Featured article


Danny Dyer & Tamer Hassan
They've played rowdy hooligans in The Football Factory, and dodgy gangsters in The Business. So we met the geezers in Camden to find out about their real life scrapes and on field bust-ups. It's DANNY DYER AND TAMER HASSAN
Hello chaps, are you both well?
Danny Dyer: Yeah not bad thanks.
Tamer Hassan: Very well cheers.
We'll take it you're both big football fans then?
T: Yeah, but don't ask me about Millwall!
Not such a great season was it?
T: I've just got to say one word, I'm happy we didn't go down. I can't say anything else.
D: You don't now nothing about them anymore that's why, you don't know any of the players, he's lost interest. I don't blame him. They've had a mare Millwall.
T: They have had a mare, and I've not been down there as much as I should have been down there, given, but I've not lost interest, that's a lie, I'm not going to have that! I was in Millwall the other day and I'm still loved down there, even if I played for West Ham in the Premiership Allstars.
And what about West Ham Danny?
D: I'm happy we didn't get relegated as well to be honest with you, I don't know what to make of old Curbishley, he's done the job he's been asked to do.
So what about your chances next season?
T: Millwall are going to finished 10th next year. Mid table and I'm happy!
D: I'll go for top six for West Ham, if they get their injured players back. And a good little run in the cup. Curbishley's spent the money, he's got to get rid of players.
When you did the Football Factory film together, did you get any hate mail?
T: No, we were alright! We did a Q&A across the country on it, from Scotland to Brixton.
D: It was the best way to find out wasn't it. We showed the hooligans the film first, then we went up and spoke to them.
T: All the top firms were at the private screenings, there were a few funny things thrown at us from the audience. At the end of the day we're actors and their pride for us was that we portrayed the best adaptation of a hooligan film to date I would say.
D: We did the subject justice, and that's the key. It was a tricky subject, it can go either way. So we're proud of the film.
Have you had any hairy situations from your Football Factories TV show Danny?
D: I've had a few death threats after that, I went to the Old Firm Derby, and I didn't realise how political it is. If you go you're either Green or Blue, I sat with the Green, but I'm West Ham through and through. So the Blue found out about that and the next thing I'm being called an IRA whatever. That's something that's pretty heavy for me. So you get some people saying well done you've got some balls, and the other half saying I'm a grass. I'm just earning a pound note at the end of the day, I wasn't on some journey to find out about why hooligans are hooligans, it's just a bit of graft.
Click here to register for our free online football magazine
To return to the main interview click here
v
Graham Poll
.jpg)
The former Premier League ref might be retired now, but that doesn't stop him having his say. He's now a BBC pundit, a newspaper columnist, and also forms part of The New Football Pools' podcast team for Euro 08. Meet The Thing from Tring. It's Graham Poll.....
Hi Graham have you enjoyed doing the Euro 2008 podcasts with Chappers for the New Football Pools?
Yeah, you just go in and have a good laugh, have a chat and a bit of banter, and I think it’s important to do that, so people listening almost feel like they’re part of that conversation.
Who are your stars from Euro 2008?
Edwin Van Der Sar in goal has been very good, going up the other end of the pitch clearly David Villa has been the star forward. Arda for Turkey looked very good, Lahm for Germany has been outstanding, attacking quickly down the wing. And Ballack, who came good for Chelsea at the end of last season, has continued that form into the Euros.
What did you make of the criticism Howard Webb received after his first game at the tournament?
To keep things in context, Howard is the youngest referee and one of the least experienced referees from a European perspective. Therefore he went out there and it was always likely he would get a couple of fairly low key matches, and then come home having established himself as a competent tournament referee
Click here to register for our free online football magazine
To return to the main interview click here

