Jermaine Jenas shrugs off career criticism insisting 'I've worked so hard'
Jermaine Jenas says those perplexed by his career trajectory have no idea of the hard work he's puts in since hanging up his boots.
The One Show host was selected as the conductor of the FIFA World Cup draw last winter and inevitably it provoked plenty of derision on social media. The former Newcastle United and Tottenham midfielder didn't pull up trees on the international stage but those 'waiting for him to fail' in Qatar last winter had to eat their words after a pitch-perfect delivery with the world watching.
He's heard the jokes about his agent being knighted and while the barbs used to bother him, the 40-year-old says he's earned the big opportunities and knows he wouldn't get chances on such a stage if he wasn't very good at what he does.
The trendy One Show host has launched a new collection with Dune London (Dune London)
He says he has a sneakers obsession and spoke about his fashion ideas (Dune London)He told the Mirror: "I never had the 'how am I doing this' outlook. Don't get me wrong, I know half of social media did after the World Cup draw! All I was reading was 'how is Jermaine Jenas doing this, how has he managed to get that' but they didn't see a lot of the hard work I was putting in.
"There aren't many footballers that do what I do, which is why you get these opportunities. There are plenty of former footballers who can go and be great pundits, but to go and handle that type of pressure and piece together a whole show, you need a specific set of skills.
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"Since I retired when I was 31 to where I am now, that's what I've been working on. I've been working on that craft, and working of those skills. There was a period when the comments did affect me. Then I just crossed over. I don't know if it's because the success I had, or that I just grew as a person. Look at the kind of people who send those type of messages. I have a different view on it now. I'm in a position I am for a reason, it's not down to luck."
He accepts the World Cup draw - seen by many in TV as the career Holy Grail - was extra special. "The first World Cup I remember was Italia 90," he went on. "I actually went to World Cup 94 and got to go to the World Cup in 2006 with England as a player. It's big for me.
"The big thing I remember about the draw is the legend that is Lothar Matthäus coming to my dressing room after to say thank you. He said 'you are made for this' and told me that nobody has ever made him feel as comfortable as I did. To hear that from him made me go 'wow, this is even bigger than I thought it was'. After all, I went to USA 94 wearing a 'Matthaus 10' Inter shirt!
"People saying 'I want to know who his agent is' and so on, does it bother me? No. It's the world we live in. There's a saying and it hits home. If some people don't hate you, there's something you're not doing right. Everyone has a comment to make about something now. Those who send you horrible messages, they're just more angry at themselves. I'm just living my life and enjoying myself."
Jermaine was speaking after announcing a unique collaboration with Dune London, as he unveiled his collection for Autumn and Winter. He has never hid from his passion for fashion and is excited about what he's helped produce as we say goodbye to summer.
He said: "I think when it comes to fashion for me, I've always been pretty obsessed with my footwear. I've been a collector of sneakers, I'm usually ground up when it comes to selecting my outfits. When I had the opportunity to work with Dune to create my own collection and to have a collaboration with such a great company, I was like 'yeah, let's do it - this works for me'.
"I'm still feet up, the Dune shoes and trainers but now I've got something else to work with. Whatever's on my feet is always a reflection of my mood. I personally don't feel there's a pressure to look good on TV. To some people, I may be a bit more out there than most.
"For me, the importance it that it allows me to be myself. When you can't wear what makes you feel you, you're changing as a person. Now on TV, channels are more open to presenters to be more expressive."
For more about his collaboration with Dune, click here.
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