EXCLUSIVE: My talent was going to waste... I had to change my life, says Bothroyd

EXCLUSIVE: My talent was going to waste... I had to change my life, says Bothroyd
By SAMI MOKBEL
Last updated at 8:11 AM on 11th August 2011

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Redemption: Jay Bothroyd is back in the Premier League
Jay Bothroyd calls it his Jerry Maguire moment. The moment he knew he had to change.
After being booted out of Arsenal for throwing his shirt at the highly respected Don Howe after being substituted in a youth-team match against West Ham, Bothroyd was facing up to life on the football scrapheap.
Following his bust-up with Howe, Bothroyd was shipped off to Coventry before moving on to Perugia, Blackburn, Charlton, Wolves and Stoke — all this before his 26th birthday.
Bothroyd admits his career was going nowhere — fast. Howe, Gordon Strachan and Mick McCarthy all failed in trying to unlock the potential that led Arsene Wenger to say he regrets the centre forward leaving north London when he did.
But then came that moment, the moment his agent made him see the error of his ways.
For those of you who have not seen Jerry Maguire, the movie tells the tale of how Maguire, a sports agent played by Tom Cruise, revives the career of down-on- his-luck American footballer Rod Tidwell, played by Cuba Gooding Jnr.
For Cruise read agent Sky Andrew and for Gooding Jnr read Bothroyd.
‘The turning point in my career was my agent sat me down and really let me have it,’ said Bothroyd. ‘This is the first time I’ve ever spoken about this — but he sat me down and really embarrassed me.
‘He said that with the ability I have I was wasting my career. He made me feel really small and made me feel like I’d achieved nothing — he was right.
‘It all happened in my front room, he spoke to me — in front of my wife — for about two hours, it was really harsh. When he left I was just gutted about what he said. But I remember lying in bed that night thinking to myself, “He’s actually right”.

Life through film: Bothroyd had his 'Jerry Maguire' moment after leaving Arsenal
'So I knew I had to turn my life around. Otherwise it would be like having all the ability in the world but not doing anything with it. I don’t want to be that person.
‘It’s like someone who is addicted to cigarettes. They are only going to quit for themselves. I wanted to turn my life round for myself, but Sky was the one who made me see that the way I was living my life was wrong.
‘We laugh about it now — we call it our Jerry Maguire moment. What I remember the most was that he said I’d got to love the game and play for myself, not for the lifestyle.
‘You need to live, eat, sleep football. I did that. I changed my eating habits, I don’t go out. I rest when I need to rest. I train as I play and hopefully things have turned round for me.’

Bad boy: Bothroyd was booted out of Arsenal
It looks as if that rollicking did the trick. Now instead of dreading turning up to training at Wolves every day, the 28-year-old is gearing up for the new Premier League season with Queens Park Rangers, who face Bolton at Loftus Road on Saturday.
He also arrives in the top flight as a full England international, having won his only cap in the 2-1 defeat by France in November after catching the eye of boss Fabio Capello playing in the Championship for Cardiff last season.
But Bothroyd does not forget the people at Arsenal who he says helped him get there. The striker says he owes a lot to Wenger, Howe and Pat Rice, still assistant boss, and Neil Banfield, the reserve-team manager.
‘When I was 17 or 18 I was a cocky lad from north London,’ admits Bothroyd. ‘I suppose when you’re young you don’t realise what you’ve got until you lose it. The circumstances in which I left Arsenal were a massive mistake in my life. But I’ve turned it round. Obviously I’m not playing for Arsenal again, but I’m playing at the top level and playing international football.
‘I had to do it the hard way. But I have to say thank you to Arsenal for the education they gave me. The way I play is all down to Don Howe, Arsene Wenger, Pat Rice and Neil Banfield — but I know I went a step too far with what I did.
‘When I hear Wenger say it’s one of his regrets letting me go, you think what might have been. But I have to move forward.

Reborn: Bothroyd (left) finally found his feet at Cardiff but left this summer
‘I didn’t have the best of times at Wolves. Mick McCarthy is a really nice guy but for whatever reason we didn’t see eye to eye. At Wolves, I didn’t enjoy going to training. People say, “How can you not enjoy playing football?”
‘But it’s like someone who feels they are in a dead-end job and dreads going into the office every day. So I went to Cardiff and knew I had to make myself indispensable. I did that and I really enjoyed it. It was a special time for me at Cardiff. But now I’ve got a different mind-set from when I last played in the Premier League.
‘I’ve gone full circle and it really is full circle. If you had said to me five years ago I would be playing for England, then I wouldn’t be agreeing with you, put it that way.’

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Warnock reveals frustration over failure to land Swansea’s Danny Graham

* by Phil Blanche, Western Mail
* Aug 11 2011

QUEENS PARK RANGERS boss Neil Warnock has revealed how his move for record Swansea City signing Danny Graham came to nothing.

Graham was the first player recruited by boss Brendan Rodgers following Swansea’s promotion to the Premier League, the 25-year-old striker joining from Watford in a £3.5m deal.

But Warnock, who masterminded QPR’s march into the top flight last season, has now disclosed that Graham was top of his summer wish-list.

“I spoke to Danny Graham for a number of weeks,” said Warnock.

“We looked at Danny and Wayne Routledge, but it was never meant to be and we had to move onto other targets, wages-wise and transfer fee-wise.

“I might be disappointed that I haven’t got Danny, Wayne or one or two others, but I’m not worrying about that.”

Warnock’s future at QPR has come under scrutiny despite the Londoners’ march to the Championship title last season.

The Yorkshireman has had to deal mainly in free transfers this summer – picking up the likes of Jay Bothroyd from Cardiff City and Wales defender Danny Gabbidon from West Ham – and also missed out on Routledge.

The pacy 26-year-old winger was influential in Rangers’ title success after joining on loan from Newcastle in the second half of the season – but completed a £1.8m deal to Swansea this summer.

“He did very well for me last season. He’s a good player and if we hadn’t had him we wouldn’t have gone up,” said Warnock.

“ He came in at a time when Jamie Mackie broke his leg.

“He didn’t feel he got a great opportunity at Newcastle and I could sense that when he came with us.

“He gives you something else because when he picks the ball up everyone gets excited.”

“ He’ll be a major player for Brendan in the Premier League because he’s got something to prove.”

Rodgers said he has tracked Routledge’s career since spotting his potential as a teenager around the London area.

“I’ve known Wayne since he was 13 years of age,” said Rodgers, the former Reading youth and reserve-team chief.

“As a young coach I saw him develop and he was one of the best young players I’d seen throughout Europe.

“When I went to Chelsea, looking at club talents, I followed his career.

“He’s a player that’s got that X-Factor, brilliant in the duel and how we play in the 4-3-3. It’s a perfect style for him to play in.

“He’s a player that’s really exciting and he’s really hungry to prove that he can be an established player in the Premier League.

“He’s a boy who loves his football, and broke onto the scene at 17 at Palace.

“He’s been around a few clubs and hasn’t established himself, but now he’s got the chance to show all the qualities he has for us.”

Meanwhile, Warnock believes he can bring the best out of Bothroyd for the former Cardiff striker to break back into the England fold.

Bothroyd won his solitary cap in the 2-1 friendly defeat against France at Wembley last November.

“We’ve taken DJ Campbell and Jay Bothroyd and I don’t think I could have got anyone any better than those two lads,” said Warnock.

“Both have got things to prove, Campbell did it at Blackpool last year – scored 12 or 13 goals – and Bothroyd’s got so much ability.

“People forget that he played for England last year and he’s got all the attributes that a top-class striker needs.

“He’s at the stage of his career that if he gets his head right this year then he could get back in the England team.”

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnat..../#ixzz1UhOVwUDA