How long after you joined Real Madrid did you realise that certain players were undroppable – or were you aware of that before you went?
Stuart Staves, Brisbane
I wouldn’t say players were undroppable, but you didn’t want to give anyone an excuse to drop you. I think I went on a run where I scored for seven games on the spin. Then in the next game I didn’t score for 55 minutes and I was taken off. I was on the bench for the next game. [Laughs] That just shows you how difficult it is.

My time in Madrid was better than most people make out. I started a lot more games than the ones where I came on as sub, though a lot was made of the time I’d spent on the bench. I think I was more involved than most of the players in the squad that season – even the goalkeeper.

But playing in Spain was an eye-opener for me, that’s for sure. I played in a lot of different stadiums against some fantastic players and the fans were great. I had a really good relationship with the fans. I loved it and I wouldn’t have changed my time there for anything, but I definitely wanted to come back to the Premiership – it’s a league that I enjoy.

Did Steve McManaman fill you in on the lifestyle in Madrid?
Kelly Dodd, Ipswich
Well, I think he enjoyed it over there more than me. Macca is easy going and loved the lifestyle, whereas I like the comforts of family and friends and being at home – the things that English people generally enjoy. I like restaurants that open at normal times rather than in the early hours. Macca is a laid back guy and he settled in well. Perhaps he was more suited to it all than me. Having said that, I really enjoyed it out there.



How did you spend your time between training and games in Madrid? Did you socialise with Becks a lot?
Simon, Madrid
Yeah, I did. It was good that we had each other there – we’re mates, we’re English speaking and we get on well. It actually took us longer to learn Spanish because we could get away with talking English with one another, though I could speak a bit of Spanish to get by. And there was Woody [Jonathan Woodgate] as well, so there were a few of us out there. We would go out for meals together – it’s a country for dining out really. The restaurants are good, the food is fantastic. You can go to a restaurant, have a meal and chat away over a glass of wine into the early – or the late – hours of the morning. It’s difficult in a way because it’s hard to get babysitters and it’s hard to get to know the other lads because you don’t talk the language, but it was a great experience.

Which language can you speak better: Spanish or Welsh?
John Williams, via email
Spanish, definitely. I can’t say much in Welsh – probably just “Happy Birthday” or something. My first line of Spanish was during my first press conference and I said: “I’m learning my Spanish little by little.” [Laughs] All the journalists thought I could speak after that and started asking me more questions in Spanish.

How did you feel when you watched Liverpool winning the Champions League Final against AC Milan?
Joey Voce, Crosby
I was watching it in my living room in Madrid with the wife. The kids were upstairs asleep. At 3-0 down I thought they were dead and buried, but once they came back into it after an hour you knew they had it in them. Funny thing was, I was probably the last to text them all, wishing them good luck, and the first to text them with congratulations. We’re still all good mates. Stevie Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Didier Hamann – while he was still there – were my big friends at the club. I was speaking to them all after the game. I was so pleased for them. And yeah, you do think, What if I was there? What could I have done for them during the game?

But I’m not one to look back with regrets. Winning the European Cup is something that I want to do in my career. I’m not jealous, but I’d love to do it. Another part of you also thinks, ‘I’ve been there all that time and I never won it and then I leave and they win’. [Laughs] Proves that I’m crap, really! But seriously, it was great for the lads. I was there for the semi-final against Chelsea and that was a great game as well.