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Matt Jones: When you started playing football who was your idol?

Mario Melchiot: When I started it was my brother, and afterwards it was Maradona because as a kid when I saw the first World Cup, unfortunately it was a bad time for England, but I really admired Maradona.

He was the greatest ever! Just the way he had the ball, and the enjoyment he brought with him to play soccer. Every time he played you could tell he was having a good time.

MJ:Talk us through your training regime. You've worked under a number of managers, how do things differ in each club?

MM: Back home when I was training with Ajax, they really schooled you in becoming a man. Then when you go abroad it's a different thing. Sometimes they trained you quicker and harder; sometimes they left you to train on your own. You've really got to make sure you can make a difference compared to the English guys.

MJ: How did you adjust to life in England?

MM: In a way it wasn't that difficult because, luckily enough, in Holland everyone teaches their kids to learn English. When you come from abroad I think the language is probably the most difficult thing. I arrived in a big city like London but luckily enough I came from Amsterdam so the difference wasn't that big.

I could acclimatise quite quickly. I came abroad with my brother, so there were the two of us to make things easier for me because it was the first time I left my mum's home. I only had to focus on the game, apart from worrying about how I was going to fit in with the English coaches.

MJ: You've also got the different accents to conquer - how do you handle the differences between the London and Birmingham accents?

MM: At first I started with a Cockney accent so I was struggling with that, then I lived there for about 5 years. When I moved over to Birmingham - I've been here a year and a half now - it's different. The Brummies have a really strong accent. Sometimes you've really got to focus and listen.

MJ: What training do you most enjoy?

MM: The games, the sharpness and the little games that really make you feel that you're playing a proper game, like on a Saturday, that's what I really enjoy.

Probably the hardest thing is when you've got to do things like when you stop and go, stop and go. Those are the things you really don't like as a player, but they are as important too.

Probably the most enjoyable part for every player is when the manager finishes his whole training session and at the end you get a little game. That is the most exciting moment for me, that's what I always wait for.

MJ: Is that the mentality to have though the week ahead of a game, to think as if you're playing in a match?

MM: Yes, everyone wants to win! I'm a bad loser and I like to win. Sometimes, especially when I first came here and I came off the training pitch, I was very angry when I lost.

MJ: Do you find to be successful you've got to have that competitiveness?

MM: I think it helps you. You need to feel the hunger to win and you need to feel an anger in losing to make sure you're really 'on your toes'.

MJ: If you've got that hunger and desire to succeed, does it really matter about talent?

MM: All the guys in the Premier league have talent, and you've always got the exceptional ones who will shine in every single team that they play in. But there are other little things and percentage-wise, in the 100% that you need to be great, I think the hunger and desire make up maybe 20% or 10%, to make that little bit extra for you to become that bit different from all the other players around you.

MJ: Obviously when you become a professional football player you have a lot of luxuries, and you've obviously made it and have a long career ahead, but looking back were there a lot of sacrifices?

MM: Of course, yeah, because there were times when you go to school and work and your friends are going out! You get to the age when you want to go out and have a good time but sometimes you can't go because those are the times when you maybe have to travel, or you have to rest, or you can't go because of all the club rules. Things like that that I had to do. My mum always said to me 'your good times will come, so don't worry about it', and now it's where you can have a better time than those other guys who were having it when you didn't.

MJ: Is the beginning of your career the vital time to be successful, because surely that's when you're dedication is tested?

MM: It's about timing and focus I think. If you time things right when you can enjoy yourself and when you've got to work then that's the best thing, because then you don't lose the focus and the sharpness to succeed. I think that's very important.

Do you really want to make it? Do you really want to be the star that you always dreamt about as a kid? And if you keep playing that tape through your mind you'll become the star that you want to be.

MJ: You were talking about dedication and the discipline you have to have to become a player, but when you actually do achieve it you've still got to motivate yourself. How do you do that?

MM: When I was at Ajax I had to motivate myself because I was the newcomer. When I was at Chelsea you have the motivation to succeed because of the expectations on you. When I came to Birmingham the motivation was different again, because we were not fighting to win the league, but we were fighting to get the team off the ground.

I put pressure on myself because of the expectations of all the fans that come and watch Birmingham play every week. That's how I keep myself on my toes and keep my focus going because I know that every week when I play for this club I know I have to play my best for the fans who support us.

MJ: Are you superstitious?

MM: No because if I have too many superstitions one day I might not be able to follow the safe way and I'll go wrong. I don't really care, sometimes you have a warm-up and you don't hit the ball the way you really want to and some players will say 'oh it's all going to go wrong because the warm-up was bad and I can't play'. Nah, when the referee blows the whistle it's either me or the guy that I play against.

MJ: Have you ever lost the passion to play?

MM: I'll always want to play! I will always have that feeling even if the possibility wasn't there, I'd want to play. And I think the feeling I have inside is like a little kid coming out to play and it inspires me to play my best.

MJ: You are addicted to the game of football

MM: I'm addicted. I love it! I'm happy that I'm addicted because it's the best thing I could ever choose and I thank God that he gave me the possibilities and the qualities to be able to shine and that people can enjoy watching me play football.

MJ: Does nutrition play a big part in the game these days?

MM: Yes of course.

We have a nutritionist at the club here and all the clubs I've been to before. Luckily enough the way my weight and body is built I don't really put on a lot of weight so I'm kind of lucky even when I go on holiday. Of course to keep myself going in the way I want to be I've got to make sure that I eat certain things, just to get the right stuff into my system.

It's like driving a car - people say if you put the right petrol in it keeps going. If you use the wrong liquid, that's when it starts giving you trouble. I think sometimes that everything is so dedicated is a good thing but sometimes you've got to enjoy yourself too. Enjoyment doesn't have to be a bad thing, enjoyment could be something like you have 3 days to live and work towards the game, but the 2 days before that you have to time for yourself.

MJ: Sometimes do you get to a stage where you feel too focused?

MM: Yeah and that's not good because you cramp, and when you cramp you can't perform.

MJ: For youngsters who want to succeed in any sport or any profession, what advice would you give them?

MM: When you're still living with your mum and she is giving you advice it's very hard sometimes to follow your own way of thinking. But I tell you one thing, your mum and dad are people who know life and those are people who love you and will always try to make sure that you succeed in what you really want to become. So if you follow their thoughts there's nothing that can go wrong. Always believe in yourself too, that's the most important secret I think.

MJ: You've probably answered my next question then - who was your inspiration?

MM: I was raised by my mum and she's always been my inspiration, She always said to me 'To succeed you've got to believe in yourself and don't ever let anyone knock out your dreams'.