When people ask me what club I supported growing up, I didn't really watch club soccer. The only channels I got had World Cups and the Copa America, so I gravitated toward the Latin American, South American style of game.
When I was growing up I would always watch the more experienced players to see what they were doing and why they were doing it.
I remember watching when D-Wade and LeBron were here playing for the Heat. I remember watching them play the Lakers with Kobe. So I just was able to watch those games growing up and really watch my favorite players.
Players like Didier Drogba, going to watch him play and seeing him off the pitch as well, I got to see how he was with the players and the youngsters. Growing up, he was a good idol. He's a bubbly, funny character. He likes to make people feel welcome. You need those kind of people, wherever you are.
I know in college, a player is playing for something every year so it is constantly competitive while in residency although you're playing with the top players in your age, you don't have many competitions other than the U-17 or U-20 World Cups.
At Barcelona, I was exposed to talent. You had Ronaldinho, who was a marvel to watch. Deco is skilful and talented. Then there are players like Xavi, a good and hardworking man who gave his all. Iniesta is another. Then the name of Messi will come up in that list.
When I used to watch Ronaldinho his dribbling skills and the way he played I am really a fan of that. Kaka he was very fast, he scored goals and them both are the players I look up to.
Players like Ronaldinho and Neymar started in futsal schools. Denilson loved playing too, looking for things to take onto the soccer pitch.
Obviously, I wasn't born when Pele was playing at World Cups, but I have watched plenty of videos, both of him and other great players.
There weren't many black players when I was growing up, and I remember playing and looking up to the ones that were playing.
I always try and watch how business people think. I like to read a lot about business people. I'm not going to say I've got a great business mind, but I enjoy learning from the world of business.
I feel like, growing up, I watched football, obviously, and you see great players, and as a fan, you want to watch the best you can possibly watch, and you want to see what's capable of being made.
I grew up playing with kids who were the kids of people my parents grew up playing with, and they know me like nobody else. I thought everybody was that way when I was growing up, and then I left to go to college, and I realised that the world is full of strangers.
I always wanted to be one of the best players in the world like Zinedine Zidane, so it was great that I ended up playing at West Ham against some of the best players in the world.
I like to have fewer players. That way, everyone is plugged into what you're doing. There is a risk attached to that sometimes but it's good to have a smaller squad. People have more chance of playing; they're ready and more motivated. Having 18 real players is better than having 25 or 26 not playing.
If we're going to be getting treated like that, why can't we treat the clubs like that? I just want to see the game and the players looked after the way they should be because the crowds don't turn up to watch David Gallop play... they turn up to watch the players play.