorts saw them qualify a further five times including a highly impressive fourth place finish at Mexico in 1986.

However, at the turn of the Millennium the footballing mood of the country turned sour. At Euro 2000, Belgium became the first ever host nation not to advance from the group stages and then, two years later, succumbed in the second round of the 2002 World Cup to England’s quarter-final conquerors Brazil. It was around this time that Michel Siblon - Technical Director at the Belgian FA - in an attempt to take Belgium’s footballers to

We produced a pamphlet. We wanted everyone playing the same way.

Michel Siblon, Technical Director, Belgian FA 05

BELGIUM SPECIAL

FOOL’s, GOLD In the gold medal match of the 1920 Summer Olympic Games, Belgium’s opponents, Czechoslovakia, forfeited the match on the grounds that they felt the referee (an Englishman, good lad) was completely incompetent!

Brazil and Portugal, and they currently occupy their highest ever FIFA ranking of sixth; an improvement of 39 places in the space of ten years.

It’s all good developing talent, but you have to have talent in the first place!

Gary Niblock

the elusive next level, decided to intervene. Speaking to Halftime Whistle, he explained that his proposal was a simple one: “We produced a pamphlet - a book which centred on a plan for three target groups; working up from coaching in schools to clubs and then the national team.” A universal football mentality was one of the core aspects of his plan, “We wanted everyone playing the same way, all through the age groups. A 4-3-3 formation would be implemented, with wingers, three in midfield, and four at the back.” Siblon and his team worked hard to encourage a more technical approach which meant small sided games and delaying the progression to full-sized pitches until much later on in a young-player’s development. He explained the tensions which inevitably arose whilst trying to balance his long-term ambitions for the national team alongside the demands of individual club sides and their natural desire for immediate results. “Trying to convince people wasn’t at all easy. Winning came first for them – people didn’t care about the development of the players. Eventually we started to see results, quality players coming through after

about four or five years. Players were getting better so our approach was more and more trusted.” Opportunities for young players to enjoy game-time are improved by a domestic ruling which is still enforced and stipulates that 6 of the 18 players in the match day squad must be home grown. The Premiership’s attempt to promote English talent is scarcely comparable, and merely decrees that a club cannot name more than 17 non-home grown players over the age of 21 in its league squad. Siblon’s methods have seemingly been rewarded. At present the Belgian squad is the third most valuable in world football behind

FIVE TO WATCH

Julien Ngoy – Stoke City Yoeri Tielemans – Anderlecht Zakari Bakkali – PSV Eindhoven (see p15) Mathias Bossaerts – Man City: Yannick Ferreira Carrasco – AS Monaco

No magic bullet However, there are many who feel that the recent upturn isn’t quite as clear-cut as Siblon makes out. According to Belgian football expert Rudy Nuyens, changes in the domestic structure are only partially responsible. “You have generations of highs and generations of lows. Yes some clubs have invested in new academies, such as Anderlecht and Standard Liege, but many players also go abroad and a large part of the job is actually done away from Belgium.”

BELGIUM SPECIAL It’s a view supported by Gary Niblock, the editor of Belgian football website benefoot. net. “To borrow a phrase from JFK, there is no magic bullet. There is a combination of factors.” He reiterates that many of Belgium’s best players never actually played in their domestic league. The now-defunct Germinal Beerschot had in place a link with Ajax whereby players would move away from Belgium prior to signing professional terms, a set-up that expatriated players like Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld before they had made any kind of impression on their native league. Eden Hazard and Kevin Mirallis were part of a similar arrangement. Niblock thinks Geography has also contributed to this exodus of youthful talent. Belgium finds itself – in footballing terms at least – sandwiched between more traditionally esteemed nations: France, Holland and Germany; and when you consider that the journey from Antwerp to Amsterdam takes no longer than travelling from Bristol to London, and the fact that the official languages of Belgium are French and Dutch, the cultural and logistical fluidity of the region means that relocating across borders is less of a quantum leap for young footballers. So even if professional Belgian clubs were not directly responsible for these players’ development, how did they come to be good enough to be pinched by Europe’s elite?

Nature vs Nurture Nuyens feels that many of the success stories are merely “coincidental” and cannot be traced to any main source: “The way I see it, it’s all well and good talking about developing talent

A large part of the players’ development is done abroad, away from Belgium. Rudy Nuyens but you have to have talent to develop in the first place! Look at Yoeri Tielemans, he joined Anderlecht aged five – they saw something at such a young age. Can you really say he’s a product of a system, or was he born with it?” This raises age-old considerations that go far beyond football, and some that are especially pertinent to the Belgian national team. Many have noted that the squad has greatly benefited from Belgium’s nationality laws, which are among the most relaxed in Europe. As Niblock explains: “It’s quite easy to become a Belgian national because you can get citizenship after two or three years.” In the 2012 census, people of foreign background and their descendants - dubbed ‘New Belgians’ amounted to an estimated 25 % of the total population. In football terms, Niblock identifies two main consequences of this. “For non-EU players, this facilitates moves to places like England where strict work permit rules exist, but this also means that Belgium as a nation

have a better pool of talent to choose from.” With around 450,000 descendants currently registered, Moroccans are the predominant group of immigrants in Belgium and have provided rising stars such as Nacer Chadli, Marouanne Fellaini and Zakari Bakkali. In addition, the former Belgian colony DR Congo has contributed the fearsome strike partnership of Christian Benteke and Romelu Lukaku. But, then again, this is nothing new. In 1998, Belgium took brothers Emile and Mbo Mpenza (remember them?!) to the World Cup, with the latter born in Kinshasa – the capital of what was then Zaire - the birthplace of Villa striker Benteke.

Diagnosis So is it just luck or have all these factors played a part? I guess we’ll never know for sure. What we do know is, having qualified comfortably for the World Cup, this Golden Generation is made up of both individual brilliance and a collective harmony. Perhaps this generation is unwittingly benefitting from the defects of its predecessors. The frailty of the national side reached its nadir in the noughties when they dropped to a record low FIFA ranking of 66 in 2009, paving the way for talented youngsters to be blooded in the International arena. As Maroune Fellaini points out, this has created a novel scenario where the members of the national side have grownup together with a club-like dynamic: “We’ve been playing together since we were young, since maybe 11 or 12, so this obviously helps the team.” Either way, everything is seemingly falling into place and at just the right time.

FIFA RANKING POSITION

BELGIUM’S RISE IN THE FIFA RANKINGS 6 21

45 55

49 54

57 66

04 20

05 20

06 20

07 20

08 20

09 20

0 201

1 201

2 201

3 201

JOHN BOSTOCK

With a plethora of Belgian stars turning to England to enhance their football education, Halftime Whistle caught up with a young man who has gone in the opposite direction.

Bostock on his Palace debut, aged just 15!

n November 2007 John Bostock burst onto the scene when he became the youngest player ever to start for Crystal Palace, still 70 days short of his sixteenth birthday. The playmaker continued to set tongues-a-wagging some months later when he moved to Tottenham, becoming their youngest ever player as well when he turned out in a UEFA Cup tie. Despite these auspicious beginnings, Bostock was released by Spurs this summer after just four starts for the North London side. Now, still only 21, the former England Under-17 captain has joined up with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink at Belgian side Royal Antwerp. We caught up with Bostock to see how things were going.

Halftime Whistle: What was it like starting your career at such a young age at Crystal Palace? John Bostock: First of all I would like to say thank you to Palace - they are still very close to my heart. I was a season ticket holder at Selhurst Park since I was five so to make my debut at 15 was a dream come true. I follow their results closely now and looking back I had great memories from

my time there. I grew up as a person and a player there and it was fantastic to be the youngest player in the club’s history. HTW: And how was your experience at Spurs? JB: The season I joined was a big transition; I went from training with the first team every week at Palace to playing with the youth and reserves at Spurs. I was signed by the sporting director at Tottenham at the time Damien Comolli, then he got sacked and Juande Ramos left. Harry Redknapp came in who is a very good manager but it was difficult because the person overseeing my development had left. However, I learned a lot. The coaching staff were really good. Tim Sherwood, Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsey helped my game a lot. It was a great education, it’s just a shame I couldn’t push on to the first team. I hold the record for being the club’s youngest ever which is nice but it’s nothing like playing games every week! HTW: Your first taste of playing abroad was with Toronto FC. Was

Canada how you expected it to be? JB: I wasn’t too sure of what to expect from the MLS. Simon Dawkins played for San Jose Earthquakes and he told me not to be surprised about the quality of football and he was right - it’s a good league with a high standard, and a physical edge similar to that in England. There are a mix of players, some come through the colleges and then you have the likes of Thierry Henry, Tim Cahill, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane. And lots of South Americans as well. It was a good experience, Toronto is on the other side of the pond so it was nice to travel over there and get another cultural experience.

HTW: Why Antwerp? JB: There were a few talks with other clubs and a few other offers - but my agent and my family thought with Jimmy Floyd showing an interest in me this was the right place. I respected him a lot as a player, now as manager but, most importantly, as a person. When I had a meeting with him he spoke to me about his plans and he wanted to help me really push on again and it was a no brainer for me. HTW: Royal Antwerp have a tradition of taking British players due to their working closely with Man United – did that influence you at all? JB: Obviously I knew the links with United prior to signing and if Sir Alex was sending young players here then the infrastructure and football they play must be good enough to learn your trade from! Now I’m here I’ve been really impressed by the way the club is set up, right the way through, it’s a fantastic experience and I’m really enjoying my football again. HTW: Do the players and the coaches speak English? JB: Fortunately the coach does all the training sessions in English and the other players speak English as well! Jimmy played in England for a long time so his English is perfect. Antwerp is in the Flemish speaking side of Belgium and most Dutch people can speak English whereas the French side their English isn’t as strong. I’m trying to learn some Dutch and getting there slowly so hopefully I’ll be able to have more conversations in Dutch soon! HTW: How does the atmosphere in Belgian stadiums compare to back home? JB: In England football is more than just a sport and so the support is fantastic. It’s the same here: the fans have been absolutely amazing– I’ve never seen anything like it, the way they support their team home and away.

Bostock has talked of the similarities of style between the Belgian and English leagues

As a player I can only thank the way the Antwerp fans have welcomed me, moving over here was a big step but the fans being right behind me. HTW: Are there any things that you miss from back home? JB: Fortunately I’ve got BBC One and Two on my cable over here so I’m able to watch Match of the Day! Obviously I miss my family a lot, it’s strange driving to a shopping centre and no one is in the passenger seat. Apart from that, living over here is great and I’ve settled in pretty well, even the driving is okay! HTW: Looking back a little - you’ve represented England at youth level, what do you remember about those call-ups? JB: It was another fantastic experience, I was fortunate enough to be called up to the Under 16’s when I was 14-yearsold and played in the Victory Shield. I enjoyed my time playing for the u16’s, u17’s and it was an honour to captain my country at under 17 level. The last time I played for England was at the Under 19 Championships and we played Spain in the semi-finals, I came on as a sub and scored a goal, which was nice.

The temptation for young English players is to think England is only place to play football.

Playing at youth level for England was great and came up against some great talent, plus it’s every young boys dream to play for your country and for me it was a real honour. HTW: Do you still harbour hopes of playing for England again one day? JB: I’m focussing on my club football at the moment but having had a taste of playing at international level I would love to represent my country again. In the back of every player’s mind they think about winning a senior cap and you never know what’s going to happen, football changes so quickly. For me the most important thing is trying to make sure I’m playing well for Antwerp, improving myself and you never know what can happen from there. HTW: Would you recommend playing abroad to other young British players? JB: For young English players the temptation is to think that England is the only place to play football but there are lots of countries abroad where the playing style is very good. Over here in Belgium a lot of teams try to play the right way by getting the ball on the ground and trying to play. There is so much talent over in England and so many players, they should consider coming abroad. For me I was always open to the idea and it was just finding the right club and being in the right situation. I would recommend it but everyone is different and it has to be the right move for the individual. Royal Antwerp was definitely the right move, at the right time.

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Get in touch now and email: editor@halftimewhistle.co.uk

Kevin Mirallas Romelu Lukaku

Christian BENTEKE

I think the Belgians playing in the Premier League are of real quality.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink immy Floyd Hasselbaink rose to prominence in English football during spells with Leeds United, Chelsea and Middlesbrough and, more recently, as his career reached its twilight he managed to incorporate cameo stints at Charlton Athletic and Cardiff City before hanging up his boots and dedicating himself to a career on the other side of the white line; a path which has led him to Belgium and specifically, Manchester United’s feeder club, Royal Antwerp. His coaching career began in inauspicious fashion at Conference South side Woking Town. He then returned to Chelsea for a spell to work with the U16s before becoming a member of the coaching staff at Nottingham Forest. On 29th May 2013, Hasselbaink landed his

first managerial role at Belgium Second Division side Royal Antwerp and we caught up with him to see how he is negotiating the transition from burly striker to thoughtful touchline pragmatist. “Antwerp is a big club with a lot of history and a very good fan base,” he said. “I’m enjoying my time here, we’ve had a good start to the season which always helps, but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done both behind the scenes and in front of the scenes.” The Belgian side are possibly most famous for being Manchester United’s feeder club - a relationship organised and exploited by the now departed Sir Alex Ferguson - with players such as Danny Higginbothom, John O’Shea, Jonny Evans, Phil Bardsley, Dong Fangzhuo and Fraizer Campbell making the trip to Belgium whilst on the fringes of the United squad

JIMMY FLOYD HASSELBAINK

From burly striker to thoughtful touchline pragmatist.

to gain valuable experience in a European League. “It’s an exciting time for both me and the club; our ambition is to get promotion to the top league in Belgium. That is easier said than done and doesn’t always happen as quick as some people would like but at the moment we feel that if we can play at the top of our game for as long as possible then you never know what is possible. “Everyone linked with this club believes we should be playing in the top league every year and when we get there we should stay there, and we will structure ourselves so we can stay there. Before I arrived at the club we were over budget and I have had to bring that down and I also had to bring in new players.” Having spent the majority of his playing and coaching career in England, Jimmy was keen to stress both the physical and tactical differences between the two nations. “The styles of football are totally different,” the 41-year-old explains. “It is physical over here in Belgium but it’s different, it is very tactical, teams here play very defensively and you have to break them down. It’s quite a

The Belgium players in the Premier League are of real quality.

In Belgium, six out of the matchday 18 have to be Belgian. This [system] would be good for the English national team. bit different to what I have experienced in England.” On the International scene, Belgium are currently 6th in Fifa’s world rankings and you can barely scan the Premiership squad lists without stumbling upon the glut of young Flemish talent who will make up the core of their national side for years to come. Hasselbaink echoed this sentiment and said he can feel the fans’ excitement surrounding their emergent pool of talent. “I have quite a few young Belgium players in my team and you can see there is a lot of ability. At the moment the Belgian national side have a very bright future ahead with the World Cup and next Euro’s they will be a very exciting team to watch. “What they do in Belgium that they don’t do over in England is that six of the eighteen players named in the squad for a game have to be Belgian; their upbringing has to be here

in Belgium. That is why a lot of Belgian players get the experience of playing first team football and in England it is a little bit different, but if they followed suit I think it would be good for the English national team.” Jimmy is well-aware of the Belgian players plying their trade elsewhere, especially those who have ended up on British shores. “I think the Belgians playing in the Premier League are of real quality. Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne at Chelsea, Jan Vertonghen and Mousa Dembélé at Tottenham, and Marouane Fellaini has just joined Manchester United. They are all playing for great clubs and they are great to watch, and it shows when they play together for the national side.” Royal Antwerp currently lie fifth in the league with 6 wins from their 9 games and bearing in mind the Belgian playoff system which includes the teams finishing between 2nd and 4th in the league – Jimmy’s side have a good chance of being involved in the end-ofseason mix-up, and potential promotion back to the big-time.

Halftime Whistle’s guide to the hottest young talent

Zakaria Bakkali PSV EINDHOVEN

ith Adnan Januzaj having burst onto the scene in recent weeks, it appears the conveyor belt of talent at the Red Devils (that’s Belgium, by the way) has produced yet another young starlet. Yet there has been equally as much excitement for another hotshot forward recently called up to the Belgium senior side who, remarkably, is one year the junior of the Manchester United man. PSV Eindhoven’s Zakaria Bakkali, born in Liege but of Moroccan descent, hit the headlines and the history books when he became the youngest ever scorer of an Erividise hat-trick, doing so in the 5-0 win over NEC Breda in August. Aged just 17 years and 196 days, he beat the record previously held by a certain Arjen Robben. The diminutive winger / striker, standing just 5ft 5 inches tall, has enjoyed a prolific youth career for Belgium, to whom he pledged his future to this month, after some muted speculation he may opt for Morocco. With reported interest from a whole host of European clubs including David Moyes’ men, don’t be surprised to see and hear a whole not more about Zak-Bak.

Scan the QR code with your smartphone or tablet and watch Bakkali’s hat-trick now.

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ONE-ON-ONE:

TUBES

With lights dimmed and spotlight fixed, Josh Modaberi turned the tables on British football’s most unconventional interviewer. eter Dale is by no means a householdname. His face, however, is one that football fans all over the nation will instantly recognise. Sporting shaggy brown hair and rosy cheeks he is more likely to be mistaken for a weathered lower-league journey man than a youth-team prima donna, but to me and you he is simply the Tubes from Soccer AM, Sky Sports’ flagship breakfast football show. In the last decade or so Tubes has established himself as part of the furniture in British football, mainly through his inimitable approach to celebrity interviews. They normally involve a compliment-filled rap and are followed by his contrastingly poignant ‘one question and one question only’. It is a disarming formula that regularly produces hilarious results and is rolled out indiscriminately to footballers and Hollywood A-listers alike – no one is spared! Ahead of the launch of his new book,

Halftime Whistle’s Josh Modaberi caught up with Tubes to talk about his most memorable interviews, his love of the game, and the value of making the perfect cup of tea! Halftime Whistle: So tell us about your new book, Tubesology: The World According to Soccer AM’s Leading Pundit? Tubes: The publishers approached me to do it and I thought it was a joke! I assumed it was someone winding me up but my agent said that they really wanted to do it. The book is about the behind-the-scenes stuff that the viewers don’t get to see. I’ve also got lots of things footballers have told me, funny stories that have happened in the office. It’s a good laugh! HTW: How did your career at Soccer AM come about? Tubes: I started work experience at Soccer AM when I was 16 and just started off making

teas and stuff. Luckily I was the best tea maker they’d seen and that’s how I got the job... by making a great cuppa! HTW: What are your secrets to making a great cup of tea? Tubes: It’s all in the book, you have to read it! HTW: And the ‘Tubes’ nickname? Tubes: One day Tim Lovejoy called me up to the office and asked if I wanted to be a character because Rocket was away and they wanted to punish him by giving me a little slot, bringing the balls out for the end game. I said yes straight away. Tim said I was going to wear just a nappy and be called Peter ‘The Test Tube Baby’. I went along with it because I thought it would be a bit of a laugh even though it was the middle of November when it was freezing cold! It eventually got shortened down to just Tubes –not a great story but there you go!

ONE-ON-ONE Tubes: Hell yeah! Let’s go! HTW: You’re a big Chelsea supporter, what are your first memories of the Blues? Tubes: My Dad was the biggest Chelsea fan ever! Him and my mum were the first people ever to have their wedding reception at Stamford Bridge which made the papers. As soon as I was born I had a Stamford the Lion mascot cuddly toy put next to me and my Dad took me to games from about five. I used to complain about the cold and he would try to shut me up with Bovril and Wagon Wheels but ever since then I’ve had a season ticket.

journalists were like “what the hell is going on?” HTW: How about the worst interview? Tubes: Steve Coogan – what a massive knob head. He is probably the rudest man I’ve ever met. People had pre-warned me that he wouldn’t play along, that he’s arrogant, but I thought that it could be another Denzel case. He wouldn’t even shake my hand. I did this rap and he looked at me like I was an asshole which I thought was quite funny. As I was leaving I said thanks and he just said: “get out.” HTW: Who would you most like to interview that you haven’t? Tubes: Mila Kunas because she is FIT, and Gianfranco Zola. I was on an Easyjet flight with Zola but I was too scared to speak to him! He’s is an absolute hero of mine. HTW: If you could choose someone to ask you ‘one question and one question only? Who would it be?’ Tubes: Mila Kunas - and her question would be, do you want to come round to mine? HTW: And what would be your answer?

Steve Coogan – what a massive knob head. He is probably the rudest man I’ve ever met! 18

HTW: What has been your best moment supporting Chelsea? Tubes: The night in Munich winning the Champions League, definitely. Also this is a bit of a random one but we beat Liverpool 4-2 in the 1996-1997 FA Cup. It was the 4th round, we were 2-0 down at half-time and came back. I’ve never seen the Bridge like it. Mark Hughes came on as sub and completely changed the game. HTW: And finally, where do you see yourself being in ten years time? Tubes: Good question. That should be one of mine on a Saturday morning! I doubt I’ll be standing around rapping for a living let’s put it like that, but I would love to still be a part of football in some way. Tubes was promoting his new book Tubesology: The World According to Soccer AM’s Leading Pundit – released in November

HTW: Who has been your favourite person to interview on Soccer AM? Tubes: I’d have to say the best and most surprising was Denzel Washington. At these junkets I always turn up in a scruffy pair of jeans, my standard black shirt and a pair of Converse, while all the other journalists are suited and booted. I was told Denzel was going to hate me and tell me to get out but I thought at least it will be quite good for the piece - although I was a bit nervy that it might go tits up! I got in there, started doing my thing and he played along, probably the best play along ever. He shouted at me and at the end of the interview got me in a headlock saying, “Don’t Fuck with big Den, Tubes!” All the other

HTW: Whose name did you have on the back of your shirt? Tubes: It’s weird but I’ve never had names I’ve got all the kits and programmes but never names. It would have been Zola or Lampard probably. Maybe Mila Kunis could ask me why I’ve never had a name on the back of my shirt!?

CHASE & STATUS

CHASE STATUS AND

Chart-toppers, table-toppers, and now a sit-down with Halftime Whistle. For Arsenal fan Status there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful in his interview with Josh Modaberi. ill Kennard (left) is one half of drum and bass/dubstep powerhouse Chase & Status. Alongside Saul Milton, the pair have set new standards in electronic music, headlining club nights and festivals around the globe as well as becoming ever-presents in the charts, with their 2011 studio album No More Idols reaching number 2 in the UK. Ahead of the release of their third album Brand New Machine and accompanying UK tour - which both kick off this month - Halftime Whistle’s Josh Modaberi caught up with a beaming Will who is still on cloud 9 after the blistering start his beloved Arsenal have enjoyed so far this season. Will talks about his memories of music and football, his similarities with Arsene Wenger, and Peter Crouch throwing his shapes at one of his gigs! Enjoy!

Growing up in West London, how did you come to support Arsenal? It’s a bit controversial actually! I used to go

to Fulham games with a friend of mine from school. But my oldest friend’s Dad used to play for Arsenal in the fifties or sixties and he became a bit of a hero to us. He used to drag us to Highbury every now and again to watch the matches so eventually I became a Gooner. And who were your Arsenal idols? Obviously Ian Wright was the daddy but there have been a few. Dennis Bergkamp was an absolute legend and then there was the dream team of Vieira, Overmars, Henry, players like that. I’m showing my age here a little but Michael Thomas for that goal against Liverpool which won us the league in 1989 as well.

What has been your fondest memory supporting Arsenal? The Invincible Arsenal side that went the 2003-04 season unbeaten was just the perfect season really – a phenomenal team and style of football. That was probably the proudest period for me. Do you get down to the Emirates much? Not as much as I’d like to. My schedule means that we’re away pretty much every weekend. A close friend of mine and his brother have front row season tickets on the halfway line so I sometimes catch the odd Champions League game when a ticket is going spare.

If we sold out the Emirates it would be the biggest gig we’ve done. I hope that comes true!

CHASE & STATUS They’re amazing seats, you are as close to the players as you can be and you can hear them screaming and shouting at each other! Have you met any of the players or have any of the players been to your gigs? Not really any Arsenal players – I used to know Peter Crouch through mutual friends and he used to come to a few gigs. I’ve seen Jack Wilshere and some of the younger guys tweet about our music. I’ve always wanted to get in touch and meet up but never really had the time. Does Crouchy do the robot at your gigs I guess? (Laughs) Of course he does- what else would he be doing? It’s Crouchy – that’s his go-to move! What have you made of Arsenal’s start to the season? It’s a great time to be an Arsenal fan again although, that said, I don’t think anyone is holding their breath. There’s a lot of great teams this year and a long way to go but the stars are aligning a bit. I’m so proud of the patience that Arsene Wenger has shown amid the abuse he’s got for not winning anything. I’ve always respected Arsenal and they way they go about their business, sticking to their guns [we’ll excuse the pun] and not going wayward with the spending just to buy into the hype. It’s so nice to see Flamini back– it was really sad when he went. And now to have young players like Ramsey stepping up - I love that - and it’s a testament to the manager’s commitment to his players and to the long-term which I think is so important. Do you have a favourite football song? Probably the World Cup song that New Order did with John Barnes, World In Motion. I was a massive fan of theirs and that song was classic New Order. It was a great video as well and summed up that year, that World Cup, which holds so many good memories. Have you ever thought about doing a World Cup anthem? Yes actually- we were talking Peter Crouch practices his moves before another Chase & Status gig!

about it for the last one but just didn’t materialise. It’s a big thing to do, you’ve got to nail it. It’s got to have that mix of catchiness and commercial appeal but at the same time not be too awful! We shied away last time but I think now we would have the confidence and it would be an absolute honour. So taking you back now, how did you and Chase meet? We met just growing up in London just going out raving and what not. We both wanted to be DJ’s and played out of our bedrooms and at house parties and stuff. We ended up in Manchester together by coincidence and started to make music and try to get in the scene. We spent years and years buried away trying to learn our trade, staying focussed and knocking on the doors until eventually we got some breaks. We didn’t really go to Uni but here we are now! Has there been a stand out gig for you? This year we headlined the Other Stage at Glastonbury on the Saturday night and it was absolutely amazing. It’s such a special place, one of the most iconic festivals in the world with so much history. We played to like 60,000 people who backed every word. It’s always special there but that was like an out-ofbody experience. The Emirates has staged a few gigs, would that be a dream venue for you?

Yeah man. It’s an awesome stadium and so big- I think if we sold out the Emirates with the floor standing as well, it would be one of the biggest shows we’ve ever done and for personal, sentimental value it would be unreal. I definitely hope that comes true one day. You’ve got your own label MTA Records, signing lots of young British talent. Are there shades of Arsene Wenger in you? MTA has been going four or five years now and we’ve got so much talent - incredible young musicians, singers and rappers. For example, we’ve just signed a new girl Moko who is on our single Count On Me. Wenger might have more success than me but I can certainly see the comparisons with a football manager. We’re both developing youngsters over a long period of time, carefully deciding when to expose them to the mainstream public and if you get it wrong it could be a disaster. I’m always itching to see youngsters like Oxlade-Chamberblain play but Wenger obviously knows the right time to let those players come through. And finally, what can fans expect from the new album and tour Brand New Machine? There is a real collective mix on there, from hiphop to old-school nineties dance, rave sound, drum and bass, house and garage. The album features lots of established names like Nile Rodgers, Pusha T, Major Lazer plus new talent like Moko and Jacob Banks. The arena tour goes all over the UK until 16th November at the O2. Our live shows have a very good reputation for their energy and it’s great to have new material to show off so we’re super, super excited! Chase & Status new album Brand New Machine is out now and tour information can be found at www.chaseandstatus. co.uk or follow @chaseandstatus.

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