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Q&A with Pepe

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LeTallecWiz

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Have you always wanted to be a goalkeeper?
I reckon every kid, when they are six, seven...eight, just tries to play everywhere. But I figured out pretty quickly that my best skills were in goal. My dad was obviously a goalkeeper in his career (with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona), but he never pushed me in any particular direction. But when it became clear that I wanted to be a goalkeeper, he helped me.

Who's the loudest player that you've encountered in a dressing room over the years?
That has to be Joan Capdevilla with the national team. He is crazy; nuts. At the moment, Jonno (Glen Johnson) and Luis (Suarez) are loud.

How difficult would it be for a goalkeeper in the modern game if he wasn't permitted to use gloves?
It would be impossible to hold the ball because its outer layer is made from a plastic material. Without the gloves, there would probably be more mistakes and more goals. A lot of people think that gloves are there to protect, but they aren't - they're there to help you control the ball.

Who is the most skilful player you've played with?
Luis Suarez here at the moment. In my time at Barcelona, we had Luis Figo and Rivaldo who were unbelievable. Then at Villarreal, Riquelme and Sonny Anderson were very good. With the national team, there are too many to mention.

Why do you think goalkeepers are perceived as being crazy?
Because people misunderstand the word crazy when really it's bravery!

Which goalkeeper in the history of football is the craziest?
(Rene) Higuita was genuinely crazy but brave too. But you cannot look further than Bruce (Grobbelaar). He is one of the greatest in Liverpool's history but what made him great also was the fact that he was different. He would dribble the ball around attackers for pleasure. I only do it if I have to do it.

In Olympic year, which Liverpool player would compete best at the 100m sprint?
That would be Craig Bellamy. His acceleration would help him win.

What is your favourite other sport?
Definitely golf. I have a membership at a club but I don't play as much as I'd like to. My handicap is 16.

What was your first car?
It was a grey Opel Frontera. Unfortunately, I crashed it after three months.

Not including pets, what is your favourite animal?
A dolphin. I went to Dubai recently for a break and I swam with dolphins. The family enjoyed it.

What's the longest journey you've ever made?
New Zealand. The flight was from Madrid to Los Angeles, then on to Fiji and into New Zealand. It was for the U17s World Cup when I was a lot younger. It took 30 hours in total with transfers.

What is the best save you've made?
The one in the last minute of the FA Cup final against West Ham, in terms of importance; a cross from Yossi Benayoun and the shot from (Nigel) Reo-Coker. Because it was the final minute we could have lost 4-3.

Whose is the best shirt you've swapped?
I have 250 at home. It would have to be one from Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zidane, Figo or Ronaldo. Jose Molina was my idol at the beginning so maybe it is him.
 
pepe-reina-pl-save-percentage.jpg

It’s interesting to note that Reina has never performed as well as he did when he first arrived in England; logic would dictate that it might take time for a 23-year-old Spaniard to adapt to the hustle and the bustle of the Premier League, but that wasn’t the case whatsoever.

Perhaps of greater interest, and also concern, is the very apparent downward trend to the graph as time has passed. Of course, it’s hugely important to consider the calibre of teammate he has had in front of him (starting with Hyypia and Carragher at their peak in 2005) as well as the changes in managers, and therefore tactics, that have occurred over the past two years.

pepe-save-percentage-by-manager.jpg


pepe-save-by-coach.jpg

Top of the tree is Jose Ochotorena, and comfortably so. In his recent autobiography, Reina was fulsome in his praise of his fellow Spaniard:

I have worked with some great coaches, but the one who is the absolute master is Ochotorena. He knows me better than anyone else, understands everything about my strengths and weaknesses, and working with him has been one of the greatest experiences of my career. Ocho is the one who knows me better than anyone else and the one who can bring the very best out of me…(Ocho) is the best goalkeeping coach on the planet.
 
Could those stats be a bit skewed because we had better defenders?
I'm asking...
 
Quote a few people said Kenny agreed with reina to get that coach in only for those above him to veto it.

I hope Rodgers manages to get him.
 
Four managers in two years. He's right. We were on the move upwards when he joined us. But, maybe we are again
 
Spain's national team celebrated on the streets of Madrid the European title it won in Kiev last Sunday against Italy, After arriving at Barajas Airport, the Spanish expedition was received by His Majesty King Juan Carlos at the Zarzuela Palace, before talking to the streets with the thousands of fans who came out to pay tribute to our heroes.

On an open-top bus, the heroes paraded along the streets of Calle Princesa and Gran Vía before arriving at the Plaza de Cibeles, where Pepe Reina, Spain's substitute goalkeeper, again introduced each of his teammates to the thousands of fans present there.

The keeper repeated: "We're a legendary team", and he thanked the fans for all of their support through the years. The national team's captain, Iker Casillas also picked up the microphone and said: "I'm honoured to captain this team of not only amazing footballers, but also amazing people. It's a pleasure to be here. This is for you and for you to enjoy".

Reina had some very moving words for Vicente Del Bosque, who he referred to as: "The driving force behind the team, a patient man, the team's kindness and wisdom. I think he's the only coach who has won the World Cup and the European Championship".
 
Reina has stayed for 2 horrible seasons, with the likes of Hodgson and Kelly in his face.

He'll stay and give Rodgers a chance. Still a top top keeper.
 
The only graph that would be relevant is one with his age under each of those seasons.
 
Erm I tried to with Google Translate - didn't help much though. 😀

Pepe Reina: 'We are accustomed to bad people, there will come times of drought'
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has now valued the importance of the three films made ​​by the Spanish football team, and stressed that it is not normal and that it is' wrong train people ', predicts that it will come' times drought 'in which' will not gain much. '
 
The Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina joked with the inmates of Ibiza prison about playing second fiddle to Iker Casillas and being on the bench all the time in the Spanish national team: "He has more lives than a cat; in the seven years I've been in the squad with him he has never been injured or got sent off."

Reina answered the inmates' questions highlighting that it was an honour to be picked for Spain. Nonetheless, he has the "misfortune" of not being able to play because of a "phenomenon named Iker Casillas". "It is a privilege sharing the dressing room with him", he assured them, "and helping him to be the best goalkeeper and a better person by pushing him all that I can." He added, "There are 23 players in the squad who are all important in their respective teams but at the end of the day only 11 can play".

Regarding Spain's victory in the European Championships, he stressed the importance of their being a tight knit group. "As they say in the NBA, a player can win a game but championships are won by teams", he explained.

He joked that after seven years of sharing and playing cards together, he got on best with "Iker, Villa and then Llorente and Piqué". He also said that he has at least another couple of seasons at Liverpool and after that "maybe" he would play for Córdoba, his local team.
 
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