INTERVIEW

Tom Watt's interview with Dennis Wise along with some questions from callers on the open line
01 Oct 1999

Dave from the Isle of Wight: Congratulations Dennis, about time too!... I was at your testimonial game with my wife in August and I just wondered how you felt when playing that game, and afterwards, when you were talking to the crowd who were there?

Wisey: Thanks very much! I felt great. I was so pleased because, at testimonials, you never know how many people are going to turn up. You wonder whether people do appreciate you. That night I found out how many people appreciate me and it really meant a lot. It was great that everyone turned up and made a great day for me. I owe so much to all you fans because you've been good to me for the 10 years I've been at Chelsea.


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Kevin from Wandsworth: Never mind you!:-) I'd like to congratulate Kevin Keegan! It's about time someone saw the light and put you in the England squad! I was just wondering, Chris Sutton is the biggest signing we've ever had, he's playing in almost every game but not hitting the target. I know he's working hard off the ball, making good, sensible runs etc. but how is he in himself? How's his attitude? Is he worried not hitting the target as often as he would want?

Wisey: Yeah! obviously he is! All strikers are. Gianfranco is exactly the same, he's only got one goal and Chris has only one. At the moment we seem to have a problem, even in midfield, I should be on four goals myself!
Yeah, they're disappointed but the thing is that we're not in a bad position although we're not actually scoring a lot of goals, but they'll come, I'm sure they'll come. Chris is working hard at the moment but we need all the players to work hard to get results and if that happens, the goals will come. We've had so many chances, we just haven't stuck them away. Gianfranco was very unlucky against Galatasaray, he hit the post. Chris was unlucky, the keeper made a great save. All we need is some lady luck, we're pleased with the way we're not conceding goals and winning games one-nil.

Tom Watt: Good way to win games that... actually!

Wisey: Yeah! just like Arsenal, but we're better!

Tom Watt: (laughs)


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Ted from Northumberland: Hello Tom, Hello Dennis, congtratulations!

Wisey; Thanks very much!

Ted: I've got a story to tell you. About 4 or 5 years ago, I didn't think much of you as a player to be honest, but do you remember Joe Allon?

Wisey: What!? ?he Face?you mean? (smiles) Yeah! the face... top man by the way...

Ted: Yes! he played for Newcastle as well.

Wisey: I remember, I put him in my book (Dennis Wise Autobiography by Steve Stammer - Out Now!) cos he's a lovely man... a funny man.

Ted: Aye! well he played in an FA youth team with Paul Gascoigne...

Wisey: Yep! I played against them... and we got beat 3-2 at Southampton, it was a good side!

Ted: I remember Joe was interviewed by ?he Mag?a Newcastle fanzine 4 or 5 years ago and he was asked the question ?ho was the best footballer you?e ever played with??we all thought he was bound to say Gascoigne, but no!... he said Dennis Wise... I thought... Christ! If Dennis Wise is better than Gazza, I? better take a closer look at him. In the past few years I?e been watching your career and I think you?e been fantastic!!!

Wisey: Thank you very much! I? glad you?e changed your mind, a little bit anyway!

Tom Watt: So... Ted! When you?e watching Chelsea at St James?Park and the rest of the Gallagher end is there giving Dennis Wise stick... You?e there, on your own, saying that Wise is better than Gazza? Joe Allon said so!

Ted: Nah, Nah!!! I give him STICK!


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Simon in North Finchley: Congratulations Dennis! I just wanted to ask if you thought we were playing to Chris Sutton? strengths? I know, since Mark Hughes has gone, we haven? had a forward that could hold the ball, play with his back to goal and was strong in the air. Do you think we?e still making 4, 5 or 6 passes where just one would be simpler and better for Sutton?

Wisey: You?e right, we can get it forward a lot quicker. To be honest, we do like to play it around and sometimes we can put it in the box and should put it in the box earlier because we have big Chris, who, can get on the end of it. That? what we need to do sometimes, be a bit more direct. Luca has already spoken to us about this, he says if we get a chance to put it in, he wants us to put it in instead of coming out and going across. So, you?e right, at times we need to be more direct.


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Ray in West London: I wanted to ask if you were still a mate of Ruud Gullit? The reason I ask is that I thought it was rather clever the way you kicked Shearer up the arse when the ball was nowhere near him? This was just after Gullit had got the sack!

Wisey: (laughs inwardly) Errm! funny, the press asked me that as well after the game ?was that one for Ruud??I didn? answer that, of course I can? answer questions like that!!! Nah! I think Alan was just in my way at the time... and he had his hands around my throat!

Ray,Watt and Wisey: (Laughter)...

Ray: Anyway... what I really wanted to know was, what was the difference between Vialli and Gullit, the team are obviously gelling together much more?...

Wisey: Basically, Ruud was very laid back about things and training-wise, we wouldn? do so much. We wouldn? work very hard and we? have a lot of days off, whereas Luca is totally the opposite. He? very thorough, he? a perfectionist, everything he does must be right. He makes us work hard on patern play, set pieces and marking people. We didn? do so much with Ruud, that? the difference.

Tom Watt: The most amazing thing about Gianluca Vialli, looking at it from the outside, is how he? managed to make that move from being a member of the team, one of the lads in the dressing room, across to being the gaffer. That must have been so difficult but he seems to have done it with ease.

Wisey: I think he found it very hard at first, having to drop people... rest people... he didn? want to do it in his first year, but, he had to do it. Now he? stepped over that line and he? doing well.

Tom Watt: You mean everybody hates him now?

Wisey: (laughs) Nah! we all love him!...