An interview with Jason Dozzell, by Callum McFadden for WFi.
What made the last couple of years the right time to tell your story in your book ‘Follow the Thunder’?
“I was trying to make sense of my life, really. Certain things were happening, and I needed to piece everything together. Sometimes, when you are trying to connect the dots, but the picture is unclear, you cannot see the full picture. I had to start from the beginning and work through everything, and a lot of things have become much clearer as a result.
“It has also been good therapy for me. Going through everything from start to finish has helped me understand things better. People know me as a footballer, but they do not necessarily know me as a person away from the pitch or understand how I got to where I am today. In that respect, writing the book has been a really positive experience, and I am glad I did it.”
You spent more than a decade at Ipswich Town, making a huge contribution to the club. Looking back, how proud are you of what you achieved there?
“I was a massive Ipswich supporter growing up, and I lived very close to the ground. If you had told me when I was 12 or 13 that, within three or four years, I would be playing on that pitch alongside people like Paul Mariner and Terry Butcher, I would never have believed you.
“It was incredible to go from watching those players and looking up to them to actually sharing a dressing room with them. If I had played just one game for Ipswich Town, I would have been delighted, so to go on and make more than 400 appearances was something special. I am incredibly proud of what I achieved, and being a local lad made it even more meaningful.”
You signed schoolboy forms while Sir Bobby Robson was still at Ipswich. What were your dealings with him like?
“I did not have a huge amount of contact with him, to be totally honest. He was the manager who signed me when other clubs were interested in me.
“I was very close to joining West Ham, but Ipswich came in on my 14th birthday. There was only ever going to be one winner because Ipswich was the club I supported. I lived nearby, and it was the club I had always wanted to play for. West Ham were understandably disappointed, but for me, Ipswich was always the place I wanted to be.”
You nearly joined West Ham as a youngster, yet later worked under one of their greatest managers, John Lyall, at Ipswich. What was he like to work with, particularly during the title-winning season?
“When John Lyall first arrived, I did not realise he knew I had trained with West Ham as a youngster. During one of our first conversations, he said something along the lines of, ‘I’ve got you at last.’ That made me feel a million dollars.
“We had great success together. In the season we won the title, I do not think we necessarily had the best team, but we had the best manager. That is my opinion, anyway. I was delighted to work with him for several years, and the success we enjoyed made it a very special period of my career.”
Your career coincided with the introduction of the Premier League in 1992. What do you remember about that transition?
“It was all a bit strange at first. I remember one of the early games, when Manchester City played on a Friday night, and there was suddenly all this razzmatazz surrounding everything.
“Football seemed to move up another level almost overnight. The exposure increased, television became even more important, and the game seemed to get back on track after some very difficult and rather dull years. At that point, there was a sense of uncertainty about where football was heading.
“When you look at where the game is now, you can see that the Premier League was the beginning of a revolution. I am glad I was able to experience that transition as a player.”
After your success at Ipswich, several clubs were interested in signing you. What made Tottenham Hotspur the right move?
“I was not actively looking to leave Ipswich. I was away on pre-season in Finland, and the plan was to renegotiate my contract. I never expected to leave, but everything happened very quickly.
“Tottenham had been my second team as a boy. That goes back to the 1981 FA Cup final against Manchester City, which was an iconic game with some fantastic goals. I had always admired Tottenham, so when the opportunity came along, I took it.
“To play for the club you supported growing up, and then to have the opportunity to represent both Ipswich and Tottenham, was a fantastic experience for me.”
You have spoken openly in the book about the difficulties that can come with professional football, the spotlight and life after the game. How important was it to address those experiences?
“I had the talent from a very young age, but the question is whether I was psychologically ready to enter that world so early in my life.
“I was taken out of school during my final year, and the culture around football at that time involved drinking and other things that came with the environment. I do not think I was necessarily prepared for all of that mentally.
“I would not change my experiences for the world, though. Moving to London was not simply a case of moving to another city; it was like entering the biggest playground in the world. There were opportunities everywhere, but there were also dangers, and you had to learn how to navigate them.”
How did you cope with the pressure and scrutiny, particularly when you were representing England and regarded as one of the country’s most promising young players?
“That is part of the deal when you become a professional footballer. You have to be mentally equipped to deal with different things, including criticism and pressure.
“If you cannot handle those challenges, it becomes very difficult to make it at that level. You have to learn to deal with the scrutiny and move beyond the setbacks rather than allowing them to affect you too much.
“It was challenging, but I was prepared to take those challenges on and deal with the pressure that came with the career.”
You remain the youngest goalscorer in the history of England’s top division. Did you think Max Dowman might finally break that record?
“Max Dowman certainly gave me a scare! When I first saw him playing last season, around August, he had until March to break the record. I thought it was going to happen because he is that good.
“Whether another player of his ability comes along, I am not sure. He is a special talent, and you need certain qualities to compete at that level, particularly given the physicality and speed of the modern Premier League.
“I was surprised he had not scored before March, although I think he had a few injury problems. He eventually got his goal, but I still held on to the record by a couple of weeks.
“It has stood for 42 years, so I had already made peace with the possibility of losing it. It could stand for another 42 years, or somebody could break it tomorrow. You just never know.”
Your son Andre has also enjoyed a career in professional football and scored for Ipswich at the age of 16. Did that feel like fate?
“Definitely. Before that happened, I did not really believe in fate, but it was an incredibly proud moment.
“Football teaches you that you have to learn to deal with suffering and setbacks as well as enjoying the good times. Andre has experienced those challenges throughout his career, and he is currently playing for DC United after helping Portsmouth avoid relegation last season.
“He has moved on to another chapter of his career, and he is going to be playing against Lionel Messi soon. We will see how he gets on! It is fantastic to watch him continue to develop.”
Having experienced both the highs and lows of professional football yourself, how valuable is it to be able to offer Andre advice and support?
“My role is not necessarily to give him tactical advice or tell him how to play the game. It is more about being there if he is feeling pressure or struggling with criticism.
“If people are saying negative things about him or he is finding something difficult, I want him to know he can talk to me and that I can help take some of that pressure away.
“Thankfully, I have not had to do that too often. He is a very level-headed player who has his own identity and knows who he is. I am simply proud to watch him whenever I get the opportunity, and I hope his career continues for a long time.”
You have been very open about both the highs of football and the personal struggles you have experienced. Do you hope Follow the Thunder can resonate with people who are not necessarily football fans?
“Absolutely, 100 per cent. When I wrote the book, I was not setting out to create something that would be used to explain behavioural patterns or anything like that. I simply wanted to tell my story.
“Since its publication, though, I have had people contacting me who have struggled with their mental health and other difficulties. I have had messages from people who have been through some very dark times, including close friends who have told me they have attempted to take their own lives.
“I never knew what the outcome of sharing my story would be. I just wanted to be honest about my experiences, but hearing from those people has made me glad I wrote the book.
“If it encourages people, particularly those of my generation who might be a bit old-school and reluctant to open up, to talk about what they are going through, then that alone makes it worthwhile.”
Finally, Jason, Mental health was rarely discussed openly during your playing days. How important is it that people feel able to reach out when they are struggling?
“It is hugely important. When I was playing, you could not even talk to one of your teammates about those things without feeling as though you were showing weakness. Mental health was not something people openly discussed. You were expected to suck it up and get on with whatever you were dealing with.
“Thankfully, things have changed. Nowadays, people are much more willing to ask how you are feeling and whether you are looking after your mental health.
“When people reach out to me, I tell them that it is okay not to be okay. You have to be willing to speak to somebody and ask for help when you need it. If you keep everything bottled up, things can become much more difficult.
“That is one of the most important messages I would want people to take from my story.”
COMMENTS