Exclusive Interview with Danny Allsopp

Last updated : 21 July 2003 By Notts County Mad

What is the difference between Australian Football and English football?

Well the main difference is the level of competitiveness. It's bigger over here and there aren't as much competition in Australia . There aren't as many good players in Australia as there are over here and over there it isn't professional so that is probably the main difference.


"The goal against Port Vale was good"
What has been the best goal you have scored this season?

There have been a few that I've liked. But I'm not sure really. Off the top of my head, I liked the one against Port Vale on the opening day of the season. I think it was a good finish by myself at home to Reading to make it one all. There has been a few but I can't really remember them.


Why do you think it didn't work out for Gary Brazil as Boss?

I don't know really. I think it was a combination of things between both him and Jocky really. Even when Billy Dearden came in we were still in a bit of a losing slump by then. I think it's just a case of results on the pitch, they've both tried things to change them. But, we weren't getting the right results on the pitch so that's basically why it didn't work out. But otherwise I don't think either of them did much wrong.


Did you set a goal target at the start of the season?

Yes. I originally set up to get twenty goals and then just take it on from there. But I still want to get more league goals so hopefully I will get a few more until the end of the season.


Who is the best defender you have played against this season?

It's always a tough game when we play against Wigan and Stoke. It's not so much one good defender it's more that the defence work as a unit. So those two teams have got big, strong and good defences.


The season on a whole has been a huge disappointment really, where do you think it all went wrong?

I could say the first game of the season really because we lost and we were expected to win. Instead of thinking what do we have to do to win this game, some of the time we was thinking. “Oh, it'll happen for us”, instead of thinking of the process rather than the result. I think we expected to win instead of thinking how we should go about winning.


What has Billy Dearden done to get the players playing well again?

He relaxes and calms us all down. I think we were due for a run anyway, but he tries to give us more confidence and relaxes us before games and that sort of thing. He hasn't really had the chance to make his own mark on the team. But we were due for a run of results.


"I wasn't low on confidence"
Midway through this season you seemed low on confidence and you weren't getting many goals, why do you think this was?

I don't think I was really low on confidence. I might have been low on confidence about where I was going to get a goal from. I seemed to have the odd chance here and there. But the team wasn't really creating a lot. I just started to think "where is my next goal going to come from."? But the team has started to play better and that has helped me lately. I never really had a lack of confidence, I was just worried about when the ball was going to come to me and that sort of thing.


What job would you probably now be doing if you didn't make the grade as a professional footballer?

I don't think I'd be doing anything good, because I went all out to being a footballer. I'd still be in Australia. But it is always a gamble when you're a footballer and school will take a backseat at some stage


What is the difference between all three managers this season?

Jocky was a bit harder than the two that we've had so far. He was a bit harder and a more aggressive manager I suppose. He got stuck into us more compared to the other two who were more encouraging I suppose. That's probably the main difference. There are differences between them but not massive changes I suppose.


How did you feel when Jocky left?

I was disappointed when both managers left. It's just been a nightmare this season because we've had three different managers and it hasn't been ideal. When the team was playing poorly in January it started to affect us a bit.


Football isn't the No.1 sport in Australia, so why did you pick to play football and not a more popular sport down under?

We always played games like Aussie rules and Cricket and that sort of thing at school. But my dad was a footballer. He is from England and I just followed him and that's how I got into football really.


What do you make of the recent speculation of you moving away from the club to go to Tranmere or Rotherham?

I don't make anything of that. I've only heard of the speculation as well. They haven't approached me, they would have to go through the club to do that. I think it was earlier in the season when the Tranmere rumours were about. But I want to stay and get us further out of relegation and then start a fresh next year.


Do you think it's about time that you got a chance in the Australian team?

Well I have played in under 17's, under 20's and under 23's. We've got a lot of good players up front like Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell and there are some other players at the moment. It's quite a strong team. I am just waiting to see what happens. If I keep scoring goals it think it's inevitable that I'll get called up one day.


Who do you prefer along side you, Mark Stallard or Paul Heffernan?

I don't mind at all. They are both good. I don't mind playing with Tony Hackworth either.


Do you have ambitions in a higher league?

Yes, of course. Hopefully with Notts County. I think if you go into any dressing room any player wants to play higher and higher, even the premiership players want to be internationals and then go onto the world cup. So yeah I do want to.


Where do you now think Notts will finish up this season?

Hopefully, we'll go on a big run and overtake Peterborough! No, I don't know. As long as we stay up I am not that concerned.


When the fans got on the teams back did it effect the team or your performance?

At the time I didn't think it did. But just lately when the crowd has been getting behind us it has made a big difference. When they got on our backs it didn't help us at all. And it isn't right booing a player when their names are read out before a game. But we're professionals so we just get on with it.


Are you happy at Meadow Lane?

Yes, definitely. Especially now that the results are coming. Until we beat Tranmere I hadn't won a game this year, because I was suspended early in January. I was getting a bit depressed but we're on a run now so that has helped a bit.


What good attributes do you think you have to being a striker?

I think I will always get my fair share of goals and I work hard for the team. I've got a bit of pace and they're all good attributes to have.


What do you think Notts still need to lure them away from the relegation zone?

Get more points than the other teams around us! No, but people are saying that this game against Bournemouth is a six pointer. But I think if we lose this game, we could win one or two more games to stay alive and then during the rest of the season get a few wins and then take each game as it comes and get as many points as we can.


"Keep getting behind us"
Do you have a message for the fans?

Keep coming down and supporting us home and away, it really has been much better for the players to go out there and do well recently.