QA: Stan Collymore

Do you regret retiring at only 30?

I knew there was more to life than football. I miss the big games, the European nights, but I’ve no regrets.

What did you hate most about being a footballer?

If you are successful, some sections of the media think that they can dig into your personal life and a lot of skulduggery goes on — and that’s something I don’t miss.

You had a reputation for being hard to handle. Was it deserved?

It’s bizarre that people think I didn’t get on with my team-mates at Liverpool or Aston Villa or wherever. I’m a full-time sport broadcaster and I get unrivalled access to a lot of players. That wouldn’t happen if they had a problem with me.

Is being a pundit as easy as it looks?

I hate the word pundit. People have this perception that we just turn up and talk off the top of our heads, but I go armed with pages and pages of my own stats and research. We have to get away from the stereotypes about ex-players just turning up and going through the motions.

You were stigmatised for suffering from depression during your career. Do you think things have changed?

John Gregory, my manager at Villa at the time, said how can a player earning so much a week be depressed and that showed the level of ignorance within football towards a serious illness. More is being done to help players now, but in my day having a mental illness was a real stigma. Admitting to it was like saying you were gay.

Do you think a gay player will feel comfortable about coming out soon?

I’d like to think so. Football should reflect society and there is absolutely no reason why gay players should hide their sexuality. They’re reluctant to come out because of the macho dressing-room culture and fear of the stick that they would get from fans.

You tried your hand at acting a couple of years ago. What was it like working with Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct 2?

She was absolutely beautiful. Everything you would expect a Hollywood A-list star to be. I spent about a week working with her.

What would you have been if you hadn’t been a footballer?

Nothing. There was never any question of me not being a footballer. It was all I ever wanted to be.

Interview by KAVEH SOLKEHOL