Cardiff Rejection And Running Round Potato Fields - Bowen In His Own Words

The Football Interview is simply a caller bid successful which nan biggest names successful athletics and intermezo subordinate big Kelly Somers for bold and in-depth conversations astir nan nation's favourite sport. We'll research mindset and motivation, and talk astir defining moments, profession highs and individual reflections. The Football Interview brings you nan personification down nan player.

Interviews will driblet connected Saturdays crossed BBC iPlayer, BBC Sounds and nan BBC Sport website. They will besides tally connected BBC One connected a Saturday aft Match of nan Day.

Jarrod Bowen wrote himself into West Ham folklore erstwhile his last-minute extremity against Fiorentina won them nan Conference League title successful June 2023.

The versatile forward, who joined nan Hammers from Hull City successful 2020, has scored 56 goals successful 202 Premier League appearances.

Bowen, 28, made his elder England debut successful June 2022 and was portion of nan squad that reached nan last astatine Euro 2024.

The West Ham skipper sat down pinch Kelly Somers to talk astir winning nan Conference League, family life pinch his woman Dani and their 3 children, and his dad's celebrated pre-season training sessions.

Kelly Somers: What does shot mean to you?

Jarrod Bowen: Everything. It's thing that - I'm successful a privileged position - I get to do time in, time out, and it's thing I've known from specified a young age, truthful shot to maine is everything.

Kelly: What's your earliest representation of playing?

Jarrod: Probably nan first nine I played for - Leominster Minors. The venue and nan large playing section are still location now. That would beryllium my first memory. I've had brothers and sisters who person played location arsenic well, and friends who person been there. To spot that it's still going erstwhile I spell home, it's bully to beryllium backmost and beryllium down location and retrieve erstwhile I was that property playing successful nan fields without a attraction successful nan world and a large grin connected my face.

Kelly: Talk to maine astir really they were arsenic a team, and really aged you were erstwhile you joined.

Jarrod: I deliberation I must person started erstwhile I was 4 aliases thing - really young - but I played location until astir 15. I started astatine specified a young age. I had Hereford arsenic well, which was much of a improvement schoolhouse but we had nan aforesaid players from my hometown squad playing location arsenic good because it wasn't nan biggest spot of position of catchment of players. So we beautiful overmuch had nan aforesaid players for our section squad and 1 that was 20 minutes away.

Kelly: It sounds for illustration specified a section organization and rather tight-knit. When you yet played for Hereford, you must've felt incredible. It must person felt for illustration a dream astatine that point.

Jarrod: Yeah, location was maine and personification other who played for nan Leominster squad that went connected to play for Hereford arsenic well. All my friends, erstwhile I scored my first goal, were down nan goal. We still person pictures and videos that we ever nonstop each other. That infinitesimal was just, for me, unthinkable astatine nan clip of being 16/17, playing, past to people astatine nan stadium week in, week retired astatine nan extremity that we utilized to beryllium down nan goal, past my friends being location arsenic well... it was incredible.

Kelly: Who would you opportunity has had nan biggest effect connected your career? Is location a coach aliases a person?

Jarrod: I ever think, not 1 person, my mum and dad. From specified a young age, taking maine to different places each astir nan country. For them to return clip retired of their days to return maine there, support maine there, and thief maine get to wherever I americium now. I deliberation it's specified a awesome emotion erstwhile my mum's asking maine to motion a garment for personification from nan schoolhouse I went to. I know, for her, it intends nan world to her arsenic good because she conscionable sees maine arsenic still her small boy, but it's benignant of changed successful that measurement arsenic well. I deliberation different 1 successful position of shot would astir apt beryllium my younker squad coach astatine Hereford. There was a mates of things that went my measurement successful position of making my debut for Hereford. My younker squad coach became nan first-team head because I don't deliberation they could spend a caller manager, truthful small things for illustration that helped maine and I deliberation without doing that I wouldn't beryllium sat present today. Because I wouldn't person had that opportunity to play for Hereford, that helped maine move to Hull and now I'm here. Sometimes successful football, you're connected this travel wherever you're truthful focused connected what you're doing and trying to beryllium nan champion that erstwhile you look backmost connected it, sometimes nan small things... you request a batch of luck for things to spell your measurement and thief you successful that journey.

The Football Interview: Jarrod Bowen

Kelly: Has location been a turning point? It's not been a straightforward linear journey. Your travel has been different to astir footballers - from Hereford, Hull, past to nan Premier League, winning a European trophy and pinch England. Is location 1 infinitesimal you tin pinpoint that you think, actually, that's wherever it each changed?

Jarrod: Probably erstwhile I sewage rejected from Cardiff earlier I went to Hereford because I went connected proceedings to Cardiff for astir six weeks and astatine nan clip I thought, 'Right my section squad Hereford's not sewage thing for maine to person that path.' I've gone to Cardiff, thought I've done really good for six weeks and they've said nary arsenic well. So I was benignant of like, 'This is it now then... it's not going to be.' But past I deliberation that rejection from Cardiff and past Hereford and past starting backmost up conscionable made maine admit it truthful overmuch more. In nan extremity I was conscionable enjoying playing shot because I didn't cognize what was going to happen. I didn't cognize if it was conscionable going to extremity and I was playing astatine Hereford and I thought, 'It can't get overmuch amended than this.' I was happy pinch that. Then a fewer things happened. I moved to Hull astatine 17, which was a large manner difference. Three and a half hours distant from location was perfectly horrendous but those things person each helped maine disconnected nan transportation and past it helps you connected nan transportation arsenic well. But I deliberation if you tin mature arsenic a personification disconnected nan pitch, it helps you. So, a fewer things person happened, but I'd opportunity that Cardiff rejection... I thought, 'This was nan end, truthful fto maine beryllium appreciative of playing erstwhile I can.'

Kelly: You've played successful immoderate immense matches already successful your career. Which match, if you could relive one, would you play again?

Jarrod: I deliberation 1 that sticks pinch maine nan astir was astir apt nan Europa Conference League final. I had ne'er been progressive successful immoderate benignant of last before. Coming out, getting to nan stadium a mates of hours before, going retired to look astatine nan transportation arsenic you do, and it was packed. That emotion of nan last whistle going and you're connected nan pitch... there's a replay connected YouTube that maine and my dada watched nan different time of nan full game... aft nan crippled ended I deliberation nan camera went to maine and I had nan biggest grin connected my face, dropped to my knees and it was conscionable like, nan emotion of that, what it meant for america arsenic a group, what it meant for nan fans arsenic well. I deliberation that was specified a awesome day.

Kelly: Did you opportunity you and your dada were watching nan full crippled backmost recently?

Jarrod: Yeah.

Kelly: That shows you really overmuch it means.

Jarrod: Yeah, he ever watches it. He's into rowing and canoeing, truthful he's sewage a rowing instrumentality and he'll nonstop maine a image of an hr and 29 minutes and it's conscionable nan full game. I've ne'er watched it before. You knew really it's going to spell but I was still watching a small spot tense and I'm thinking, 'I cognize really nan crippled goes, why americium I truthful nervous?' I can't really retrieve nan crippled fully. It's been 2 years now, truthful to watch it from for illustration 2 years connected successful a different measurement was a weird emotion but I loved watching it.

Kelly: Let's talk a spot much astir Jarrod Bowen nan person. You've mentioned your dada aggregate times already, truthful let's commencement location and family and what it was for illustration successful nan Bowen family increasing up. Take maine into a emblematic day.

Jarrod: Probably a akin upbringing to what astir group have. I person a younger relative and sister, truthful I was nan eldest child. They ever said I was nan favourite kid because I was nan first calved - that's still a thing. But I loved playing football. A very sporty family. My dada played rugby and shot arsenic well. My mum worked astatine nan schoolhouse that we grew up at. She still useful location and that was benignant of our life really.

Kelly: You must beryllium nan poster boy if your mum's astatine nan school. You must beryllium for illustration a section hero.

Jarrod: Like I said, my mum, erstwhile she comes down, she brings this full container of things. She says "someone conscionable asked maine if..." and she's nan nicest female successful nan world, truthful she will ne'er opportunity nary to anyone, truthful she comes down pinch this container of worldly and I'll motion it for everyone. It mightiness beryllium for a raffle aliases thing for illustration that. I've grown up successful that area, still cognize beautiful overmuch everyone successful that area, been to that school, truthful for them to want my things arsenic good I deliberation it intends a batch to maine for group to want to put maine connected nan walls and want my signature.

Kelly: I want to cognize a spot much astir your dad. He was an ex-footballer, and he played semi-professional. Is that correct?

Jarrod: He played for Conference-level Forest Green, Worcester... those sorts of teams... Hereford for a mates of years.

Kelly: Is it correct that you still travel his pre-season training regular that he does pinch you?

Jarrod: Yeah, well... this summertime was nan first clip wherever I didn't get called up for England, truthful I had a five/six-week period. I went location for 3 weeks I deliberation it was, and we were training connected nan celebrated murphy fields each azygous day, truthful I had a afloat pre-season pinch him. This season, my relative was doing it pinch me, my sister was doing it pinch me, moreover Dani [Jarrod's wife] came retired a fewer times and did it.

Kelly: Was she doing it arsenic well?

Jarrod: Yeah, if you looked astatine it you would've thought, 'What nan hellhole is going connected pinch this group of people?' My dada was nan benignant of instructor, truthful to speak. It was for illustration his footwear camp, we called it, but it was conscionable america moving astir this murphy section and I thought, 'If anyone sees us, they're going to deliberation what is this? What are this group of 4 group doing?' But we did it and it's thing I've done passim my career, truthful I wanted to do it, and we did it.

Kelly: Does he travel to West Ham games? Does he travel?

Jarrod: As overmuch arsenic he can, yeah.

Kelly: It's far.

Jarrod: Yeah, it's far, but he tries to travel to arsenic galore games. He's already reasoning astir nan Sunderland game. He's going to thrust his camper van.

Kelly: I'm gladsome you've brought nan camper van up because I wanted to talk to you astir that. That camper van went to nan Euros, didn't it?

Jarrod: Yeah, nan camper van went to nan Euros! That was him, my brother, my 2 champion mates. They each had a spell astatine driving it. My 2 champion mates were atrocious astatine driving it! I deliberation they astir wrote nan camper van off, driving connected nan different side.

Kelly: It must beryllium rather bully talking astir your family because evidently now you've joined into different alternatively celebrated family. You sewage joined this summer. Firstly, really was nan wedding?

Jarrod: We had bully upwind for it, which was ever a worry. You look guardant to nan time truthful much, it's for illustration erstwhile it's there... nan day's over. But, really bully day.

Kelly: And you are a begetter now to copy girls. Is it correct that you had those girls conscionable a mates of weeks aft winning nan trophy?

Jarrod: Before - May 22nd. It changes your life. People ever inquire you what it's like, but until you acquisition it, it's difficult to put into words until you person your own. But, yeah, emotion them to pieces.

Kelly: What does a emblematic time disconnected look for illustration for you? I ideate if I asked you this a mates of years ago, it'd beryllium rather different to now.

Jarrod: Carnage. There's nary lie-ins. I utilized to emotion my slumber and aftermath up astatine 10 o'clock and conscionable doze astir and conscionable spot what nan day's going to bring but now they're up, 3 of them successful nan house, truthful it's downstairs, Dani is moving around, for illustration sprinting astir nan house. She's sweating each greeting and I conscionable benignant of travel connected down and deliberation I'm rather a relaxed person, and Dani's sprinting astir nan location and past there's maine asking if I tin do anything. On a time disconnected you've sewage to return them retired because you can't enactment astatine location pinch them each time because it'll thrust you mad, truthful it's conscionable entertaining them arsenic overmuch arsenic possible. We'll astir apt spell retired for nan time somewhere, much for our intelligence wellness arsenic well, because if you enactment wrong pinch them, it's conscionable carnage. We'll astir apt spell to a small parkland aliases something. Probably trim their knees to pieces, astir apt wounded themselves somehow... that'll astir apt now beryllium a emblematic time off.

Kelly: Is that your flight from football?

Jarrod: When I'm astatine home, I want to walk arsenic overmuch clip pinch them arsenic imaginable and past erstwhile I'm coming into football, I cognize its training for a fewer hours and difficult work, truthful I deliberation it's bully to person that split, that balance. When I'm astatine home, it's each astir nan kids, each astir Dani, each astir everyone because you suffer a crippled I travel location and effort not to ruin nan family excessively much, because I can't alteration what's happened. We've mislaid nan crippled and now it's family time.

Kelly: How would your champion friend picture you?

Jarrod: Laid-back.

Kelly: It sounds for illustration you're for illustration that for rather a batch of your life.

Jarrod: Yeah, I've ever been quite, what's nan saying erstwhile they spell 'If you were immoderate much laid-back you'd beryllium horizontal' aliases something? I get my mates and family saying that.

Kelly: Have you ever been for illustration that?

Jarrod: Yeah, always.

Kelly: Does that travel from your family?

Jarrod: I don't know, really. I deliberation my dad's rather intense. I mean, he's sewage a camper van and he drives it here, location and everywhere.

Kelly: I've sewage that emotion from this interview, if I'm honest.

Jarrod: My mum is really laid-back, truthful I astir apt get it from my mum.

Kelly: What are you astir proud of?

Jarrod: Probably my family successful position of kids I've got, my mum and dad, nan full web of family. I'm really adjacent pinch my aunties, uncles, nans, grandads, trying to walk arsenic overmuch clip together arsenic possible, truthful I'd opportunity that's 1 point I'm really proud of, that I person a loving family.

Kelly: Tell maine 1 point that would astonishment me.

Jarrod: I'm double-jointed successful my thumb. Also, we really did a point erstwhile we were away, arsenic a group, we told each different astir who we were increasing up, for illustration a squad bonding benignant of thing. I said to group that I played a batch of rugby erstwhile I was younger and I enjoyed playing rugby much than football, and they were each shocked to pieces.

Kelly: If you could only execute 1 much point for nan remainder of your career, what would it be?

Jarrod: Oooh, I've sewage 1 I'd emotion to do present erstwhile I'm astatine nan club. I'd emotion to triumph nan FA Cup. I deliberation increasing up watching football, it is nan astir prestigious English cup competition. You spot Crystal Palace triumph it past twelvemonth and what it meant to them. Obviously, I'd emotion to triumph nan league, playing successful nan Champions League, but I deliberation thing that I'd emotion to do this season... I deliberation I'd emotion to triumph nan FA Cup arsenic a club.