Andy Dale said:
Great interview with Mario by Noel Gallagher in The Sun today.
Full interview is on Football Focus at 12.15 BBC1.
The full transcript of Noel Gallagher interviewing Manchester City's Mario Balotelli for BBC's Football Focus
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 10 March 2012 00.13 GMT
Mario Balotelli
Mario Balotelli has a bit still to learn about the Manchester music scene.
Noel Gallagher: So, Mario, I gotta say, it's an honour for me to meet you.
Mario Balotelli: Honour for me.
NG: As a Manchester City supporter, I've supported Manchester City for 40 years, 40 YEARS can you believe that? That's a long time. What I wanna know is when you first got the call about coming to Manchester City, had you heard anything about the club at all?
MB: No, nothing.
NG: Nothing at all?
MB: No.
NG: Apart from we play in blue and we were rubbish apparently.
MB: No I didn't know nothing.
NG: Had you heard anything about the city of Manchester … apart from Man United?
MB: I came three years ago, I played in the game with United so I came here.
NG: OK.
NG: Right. How big a part did Mancini play to get you to coming to City?
MB: Yeah if Mancini wasn't here I think I never come here.
NG: No?
MB: No.
NG: So you … you've known him since you were a young man. I mean you're still a young man now but you've known him since you were 16, 17?
MB: How long do I know him?
NG: Yeah.
MB: Err when I was 15.
NG: Was he the coach at Inter when you joined?
MB: Yes, for the first team and I used to play in the like kind of academy.
NG: Right OK. And would you say he's a good coach?
MB: He's a good manager?
NG: Yeah.
MB: Of course.
NG: I think so, I think he's great. And what do you think … with the way that the team is now, we're top of the league and how far do you think we can go?
MB: I tell you in the end.
NG: In the end?
MB: It's unlucky to say before.
NG: No I know, I'm the same when people ask me "can we win the league?" I always say that if it's a two-horse race between City and United and for all the things that we've done this season that we deserve to win it. Now whether, whether we can get over the line or not but I think we've got the best players, certainly.
MB: If you ask me if we deserve to win …
NG: Yeah.
MB: If we keep playing like that then yes we deserve it.
NG: Absolutely I think so too.
NG: Right, Rafaella Te Amo, your missus, she's a beauty isn't she?
MB: Yeah.
NG: Yeah? What does that mean, does that mean Rafealla I love you?
MB: Yeah.
NG: Yeah? Does she appreciate that?
MB: Yeah of course.
NG: Nice one. And so have you brought any family with you over here?
MB: There is only my little brother.
NG: Is he the one you were doing magic tricks for? You know there was when we was playing some game against err …
MB: Yeah, no that is his friend and my brother.
NG: Right. Where did you learn to do magic?
MB: Magic, it's one guy I don't know he's in Manchester no. I was in Trafford Centre and he came, he just show me tricks so one day I invited him to my house and he teach me something.
NG: So there's a guy in the Trafford Centre doing magic tricks and you said come and show me some stuff?
MB: Yes.
NG: To entertain your …
MB: Because we were like in 10 people me and my friends so you know the people that do magician no they cannot teach you.
NG: That's right they can't teach you.
MB: So I said to him, I took him alone and I say to him "listen I invite you to my house so you can teach me" and he say "OK".
NG: Nice. So how many tricks do you know?
MB: Err no just one.
NG: Just the one trick?
MB: Yeah but it's difficult.
NG: It's magic.
MB: Yeah.
NG: That's why it's difficult. Oh yeah, when I was watching training before, Carlos is back.
MB: Yeah.
NG: He looks happy.
MB: Yeah.
NG: And fit. But when you see pictures of him that they put in the papers he looks quite mean and unhappy but I've just watched him training with you guys there and he …
MB: Ah the paper they just …
NG: Yeah we all know that but I just, I mean maybe you could give us the official story but I've just seen it with my own eyes he looks as happy as I've ever seen him. He looked fit and raring to go.
MB: When, I don't know when he didn't play, I don't know, I wasn't there so I don't really know what happened but I think everyone can do a mistake, Carlos is part of the team so everyone is want to have fun with him and he's just part of the team so everybody love him. That's why he's happy.
NG: So it's true to say that outside of all the politics that's going on between the club and the player the players themselves are still all great friends with him and would all have a strong bond with him?
MB: Because like me, if I'm happy in Manchester now it's for the team, for my team-mates, how they are with me.
NG: Yeah.
MB: And for supporters, that's the good of this club.
NG: Do you think Carlos will be in any way worried about the supporters' reaction to him if he …
MB: I think supporters have to be like they were before, they shouldn't care because Carlos can hear, and if they do or if they make pressure on Carlos they make pressure to all the team so they shouldn't do nothing.
NG: Well this is what I was saying before that I don't think there'll be booing, I think there might be maybe a tiny bit but I think it'll be mixed but I think the fans should still respect him because he's gonna be one of our greatest ever players.
MB: Of course.
NG: And if he leaves, he leaves, you know footballers move on …
MB: It's normal, every one of us we came from outside, we stay, we go, it's normal.
NG: I think that's the modern day football but I agree with ya, but I was … it was interesting to see him out there with a smile on his face and …
MB: Yeah.
NG: Playing away there and it was good to see.
NG: So apparently Mancini in his press conference this morning said again that you need to mature but we don't think you need to mature.
MB: No, OK, I'm … if Mancini say something he's right but I'm 21 so I still young and I think that already from last year I'm already bigger like in my head …
NG: Well me too … well I would agree, I think … from the outside looking in, but there's some things we don't want you to mature about you know.
MB: No but if you look me from outside and you don't know me and you think I'm an idiot [smiles and laughs].
NG: NO, no, no, no, no do you know I go round the world and you know a lot of when you mention Man City and people tend to boo and all that but when you mention the name Balotelli [pause] everyone loves it.
MB: [laughs]
NG: Seriously it's like you've become the poster boy for naughty children.
MB: [laughs]
NG: My children love you and they don't even know who you are.
MB: [laughs]
NG: So tell us what … can you run me through … I'm fascinated by this, so the night before the derby at Old Trafford when we won six one [pause] the fire brigade are called when you set fire to your house …
MB: I didn't.
NG: Accidentally or so they say.
MB: No I didn't.
NG: OK can you clear that up?
MB: So [laughs] you want me to tell you what happened?
NG: If you want.
MB: Only because it's you.
NG: Nice one, thank you very much.
MB: So it started like a joke no.
NG: Right.
MB: So, nah but that's stupid. [Both laugh]
NG: Never mind, you can tell me later.
MB: I was bored no, so I was with my friends and one of them was limping so I got one bin you know the bin?
NG: Yeah.
MB: But a metal one yeah.
NG: OK [both laugh].
MB: For put fireworks inside.
NG: OK.
MB: But nothing gonna happen right, so I left the room and I left the fireworks but I didn't …
NG: You didn't light them?
MB: No, I walk out and then my friend go in the room and they just start screaming blah blah blah and the fireworks was going off and they put the fireworks on the bed, not on the bed sorry, on the toilet.
NG: [laughs]
MB: But just the curtain caught on fire, that's it, nothing else, they just made everything up.
NG: Oh so the fire brigade weren't called?
MB: Yeah, only because the firemen they came.
NG: Oh right OK.
MB: For the curtain and the toilet.
NG: Oh because the alarm was going off right?
MB: Just the toilet was lost.
NG: So all that being said that part of the story, what were you thinking when you made the T-shirt, the "why always me" T-shirt? Did you have a feeling you were gonna score that day?
MB: I thought I was gonna score three.
NG: You were gonna score three?
MB: Yeah.
NG: Coz before the game started I thought you were gonna score the winner, I thought we were gonna win 1-0 and you were gonna score the winner at the Stretford End, and when you … I mean it was a great goal and the celebration with the T-shirt and the picture that was seen around the world … what did you think of that?
MB: Of what?
NG: Well did you think … when the top's going up did you think this picture's gonna be shown all round the world?
MB: No, no, no just a message …
NG: Was it a message?
MB: It's not a question, that people do to me it's a question that I do to them. You understand?
NG: So was it a message to the fans coz we love that …
MB: No it was to all the people that just talking bad about me and say stuff not nice about me …
NG: Oh to the press …
MB: And they don't know me so just asking why always me, like, why always me? [Both laugh]
NG: It was genius. Have you still got the T-shirt?
MB: Yeah in Italy.
NG: I would like that T-shirt.
MB: OK I give it to you.
NG: Serious?
MB: Yeah.
NG: Now he's said that on film, the T-shirt is mine, nice one.
MB: OK [both laugh].
NG: Now there's a lot of very very very funny stories that are written about you in the papers could we clear some of them up you can tell me if some of them are true or false?
MB: Like what?
NG: We know this one is true, did you turn up at a women's jail in Milan and ask for a tour?
MB: No I, you know that for go to jail you have to call them and you have to have like an invitation. So I have to go in one of them but it was for men no? And I was with my brother, but where I live there are two prison like one mile away.
NG: Right.
MB: So the gate was open and I went in the wrong one but I was in the parking so but when you go in the parking then they have to check everything and after like every time someone just talk, called the press …
NG: And said that you turned up and asked for a tour?
MB: Nah, I didn't, just stupid people.
NG: Is it true that a young lad turned up here at the training ground, asked you for your autograph and you asked him why he wasn't at school and he said he was being bullied so you took him to school and spoke to the headmaster?
MB: No.
NG: That's not true either? You're blowing it all here Mario.
MB: What?
NG: You're blowing it all here mate.
MB: No it's not true that I took him to school, no it's not true. I tell him why he wasn't at school but I didn't took him to school.
NG: Really?
MB: Yeah.
NG: Are you having lessons to be a DJ from Tim Westwood?
MB: Errr no … I had a picture with him, he asked me a picture, that's it.
NG: [laughs] Right, and they said …
MB: He's the DJ yeah?
NG: Yeah, well, yeah he's a DJ.
MB: No I was in town to get the PSP, the new one so.
NG: OK, is it any good?
MB: The PSP, I never use it.
NG: Oh right.
MB: But erm he ask me a picture and I ask who this guy is and they say DJ, they told me he's a DJ, famous DJ.
NG: He's a hip-hop DJ.
MB: And after in the morning I saw I had lessons from DJ, OK.
NG: What do you think, because the British press they're known for making up stories about everybody, they used to do it to me and my brother a lot.
MB: Yeah?
NG: It's just sometimes it can be a bit … things like this can be a bit of fun but do you find it annoying?
MB: Erm I think it … you can do what you want if you stay in the line.
NG: Right.
MB: They that go out from the line, kill them. [both laugh]
NG: Erm [pause] is this true? I so want this to be true and … did your mum send you to John Lewis for an ironing board and you came back with a quad bike …
MB: Yeah that's true [both laugh]
NG: Yes. A quad bike, a scalextric and a tennis table?
MB: Yeah. No a tennis table no … the trampoline.
NG: [laughs] A trampoline? What would Mancini say if he thought you had a quad bike and a trampoline at your house?
MB: He knows.
NG: Does he?
MB: Yeah.
NG: Wouldn't he go like mad? Coz like …
MB: The quad bike is also at my house, no. Why he have to go mad, for what?
NG: Well in case you injure yourself.
MB: Nah with a quad bike no.
NG: Do you wear a helmet? Obviously no …
MB: Yeah.
NG: You do?
MB: Right. You don't do you?
NG: NO, yeah yeah [both laugh].
NG: Right [pause] are you allergic to grass, a specific kind of grass? Is that true or is that nonsense?
MB: I'm allergic to the dry grass.
NG: To dry grass, so do you get a like hayf …
MB: Not the grass, the green one, the brown one you know like, I don't know how you say in English …
NG: Do you get hay fever?
MB: Hay fever what is this?
NG: It's like people get in the summer when errr … how do we describe hay fever? It's like when like the flowers come our people start to sneeze a lot …
MB: No no no not that one, no it's like under my skin I have to scratch.
NG: Really?
MB: Yes.
NG: Wow mental. And you're a footballer and allergic to some kind of grass. Is it true that you went into a petrol station and paid for everybody's petrol …
MB: No that's not true, that's not true.
NG: I'm being crushed here, I'm being crushed, that's not true?
MB: NO.
NG: OK. Did you drive round Manchester dressed as Santa Clause …
MB: [rolls eyes and smiles] NO [both laugh].
NG: Right, OK. Have you played darts recently and how good are you?
MB: No I didn't play recently I played last year.
NG: Right, so are you … have you ever got a 180?
MB: What? I don't know about the game. I put it in the middle you know.
NG: Oh in the bullseye?
MB: Yeahs.
NG: Nice one. One shot. Rock'n'roll star. Did you give a tramp a thousand pound after winning in a casino?
MB: Never [laughs].
NG: Good lord. Did you go to church on Christmas Eve?
MB: Yeah.
NG: Did you put a thousand pound in the collection plate?
MB: No. I put … I don't know but not a thousand.
NG: Not a thousand? And then did you go to a pub in Wythenshawe and buy everybody a drink afterwards?
MB: No I didn't.
NG: OK. I wouldn't do that either to be honest, not in Wythenshawe. Tynchy Stryder, do you know Tynchy Stryder?
MB: Yeah.
NG: He wrote a song about you.
MB: Yeah.
NG: Have you heard it?
MB: Yeah yeah.
NG: Do you like it?
MB: Yeah yeah, it's nice.
NG: Is that your favourite kind of music, hip-hop?
MB: His song?
NG: Well no like that genre, hip-hop?
MB: Yeah I like it.
NG: Do you know anything about the Manchester music scene?
MB: Singer?
NG: No, like, do you know anything about the history of all the bands that have ever come from Manchester? Joy Division, have you ever heard of Joy Division?
MB: Say it …
NG: Joy Division?
MB: No.
NG: The Smiths?
MB: No.
NG: Stone Roses?
MB: No.
NG: Oasis.
MB: Yes [laughs].
NG: Now, you were recently named the third [best] dressed man in Britain by GQ …
MB: Second!
NG: Second? Nice one. How does that feel?
MB: Don't care.
NG: Coz we had one of the players in here before who'll remain nameless, but his initials are AJ …
MB: What?
NG: AJ … OK it was Adam Johnson he came in here and he was saying that the fact that you were named second best dressed man is a travesty, he said …
MB: Yeah but listen, I don't wanna offend nobody but an English person cannot speak about style with an Italian person [smiles].
NG: Well, that's true but a Mancunian can, well Adam's not from Manchester, but Mancunians are known for being impeccably … as you can see, for being impeccably dressed but I'm not gonna go for a fashion off with you because …
MB: No I didn't say that English people wear bad clothes, I said Italian people are another level.
NG: No question, we all wear Italian shoes, these are Italian shoes, they're nice …
MB: Are they Italian?
NG: Yeah, Golden Goose do you know that label?
MB: [laughs]
NG: Right, what music do you listen to in the dressing room with the players?
MB: R&B.
NG: Really?
MB: R&B or hip-hop.
NG: Does nobody ever play Oasis?
MB: [pause] I don't think so.
NG: I've got a CD for you later, you might have to bang it on there when Nigel's bogling.
MB: [laughs] Yeah OK.
NG: Yeah stick it on.
MB: Thank you.
NG: Is music a big part of your life would you say?
MB: Hmmm?
NG: Is music a big part of your life?
MB: Errrrr …
NG: You like music?
MB: Yeah I like music. Yeah. Some music remind me of when I was young you know so, yeah.
NG: I'll ask you about that, where do you hail from, originally? Where your …
MB: I born in … oh originally?
NG: Yeah.
MB: Or where was I born?
NG: Where were you born?
MB: In Palermo, Sicily.
NG: And where are your ancestors from?
MB: Who?
NG: Your parents …
MB: My natural parents oh, from Ghana.
NG: From Ghana? OK. And have you ever been to … have you been back there?
MB: Never been to Africa in my life.
NG: No?
MB: Never.
NG: I've only been to Egypt, it's very hot. Now listen, I am … I used to be in Oasis and now I've gone solo coz my brother was a bit crazy like you.
MB: Really?
NG: Yeah, and so I'm in a critically acclaimed and best-selling act called High Flying Birds have you ever heard of us?
MB: Of what?
NG: Of our music?
MB: I knew about Oasis yes.
NG: So I've got a CD for you. Now, so next time, when you're limbering up, when we're gonna play United on April the 30th on the Monday night, this will guarantee victory.
MB: Yeah but you have to explain to the others …
NG: Never mind them, you're in charge. Bang that on, if you could make it … if you could just see your way to when you score the winner pull up a little T-shirt that just said "because Noel said so".
MB: [laughs]
NG: Right, you'd made an old man very happy.
NG: I've got to say it's been an absolute honour to meet you.
MB: Thank you, and for me …
NG: And you're one of my heroes …
MB: No you are …
NG: Ah no no no you're one of my heroes and all the lads that I go to the match with, there's about six or seven of us, we absolutely love you, but there you can have that.
MB: Thank you.
NG: Nice one mate.
NG: So you had a tough upbringing and you were seriously ill as a child and then you were fostered at three years old, how do you think that has shaped your character, do you think it's made you a stronger person?
MB: I never talk about when I was young but I think some experience when you are young then you can, in some people you can see when they grow up like, they show I some way …
NG: Right. I think it shapes you as you get older your experiences as a young child somehow …
MB: Yeah I think people yeah … because from outside people don't know me and they don't know how I am but I think I'm more old than my age.
NG: Yeah you're more mature than for your years? I can see that [pause] The last Porto game when, it says you were racially abused by the Porto fans …
MB: Yeah …
NG: You suffered a bit of that in Italy as well …
MB: Yeah in Italy yes, but I don't know if in Porto it was but I heard it but I don't know if it's just stupid people or proper racists I don't know.
NG: It seems to be it was quite a contentious topic in England for about a fortnight but it's always sad I think when you see it and particularly in Europe, do you know what I mean, because you feel bad for the players but did you and Yaya speak about it afterwards apparently he was abused as well was he not?
MB: No we didn't say nothing, we won so that's the most important thing.
NG: Absolutely. Who is your favourite player? Ibrahimovic?
MB: He's one of them yeah, him and Ronaldo, the Brazilian one.
NG: Ronaldo, oh yeah.
MB: He used to play for Inter Milan …
NG: He was killer wasn't he?
MB: Yeah …
NG: Did he play for Inter?
MB: Yeah.
NG: While you were there?
MB: No. Unfortunately no.
NG: Wow. And who would you say the biggest influence has been on your career?
MB: The biggest influence?
NG: Yeah like who, say like obviously Mancini has brought you to England and he's been an influence on your career in England who would you say has been …
MB: No Mancini is like … even in Italy because it is him that made me start to play in Serie A, in the league, in the first league in Italy.
NG: And why do you think that Mourinho didn't believe in you?
MB: That's his problem.
NG: I'm glad he didn't because you're sat here now innit?
MB: They say he want to come here? But me with Mourinho? I think he's a great manager but he didn't understand me so he said that nobody can understand me but I think the only one that cannot understand me is him so it's his problem.
NG: You know when we played Tottenham recently?
MB: Yeah.
NG: And, so we've gone 2-0 up and Tottenham have come back we're two all and we get a penalty in injury-time, I was sat in a hotel room in Australia watching the match, do you feel any nerves when you're walking up to take the penalty kick knowing that we're going for the league title and this is up to that point the most significant kick of a ball in the entire season for any club so far?
MB: Sometimes, it's not pressure I feel like I have to concentrate, I don't like to be concentrate I have just to do things as they come …
NG: Just instinctively like that?
MB: Yeah … that time I wasn't, I wasn't …
NG: Do you prefer just playing by instinct and just letting things flow or is it … because this is what fascinates me is, when I watch you play I just think you're not thinking of anything you're just playing from the soul. But to walk up you've obviously got to mentally make a decision of where you're gonna put the ball, were you nervous in any way, were you calm, did you know you were gon … obviously you knew you were gonna score coz you never miss right?
MB: The penalty?
NG: Yeah yeah like you scored the penalty, but the lads tell me that you never miss in training. Have you ever missed a penalty?
MB: Errr in the match or in training?
NG: In training, no in the match?
MB: In the match no.
NG: I think I gotta say for somebody so young … for you to pick the ball up and say I'm taking this knowing that the league's on the line there you must have … there's some courage to do that, but I'm …
MB: No, why?
NG: Why? Because if it was any … a mere mortal like the rest of us …
MB: Yeah but if it's me I go to the concert and I start to sing I cannot even talk because I'm shy …
NG: See I understand that but when, if I go to a concert and I can't sing I guess it's not … if I have a bad show it's not, it wouldn't have been as seismic as if you'd have missed that penalty.
MB: Yeah because you cannot play football so it's normal.
NG: How do you know I can't play football?
MB: You can play football?
NG: No [both laugh].
MB: No but it's because you cannot play football in the Premier League so it's normal you could feel pressure.
NG: Were the other players happy to let you take that penalty, or did … did …
MB: Yeah because they know how I shoot like …
NG: So they know of course …
MB: When there is a free-kick on the right we know that Kolarov want to shoot because he's good so …
NG: OK, and you take the penalties. Another thing before we wrap up, the goal with the shoulder …
MB: [smiles] Ah I don't know it just came.
NG: That's the kind of thing that you do in the school playground, that's never been seen on an English pitch before and I have to say I was watching it, I was on tour in a catering room in Copenhagen with lots of football supporters like some on my crew are City supporters and Liverpool supporters, there might even be a Man United supporter there and everybody stood up and applauded because it was just … maybe the goal of the season for me. But those things are just instinctive you don't think you just do it?
MB: No, because I shoot the ball and the goalkeeper he catch it and then the ball goes high and thought the ball would go out so I was under the bar I was just under, I was just here and I saw the ball coming down but I couldn't go with the head because it was too late so I just go with the shoulder.
NG: It's brilliant.
NG: What do you think as a player … obviously with all the individual awards that are given out, the golden ball and all that and the golden boot and all that, what do you think individually as a player you'd like to achieve when you finally hang up your boots and jet back to the planet where you came from?
MB: So what do I want to win before I finish football?
NG: Yeah well obviously you want to win trophies but how far do you think you can go in the game do you think you can eventually be the best player in the world? Would you like to be the best player in the world?
MB: I would like to yeah, but it's not only something that you would like it's something that you have to work for.
NG: Totally. I think … mean I don't know what it's like but I think you're underneath the right manager to achieve that …
MB: What?
NG: I think you're working for the right manager if you want to be the best player in the world.
MB: Yeah.
NG: And it's said that you're quite a shy retiring young lad, would you say that's true?
MB: What's retiring?
NG: Well you know what shy means, retiring is like you like to keep yourself to yourself …
MB: Yes, a lot, I don't like when people talk about my business or my life and I like to be … I'm really private.
NG: I can see that …
MB: So maybe someone thinks I'm arrogant or something but it's just me I'm …
NG: Do you know what I think it is that, it's a British thing with the British press is if they don't understand people …
MB: They never understand people …
NG: No no but if, people like yourself who … you know … the average Premiership footballer is not like you do you know what I mean?
MB: Who?
NG: Just any footballer, like I don't know any footballer … you're kind of unique in the game of football at the moment and I think that the British media are … if they don't understand somebody they just think well we have to find out what makes this person tick and that's where all the stories come from but you shouldn't get too upset about it because they do it to everybody …
MB: They do it to everybody?
NG: Oh yeah, like all the great people … like me and you we always get stick from the press …
MB: Yeah but that's normal, but just …
NG: Did you get that in Italy at all?
MB: Yeah of course, but …
NG: And how do you deal with it , do you just choose not to …
MB: I don't care because they can say what they want but me I'm a footballer so the most important moment is on Sunday on the pitch, after that they're totally different.
NG: Correct, absolutely.
MB: Ao they just say a lot of stuff about me, but they're just lying, they don't even know. You know if I go in the street one guy gets the picture, then they say "oh Mario was there" then they, someone call the press and say Mario is there, so the day after Mario was there, that's normal isn't it. Why? Because I just walk in town in town normal, like a normal guy and I go to the pub, just normal.
NG: You go to the pub?
MB: I've been to the pub yeah. Not to drink, but just to …
NG: To play darts?
MB: No [both laugh]
[Direction – Mario any questions for Noel?]
MB: Why do you like me?
NG: I speak for all … well me personally there's just … there isn't that many footballers that you see … I've supported this club all my life … there isn't that many footballers that you see that when they get the ball they make you sit forward on your seat, very rare. You see, you get that and very rare we've had it at this club. But it's the little things …
MB: That make you what?
NG: Well say we're all sat at the match and we're watching football … when a player like you gets the ball everybody gets to the edge of their seat because you know something special could happen. But it's the little things that we love you for it's like the magic tricks and stealing Agüero's gloves and the goal with the shoulder and the T-shirt celebration and it goes without saying you're a great footballer and I believe that truly over the next decade you'll be a truly great footballer, but it's footballers in general in this country, they're quite boring and dull and … I love you because you're Balotelli and you make me smile.
MB: [laughs]
[They shake hands]
MB: Where did you get your ring from?
NG: The ring? I got it in a shop in Japan, it's like when you're American and you leave college you get a ring like this. Do you get that in Italy?
MB: No.
NG: No we don't get it in England either, but yeah there you go. I would say I'd swap it you for the T-shirt.
MB: What T-shirt?
NG: Why always me?
MB: No I'll give you the T-shirt no problem.
NG: Brilliant, that's twice he's said that now.
MB: You make me say it [both laugh].
Watch the whole interview on Football Focus at 12.15pm on BBC1 and BBC1 HD.
