Jay Bothroyd interview (and hanging out with General Gaddafi's family)

[@owlstalk]

“These people on the internet calling me a 'one-cap wonder' and saying I didn’t deserve it, at end of the day they’re the failures," he says. "I achieved all my goals and am still achieving new ones."

 

 

During the 1999-2000 campaign when Bothroyd inspired Arsenal to the FA Youth Cup, Wenger told the 17-year-old he was planning on promoting him to the first team the following season. It never happened: after being substituted in the Premier League’s academy play-off final, Bothroyd threw his shirt towards youth team coach Don Howe. He was swiftly sold to Coventry.

 

Bothroyd admits that was a "mistake" but it did not stop him developing an unwanted reputation for being, in one manager's words, "high maintenance". It took an apparently unlikely move to Serie A club Perugia in 2003 to instil some much-needed discipline.

 

“Before, I always thought you’d muck about in training but in Italy, it was like a religion”, Bothroyd recalls. "Initially I found it really difficult to cope. I didn’t speak Italian, and I remember my first month’s phone bill was €7,000 [£6,119) because I was calling home the entire time. But my loved ones told me I needed to stick it out, and once I made some friends, I started enjoying it. It was the best thing I did."

 

One of those friends was Al-Saadi Gaddafi, an attacking midfielder and the son of Libya’s notorious dictator who was signed by Perugia's eccentric owner Luciano Gaucci. Al-Saadi has since been extradited to Libya on murder charges during his country's bloody civil war, but back then he was viewed as a harmless playboy, rich enough to pay for Bothroyd's honeymoon to Los Angeles and Hawaii.

 

“I just didn’t see that in him," he says. "I didn’t see any violence, didn’t see him disrespect his staff or speak down to anyone. He was softly spoken, generous - maybe too generous.

 

“One time during an international break he took the whole team on private jets to Monte Carlo, rented the top two floors of the Hermitage Hotel [where rooms can cost more than £500] and paid for every single player to have their own room.

 

 

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/03/26/exclusive-interview-jay-bothroyd-cult-hero-japan-one-cap-wonder/

[daleblue]

Good story. 

Good luck to him. 

[helmut_rooster]

Would rather have a real sloth playing for us than slothroyd. 

 

Right up there with the shıte we've had to endure over the years 

[gypsyowl]

full on tail, bad luck to him in the future 

[Jon Newsome]

He's a bit of a helmet but the fans did boo him off on his debut...

[@owlstalk]

5 minutes ago, Not Jon Newsome said:

He's a bit of a helmet but the fans did boo him off on his debut...

 

Rightfully so too

[Jon Newsome]

Just now, @owlstalk said:

 

Rightfully so too

 

Booing your own players is never right.

[@owlstalk]

Just now, Not Jon Newsome said:

 

Booing your own players is never right.

Makes em play better according to many fans

[Owl999]

Blimey that fella is plain stupid .

[CadTheOwl]

Now and again I listen to 'The Magic Sponge' podcast and Bothroyd has been spoken about by a pro (can't remember who) as the most arrogant t0ssp0t they've come across in football. He does come across as a grade A bottomface.

 

He's a shyte footballer n'all.

[Mr. Chow]

One of the most over rated players to play here, also got paid a ton for been poo everywhere 

[nethertonowl]

1 hour ago, Not Jon Newsome said:

 

Booing your own players is never right.

There’s always an exception to the rule and he most certainly was it! Beswetherick goes slated as our worst ever but Bothroyd was just a waste of good skin. 

[Stoop]

He scored loads for Cardiff and I thought we’d signed a 20 goal a season man at the time

 

Comes across as an unpleasant individual 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, @owlstalk said:

“These people on the internet calling me a 'one-cap wonder' and saying I didn’t deserve it, at end of the day they’re the failures," he says. "I achieved all my goals and am still achieving new ones."

 

 

 

Shame he didn't achieve many goals for us, at least he tried when we were on TV against Leeds though.

 

Remember him nearly hitting the roof of the Kop from about 6 yards out with the goal at his mercy in the last few minutes of one game, think it was Watford. Would only have been a consolation anyway due to FF running rings round us. 

[I'm an Essex Owl]

That shot high over the bar into the top of the Kop in the last minute after Watford had battered us (the same game he bottled taking a penalty).

 

You almost felt sorry for him but then you realised what a grade A T o s s er he was.

 

One of the main reasons all our positivity post promotion was p i s s e d away by Jones...

[daveyboy66]

5 hours ago, @owlstalk said:

 

Rightfully so too

He wasn't worth booing... that was more effort than he showed all match

[@owlstalk]

1 hour ago, daveyboy66 said:

He wasn't worth booing... that was more effort than he showed all match

Sooooooooo true

He didn't just not want to be here he made it as clear as he could any and every opportunity he could

[S36 OWL]

8 hours ago, helmut_rooster said:

Would rather have a real sloth playing for us than slothroyd. 

 

Right up there with the shıte we've had to endure over the years 

 

Only wednesday could sign the worst striker in football ,and be forced  to play him in every game , no matter how shiete he was. 

[Lambretta]

Was a great prospect having a wonderful track record of scoring lots of goals, came here with huge promise and totally failed

 

Sound familiar?

 

 

 

 

[CE-Owl]

12 hours ago, @owlstalk said:

“These people on the internet calling me a 'one-cap wonder' and saying I didn’t deserve it, at end of the day they’re the failures," he says. "I achieved all my goals and am still achieving new ones."

 

 

During the 1999-2000 campaign when Bothroyd inspired Arsenal to the FA Youth Cup, Wenger told the 17-year-old he was planning on promoting him to the first team the following season. It never happened: after being substituted in the Premier League’s academy play-off final, Bothroyd threw his shirt towards youth team coach Don Howe. He was swiftly sold to Coventry.

 

Bothroyd admits that was a "mistake" but it did not stop him developing an unwanted reputation for being, in one manager's words, "high maintenance". It took an apparently unlikely move to Serie A club Perugia in 2003 to instil some much-needed discipline.

 

“Before, I always thought you’d muck about in training but in Italy, it was like a religion”, Bothroyd recalls. "Initially I found it really difficult to cope. I didn’t speak Italian, and I remember my first month’s phone bill was €7,000 [£6,119) because I was calling home the entire time. But my loved ones told me I needed to stick it out, and once I made some friends, I started enjoying it. It was the best thing I did."

 

One of those friends was Al-Saadi Gaddafi, an attacking midfielder and the son of Libya’s notorious dictator who was signed by Perugia's eccentric owner Luciano Gaucci. Al-Saadi has since been extradited to Libya on murder charges during his country's bloody civil war, but back then he was viewed as a harmless playboy, rich enough to pay for Bothroyd's honeymoon to Los Angeles and Hawaii.

 

“I just didn’t see that in him," he says. "I didn’t see any violence, didn’t see him disrespect his staff or speak down to anyone. He was softly spoken, generous - maybe too generous.

 

“One time during an international break he took the whole team on private jets to Monte Carlo, rented the top two floors of the Hermitage Hotel [where rooms can cost more than £500] and paid for every single player to have their own room.

 

 

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/03/26/exclusive-interview-jay-bothroyd-cult-hero-japan-one-cap-wonder/

 

In summary, he's as good a judge of character as he is a footballer.