Offside SoundOff: Which Player Would You Like to Spend a Day with, and What Would You Do?

By: Laurie | August 2nd, 2009

Our SoundOff question for the day:

Which player (or former player) would you like to spend a day with, and what would you spend your time doing?

This one was actually Chris’s idea, and his answer surprised me. I expected a current or former Roma player, probably Daniele de Rossi or Frencesco Totti. Wrong. He picked Eric Cantona.

Direct Skype quote:

He’s at least creative, so that’s something.
Anyway, I gather he and I would get along splendidly as long as I could keep my hatred for all things ManU tucked tidily into my jacket pocket.

I thought this was a good question, but I had a hard time coming up with anybody. My list was generally divided into a) players who would intimidate the hell outta me in real life, leaving me stupid and tongue-tied and b) players who would probably bore me to tears, leaving me disillusioned.

But in the end, I came up with two.

1) David James of Portsmouth. Based almost entirely on his column for The Observer, he comes across as intelligent and funny and well-informed. The most thought-provoking for me: Will a gay footballer ever come out of the comfort zone? (Although I’m not sure meeting him would be a good idea. If I were to discover he uses a ghost-writer and speaks in monosyllables, I would be so disappointed I’d be tempted to kill him with my own hands.)

2) Santino Quaranta of DC United. I don’t think there’s any player playing today that I respect more than Santino. He had everything handed to him as a Generation Adidas player, and before Freddie Adu he was the youngest professional ever in MLS. He threw it all away with addictions, then battled back, committed himself to his play and his wife and two kids, and at 24 received another callup to the USMNT. I think I’d just like to see what makes him tick and tell him what a role model he is for younger players.

Honorable mention: Franck Ribery, because he’s funny as hell.

How about you? Who would you like to spend a day with, and what would you spend it doing?

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Category: World Football

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The Offside RSS Feeds

Matteo

Cafu. Great player, lots of stories and trophies, and even played for Roma for their last scudetto as a bonus!
miele

Ryan Giggs. or Keano, if I dare so.

or if I'm really brave : Rino Gatttuso
Jennifer Doyle

Vikash Dhorasoo. Laurie already picked David James. A lot of the "best" players seem like robots to me - and I don't always like hanging out with "team players". Dhorasoo is interesting, has the right problems with authority, and sponsors a gay team. I think Substitute is one of the most interesting films about professional football ever made, and would just love to have a glass of wine with the guy. I like to think that if we knew each other, we'd be friends.

Formiga. I am going to break from the presumption here and name this Brazilian international & FC Gold Pride FEMALE midfielder. She's an interesting player, considered by many to be the world's top midfielder. I would love to know more about her. We never hear about players like her, and we should!
Tim

No one has mentioned Beckham yet! one of few really great role models in football (re. Cantona we just did a great look back at his career, bring on the memories... http://tinyurl.com/cantona7)
Farhaan

Only one name comes to mind,.... TITUS BRAMBLE. The master of imperfection
Hana

It's gotta be Titi, easily. Brilliant player, comes across as really cool and down to earth. And produces gems like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Actually, either him or Clarence Seedorf. When he's not busy infuriating me during matches, he's a bit of a philosopher a la Cantona and generally says rather intelligent things. And the dude can speak like 5 languages.
Chris

C'mon, this is too easy. Gotta be Joey Barton . . .
hommeyer

and andrei arashavin - same reason
hommeyer

fabien barthez - because there'd be no way to predict what the f*ck he'd do.
Luka

Johann Cruyff. Nuff said.
Kelly

Henry, he always seems like a great guy :D
elle

oh wait. I also pick Berbatov...because he's Berbatov and therefore awesome/weird/funny.
Weston (@wpazzurri)

i cant decide between del piero so i can stare at him with wonder or ronaldo so i can break his leg with a wood chipper.
Andres

robinho or dani alves so i can beat them like they stole something but thats because i cant stand them lol am i going off topic ?
Linda

Pep Guardiola. I'd probably end up tongue-tied, but man would he have some interesting stories to tell.
Al

Messi. I want to beat him at Pro Evolution Soccer.
Ken

Either Patrice Evra or Ji-Sung Park. They seem like funny guys.
alex

definitely Buffon. i'm shure, he's a nice person.
richard

Diego Forlan. we could trade hair care tips.
Utku

messi

he just seems like someone that would be fun to be around

also if i could choose any athlete id def go with either lebron james or shaq since they're both funny as hell
Finnegan

Cristiano Ronaldo. I would slap him in the face.
Oli Davies

Sir Bobby Robson.

i don't think anymore needs saying really. i
greg

probably cesc fabregas. why? figure it out.
Marlon

Which player will discuss contemporary literature with me and delve into the reasons behind the rich history of magical realism in Europe, South America, and Asia, but it's lack of strength in the United States?
tom

I would say Henry, because he's a very funny person (i think) and it would be fun to go out with him.
tOmmy wOng

@ Joe, yes and yes.
Nina

Figo. Because he is beautiful :)
Theo

Freddie Kanoute- he seems like a nice guy or maybe jesus navas (sevilla winger) because hes hot and a hero in sevilla so id probably get some hot spanish chicks
elle

Evra/Park...they count as one person, and they look like they'd be fun to hang out with.
Lee

My pick would be Gennaro Gattuso. We could spend the day walking around snarling at people, a headbutt or two, and then maybe some tea (or human blood, whichever he prefers).
Joe

Mutu, we would do mountains of blow and bang hookers with rooney.
Claudia

Franck Ribéry, I think he's adorable and seems very funny. I hear he likes shopping, I love it too so I'd take him to my fave city to shop in (Amsterdam) and we'd make a great day out of it :D
sauro

Gerrard or Xabi Alonso. The best player in the world or the best midfielder in the world.
Ian

It would definitely be a player from farther back in the past - I want to hear the stories from the earlier days. If I had to pick, I think I'd have to go with Kenny Dalglish. I would want to take in a Scotland match at Hampden with him, then just sit around drinking tea and listening to stories.
BlrGnr

Arshavin, and have him speak at a gathering of feminists. It'll be all fun and games, till they get the pitchforks out. >:]
Jacek

Probably Zidane; just cus he's Zidane...but I'm giving in to hormones and would have to say C Ronaldo because you're gonna bang some nice girls just for being his friend