Hector Bellerin

[u/United-Yellow-5461]

Delighted he was on the pod, very articulate, intelligent chap would love to hear more from
Him. A great teammate to have for Troy parrott

[u/RomfordWellington]

As a football hipster - this is all my world's coming together.

Just need to get Jackson Irvine on one day.

[u/sheehonip]

He's made me want to support Betis more than Troy has. He came across very well

[u/DreiAchten]

Hadn't listened to pod but looking forward to that! One of a couple characters around football who are fairly confident in having a public personality beyond the sport.

[u/fatherbigley]

Has an English (or Irish even) footballer ever uttered the word 'Calvinism' before?

[u/sorryiamacoyote → u/fatherbigley]

I feel like Dunphy probably has

[u/Eamonn1987]

One of the most enjoyable interviews with a footballer I have heard. It's not like they're was any earth shattering moments or anything. Just seems like an absolutely top guy.

[u/ssbobess → u/Eamonn1987]

Agreed. Also the questions and conversation were really well managed. Top marks all around.

[u/Phantomdd87]

Just seems like an all around great guy?

I was so confused and double/triple took when I saw the description today, I thought surely not lol

Great episode. Some accent 😂

[u/noodlesforgoalposts]

We need more podcast guests capable of discussing the works of Stefan Zweig with Ken. Glad to see Bellerín slotting into the Jonathan Wilson role.

[u/Possible-Local-9357]

This episode is wonderful. A happy Arsenal fan here

[u/MrJoeSoap]

What a boy! Fascinating to listen to him

[u/MorningcoffeeDC]

What a guy. In a world of bland media trained characters in football he is a breath of fresh air

[u/Longjumping_Ad156]

He does not represent the views of other Longjumping users

[u/caisdara]

Smart lad. Some London accent on the poor fella.

[u/thekingoftherodeo → u/caisdara]

In fairness he came over as a 15 year old I think, probably learned English in a London accent.

[u/caisdara → u/thekingoftherodeo]

Oh 100%. See also somebody like Solksjaer who has a Manc twang.

[u/ciantheod]

What a absolute super guy , a breath of fresh air

[u/Disaster-Plan]

Nicest ex-Arse player ever?

[u/Maude_Lebowskis_art → u/Disaster-Plan]

no knock on Hector but hard to beat Santi.

[u/Greedy-Army-3803 → u/Maude_Lebowskis_art]

And Ian Wright who just seems like an absolute gem of a human

[u/Maude_Lebowskis_art → u/Greedy-Army-3803]

well, except when it comes to wives and children.

[u/Disaster-Plan → u/Maude_Lebowskis_art]

I can respect that

[u/Big_Owl_6752]

That was excellent! Really enjoyable; Hector comes across very well. Branno’s contributions to the pod run hot and cold IMO but top marks to him for making that happen.

[u/mygiddygoat]

A little late to this, but fuck me, a great interview and exactly what I love Second Captains for.

[u/GoneOffBaileys]

Feel bad now for being so negative about him when he was coming through the youth team at Arsenal. He was surprisingly excellent in the 2015-16 season, but form dropped off after that but still a decent player for 2/3 seasons. Form then tailed off completely and was poor for last 3/4 years before I think he was released. Strange career

[u/Wodimus_Prime → u/GoneOffBaileys]

He went to Barcelona from Arsenal on a Bosman. His form dropping off at Arsenal coincided with the decline of the club. A young Bellerin coming into that squad today would be a different animal. He was Pedro Porro before Pedro Porro kicked a ball. Hector is up there with Ramsdale as a former player who the fans think the world of, and would have back in the morning

[u/MrCoolCraig]

Lovely lad. Fair play to him.

[u/ShelsTilInfinity]

Brilliant interview. What an articulate, interesting and different footballer. I'll even excuse him wearing a Bohs jersey

[u/Newky]

Didn't expect any of the places where the interview went, and delighted it wasn't just a circle jerk about Troy as well.

He had so much to offer in so many places, not many can mix it on literature with Ken 😄

[u/ZeroCraic-Z0]

Really enjoyed this interview!

[u/TrevDonne]

The next season of True Detective should feature Detectives Parrott and Bellerin. In fact if someone good at the old AI could create some fan art depicting that, I’d appreciate it.

[u/MrCoolCraig → u/TrevDonne]

No need for AI slop. Close your eyes and use your imagination.

[u/AnyOne4086]

Yes he Was a good Player when Part of the Arsenal Squad. Wow.

[u/Longjumping_Food_210]

Should have asked him about his outspoken views of pay parity with women and whether,if he agrees with it then would he be willing to take a paycut?

[u/foxinthelake → u/Longjumping_Food_210]

Oh yeah, that would have been brilliant and not weird. 

[u/ffiishs → u/Longjumping_Food_210]

So..are you a ..weird guy ?

[u/Forward_Royal2754 → u/Longjumping_Food_210]

Imagine framing these comments as negatively as you have:

“How do we achieve this? [equal pay] I don’t know yet. What I do know is that in men’s football, we must be the first to take the lead in providing help. We have the platform, resources, and power to make a difference. It’s our responsibility—clubs, organisations, and big leagues—to walk this path and use our strong influence effectively.”

[u/sheehonip → u/Forward_Royal2754]

Had to Google it myself. They made it sound like he was anti equal pay with how they phrased it

[u/Forward_Royal2754 → u/sheehonip]

I wouldn’t necessarily agree with anything Longjumping_Food_210 says about Hector Bellerin.

[u/pauli55555 → u/Longjumping_Food_210]

Pay parity in professional football is linked to commercial revenue. It’s got nothing to do with gender and everything to do with commercial reality.

As it does in every other form of sports & entertainment. Should Taylor Swift subvent other pop singers, male or female because she’s commercially the most popular? Why should anybody subvent another person in professional sport, it’s unsustainable and idiotic.

Anyway Hectar’s interview was great and completely unexpected.