Dean Ashton
Please click on a question below to expand the answer.
Dave Jenner says ‘You were one of a long line of players to have been coached by Dario Gradi at Crewe. Given the success he's had at bringing through consistently good youth players like David Platt, Danny Murphy and yourself among others, why do you think he's been so successful compared to other managers?
Dean: Basically because he spends every night coaching kids that are 12 to 15. He's your manager when you're under 14.
Hucks: All the way through?
Dean: Every Sunday, he's your manager. All the way through, which I can't imagine any other–manager doing!
Hucks: What, even when you were younger?
Dean: Yeah, when I was fourteen, he was our manager.
Hucks: That's pretty mental. What, even when he was the First Team's manager as well?
Dean: Yep, and he's BRUTAL when you're fourteen....and I think that's why.
Hucks: Well, it must work for some reason.
Dean: proven!
Right then, this one is from Philip Wright - ‘Dean, all the very best for the future. My question is what went through your mind when you scored that own goal nine minutes into your Norwich debut versus Aston Villa?’
Dean: (starts laughing)
Hucks: Now, I've got a funny story about that, but you go first!
Dean: I was still knackered from the warm up!
Hucks: Yeah, that was exactly what it was! People don't know this but when we were at Norwich, we used to do a really tough warm up by Dave Carolan and I remember we did the warm up 'cause it was Ash's first game and he actually came up to me and goes, ‘I am absolutely blowing!’
Dean: (laughs)
Hucks: didn't you? You said, ‘I am struggling',’ didn't you, n we hadn't even kicked off!
Dean: (still laughing) yeah! The thing is, I was nervous, wasn't I? And, I mean, I was knackered from the warm up and..
Hucks: Especially with your first game, and, you know, the weight of moving to a premier league team.
Dean: Yep. Course, I ain't a good defender anyway, so–
Hucks: No, but it wasn't..it literally just hit you on the head, didn't it – and went in.
Dean: Yeah, it just skimmed me head.
Hucks: Yeah, to be fair, you got through it though, didn't you? You got through about 70 minutes.
Dean: (laughs) yeah.
Hucks: But you were tired, weren't you? You were tired.
Dean: True.
Hucks: We'll go a bit more into that later on.
Dean: okay (muffled laugh).
Here we go, this is from James Scoltock - ‘Who was the most difficult defender to play against?’
Dean: Hmm... I'd have to say Rio, just 'cause he was quick, strong and read the game better than anyone else. Obviously, like, John Terry's brave and strong, you know, but Rio's better!
Hucks: Yeah, he's a good player, A great player.
This one's from Peter Alcock. ‘Was scoring in the win against Manchester United at Carrow Road your best memory of your time at Norwich City?’
Dean: (pauses) yeah... .probably to beat United anywhere is amazing
Hucks: Nobody thought it was possible!
Dean: Great team performance
Hucks: It was, yeah – and you scored a great header, didn't you?
Dean: Yeah, I was thinking, ’I've scored against united!
Hucks: Yeah! 'took the lead against Man U,Man U are always team to beat team
Dean: Yeah.
Hucks: So, soon as you get that,people always remember you beat UTD .
Dean: Yeah, I remember thinking at the time, you know, ‘It doesn't happen very often. (laughs)
Hucks: As long as you win,and beat the best.
Dean: A top header as well
Hucks: I scored a decent goal against Utd, years ago and people still remember it!
Dean: Once in a life time, we beat them as a team!
Okay, this is from George Wilbraham. ‘If you have come in at the start of the season instead of January, do you believe that Norwich City would have stayed up?
Dean: I think possibly, just because I scored a lot of goals.
Hucks: Yeah, I'd a hundred percent agree with that. You know, we went into the season with me playing up front when I didn't want to play up front,Doc played up front a couple of times, and ..I think the first thirteen games, we didn't win one game in thirteen – we drew eight.
Dean: Mmm
Hucks: And I'm one hundred percent certain that if we'd had a proper centre-forward... 'cause you not only made the team better, but you also made Leon better as well. Then Leon could go and work in the channels, you know. 'Cause Leon could win the ball in the air, but he wasn't as good as yourself at bringing people in and making the team better, but..
Dean: The thing is, when you come up, you need somebody, you need somebody that's gonna score you goals, or else it's gonna be tough..
Hucks: I think obviously with Nigel – it's not like he didn't try, he wanted to bring someone in.
Dean: I'm sure he wanted some one?
Hucks: ...Try n get somebody in, but I think that, like I say, it was probably too late. And even then, we shoulda stayed up, you know?
Dean: Yeah.
Hucks: We'll come to that later on, but we should've stayed up.
Okay, here we go. This is from Tom Wint . ‘Hi Hucks / Deano. Why, after coming down from the Premiership, did we not fill our potential? We were favourites to go up and had plenty of goals, especially having the first three games at home – unrest in the team, disappointment from relegation, or the Craven Cottage score still in the memory?’
Dean: Probably a bit of disappointment, probably, but I think that a lot of players left, didn't they?
Hucks: Yeah.
Dean: 'Cause as a squad, a lot of players left. And I think that was the main reason
Hucks: Yeah. We lost Green early on. Obviously, the foreign contingent kind of left.
Dean: We had people like people Bents that left, And, did Damien leave?
Hucks: Damien left, yeah. Obviously he just downed tools.
Dean: Mmm
Hucks: So, there was a little bit of unrest, but I still really fancied us.
Dean: I did, yeah.
Hucks: I honestly think that the three games at home didn't help...
Dean: No
Hucks: ..'cause the pressure was on us straight away – if we'd gone away from home and got a draw, you know, and then come and nicked a win...but I think we battered three teams to start the season...
Dean: Yeah
Hucks: ...and we played Coventry, didn't we? Did you score in that game?
Dean: I did, yeah.
Hucks: We kind of pounded them and then, you know, after three games, people were thinking: ‘Wait a minute, you've only got three points’.
Dean: I remember when we played Leeds, we battered them.
Hucks: Yeah
Dean: We should've won, but...
Hucks: And then, obviously...
Dean: Once you get into a bad run, it's hard.
Hucks: Yeah, it's difficult.
Hucks: Right, these are going to be more difficult questions now
Dean: (laughs)
Answer what you want!. Tom Harding says: ‘You left the club in January 2006, despite signing a contract extension a few months earlier and stating how happy you were at the club. Did something change during that time?
Dean: No...No, it didn't change. I still wanted to stay, and I told everyone that I wanted to stay, but... I couldn't say no to going and playing in the Premier League - especially at that time when we were a long way off from being ‘a playoff team’.
Hucks: Yeah.
Dean: I just felt that like I'd spent a long time - probably too long at Crewe, as well, so-
Hucks: So, you were chasing it a little bit.
Dean: Yeah, I was 21, 22...
Hucks: Yeah.
Dean: ...which doesn't seem old, but I'd been playing since I was 16 at Crewe and I perhaps should have moved on earlier anyway, so it was... yeah.
Hucks: The thing that's difficult sometimes with a contract extension is that everyone thinks that it changes everything, don't they? But...it doesn't, you know? At the time, you have to decide what you have too do, but we all wanted yo too stay.
Okay, this is from Matt Smith: ‘I am a massive fan of Dean's, but would like to know how long did he know about his move to West Ham before he signed? His last few games for Norwich were a little poor and he looked disinterested. Compare that to watching his first few games for West Ham and I couldn't help but feel let down by a player that clearly had so much quality.
Dean: Well, I didn't know, I didn't know before the game against West Ham, when everyone thought that I did-
Hucks: Yeah
Dean: even you lot became a bit funny!
Huck: Yeah (laughs). we we're just ribbing you a bit!
Dean: I was injured, and that was the reason that I didn't play well in the last few games. I think that getting the move gave me a week and a bit. And I don't think I played West Ham's first game when I was there - I think I was still injured.
Hucks: Yeah. the thing is, there's always gonna be media attention - especially when it's, like, a £7 million move as well..
Hucks: And, you know what it's like, people... I wouldn't say stories are made up, but the rumours start and it's just, you know... For us, we didn't want you to leave 'cause, you know, we were losing a massive, massive player.
Dean: nobody want's to be injured, but it happened at wrong time!
Hucks: ...it was always difficult. But especially theses days, you go through playing so many games when you're injured. You just play through 'em. I remember that one time when you got a smack on yer head - can you remember that stupid face thing that you wore?
Dean: (erupts into laughter)
Hucks: Can you remember? It was... was it like a moulded bandage around yer head?
Dean: It was basically like a... like something you make at school!
Hucks: Cause you broke a bone in your head, or something, didn't you?
Dean: Yeah, yeah!
Hucks: So they built this mask for you. But let's face it, you know, if someone don't want to play, they miss them games, you know - you don't just wear a mask to protect your face. And I think... was it Andy Hughes who drew some hair on it and stuff, can you remember?
Dean: Hughsey's was a funny bloke,!
Hucks: So, yeah, it was funny. But like I say, rather daft.
Trevor Godbold says: ‘Do you understand why some Norwich fans, myself included, feel like you let us down when you left. You'd only recently signed a new improved contract.’ Well, we've kind of gone over that, but you can understand why people were upset, can't you?
Dean: Of course I can understand why they were upset, but it still doesn't change what it was...which was.. y'know wanting to play in the premier league!
Hucks: I think that if we had been pushing on a little bit, then maybe the club would have been different. But if it'd been me, if I was the owner of the club, I wouldn't have sold you. I swear to God. Even if you'd wanted to leave – I wouldn't have let you. What I would've done is, I would've said, ‘Okay, agree a deal with West Ham. You can have him at the end of the season for five million, and then, with the money that we'd have got, go and get Ernie – and then just give it six months for you and Ernie up front. That's what I would have done.
Dean: The thing is, it was a great deal for the club. In terms of the turnover for a year – it was great for them, you know? And they said that they asked me whether I'd like to leave and, in the end, I said yes because I wanted to play in the Premier League.
Hucks: Yeah, but was it them kind of saying, ‘we've got this money and you have to go!
Dean: They weren't saying: ‘We really want you to stay.’ The manager wanted me to stay...
Hucks: Yeah.
Dean: .. but i didn't get the impression the club wanedt me to stay.
Hucks: Yeah, well, I've had that exact same thing at Coventry...
Hucks: ..when I left to go to Leeds. I didn't want to go, and I don't think the Manager did but, at the end of the day, the club were making five or six million on their initial investment. And then, you get put in the position where you feel that you have to go because...even though you were going to a decent club, and I was going to a decent club when I went to Coventry, you know, I was never really happy about going.
Dean: yep.
Hucks: But in the end...I'm pretty sure now that the Manager didn't want to sell you, you know? No manager in their right mind would've wanted you to leave – because they're not gonna get a player as good as you for the money. Cause they're never gonna spend £7 million on another player.
Dean: Well, no, exactly.
Hucks: So, we got Ernie, who was a great player at what he did, but he was completely different to you.
Dean: It was a good signing.
Hucks: It was a good signing, but we needed someone to play off, if you know what I mean.
Hucks: this one could be interesting. Here we go... From Ian Billinghurst. ‘What was the feeling like within the team during and after the Fulham game? From a fan's point of view, we felt that it didn't hurt some players as much as others (you and Hucks not included in that!)’
Dean: Well, I dunno. I can't speak for other people. But it was horrible, wasn't it? In the dressing room.
Hucks: Yeah. I'm going to be a little bit more outspoken than that.
Dean: I honestly can't remember. I actually can't remember what people were like.
Hucks: For me, and I'm not just saying this because you left, but I think that a few in the dressing room weren't that bothered if we went down.
Dean: Probably some had moves lined up!
Hucks: That's what I thought. And I can remember after the game, I think Nigel came in and went, ‘Well done lads, you've gave it your best over the season’. And I went mental – I said, ‘We haven't have a good season. We've just been embarrassed in front of everyone on national TV, and some people should be ashamed. You know, some players might not get the chance to play in the Premier League again. Like, no disrespect or anything but players like Flem and Ads – they'd maybe never get the chance to play in the Premier League again. And I just thought that some players in there, you know, let everyone down.
Dean: Yeah.
Hucks: They might not meant to have done it, consciously, but I think that when we went 3-nil down, they just weren't bothered. I mean, you know what you're going to get from players like Leon, who'd run all day – they tried to run their nuts off – but I'm sure that some of them didn't.
Hucks: Right then, next up is a question from Sam Clarke: ‘Who is the biggest character that you've ever shared a dressing room with, and who was the biggest personality in Norwich city dressing rooms whilst you were there?
Dean: The biggest character ever was probably Bobby Zamora, he was funny - taking the piss. But obviously, you, Flem, Dock and Macca, probably, when I first came to the club.
Hucks: Yeah, you got a bit of stick
Dean: You lot were just brutal!
Hucks: Everyone got a bit of stick –it's one of those things... but you just got a little bit more, 'cause you had some strange habits...
Dean: Hahah
Hucks: .. with yer stretching routines and yer...well, we'll come back to that later! There's a few questions on that!
Dean: Hahah.
This question is from Jason Mawby: ‘Was it an easy decision to leave the club that gave you a Premiership chance – if so, do you regret it now? Hucks is a true city legend.’
Hucks: I think he's just trying to say that 'cause I stayed...but, you know, you wouldn't regret it, would you? You can't really regret it.
Dean: The thing is, I went, and then suddenly I played well in the Premier League and I played in FA Cup Final, scored - and that's one of the best memories I'll ever have.
Hucks: Yeah.
Dean: So, its like, if I hadn't moved, then that might never have happened.
Hucks: Yeah, 'cause a lot of people never ever get to a final.
Dean:That's true
Hucks: A lot of people never ever play Wembley. A lot of people never ever score in a final.
Dean: No... But, on the other hand, I might've regretted it if West Ham hadn't have had a good season and they'd gone down like West Brom, so
Hucks: All you can do is what's in front of you at the time?
Hucks: This is from Epic Beard Man
Dean: (laughs)
Hucks: Okay, here we go... ‘How do you think Norwich fans should have taken the news that you financed your own transfer out of the club, by waiving your rights to wages, bonus payments and your signed on fee from Crewe (as confirmed by the board after your transfer)? Do you think the 'boos' you received as a result when returning for a friendly were justified?’
Dean: Well, I think the fact that I waived the money means that I'm not after that - it was just about me wanting to play in the Premier League. I wasn't bothered about fleecing the club for everything they were worth. But, in terms of the 'boos', I suppose it probably wasn't a great time to leave, so some people were going to boo. But I think that I did enough for the club.
Huck: Yeah, at the time that you left people we're bound to be unhappy. And let's face it, if you weren't playing well, you wouldn't have got a move for £7 million, you know. It just doesn't happen. And the fans... I wouldn't say they're fickle but.. it means so much to them, so sometimes those things happen.
This is from Matt Large. ‘Deano, why did you always wear undershorts? Was it purely for warmth, or was it a superstition?
Dean: (laughs) It was basically because my thighs are that big that they rub together
Hucks: (fighting back the tears)
Dean: So, if I don't wear cycling shorts, I get proper chafed inner thighs....and that's literally the only reason! (laughs)
Hucks: Cause when you first came to the club, you probably weren't Premier League fit, were you? 'Cause when you came, you didn't get the idea of training on Monday, did you?
Dean: (laughs)
Hucks: Did you?
Dean: No
Hucks: I remember you saying,‘No, Dario said I don't have to train on a Monday’, and I was like, ‘What do you mean!’. So, you'd play on a Saturday and then obviously take a few days to recover and be back training Tuesday or Wednesday. You didn't understand the concept of training on a Monday!
Dean: (laughs)
Hucks: And you used to have the longest stretching routine I've ever known. Wasn't it an hour before training? To warm up...before we went out to warm up!
Dean: (erupts in laughter) yeah, it was!
Hucks: An hour's warm up before we went out to warm up! Obviously had some big old legs to warm up!
Dean: (laughs)
This is from Dave Farrant. ‘Hello Dean. Loved your time at Norwich, particularly when you and Hucks were combining. However, would you regard you 2006 FA Cup Final performance for West Ham as your greatest ever performance and most important match?
Dean: Yeah, I 'd say so. I think I played exactly how I'd want to play in that position. It was that game, I think,that put me into the England reckoning, and I think that's why I got picked for the pre-season game.
Hucks: And obviously, Finals tend to all mingle into one over the course of the years, but that one will go down as one of the greatest ever Finals. And to have your name associated with that, even though you lost...no one can ever take that away from you, can they?
Dean: That's right.
Hucks: So, obviously, at the time, with all your family there watching it – and especially with what came after that for you, you know, that makes it even more important.
Dean: Exactly, yeah.
This one is from Steve Worley. ‘Dean, what was it like to pull on the red England shirt for the match in Trinidad and Tobago? Not that Hucks would know what it's like to play for the full English side
Dean: (haha) That's nice! God, it was awesome. It was weird actually, because we were so far away– in a way, it didn't really feel like a proper England international game, whereas I was sub for the the USA game, and that felt proper – even though I didn't get a sniff, There was one thing actually, because we were subs, we were obviously thinking we were going to get a chance and things like that, and before the match, one of the guys came up to us – no-one had said anything to us subs, and the guy just went, ‘Well, you can go out if you want, but you don't have to’ (laughs). So I thought, ‘Right, well, you're definitely not playing then!’
Hucks: you'd played in the under 21s quite a bit, hadn't you?
Dean: Yeah.
Hucks: I'd only played in the under 21s, and even hearing the National Anthem at those games was something special.
Dean: The thing is, I was so nervous beforehand – it didn't help the performance!
Hucks: If I remember, the pitch was horrendous there, wasn't it? Bone hard, which isn't great.
Dean: It would've been nice if I'd have got more games internationally.
Hucks: yeah.
This one's from Barry Grant. ‘Even though I am a staunch City fan, I would like to ask a West Ham question. In the second season, there were lots of rumours that the dressing room was divided, and players like Nigel Reo Coker were trying to call the shots and undermine Pardew at every opportunity. Were you caught up in this? I know you can't name names, but was there a lot of disharmony?
Hucks: i know you can't mention any names but he just did Reo Coker, so that's that question done?
Dean: Well, there was a little but there wasn't that much because players actually liked Pardew. I think that the problem was that he was too nice, he let too many things go – that was probably the problem
Hucks: Yeah.
Dean: ...and in the end, when the chips were down, he didn't then have the authority to change big egos into big performances, if you know what I mean?
Hucks: Yeah.
Dean: He was their best mate, which, in the end, probably let him down.
Hucks: But even since then, West Ham has been in turmoil, haven't they?
Dean: Yeah.
Hucks: I know that they've kind of been safe-ish over the last three or four seasons, but it seems to be heading in one direction - with all the money they've spent, as well.
Dean: I know.
Hucks: ‘I think every one agrees that you'd be playing for England right now if you hadn't been forced to retire. Who do you think are the best pair upfront out of the current England strikers?
Dean: See, I would play Darren Bent and Rooney. Because Bent is very good in the air – probably as good as Crouch, 'cause Crouch doesn't really jump his height..
Dean: He could use his height a lot more than he does, I think. So, yeah, I'd probably have Bent and Rooney. I think you want more pace ahead of Rooney.
Hucks: Especially because Rooney drops off deep I'd maybe have Defo there!
‘Deano, now you've had time to reflect on your footballing career, do you feel unlucky that your injury cut short your playing career, or lucky that you got the opportunity to fulfil a lifelong dream to play for your country and in the best league in the world?’ - That's from Matt Large.
Dean: (laughs) I feel unlucky!
Hucks: Yeah.
Dean: Getting my leg broken and not being able to fulfil my career. I mean, obviously I feel lucky – lucky that I got to play, but I worked hard to get where I got. It wasn't like it was just handed to me on a plate
Hucks: Yeah, 'cause you did play in the lower leagues – it's not like you were just coming through the Man United Academy and then just played – you did it the hard way and you scored a lot of goals at Crewe. How many was it that you got? I know it was a lot.
Dean: Yeah, I think I got over a hundred for Crewe.
Hucks: Which is not bad
Dean: No
Hucks: And you were only 21. So, you did it the hard way, and when you got to the top...
Dean: The thing is, I thought it was so cruel the way it happened, you know. The day before you're gonna make your England debut. And then, you get yourself back, and you're eventually played and then you're gonna be picked in other squads and eventually just end up packing up – it just wasn't meant to be.
Hucks: No it was cruel.
This is from Sean Sinden. ‘Do you hate Shaun Wright-Phillips for causing the injury that ended up costing you your career?’
Dean: No, not at all. The thing is, I've seen loads of tackles where I've thought, ‘That's a fraction away from him breaking his leg’.
Hucks: It's just how you get caught by a particular tackle.
Dean: Yeah. It's all about the situation and how you you get caught and all that.
This ones from Steve Harvey. ‘Hi Dean. Given the money involved these days with player's wages in football, how come I've seen you in my local DIY store where I work, and you never buy anything? Hucks bought some lovely paint a while back, and Steve Lappin even bought a mirror!’
Hucks: Basically, it sounds like this geezer has seen you mooching about B&Q or Homebase, and is wondering why you haven't bought anything!
Dean: (laughs) It's 'cause I don't do anything
Hucks: You don't do any DIY! You see, I have to paint my own house now.
Dean: (laughs)
Hucks: Silly question there from Steve Harvey.
‘What exactly about the injury makes it impossible for Dean to continue as a professional footballer – is it that his ankle is not inflexibe, or painful, or much weakened? Does it also mean that Dean is unable to play at amateur level, for fun (assuming that he would want to)? Does it in any way hinder the possibility of coaching roles’ - that question's from Patrick Joseph.
Dean: Well, the reason that I had to stop was because I had no cartilage left – which basically means that your bones rub together and eventually they'll just crumble like rocks eroding against each other.
Hucks: So, you had no cartilage because of the injury?
Dean: Yeah. Because of the injury - because I broke it inside the joint, it took away a lot of the cartilage anyway, and then it tilts and it wore the rest of it away and eventually-
Hucks: But you've actually had it fused now, haven't you?
Dean: Yeah. Because the bone rubbing together is what gives you the searing pain - fusing it take s that away so that you can walk normally.
Hucks: At the moment, you're only just walking properly, aren't you?
Dean: Yeah.
Hucks: And you can't jog or anything?
Dean: No, no. I can play golf and I can walk but-
Hucks: But that's about it?
Dean: I wouldn't be able to play any amateur football - although, I probably wouldn't want to anyway.
Hucks: No. And would it hinder a coaching job? Not really, I suppose, would it?
Dean: No, no, I mean, you should be able to demonstrate, but I don't think that every manager has been a fantastic footballer - I don't think that Mourinho was the best footballer in the world.
Hucks: No, but he is a decent manager.
Dean: Defo
Okay, this is Paul Frewer – ‘Percentage-wise, how much of being a striker is instinct and how much is training?
Dean: I'd probably say 60-40 in favour of instinct. But there's no point having great instinct if you're not physically fit – especially in the Premier League, because you're never going to get into position to be instinctive.
Hucks: Yeah. I think that, obviously, playing with you, you were a rare breed, really. You were a target man, as in the Kevin Davis and Heskey kind of 'mould, and you could also score goals.
Dean: Mmm.
Hucks: Y'know, and that's something that Big Emile struggled with. Kevin Davis, who played the other night, you know, he worked hard for the team but he doesn't get that many goals. But you were like a freak in that you could do both – you could score with your right foot, left foot, headers, side foots, good finishes...
Dean: Yeah, I think one of the main things was that I could shoot with both feet very well, which helped. I see a lot of strikers who've got a great right foot or a great left foot, but when it suddenly comes on the other foot, its–
Hucks: I can remember when we were doing those shooting and volleying sessions. I was behind you and you were taking these shots. Man – I swear to God, the hardest I have ever seen anyone hit the ball.
Dean: (Laughs)
Hucks: No, truthfully, left foot or right foot – you hit the ball harder than I've ever see anybody! I've seen training with Shearer and Ferdinand, some real top players, and none of them caught the ball the way that you did.
Dean: No.
Hucks: You could absolutely belt the ball!
Dean: (Laughs).
Hucks: It was unbelieveable! I used to watch you thinking: ‘Jesus, man, if he catches that ball properly, he's gonna kill the keeeper! You must've known it though, 'cause you were a big lad, but you had some proper strong thighs.
Dean: Yeah, yeah. A bit of weight behind it as well.
Hucks: But I just think that, especially now, 'cause a lot of teams are playing four-three-three at the minute, and you were absolutely perfect playing as the one lone striker, cause you could hold the ball, you could head it, and you could bring people in.
Dean: I mean, a lot of people say you need pace to play and I do agree – you do need pace, especially in today's game, but at the same time-
Hucks: I think if you've got two decent full players either side of you, and you just stay in the middle, and bring people in, and get in the box...I think that it would have been a perfect position for you. Because near enough every team plays that now, in some way or the other.
This is from Stuart Gary. ‘Do you think, had you escaped injury, you'd have been an England regular for a number of years?’
Dean: It's hard to say ‘Yes’ - it sounds very arrogant, doesn't it? But, I look at the strikers now, and I think, ‘I was ahead of you,’ you know?
Hucks: Yeah.
Dean: You know, Fabio Capello told me I was second choice to Rooney. So, I just think, well, if he was thinking that, if I was fit and playing at my best, then surely I would have been in the squad, at least.
Hucks: Yeah, 'cause if you look at Big Emile, as we've said before,you know, he's a good player and he's had a great career and he's done a great job for the team, but, you know, I didn't see him being better than you. Even Crouchy, when he was at Norwich. Crouchy was a great player in his goal scoring – and quite a few of 'em for England – but I would never ever have thought he was going to be a 20-goal England striker. Never.
Dean: Hmm.
Hucks: I mean, obviously, the thing with Crouchy is that he's got something that no-one else has got. No-one else is six foot seven, so he's a complete individual in the way he plays. Obviously you weren't the quickest but you made up for it in other areas.
Hucks: I just want to ask you... oh no it doesn't matter, all these rumours about you and Shack I must of had 25 questions about that.
Dean: Serious? I don't know why that came about.
Hucks: I don't either
Dean: I think somebody saw me and Shack going out for a meal.
Hucks: Thats how it started? Do you want me to put it in?
Dean: Yeah yeah. Thing is Shack, me, Jarv and Hendo, they were the young lads, my age, I didn't really know anyone when I joined the club so they'd invite me out for a game of pool and stuff.
Hucks: It makes you wonder what people actually think ridiculous, just ridiculous.
Dean: Its not like we were holding hands.
Hucks: I know it's ridiculous because i've seen you with your missus and kid's and Shack's just had a baby with his wife, it's just a complete and utter fabrication, I know it winds Shack up aswell.
Dean: (laughs)
Hucks: Because the lads obviously got wind of it aswell, but it happens all the time, before it was Leon and Damo, it's just rubbish I was actually in the practice match when Leon caught Damo with an accidental elbow,and you know Leon was all arms! Strongest man alive but all arm's! He just caught Damo clean in the cheek bone,then all of a sudden people jumping on the bandwagon saying it's this this and this.
