Jason McAteer interview, incl comments on Keane, Kerr, Mick...
Jason McAteer
The former Ireland midfielder on why he likes Keane the band, if not Keane the player. And at long last, the truth behind the infamous McAteer pizza story.
Sean Ingle
Friday March 4, 2005
McAteer: the only man in the world to celebrate the nickname 'Trigger'
Hello, is that Jason McAteer?Hello Small Talk, how's life?
Only fair to middling, Jason. Yourself?Not bad - I'm just picking up some furniture at the moment. Can you give me a call back in 20 minutes?
[20 minutes pass, Small Talk calls again, McAteer is as cheery as ever]
You're organising a tsunami benefit football match at Anfield on March 27...Yes, I am. It came about after I watched a BBC documentary on the disaster, which was absolutely shocking. I went to bed and thought: 'It's easy to put your hand in your pocket, give £20 and forget about it, but I want to do more'. The easiest thing that came to mind was to arrange a Liverpool legends v celebrities match.
You've got some big names turning up: Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen, Kevin Keegan, John Barnes, Brian McFadden...
[Laughs] The response has been fantastic - both teams are really up for it too, so it's going to be tasty. John Aldridge is in training at the minute, he's never out of the gym every time I phone him. [A squeaky voice suddenly interrupts. It's McAteer's four-year-old son. "Course you can be a mascot, son."]
You've mentioned some great names there. Who's the best player you've played with or against?
Whenever footballers answer this, they always cheat. They mention the most famous player they've been on a pitch with, even if they never got near them during a game. Roberto Baggio would be mine, but my toughest opponent was actually John Salako. He twisted me inside out when I played for Liverpool.
And the best player you've played with?
It grinds me to say it but I'd have to say Roy Keane. He was different class.
What was the last thing you said to Keane? That you'd prefer to buy a Bob the Builder CD than his autobiography?
Yeah, I'd read his book and it didn't really do anything for me. To be fair it was bought for me by Gavin McCann as I said I'd never buy it. Roy was very detrimental to some people I like, although [ghost writer] Eamon Dunphy definitely put words in his mouth. After we clashed during the Sunderland v United game, I mouthed to him: 'put it all in your next book'. He responded by catching me on the side of the head with his elbow. Or, as the Man United fans like to put it, my head hit his elbow.
You didn't get on well with Graeme Souness either, did you?
Man-management isn't one of his strongest points. At Blackburn you could count on both hands and feet how many players he upset, but that's just the way he is: he feels that's how to get the best out of players. I'm not a lover of that management style and there are plenty of other players who feel the same.
But you always got on with Mick McCarthy, who divides opinion too...
He's a very, very loyal person, Mick. Sometimes his hands are tied by people above him, but his man-management is fantastic. People slag him off now, but when he took over from Jack Charlton, Ireland weren't blessed with world-class players, yet he still got us to the World Cup. But that wasn't enough for some people. It just disappointed me. He fulfilled the job the fans expected and then they still weren't happy.
You feel he's been wronged, then?
Definitely. Everything was shadowed by the Keane incident in Saipan and it was a shame, a real, real shame. He also left Brian Kerr with an absolute abundance of talent. Kerr's really only had to tweak a few things and that's why he's having so much success.
What's been your best moment in football?
Scoring the winner against Holland in the World Cup qualifier in 2001. The Dutch had already booked their hotels in Japan and Korea so it was lovely to wipe the smiles off their faces. Fantastic, absolutely fantastic time.
Playing at World Cup 1994 in your early 20s must rank fairly highly too...
Oh yeah - particularly the win against Italy. Their players were like icons and I remember standing in the tunnel thinking 'I saw you last month on Gazzetta Italia'. The next thing I remember I was being thrown on for Ray Houghton, who'd given us the lead. He wasn't happy, but I couldn't believe my luck. I came pretty late to football and in three years I'd gone from Bolton's first to the World Cup. Magic.
OK, onto the important questions now. What was the last CD you bought?
The Killers.
So you're a baggy-jean wearing indie man?
I like all that stuff, Kasabian, Keane.
[Small Talk nearly splutters into our sun-dried tomato focaccia] Keane?!
Yeah, I was made up that they won an award at the Brits. It was well deserved, brilliant.
And the last film you saw?You're not going to believe this, but yesterday I went to see The Magic Roundabout (laughs). One to avoid, trust me.
Your nickname is Trigger. Small Talk's always wondered whether the famous McAteer pizza story is urban myth or fact?
It is true mate, yeah. They asked if I wanted a whole pizza cut into four or eight and I said four because I'd never eat all of it.
You come across as pretty intelligent for a footballer, though...
In football, everyone gets an image and I always found that by having this slightly dim-witted one I could get away with murder. It also helped me play more matches.
Really?
Yeah. Managers mostly saw me as a happy-go-lucky person and wouldn't bother me. Because I didn't mind where I played, I'd never be an issue when they were worrying about team selection.
