Paul Gets Shirty on TV!

Last updated : 20 October 2003 By Kevin Markey

This is how the question and answer session went with Paul (thanks to Sky Sports for the following);



On the tunnel incident in Instanbul against Turkey;

Rob: Were you there? Were you in the tunnel?
Paul: Not for the beginning, the dugouts were right over the other side, but I got there for the very end!

On playing in the Premiership: I've got used to it now. I've had a whole season last year and hopefully I can do that again. It was good for me because I got broken in gently.

On comings and goings at Leeds: It's obviously difficult losing quality players. A couple of years ago we were in the Champions League but the way things have been going, the financial state we're in, you just have to accept it and get on with it.

On the rumours he would quit Leeds: There was a lot of speculation, but I've been at Leeds for a long time, I've got a lot of friends there and it's close to my heart.

On Nigel Martyn: We're still close now. We still speak on the phone even though he's at Everton. We're good friends. We've roomed together for a couple of years and we actually joined the club on the same day.

On Peter Reid: The gaffer's got us playing well. We've got good team spirit going on now, and we've played well for the last couple of games. But we've got a few hard games coming up.

On his alleged bust up with David O'Leary: I was disappointed to be taken out of the team after such a long run in it, but looking back it was probably good for me. I've done all right now.

On being a goalkeeper: It takes a different type of person to be a goalkeeper. Obviously our mistakes are highlighted. You've got to be strong.

On making mistakes: There's nothing you can do about it. You just want the ground to swallow you up. Everyone knows it's your fault. You didn't want it to happen but you can't change it.

On what happened in the tunnel: I missed most of it. When you go up the tunnel it opens up to a wide press area, but it was just a load of people shouting. You couldn't tell what was happening. The two managers were out there, the referee was out there, but it all calmed down quickly.

On David Beckham's penalty miss: I thought he'd been shot! I thought there was a sniper in the crowd.

On playing for England: Yeah, it's good just to be in the squad. There's a lot of attention surrounding the team and there's a lot of pressure to do well. Every kid dreams of playing for England and, in all honesty, it's a dream come true.

On David James as England's No. 1: To be fair to him at the moment he's there on merit. For the last few games he's been doing well.

On the whole strike fiasco: We had meetings - and what was said will be kept between us - but at the end of the day, we did what we did and we got the result we needed.

On whether he would have striked: You've got to make the decision that is right for you at
the time and fortunately I wasn't put in that position!

Chris Kamara also said to Paul: "Can I ask, for someone earning £100 grand a week, why have you got holes in your jeans?" To which Paul replied: "No you can't ask, not wearing a shirt like that!"

Two Leeds legends holding their own!


Thanks to Sky Sports once again.