Golden Soft Sombrero Moment with Richard Johnson

Some Golden Soft Sombrero Moments with Richard Johnson

Johnson on returning home for his Socceroo debut…

Diegos: " Congratulations on your Socceroo call up and welcome back home.

You haven't spent a lot of time in Australia in the last eight years whilst trying to forge your career with Watford.

On your arrival in Sydney what was it that made you absolutely certain that you were back home? Was it the Union stop work meeting at the airport? Was it the Republicans and the Monarchists beating each other with placards in the street or was it the Aussies breaking down the doors at SOCOG trying to get more Olympic tickets?"

Johnson: " So many to choose from, I think I’ll go for the last one. The thing that made me absolutely certain was seeing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

You know when you see that thing that you are well and truly home. It’s a great feeling being back, I haven’t been back for a while.”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1999

Johnson on his Socceroo call up…

Diegos: "Most Aussie soccer players attempt to make a name for themselves with the Socceroos or one of the Aussie under-age teams before clinching the big overseas deal.

You instead have got your chance with the Socceroos by playing well for a club newly promoted to the high profile English premiership.

In this respect were you surprised by your call up?"

Johnson: " It was a hell of a surprise to me. I left Australia when I was 16 years old, I’m now 25 and this was my first Socceroo call up.

I can’t tell you how happy and surprised I was to be included in the squad. I’d spoken to Frank over the phone a few times and he sounded very keen so I knew that I would be in with a chance.”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1999

Johnson on Elton John…

Diegos: "The flamboyant Elton John is club chairman of Watford.

Do you ever get the chance to hang out with him and has he ever belted out a few bars of 'Crocodile Rock' on the baby grand in the change rooms prior to the game to fire up the boys?"

Johnson: " Elton actually gets to a few of our games but he doesn’t like performing for us at all. He probably finds it to difficult to be heard over the lads singing the clubs theme song.”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1999

Johnson on his playing style…

Diegos: "You have been described as a 'Box to Box' type player. Like many Aussie sports people, you like to run, fight and attack.

Firstly how's the good old Aussie trash talk coming along and did the Brazilians cop a bit of sledging and how do you think your style will suit the international game?"

Johnson: " Frank sat me down and told me that he didn’t want me to change my game. He said that he wanted me to play just as I have been back in England. So I’ll always put in one hundred percent and if the tackle is on I'll try to win the ball and give it to someone who can play.”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1999

Johnson on the Ronaldo ‘no-show’…

Diegos: " Did Frank talk at all about how the team was going to approach the Ronaldo threat and were the boys disappointed when it was announced that he wasn't going to play?"

Johnson: " No we didn't get far. He went home before we got a chance to discuss the Ronaldo tactics.

No one really knew what had been going on in the other camp. I think a few of the boys were pretty disappointed that he didn't play. It ended up being a bit of a farce I think.”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1999

Johnson on scoring against Manchester United at Old Trafford…

Diegos: " A number of weeks ago Watford traveled to Old Trafford to play the awesome Manchester United. You scored a great goal in a comfortable victory for United.

Did you have mixed feelings about the goal - happy that you scored but worried that you could've made them more angry?"

Johnson: " I wanted to run out of the stadium at the time because we were 4-0 down. I didn’t celebrate too much, just a clenched fist. We played well for the first 40 minutes but they just killed us off with three goals in the last five minutes of the first half. I was pretty pleased with the goal considering it was on my left foot.”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1999

Johnson on Graham Taylor…

Diegos: "Watford manager, Graham Taylor was the much maligned manager of the England team in the early 90's. Towards the end of his reign the English tabloids actually started to refer to him as 'Turnip-head'.

What's he like as a manager and do any of the Watford boys ever dare mention the word turnip in his presence?"

Johnson: " He sure did cop a lot of stick at the time. We only call him that behind his back very quietly I might add. Graham has been a great manager for Watford; he’s done wonderful things to turn the club around.

When he came back five years ago he set himself a five year plan to get Watford back in to the Premier League and he’s done it two years ahead of schedule, so he must be doing something right.”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1999