 Well, hello and welcome to the official AFC Bournemouth podcast coming to you as ever from Vitality Stadium. Our job here is to bring you closer to some of the personalities connected to the club throughout the course of the season. Now for those of you who are new to our podcast, my name is Zoe Rundle and I'm part of the media team here at AFC Bournemouth. As ever, I'm of course joined by my colleague Neil Perrett who has been covering the cherries for 30 years and has quite literally seen it all. Neil, we're back for the new year. We're hoping for a very exciting 2022. Have you recharged your batteries? Oh, those batteries went flat years ago, Zoe. I'm afraid to say, but yeah, really looking forward to an exciting 2022. Absolutely. Well, talking of exciting, we've got a really exciting guest on our podcast today. It's a man who signed for the club in the summer and recently scored his first career hat trick with the cherries. He's a very popular member of the squad and absolutely loved by supporters. So without further ado, we are delighted to welcome our very own Emiliano Marcones onto the AFC Bournemouth podcast. It's great to see you. It's great to have you here. How have you been? Yeah, thank you and I feel good at the moment. I feel fit. Well, we've got absolutely tons to get through, but first things first, we're going to go right back to the beginning because your experiences during your younger days have certainly defined you here and now and later in life. Firstly, though, we're intrigued to know about your name and how it's made up. Emiliano Marcones, Camargo Hansen, just talk us through that. Yeah, first of all, Emiliano is actually an Italian name and that was my mom who came up with that. It's also people in Brazil have that name as well, but she got it from some she knew in Italy and my dad was keen to that. And then her second name is Marcones Camargo and my dad's second name is Hansen. So yeah, I got all the names. Let's start where it all began, Emmie. Tell us about your upbringing from what you can remember really young age. Yeah, I'm born in Denmark and I grew up most of my life in Denmark, Copenhagen with my mom and dad the first couple of years. And we actually, when I was two and five years old, we traveled to Brazil and I lived there for half a year each time, nine months when I was two years old. So that was actually my my first language that I could speak, but it was, you know, baby language. I could speak some of the words, so not fluidly, but it was my first words were in Portuguese. And then my parents got divorced when I was around seven, eight and my mom moved back to Brazil. And yeah, I grew up with my dad and yes, he she lived in Brazil. And yeah, that's that's in a bigger story. That's the that's the small, small story. What was that like for you as a youngster growing up, dividing your time between Denmark and Brazil? Um, I felt I felt a bit special, if you can say that my me and my brother was Brazilian and Danish. And my dad was he loved football and it made me fall in love with football as well. And he was talking a lot about the Brazilian players and they were like comparing me to the Brazilian players. And I think that made me fall in love with football. Um, yeah, um, so that made me feel a bit special in school and in the kindergarten that I was. I felt like a connection to the Brazilian players and and the Danish people in Denmark. I went to school where they were they were just Danish, if you can say that just starting with your mom. Just just tell us a little bit more about your mum. You were very candid in your first interview with the club when you signed. You told us about some of the problems that she had with alcohol, mental health. Just just tell us what you can and what you want to tell us about her. Um, yeah, there's of course, uh, uh, it's a big story and and some of it I want to to keep for myself. Uh, um, but the things I can say is I, I, what I remember of of my, uh, when I was growing up was that, uh, it was most my dad that was taking care of me and my brother. And, uh, and, uh, yeah, she, she had a problem with alcohol and, uh, she missed her family, uh, in her in Brazil, uh, and it was a, uh, it was quite difficult for her to get used to the Danish culture, uh, where we are a bit more structured and, uh, in Brazil is a bit more chilled and, uh, probably a bit more, uh, party style and that's what she came from that kind of vibe and and, uh, yeah, I think she, she missed her family and, uh, and, uh, the easy way for her, uh, to get out of those thoughts she was, she was drinking and, uh, and, uh, I, I didn't see it or I didn't understand it when I was young, but now when I have grown, grown and, uh, got more, uh, thoughtful about it, that's, that's how I see it now. And I was growing up with, with my dad, uh, that's, uh, for, for most of the time is what, even with my dad or, or alone because my, my dad had to, had to work, uh, to, to get some, some money. So we, we could have something to eat. Now, you already said that she moved back to Brazil. I think you were about nine years old when she, she moved back to Brazil. Now, when you did a program Q&A for us earlier this season, you said that your biggest regret was not traveling to Brazil to see your mum before she passed away. And I think you were 17 then. Just, just tell us that must have really struck with you. Um, yeah, it's, it's, uh, it's something that I, I remember when, when she passed away, that, uh, I was thinking about football all the time. And I was, I just had my first training with, with the first team in, uh, in New Zealand at that time. And, uh, and, uh, you know, everything happened so quickly and I didn't, I didn't really, uh, think about, uh, going to Brazil to, to see her because, uh, you know, I was thinking, I'll do it in the future. Um, but then out of nowhere, uh, my cousin or actually my mum's sister, they called us in, in Denmark to, to my dad and said, we have to come to Brazil now because, uh, my mum is in coma and, uh, it can be the last time we will see her. And then, uh, that was late in the night. And then the day after we, we were talking about, okay, we're going to get a flight. Uh, I went to training and then after training, uh, my dad called me and said, we're not going anyway because, uh, she, she already passed away. So we, we stayed, uh, in Denmark and, you know, with Catholics, uh, how they, uh, do with when someone passed away, they buried the, the, the body within 24 hours. So we couldn't even be there to the funeral. Um, so that was something I, I regret that I, I didn't take a bit more charge, uh, of of the situation or, uh, why, why I didn't like sit. Okay. I want to, I want to see her on my family. Um, even though it was, it was difficult with to get to Brazil is far away and, uh, it cost a lot of money and we, we didn't have, we didn't have much. Um, so we will have, we would have to, to, uh, loan, uh, some money, uh, somewhere, but still to, to try and make it happen. I didn't. So, yeah, that's, that's how I, I felt and I know it was, I'm, I was young and I don't, uh, I'm not being too, trying to be too hard on myself anymore. I think you spoke and before about your brother as well, when you were younger, he had some mental health problems as well. That must have made the situation quite difficult for you as well. What, what do you remember of that? And, and again, what are you happy to talk about that? Um, yeah, that's something I, I can, uh, remember a lot more of because I have been living with, uh, uh, a brother who have been, uh, mentally, mentally sick, do you call it that in English? Yeah. Um, you have had schizophrenia and, and paranoia since, uh, since I could remember since you, we were 10 years old. Uh, I was 10 and he was, he was 14. Um, so that's, that's like how I, uh, but for me, me, it was just my brother. So I didn't really see it as a, as a sickness in him. Um, I just got used to it. And, uh, again, it was when I got older and I started to, to, uh, try to do a bit more and, and take a bit more time. And also when my mom passed away, I tried to, to take more care of him and, and, uh, sometimes, uh, take a lot of responsibility on my shoulders and people with, uh, with, uh, mental sickness in their family, they know that they, it feels like, uh, you always can do something and, and, uh, it's your, it's your problem or your default or you, it's because of you, they are sick and, uh, that has been hard for, for both me and, and especially my dad. Uh, that's something I keep thinking about. It's been very tough for my dad. Uh, and I, uh, yeah, I'm really proud of him that he, that he have been, been through this and being so positive and also trying to keep me out of most of the things, especially with my mom. I have to ask how, how is your brother now? Do you get to see much of him? Does he come to games? Um, now, uh, now he, he can't, he can't travel at the moment and, uh, he live in a, in a center, uh, for people with mental sickness. Um, and, uh, yeah, that's, that's how it is, uh, at the moment. And, uh, um, yeah, I don't want to go too much in detail, but that's, that's how we have lived, uh, for the last, last few years. Now for you, you've obviously been through what you've been through, but you have such a positive outlook on life. Do you think, you know, these events have sort of shaped your personality? I mean, you're always smiling, you're always happy, joking around the training ground. Do you think certain events have shaped that personality or is it something that you've always had? Um, I don't know if I, if I always smile, I try to, uh, but it's something I think about. I try to, to be happy and, and I try to, to put a smile on people's face, uh, as much as I can. Um, and yeah, maybe have, have shaped me the things I have been through and, and, uh, I try to also, uh, like be the best version or be better, uh, um, at anything in my life and progress and develop. Um, because that's, that's, uh, you know, how my mentality always been that I want to, to achieve things and I want to be better and I want to help people to get better and, uh, um, yeah. So, so maybe that's why, uh, it can also be, be other things where I have, uh, been in a young culture, in, in academy, in, in Northland that have, uh, what have been raised, uh, I've used all my time there. So it can be, yeah, many things that have, uh, shaped me. I mean, you've spoken a lot about your mom and about your brother. Just tell us a little bit more about your dad, your relationship with them now. I think Wikipedia says that he's, is or was a jazz musician. Just tell us, is that true for a start? Uh, it is true. Yes. He have, um, he have played salsa and jazz music and that's how he met my mother actually in, in Brazil and, uh, um, yeah, my, me and my dad's relationship is, is better now. Actually, after I moved, uh, from Denmark to England, it's like we have a stronger connection now. Um, when I was in Denmark, we, we didn't talk that much. Uh, my dad is, is not, uh, he's a man with few words. Uh, and, and a bit like me, not talking that much or not talking so fast and, uh, a bit quiet sometimes, but, um, yeah, after I moved away from Denmark, we, we start to call each other more and, uh, um, yeah, maybe also I, I, I think about, um, when, with my mom that I have to remember to, to call him and, and, uh, try to gain or keep the, the connection there, uh, because, uh, you never know what's gonna happen in, in life. Did he teach you to play any musical instruments at all? No, no, he didn't. Unfortunately not. Uh, I always said to him, he, he should have, uh, taught me something because I love music and, uh, and, uh, I think it's easier for a kid to, to learn that, but he actually, he, he tried with my, my brother and he probably, uh, played a bit more than when we were younger and, uh, um, I was, because he always had drums and, and guitars in, in the, in the house and, uh, I was, I was more about to try to hit them with my football. So, um, it was not something that I really, really, uh, got me when I was younger. I, I actually started to play piano now because the house I, I'm renting, there is a piano so, and my girlfriend is playing piano. So she tried to teach me. That's, that's fascinating because, uh, Nathan Ackie, who was here, learned, started learning the piano when he was here. And by the time he left, he was like Liberace or Richard Clayderman or something like that. It was incredible. You aspire to be really good on the piano, I would imagine. Um, I'm not that good. I'm not that good. It's difficult, but, uh, I'm trying, I'm trying, I have, I actually have a, when, when I was younger, I went to drum lessons as well to play drum and, uh, it was also a bit my dad. He said that I, that I should do it. Um, so I have a drum set at home now as well. My girlfriend got me that for, for Christmas. So now I have a drum set and a piano in, in one room. And, uh, yeah, I'm trying, I can play a little bit, but it's just the basics. You know, I'm not, I'm not very good. On the piano, I can only play three songs and that is, uh, Adele, uh, someone like you. Is it called that? Yeah. Uh, and then Rihanna. I can't even remember what, what's the name is. And Jason Mraz with Amios. That's, that's the three songs. So is it fair to say that you could have a career in busking in Bournemouth Town Center one day? No, no, no, no, no. It's, it's right now. It's just, I find it kind of relaxing when I come home and, uh, uh, not doing just the same every day, watching a movie or, uh, reading a book. Then I can kind of mix it up with, with also doing something creative. Um, and it's actually something I have, I've read about to do something to keep my mind, creative at home as well. Um, then also on, on the football pitch. I was going to say, we haven't really asked you anything about football yet. So let's, let's fire a football question here because you are a footballer. How did it all start for you football wise? Um, well, it's a starter when I could, could walk, uh, yeah, I played straight away, uh, and in a small club in Copenhagen called Vidor. Um, and, uh, yeah, my, my dad was always, uh, playing with me or, or not holding me back. Uh, so when I was playing on the streets or, uh, in the garden, he was, he was never saying now you have to come in to eat. He was always just, he was leaving me out all day and, and, uh, also when I got older, when I had to train, he, he always, uh, let me do my, my stuff and didn't stress about me doing other stuff. So I used a lot of time and I, we, it was, I was just, yeah, in love, in love with football, playing all the time. And then when I was 14, I, uh, got scouted to FC Norseland, to the academy. Uh, me and, and a friend from, from Vidor, we went together up there. And I don't think I would have gone there if, if my friend was not going because I was, I was quite happy to be in, in, uh, in Vidor, but, looking back now, I was really happy that I made that decision because, uh, FC Norseland Academy is, is wonderful and is, uh, amazing. And, uh, yeah, probably one of the, one of the best, uh, in, in Europe, maybe it is the best one in Denmark, I would say. And, uh, yeah, still a lot of players coming from, from that academy. After everything that you had been through as a child and were still going through as a 14 year old, I mean, that must have been a real confidence booster for you. And it was almost, I would have thought, like, like an escape from, from life football. Yeah. It's, it's funny you say that because that's, that's how I felt. Uh, it's always how, how I felt when I had problems at home or when my parents were fighting or, uh, if it was with my brother, that was, I was always just taking the ball under my arm. I went in the garden, I went on my bike, went down to, to Vidor, to, to the pitches there and just played alone. And, uh, it kept me happy and motivated that one day it will be, it will be, you know, nice and it will, I will be this professional footballer that, that, uh, have a, have a wonderful life. And, and that was how I was motivated. I was so, I was visualizing, uh, when I was playing alone always and, uh, scoring goals and celebrating and, and looking around if someone saw me, uh, because I was alone and I was just playing, uh, and celebrating alone. So it was, uh, a moment, uh, that was like football was, was driving. It was the driver and, uh, of course, uh, it made me, made me happy when, when a club, uh, um, Northland came. Uh, but I was, I was still a bit, uh, insecure of if it was the right decision because I was, I was thinking I should go from, from the small club to a big club in, in, uh, in England or Spain or I was very, uh, maybe a bit unrealistic, but I was dreaming big. Um, um, yeah. And I remember in school actually, uh, one of my teachers, um, because I always had this dream about, I'm going to be a footballer. Not there is nothing else. And always in school when people ask, uh, if you're not going to be a footballer, what are you going to be? But I didn't have an answer. I didn't know, you know, a lot of my friends that played football, they were saying, uh, maybe be a, uh, policeman or, uh, firework or whatever. Um, but I never, I never knew what, what I was going to say. And I tried to say, I'm a policeman. Can that be me? I can't, I can only be, uh, a footballer. And, and so my answer was always, then I would not be me. And my teacher always said, but you have to, I remember we have to write an essay about what we're going to be with it. And it's none of us football guys, we could say footballers. And, um, I remember I was arguing and I said, I don't know what I should write about. And she said, there is maybe thousands of, uh, kids on this school and only one of you will be a footballer. And I said, but okay, that one kid will be me then. And that's always stuck, uh, with me that I, now I have said it now, I need to work even hard. I had to train more than the others because we were maybe 15 kids just in the class that were playing football. Uh, so I have to do extra to be that one person, you know, were you that one person out of the thousand? There was actually one more. Uh, and I think maybe, uh, uh, two others, but they were older than us. But me and, uh, a guy from the, from the class, he's playing in Poland now in, uh, Krakow, um, and played in Denmark. We played together in, in Northland as well. Um, but yeah, there was just two professionals in just my class. That's quite something. So she was wrong. She was wrong. Well, maybe if she's listening to the AFC warmup podcast and, uh, you know, we'll, we'll get a view out of her. Anyway, um, your career was, was excelling in 2017. You have voted the Superliga player of the year at the Danish football awards. You're on fire, but you chose to leave Denmark. Was there a reason behind that? Did you want a new challenge? What, what, what was it? Um, yeah, I, I actually, I was, I was signing with Brentford in the summer and I became the, the player of the year. And that half year I had, I, I, yeah, that was where I was, uh, scoring a lot of goals and I got, uh, the award. And so I already had signed with Brentford before it really took off. Um, but I felt that to develop and progress in my career, I need to, I need to go to, to another country. And, and, uh, not because Denmark is not good enough, but it's, it's just, I had, I think I played 125 games in Norseland, um, and played on all stadiums and, uh, almost scored on every stadium. So I feel like I have, now I have tried it and I now I need to, to, to take the next, next step and, uh, yeah, try a new challenge. I think also with the culture in Denmark, you are quite safe and it's a comfort zone for a lot of young players. So I try to, uh, to think about, okay, if I need to, to be the best version of myself, I really need to do it young. And I was, I was 22 at that time. And, and thinking back, uh, I even wanted to, to go earlier out of Denmark to get used to the culture in an earlier age. Um, and of course it is different from player to player to, to get used to a new culture. Um, but coming from Norseland is quite difficult because you are in, in a, in a club that do, and the playing style is, is, uh, through the whole academy is the same and you learn how to play football that way. And so when you go to another club, it's totally different. And, and, uh, that's something I have been thinking about when I got older that, uh, that, uh, yeah, getting a new challenge earlier, uh, would maybe have, uh, have helped me or, or made me develop another style of, of play. Um, but it's, it's difficult to say, uh, when, when the right thing is to do. Uh, yeah. You said earlier about dreaming big, were any of those dreams about playing in England? Did you have a, in your head, you know, a country you wanted to go to a country you wanted to try a style you wanted to try? Or was it sort of the opportunity came about and you wanted to take it? Yeah, uh, obviously as a kid, you want to play in the Premier League and, and, uh, La Liga is, uh, the two biggest and, uh, that was what, what I was dreaming about. So my choice going to, to Brentford was, of course, to play in the Premier League. And, uh, um, I think I have said that also in, uh, in a few interviews, uh, before that, my, my biggest dream is to play in the Premier League. And, uh, I've been quite close, uh, two times the last two years. So, um, that's why I also had some other options here in the summer to, to go abroad and also, uh, when I was playing in Northland to go to another country. But I feel like I have, I have to, I have to do this first, uh, before I, if I go to, to another country. Now I know you had a couple of injuries during your early days at Brentford, but you went back to Northland on loan. What was the reason for that? I went to Michelin. I went to Michelin, another Danish club, um, that is a bit, uh, a bit different in the, in the, yeah, the style of play. And of course it's a bigger club with a bit more money. That's the owner, Matthew Benham, who is the owner of Brentford as well. Um, and there was a good, good decision. Um, I remember Rasmus Angersen, the sports director in Brentford. He, he was really pushing for me to go to, to Michelin, but I was, I was not really happy about it because I didn't want to go back to Denmark. Um, and I was actually playing in Brentford at that time, but, um, to like, re, or to kickstart my, my career and to get some confidence and, uh, some more, uh, continually playing time. Um, I went there and, and I, yeah, I scored a few goals and made some assists and came back to Brentford in the winter and I was a better version of myself. So it was a great decision. Uh, and we were number one in, in the league in, in Michelin and they ended up winning the league. Um, so I have, I have that trophy there, uh, half of a trophy. Um, but yeah, it was, it was, uh, it was a good time and a good decision. And I came back to, to England with, with Neo energy and, uh, we went to the playoff that year as well to, to play Scott Parker and, and Fulham. And, uh, yeah, unfortunate for me. We, we lost. Um, but, uh, yeah, great experience. Now you played in Denmark, you played in England. What are the biggest differences between the two? The biggest difference between Denmark and, uh, and England is, it's a good question. Uh, probably the, in the championship is, is the, is the tempo. And, uh, yeah, all the games that are coming up all the time, so many games. Um, in Denmark, it's a bit more, uh, tactically, um, and not so back and forth all the time. It's a, it's a bit more, yeah, tactically set pieces. I would say people, they, there's a bit more structure in Denmark. Um, yeah, that's, that's the biggest, the biggest difference I would say. And then of course the culture. Uh, here there's a lot of different cultures, uh, a lot of different players from, from all around the world. And in Denmark is, uh, mostly Danish players. I've got to make an apology to my podcast co-presenter there, Zoe, because the person who researched that question about you going back on loan to Norge Land to, and it was the wrong club, so we, we will castigate them when we find him, Zoe. I think you can just buy me a chocolate bar and we'll say we're even there. I am sorry about that. Now that's more than enough about football Emmy. So let's, um, I know people can't see your tattoos. Just tell us, I know you've spoken about this before, uh, very symbolic tattoos. Just tell us what you can about what you've got. Um, yeah, I think I have, I have said it before, but everything is, uh, I want to have tattoos that is meaningful, uh, to me. And, uh, on my legs is only for football. So all my tattoos on my legs is, is for, for football because I play football with my legs. So, um, hopefully I can get some trophies there, uh, at some point, uh, maybe, um, the championship, number one in championship. Uh, we hope for that. Uh, but yeah, my left, my left arm is, is, uh, everything for my mom. Um, do you want me to, to talk about the different ones or Brazilian flag, a lion and a quote? Yes. Uh, the lion is because she's a Leo in zodiac. Um, and that's like, uh, uh, courage and, and, uh, gives me that symbolic of, of her, um, choir. She was always brave and, and, and we're talking a lot about that to me, to, uh, to be, uh, have a lot of courage and be brave. And then the Brazilian flag, obviously, uh, she's from Brazil and, uh, I want to, to, uh, you have that, it's like scratch inside my, my arm. So it looks like it's underneath my skin. And that's the way I want to see it. I don't want to forget I'm from Brazil. Um, so it will always be a part of me. Um, maybe on the other arm, I will have the Danish flag at some point. Um, yeah, we will see. And then what did you say? The quote? The quote, yeah, it's, uh, it says, um, love the light for it shows you the way. Um, yet love the darkness for it shows you, uh, the stars. So it's, uh, like the story with me and my, my mom, um, as I said before, when I was taking the ball under my arm, uh, and I went down to play football, uh, and they were either fighting or there was something going on. And I, maybe I didn't even know about it, but it was, it was, uh, maybe a bit of a dark moment. Um, and, uh, and you know, for me, uh, this is to, to love the darkness as well, because it showed me that I have to play football and that was the way out to see the light. So, um, yeah, that's, uh, that's in, and that was always something she said that, uh, maybe it won't, it doesn't look that good now, but if you, if you keep working and the football was the way out, uh, of the dark. So yeah, that's, uh, that's, uh, yeah, why I have that. Have you got anything on your legs yet about your FA Cup, Patrick? No, I don't, I don't have, uh, no, no. And, uh, maybe when I get a few more head tricks out, I will have, I have three things, Frank, fingers, maybe you said that you are reserving the right arm for your dad. Have you made any more progress with that yet since we last, uh, no, my dad keep asking me. So, yeah, I don't know. It's actually, I don't know why I have, I have stopped, put it on pause to get any tattoos. Maybe it's also because of my girlfriend. She, she said, I'm not allowed to have any more good, any, any more tattoos, but, uh, I think it's just, it's difficult also in the football season to get tattoos because we're playing all the time and, and for it to heal and to be, to be nice. It's, I find it quite, quite difficult sometimes. And also to, to get ideas and time to sit there for six hours. And it's also painful. Who's got the best and worst tattoos in the changing room? Oh, I don't want to stitch anyone up. But there is a few, there is a few bad ones, but there is actually a lot of good ones. And I think Morgan, he just got one. It's very nice. Jayden also got some nice ones. I would say Jayden and, and, and morgues have, have some good ones. That's the newest one in the dressing room. Yeah, I won't say the worst one. I feel have a good one on his back with Kim Larson. I like that one because that's not a thing many Danish people will get, but he's a legend in Denmark. I think on our podcast with Ryan Christie, he almost admitted that his weren't the best. Have you seen any of that? He said that. He said that himself. I like them. Some of the players, they, they say they don't like, but I actually like it. Like small, small details. And yeah, I like it. I don't think it's that bad. Some of them look a bit like a vacation. You get on a vacation. Yeah, I have one on my leg that was also on a vacation. You know, Ronaldinho's fingers, like this phone, phone hands you make. It's that one I have on my leg, but that's, it's still symbolic for Ronaldinho. So I like that. I think Ryan Christie have like this. I don't know how to describe this. Yeah. He had some symbol with his fingers and then he was going to get a stick man on the weekend playing golf. And then there was another one about a plant pot, another one about an astronaut. They're very random. They just sort of appear in different places in his body. Yeah. Yeah. I think he has some text as well, some, says art and I can't remember, but it's like small words around his body. I think it's, I think it's nice. Well, each of their own. How about that? Now, you're obviously a professional footballer. You've just admitted that you play a bit of piano. You've got a drum set. I also hear you're quite a good juggler. Is that right? Yeah. There was lockdown. What is it? Two years ago now. Didn't have much to do. And I didn't have a piano and I didn't have a drum set. So I just took what I had and I started to try to juggle. And I was, I could juggle before that, but yeah, that's something I can do now. So yeah, I can juggle with whatever, whatever, just only three. Three. Yeah, only three. Well, that's three more than me. Going back to the football. Now in June 2021, you were named the PFA community champion. How proud did that make you? And for those people who don't quite know what that is, can you explain a little bit more about it? Yeah, it's not, it's not something that I really was thinking about. There was an award for that. And probably a lot of people and players, they don't know there is an award because I didn't know until I got it. But it is about doing work outside the field and in the communities, helping where you can. And for me, I have always felt that I feel like it's a responsibility for football player and you are, you are in the media and you are people look up to you in football. And you can, you can help. It's easier for football players to help in the communities because they, we have like a brand or, yeah, how do you say, there's this in the media where you are. You're known, you know, and it's, it's, it's a bit easier for us to, to help out. And since I was young and I come in, coming through the academy and I was looking up to all these professional players. And, and I know how it was to, to get a wave or a signature or whatever. It made me so happy as a kid. And when I came up and I was 17, so I was still a kid. But now there was kids that was looking up to me. It was, it was big for me. And I remember I always tried to use as much time. And I had a lot of time because my dad was never saying I had to come home. So I tried to after games, after trainings, if there was kids, try out talking to them and and saying it can be you as well in a few years, because it was me a couple of years ago. So I remember how it was for them. And that's still my mindset, that thinking that way that it could be me outside and the people I have been helping on, on some online courses where I won the award last year was, was on. So I tried to put myself in, in their situation. And yeah, to, to talk about the different things that have been with mental health as well. Because we are, in the end we are, we are the same or we are all human. And I don't put myself above others. Now I know as well you've run campaigns on Instagram, you've been involved in online presentations. As you say, for you that must, you know, when you see yourself helping other people and see yourself having an impact, that for you must, you know, be an incredibly like fulfilling feeling. Yeah, it does. I feel good, but also I, I see it in a, in another way that it's not just me helping. They are also helping me and it's like a, it's like a invest or reinvest that I help them and they help me becoming a better version of, of me and they become a better version of them. And that's, that's how I try to think. I want to be more than just a footballer. And there is also a life after football. And that's something that I have been thinking about the older I got. And, and yeah, especially last year with all the things going, going around with COVID and lockdown. And I had a few friends, friends that were finding it difficult. And so it got close to me and with my brother as well, that it was difficult, especially with mental health. And I was saying, what, what can I, what can I do to, to help and also to help myself like investing my time? Because I had nothing to do when I came home from training. So it was like finding out, where can I do something that helps me progress and develop as a person. And also helping other people. And yeah, it makes me happy to develop as a person. And, and hopefully it makes other people happy as well. Emmy, you said you had nothing to do when he came home from training. Do you not play computer games as well? I thought that's what footballers did? No, I don't. And I have, I have never really had a PlayStation. That's maybe why. So, yeah, I have, I have been thinking about actually to get a PlayStation, but it's just like, I think I'm so far behind now. So I will lose and lose and lose. And of course, you have to, you have to start at some point if you want to get, to get, to get better. But it's like I never really got into that as a young, as a young kid. I was playing PlayStation when I was at my friends. And if I go to someone's house, then I can, I can play, but I always lose. So I say, the excuse is I don't have a PlayStation. So I just keep saying that. That's why I don't want to buy a PlayStation. So when I win, I can say I beat you, but I don't even have a PlayStation. So how do you feel about that? Just going back to the juggling. It's not a random thing. You didn't just pick up balls and start juggling when there's a bit of a backstory, isn't there? There's some restaurant chain in Denmark. Were you doing it there or something? Yeah. I have quite a lot of friends that worked in Joe and the Jews, if you know that. It's also here in England. It's like a juice bar, a sandwich bar. And yeah, I have a lot of friends that worked there. And when I was younger, I always came to entertain them or like stayed with them when they were working. And sometimes it's not that busy in the juice bar. So I went behind and they tried to do some skills with the ice cubes and catch. And there was like a part of the job to do that. And they were allowed to do it, even if there was customers. And then I knew I was better at juggling than them. So sometimes I was not working there, but I went behind the counter. And I was juggling with the apples or oranges. And yeah, some of them, they were actually very good and did it with knives and everything. And ice cubes and tried to catch it with the glass and in the juice, the ice cubes. So. Fire? No, no, no fire. No fire. But yeah, we did a lot of mistakes and we had a lot of fun. And maybe I shouldn't say that when some of them are, I got a bit high up in the hierarchy and joined you. So the owners might be a bit angry, but hopefully they don't listen to this podcast. Or maybe they do. Now back to the charity side of you, the Right to Dream Academy. For anybody who hasn't heard of it, just explain what it's all about and how you became involved with it. Yeah, so Right to Dream Academy is based in Ghana, where it all started. Tom Vernon, the owner. He started it when he was 19 years old, I think. He went down there to Ghana with his girlfriend and had a house where he took some kids in from the streets, trained them in football, and the girlfriend was teaching them school things. And that's how it all started. And he saw a big potential in these kids. And they have nothing, but they should still be having a dream. They should still have their aim to dream and their right to dream. And that's why, yeah, how it all started and then became bigger in Ghana. And then now they have hundreds of kids in Ghana on the academy. And then they recruit them to FC Norseland, where I played. So Right to Dream Day was the first academy that bought a football club, so not the other way around. The academy bought FC Norseland. Tom Vernon is now the owner of Norseland as well. And we got a lot of Ghanaian players in Norseland. So I got a lot of teammates that was from Ghana. And that was the first time I really felt something, a connection with some of the Ghanaian players. I remember going on a training camp with some of the players and I was living in a room with one of the players and he was talking about where he came from and what he had been through. And he had lost his mom as well and his brother. So I felt like a connection straight from the beginning when they came in with the players. And then, yeah, since that I have always been inspired by what Tom Vernon have done and yeah, try to give back to that project as well. I will not say give back, I will say reinvest again it's not just about giving, it's also I learned something and I develop as a person. Everyone should have the right to dream and either if you're from Ghana or they say academy in Uganda as well that I'm involved with and ambassador for. And now they are doing it in Egypt as well with some new investors from Egypt. And that's why I'm thinking my connection with Brazil maybe in the future that could be that could be something that I could be involved with and maybe after my career and in the future there will be a right to dream academy in Brazil that's that's something I dream about to to be a part of that or create that or yeah do something about that. We know how tough your upbringing was Emmy but you sound like you've been speaking to people who've had even tougher upbringings is that fair? Yeah exactly exactly and they still have been through and now I went down to Ghana in the summer and I saw how it all was and that is very very tough and some people that haven't been to Africa have maybe seen it in movies or in documentaries and and and you maybe think that okay they are accelerating and but when you come down there is that's just how it is you know that's that's life they sleep next to to a cow or you know a monkey or whatever and that's just that's just how it is and when I saw that I went to one of the villages with one of the Efton Washington players Maxwell that was also in Ghana and he showed me his village there in Nima in in Accra and there was just you know houses made of mud and and there was like here it's my my family they live they still live here and and they don't want to move out of here even though he bought a house a bit outside a bit better place but they they want to stay here and that's why I lived when I was younger and now I play in in Norseland and yeah people that have a lot less than we have here in England and in Denmark they still can and and and should achieve big things. I want to ask you about your involvement with the Uganda and Cherries obviously we see you interacting with them on on social media was it sort of similar reasons as you've just said as to why you want to sort of get involved and help sort of raise their profile a little bit? Yeah 100% and I know another academy in Uganda called El Cambio academy that I'm involved with in as well and and yeah I'll try to see it in to connect it and yeah of course to to get more knowledge about it and to to also help where I can and it's it was very yeah it was right there and they came to me so it was of course I have I want to I want to help with this and and also they are going on a on a tournament in Denmark so it's you know it's it's perfect for me to be involved in and yeah to support someone is it's not even I'm not doing all the the hard work I'm just supporting it so that's that's a yeah very very easy for me just to say of course I want to be involved with that. Now for supporters who don't know on a match day after a game a lot of food is brought down to the changing room for the players after the game to have both both teams now before Christmas after a game you were seen leaving the stadium with trays of leftover food that the players had left just tell us a bit more about where you were taking them and what you were doing. Yeah there is a lot of food and we have a lot of nice food in the dressing room and I have I have been asking some of the chefs what do we do and also here at the training ground after we eat what do we do with all the leftovers do we just throw it out and I think it's because of my upbringing my dad was always like you have to eat everything we we're gonna eat it we're gonna throw it out we cannot throw it out and we're gonna save it for tomorrow and if we can't save it you have to eat it you know so I think that's that's just how I am so I always think like that so after the game I can't even remember what game it was about I've been thinking about a lot of the games and especially here around Christmas that I have been helping in Denmark as well when I when I was playing there in Christmas time because the last few years I haven't really celebrated Christmas so I went with my Muslim friend in Denmark that obviously doesn't celebrate Christmas who went to a homeless shelter in Denmark and were like serving food and I was thinking about that in December in early December I was like okay what can I do here in Bournemouth is there is there like a homeless shelter and I was searching on on on the internet and I found this YMCA Bournemouth homeless shelter and I texted them and saying what kind of help do you need here in the winter and do you do any events or that that can bring some support and they had an event where there was raising money where there was a singer as well and yeah I brought the food for for the homeless for that day it was a Saturday I can't remember maybe you can remember the game but it's a blackburn I'm all right I'm thinking it was blackburn at home just before Christmas yeah yeah you're probably right so I went there to the YMCA center in this in central of Bournemouth with all the food and you know we get sushi and we have really nice chicken skewers and wraps chicken wraps and I remember one of the one of the guys in the shelter he said I don't think we have ever had sushi before God someone delivers sushi so that was quite quite nice to a nice feeling and a response to get yeah it must have been amazing and a brilliant thing to do now going back to the football or sort of going back to the football a few days before the playoff final you were wandering around looking like Freddie Mercury you can see a smile on your face do you want to expand on that a little bit more yeah that was yeah it was it was crazy at that that that moment it was the day before or two days before the game I got a elbow in my face so I thought that was it that was me for this season I lost one tooth and a half of the other front tooth so yeah I looked very bad and my lip was very swollen and I couldn't really talk but I went straight in straight in and we got a dentist appointment straight away and yeah thanks to him he completely ripped his all his appointments out of the system for me so yeah I still owe him a big thanks for that but he got it fixed and I got a temporary teeth tooth up and a half of a temporary one and yeah it was it was all right but it was not perfect but it was I could I could smile on the photos with the trophy afterwards without looking like Freddie Mercury so in the end it was it was all good were you singing we are the champions after the final yeah I should I should have taken my tooth out and then be singing that now people can't see you on this podcast any but you've turned up wearing a woolly black hat we can't actually see your hair now I want to ask you about your hair because you haven't been here that long we've seen you have it short we've seen you have it long we've seen you have it tied back we've seen it curly braided blonde and dark what what do you wake up one day and decide you're gonna change it or what well yeah I don't really know what to answer I think it's just a part of me it's like I want to try new things and I wake up sometimes and I think I look I look a bit it look boring I want to change you know and I think I don't want to be be old and think I should have tried something with my hair and you know I want to as soon as I'm young and it probably keeps me young as well to try different things and when I'm looking back on pictures as well I'm like oh that was the time I had braids and I had white hair at that time and it's like give me a perspective of my career so when I had the white hair I was playing in Mitchell and and when I have my braids I was in in Brentford or whatever so it's it's like giving me a timeline it feels like I have had a longer life in or some of the years feels longer because I think times happen so quickly and times go so quickly so for me it feels like I'm trying to extend the the time of of living by by doing that because hair grows and a lot of people just keep the same hair for for their whole life and I I find that a bit boring sometimes that is just the same and you have the same look your whole life but at some point I also have to my girlfriends that I have to be a bit more more decisive or a bit more mature to just keep the same hair god she likes my hair right now so right now I'm not cutting it I'm saying I'm not cutting it before we're in the Prem so hopefully we're gonna promote this this year you mess about with it too much you might start falling out yeah some some some of my friends they say that you're gonna fall off soon you're not gonna be 30 and you're gonna have you're gonna be bald so no I think I have good genes with that my my mom had long curly hair with very thick hair so I think I got that from from her so hopefully it will it will stay when you first moved to Bournemouth here I remember you saying how much you had missed nature living in London just tell us about the differences between living I don't know where you lived in London but living in London and living in Bournemouth yeah it's just it's just a bit more space spacious in London everything is compact and I think it's also the people there's so many people so much stress I feel I don't feel stressed but I feel like everyone have something to do and everyone have an agenda going somewhere or they have to do something and they they are business orientated which is also good in in some sense but and I got some connections from living in London but I like it a bit more chilled here it reminds me a bit more of Denmark that yeah the traffic also you know it's just a bit more smooth and you don't have to stop and start and stop and start and you know in London it can be quite stressful especially when now when I go to London my girlfriend she lives in London still and when I go there it reminds or I get reminded of okay it was very hectic when I you know when I was here but I just got used to it and now when I have seen it from far away and and been there I I see the the the benefits of the that is it's a better life to to have a bit more relaxed or I like it more like that. Amy if ever you want to get stuck in traffic just go to Christchurch you can get stuck in traffic there every day. Excuse me you're capped by Denmark have been capped every level between under 17 right up to under 21 do you still harbour hopes of being a senior cap? Yeah of course of course and yeah now we were talking about tattoos before and the Danish flag and maybe when I get that Denmark cap I will get a Danish flag so yeah of course I dream about playing for the national team I know there is a lot of good players and I think really Denmark are pushing big time at the moment with a lot of good players doing well outside of Denmark probably the best they have ever done and I'm just I'm happy to be I'm proud to be Dane and Dane be from Denmark and around all these I know a lot of a lot of these players playing from the national team and doing well so yeah I think there is a big future for for Denmark and it's like all the the talent are getting better and better and I think the work that are done in Denmark in the clubs are paying off now and yeah a big future ahead. And you were on the terraces in the Euro semi-final as well is that true? Yeah I was at Wimbley watching that game and I saw my one of my students scored a free kick goal so that was a big moment for Denmark and for Miguel Damsko who scored a free kick and yeah I was I was very I was actually touched by that goal because he was one of my first student in my free kick free kick school not that I say because of me he scored that free kick but we have been practicing a lot of shooting together and yeah me him and Andreas Skor Olsen and Matthias Jensen who play in Brentford now we're always doing a lot of finishing after training. Just add your free kick master class you haven't really explained to people what that's all about? Yeah it's yeah very simple it's a it's a free kick master class where I train and I try to give my expertise to to young kids and and we have done it in Denmark and in Ghana and yeah I try to also have at some point some event here maybe in Bournemouth and maybe you can help me with that. I've had Neil takes a good free kick so get him involved. I'm more of a tapping merchant. But yeah I try to teach the technique of a free kick is something I have always practiced a lot and I want to do more. Now a bit more of a curveball question I hear you're very good at table tennis. Would that be fair to say? I'm not I'm not very very good. I think Jaden is he's he's playing a bit more than me and then I think he's he's probably one of one of the best now but I'll maybe put myself in two or three in the team. I have a table tennis in my garden but now it's too cold to play so I haven't played for yeah three months or something but I would say I'm I'm I'm all right yeah. So all right at table tennis not bad at the piano do you have any other hidden talents that we need to be aware of here? It's not it's not real talent it's not real you know I it's not I haven't taken to that perfect or not perfect but good level yet and I don't know if I ever will but I just try to yeah try to do a lot of things and be as I said be better or be more skillful at anything really. Yeah I think when I when I put something in my head then I then I'm trying to do it and I I'm not I don't stop before I I can do at least something you know I will yeah try to to do it to a certain degree. When the weather was a bit nicer in the summer you were spotted riding an electric scooter down the beach is that something you'd had? Who saw me? Well I can't reveal my source but but no tell us about that you've got an electric scooter and I think you perhaps used it to come in into training a couple of times is that something that you got when you were down here by the beach is that something you've always had is it something that you sort of just thought would be a bit of fun? Yeah I didn't have a car and I was living in the hotel and I was thinking how do I get to training and you know there was a lot of I'll try to get a deal but it was a car deal but it was quite difficult just to get a car straight away and they were also quite expensive the deals so I bought an electric scooter instead and yeah I don't know I think I went on a walk and there's these you can rent in the park in bonus park and I saw that and I was like why don't I buy my own and just take that to training it takes 15 minutes I went through the park and then it's a beautiful ride all the way down on the pier and yeah I thought I would maybe just do it for one or two weeks but then I was like this is this is working perfect I'm saving money and it's a beautiful and I beautiful ride and I enjoy it so yeah that's that's how it ended and then of course on rainy days I had to take a cab but otherwise it was it was yeah very good in summer you've got a fascination with fast cars tell us about that a fascination that yeah you you like fast cars is it because you said if you could swap with any other sports person it would be Lewis Hamilton ah yeah that's true that is true but I don't have a fast car at the moment but I like I like go-karting and yeah when when we go go-karting I I win most of the times I actually have a trophy at home for winning in go-kart in in Brentford but yeah I like I like speed and also like Tour de France it's a big thing in Denmark as well and I used to to go on a bike as well racing on bicycles or go-karting so and I like to watch Formula One so that's that's uh yeah that's I like I like speed you uh you didn't think about getting a tattoo of your your go-karting trophy or anything no because that's not you don't win that with your legs do you that's very true it's not that you drive with your hands or yeah maybe if you had of swap places with Lewis Hamilton how would you have felt about losing the Grand Prix the way he did devastating it was um yeah it was it was uh I don't know what to say about that because it was it was so it was not for me it was not sport it was it was just based on a decision and you know that's what I don't like about Formula One that is you know this this team that is deciding what to to do and go in in in laps and now they can overtake and now they can't overtake and so that's that's maybe a bit uh what I don't like about Formula One and also it's a lot of money in that sport so for for people with not a lot of money can't really go come into that sport um and that's also why I like Lewis Hamilton because he's he's been just working hard and working his way all the way through um and uh but for him to to react how he did in that moment was was top professional and I don't think he have he have got a enough praise for that because I think a lot of other sportsmen they would they would have reacted differently um yeah he's he's uh he's a true winner in in my eyes I have to ask you you say you haven't got a fast car at the moment I think it's a little polo out there isn't it it's a golf a golf there we go well it must be a a contrast in the car park to a to some of the Range Ropers yeah it is and I get a lot of from that as well from the other players because it's it's my girlfriend's car and uh yeah she she had a car that was uh just uh just standing because she just standing at her mom's home because she don't want to drive in London she's a bit scared to drive with all the traffic and uh and I was on my scooter every day and and some days I came home and I was all wet because when I I went to training it was sunny and I came home and it was raining and she was in the hotel room there uh why you're all wet and I have to change and ask her to to wash my clothes and then she was like why you need to get a car and I said but yeah it's it's expensive and then she said yeah I have a car I said what why why can't I use that just until I find a new one and I said okay that's you can do that and then now I just it's saving me money so that's uh that's uh yeah how I also see it's it's a win-win a win-win now you've enjoyed six months here at the club just over that you recently got your first career hat trick as we've alluded to earlier after that game against Joval we did the interview pitch side and you said you didn't know what you were going to do with your match ball you said you might use it in the garden for a kick around you might use it on the table tennis table you weren't sure what have you done with it have you done anything with it um now it's too cold to play in the garden right now so right now it's just on uh on my like trophy cabinet in the living room uh yeah so I have to wait to play with it until it's a bit warmer now just finally before we jump into some fan questions what are your sort of hopes and ambitions for the rest of the season I think there's probably one big go for the for the squad here it is to score as many hat tricks as possible and now um yeah of course the the main thing is too fast to get a promotion and that's yeah everything I I and we we think about and I'm push for but also to take every day as as it is and every game as it is because that's how you progress and develop and as I have been spoken talking about a lot getting better every day developing your skills is that's how I see it and and just enjoy the moment enjoy the ride yeah just before we do the questions I want to ask you Amy where do you what would you be doing it when you're 50 years old what would you hope to be doing 50 um I would like to run an academy yeah have some have a lot of kids that are playing uh football hopefully and uh yeah run a run an academy maybe in Brazil um yeah that would be that would be lovely now let me are going to finish off with these fan questions we've got about five that have been been submitted that we selected from social media we're going to fire through them quite quickly so we'll start with Lynn who submitted hers on twitter he seems to go out of your way to engage with the fan base is that important to you to have that connection yeah I think the fans are everything you know in football the fans are everything if if there's no fans a football club cannot run so for me the fans is everything and and I started as a football fan so I have been on the sides on the on the stands and I remember still today I remember those players who who spent a bit more time and and were answering questions or giving a bit a little wave or a signature shirt or whatever so that's still the players I I remember so that's that's one I what I tried to do as well Morgan again on Twitter wants to know what's your favorite goal that you scored this season there's a few to choose from um my favorite goal is um maybe yeah the first one in Joval I think great ball from mebs but also because we've just been training that uh the whole week a ball ball over the top get a good first touch and uh yeah put it put it in the back of me Sam on Twitter says you've been here a while have you settled in well with the lads yeah yeah I think I think I've settled in quite well uh and it's a very good squad very easy to get get into and a lot of different personalities but it fits everyone fits quite well in in in the dressing room and also with the new lads coming in it's uh for me it's quite easy to to see how how how good the squad are now also when I have been here for half a year and I see new players coming in uh that we have we have a very very good squad that are um very good around each other Juliet on Facebook do you have any pets no I've never had any pets um but I love dogs and I yeah I love animals actually but I've never had any pets I think you have to be dedicated to to an animal and they probably I will use too much time on that and I don't have that that much Ryan on Facebook is he's probably asking on behalf of the entire afc ballmouth supporter base are we getting promoted yes we are 100 percent well there we go Ryan Emiliano Marcones has spoken well it's been an absolute pleasure having you here with us today we've absolutely loved your company and hearing about your fascinating life story so thank you very much for for joining us thank you thank you so much now if you've enjoyed listening to our podcast then we would absolutely love it if you could like and subscribe on whatever platform you are listening on we'd also be very grateful for any shares on social media so that other fans be it afc ballmouth related or just the general football fan can enjoy it too our thanks again to Emiliano Marcones and from Neil Perret and myself sorry Rundle thank you for tuning in to the official afc ballmouth podcast