The Marlon King Column

[Olzy]

Hi everyone.

My summer was really hectic - I got married and moved house. I might have got away from football but I was really busy.

I married Julie on 9 June. I met her back in 1999 by pure coincidence. I saw her in a shop and thought I would try my luck. I tried to give it the 'where have I seen you before?' line, but she did not buy it!

The wedding was beautiful. The gaffer was there wearing a dodgy suit. He had a few drinks and started breakdancing - he was woeful. I'm surprised he did not hurt himself.

Big Danny Shittu was there too. He could not find a tailor who would make a suit big enough for him though. He had to wear one with velcro.

A few of the other lads were there too and some from other clubs, like Kevin Lisbie.

We had a week in Dubai for our honeymoon before I went back into training two weeks early. I missed a large chunk of last season through injury so I needed to get in before the other boys just to catch up.

Pre-season training has got better as I have got older. In my younger days there would be a lot of running and physical work. It's more intense now but we use the ball more. The work is related to what you might do in a game.

The gaffer is not big on long distance running so we do more ball work. We do a lot of small-sided games at a high pace. The hardest thing we do is the fitness testing, like the bleep test.

I have played six pre-season friendlies. They have been good for my fitness and I've got on the scoresheet a few times - that's a confidence booster. It's hard to measure your performances in pre-season matches to League games though. They are totally different.

It's important to stay injury-free during those games. When you are playing against a non-League team, they are desperate to impress but sometimes their enthusiasm can get the better of them.

I can't wait for the season to start. The gaffer has to drag me off the training ground at the moment. I missed a lot of last season and it's only when you lose something like that do you realise how much you like it.

We have a tough first game away at Wolves. I'm sure they will be up for it as much as we will be. The atmosphere will be great. Their fans always make a lot of noise and we will take a lot of fans. Our away support is excellent.

There is no let up in this league, or any league, we have to do our job. We will work hard in training, then rest properly to get ready for Saturday.

The game is on Sky, but I'm sure most of my friends and family will want to go to the game rather than watching it on TV. The game being on TV is not a distraction. Once the whistle goes for the kick-off you don't even think about the cameras being there.

We are playing my old team Gillingham in the League Cup on Tuesday at Vicarage Road. I was excited when I saw the draw - I'd love to play against them. I'm not sure what the gaffer's plans are though. The league is our priority but I want to play every game.

We sold Hameur Bouazza to Fulham on Wednesday. You never want your best players to leave, but he's ambitious and it's good business for the club. Life goes on. We have players who can play in his position. I hope it goes well for him.

People have been tipping us to do well this year, but for us it's just one step at a time. Football is a strange game - look what happened to Forest and Leeds - so we will not take anything for granted.

I was in training the other day when I got dragged off to do a campaign for the new balls that we will be using. I did not mind at all.

As it went along, it was broken down to me that it was taking the mick out of the Wayne Rooney ad, the one where he hits the camera with the ball. I just went along with it - it was all good natured stuff.

Speak to you next week.

Laters.

[Olzy]

Hi everyone.

It's been a good start to the season. We began with two wins against two top sides in Wolves and Sheffield United.

We then let ourselves down at Leicester. For whatever reason we were embarrassed and I'm sure that won't happen again. We rectified that against Ipswich, winning 2-0, and we have to carry that form into our game with Southampton on Sunday.

Although they did not start the season well they have picked up. They are a good passing side but we want to make Vicarage Road a fortress.

We have played some good sides this season but every game in the Championship is difficult. No disrespect to Blackpool and Scunthorpe, but they are up there and no-one would have predicted that.

As a team who were relegated from the Premier League, everyone wants to beat us so we need to be on top of our game.

The gaffer has strengthened the squad and everyone wants to play a part.

He's brought in Nathan Ellington and he's got his head down and worked hard since arriving. We have struck up a good understanding already. It does mean there is more competition for places for the strikers but that won't change how I approach things. I always work hard regardless.

The gaffer has also signed Santiago Aloi on loan for the rest of the season. He looks a good player but it will take him a while to adapt to the speed of the English game. He's seen as one for the future and that's so important as the transfer market is sky-high at the moment.

I got a couple of texts a few weeks ago to say that the gaffer would only sell me for a world record transfer fee. I laughed about that, but I know what he meant. He was not valuing me at £60m but saying that's how much playing in the Premier League is worth to the club. He wants to keep his players and have another go at promotion again.

It's nice to know the manager values me though. We have a really good relationship and it's always important for a player to see eye-to-eye with his manager.

I'm not happy with my form though. But it's only four games in and I'm getting my sharpness back. It will pick up, but as long as we are winning then that's the important thing.

I watched the England game on Wednesday. It was a good result. Gareth Barry and Emile Heskey made a massive difference and brought a new dimension to England. It will be a different game in Moscow though.

Speak to you next week.

Laters.


Who is the best player you have played alongside?
David Walker
It's between Aaron Lennon and Ashley Young. I played with Aaron at Leeds and he was electric. I always thought he was going to be an England international. Ash is my mate so I'm going to say him. He's a top player though. When he signed for Villa everyone was talking about his fee, but now they are taking notice of his performances. I was really happy for him when he got called up to the England squad, even if it made his pea head bigger.

How does it make you feel when your hear the fans singing your song?
Mark Gilmour
It gives me a buzz when I hear it. Ever since I signed for Watford, they have sung it. I have a great rapport with the fans.

[Olzy]

Hi everyone.

It's been a very good week. Two wins, top of the league - we have to keep that going.

We got off to a great start against Southampton on Sunday but we took our foot off the gas. Southampton are a very good team but luckily Hendo came on and scored two goals. That just shows the character and resilience we have in the side.

Having clawed their way back into the game, Southampton would have been gutted to concede a last minute goal. It was great for us though but we don't want to make a habit of scoring late goals.

It's important to win at home. We want to make Vicarage Road a fortress. Any team who comes to our place is not going to get it easy.

Cardiff is a tough place to go. They have good players but we got the early goal. They equalised only for Hendo to score again.

He has been scoring for fun. He upsets defenders, people don't like to play against him. He's a totally different striker to me and Nathan but he's getting his rewards for working hard. He's a good lad who always gives 110 per cent.

Both our wins showed our never say die attitude. We are still learning as a team and have a lot of new faces. We have not gelled yet. We have not hit full tilt but we are top of the league.

It's always important to get off to a good start. Teams who get relegated from the Premier League can go into freefall. Teams who come down into the Championship can take things for granted. We have not done either of those. We are working hard and know we won't walk over teams. You don't want to be playing catch-up during the Christmas period as you won't be able to play your natural game. We will take it one game at a time.

We are playing QPR tomorrow - that's another hard game. Because they are near the bottom of the league, people think we will walk over them. It won't be like that and we will have to be professional. They need the points just as much as we do. It's a sell-out but we will be well supported as ever.

I've not been up to much this week - just travelling mainly. After the Southampton game on Sunday, we travelled to Cardiff on Tuesday and came back on Thursday. We trained today then play QPR tomorrow.

I did manage to hear about Jose Mourinho leaving Chelsea though. It's a funny one. It's hard to find out what happens behind closed doors but it's been well documented.

The owner must have his own ideas about how to run the club and thought it was Jose's time to go. But he's left his stamp on the club. He's done unbelievably well at Chelsea.

I've been watching the build-up to the Ricky Hatton v Floyd Mayweather fight. I'm a huge boxing fan and a huge Mayweather fan. If we get some time off and can get tickets then I'd love to go.

Ricky is a good fighter, he's the only one flying the flag at the moment, but I think Mayweather will have too much for him. I think Ricky will have to go for an early knock-out.

I haven't been to see a boxing fight but I have seen some UFC at the O2 and Wembley. Hendo and a few of the other lads are into it. It's brutal but there is more to it than just trying to knock the other bloke out. It's very technical.

Speak to you next week.

Laters.