Lloyd reports live from Anfield, where he attended the launch of Liverpool FC’s new Adidas kit and conducted interviews with several of the players — armed with some characteristically odd questions that managed to surprise even the professionals.
Lloyd had been sent to cover Liverpool FC’s kit launch at Anfield as a reward for his football expertise during the World Cup coverage. His highlight was meeting club captain Steven Gerrard, though his mum’s highlight was considerably different: a wave from goalkeeper Pepe Reina left a lasting impression.
Lloyd played back several recorded interviews he’d conducted with the players, each featuring quirky questions that caught them off guard. With Javier Martínez (the Spanish midfielder), he asked about childhood nicknames, receiving a response that was apparently difficult to translate from Spanish — something close to “Bunny La Titt” — prompting an on-air apology to any Spanish speakers listening. His mother’s question about what the players ate as children to become good footballers generated some memorable answers: Martínez credited crusts of bread on his mother’s advice, while Gerrard admitted to eating sweets and chocolate as a kid, drawing audible coughing from the background.
Pepe Reina, the goalkeeper, answered questions about playing in Liverpool and whether he’d been on the Mersey ferry (he hadn’t, but wanted to try). Stephen Gerrard, meanwhile, arrived to say hello to Lloyd before the interview — a moment that surprised Scott, suggesting Lloyd had become locally famous. The exchange about cereal and eating vegetables produced some awkward advice, and a final question about whether the kit colour clashed with one player’s hair generated its own laughs.
Scott applauded Lloyd for extracting better material than the usual run of footballer interviews, and Lloyd thanked Eddie from Liverpool for arranging the day.
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