Theo Walcott on being fast, being seen and Ronaldo

Returning from international duty, Theo Walcott was seen at the launch of the new Nike Superfly. Footy Boots managed to catch up to him and ask him some questions about Superfly III, Cristiano Ronaldo and more:

Hi Theo – we’ll start off with the football boots themselves – what were your first impressions of the Superfly III?

• First of all, they’re such bright colors, as Nike always do, it’s just a totally different style to what boots used to be! The purple and the yellow, the way they clash – it’s meant to help your team mates spot you easier – hopefully it will!

And also, it’s so light, at times it feels like there’s nothing on your feet. When I was younger, I used to kick a ball about with no shoes on, and it’s pretty much like that!

What’s important is they still feel sturdy, if you take a whack on your feet, they’re still going to hold up.

That’s what football boots are getting to the stage of now, it’s like they’re designed for sprinting – the game’s so much faster, and European football is home to so many quick players.

Oh, and they look smart too!

Do you still get excited when Nike bring you a new pair of football boots?

• I do! The first thing I always look at is the color, the color always matters!

I definitely like this one!

You mentioned the boots are so brightly colored, do any of the traditionalists on the team give yourself, Nicklas Bendtner and Andrei Arshavin any hassle over the color of your football boots?

• No, not at all! Football’s completely changed now; I know younger players in the youth set-ups have to wear black boots, but it’s so difficult for kids to wear that these days – it’s all about the brightly colored boots now!

I don’t think it matters what boots you wear, as long as you’re doing on the pitch!

Nike are selling this boot on the idea of Visual Accuracy, where the color makes it easier for your team mates to spot you; has Cesc Fabregas ever commented on how much more visible you are in these cleats?

• To be fair, Cesc spots everything anyway! It’s going to make his life a little bit easier if I’m wearing these.

They haven’t said anything yet – but it’ll be interesting to see what the lads say if I play at the weekend wearing these football boots.

I’ve been wearing them a week, and no one’s said anything – but I’ll definitely be asking the boys at training on Friday!

We know that many players have customizations and tweaks added to their football boots, do you have anything to help your boots perform better for you?

I have wide feet, so my boots are slightly – very slightly – wider than normal, and aside from having my initials on the boot I can pretty much wear them out the box – I’m pretty easy really!

When you get a fresh pair of football boots from Nike, do you have a ritual for breaking them in at all

• I do – I soak them in hot water, let them dry a little and then wear them for a little while – they sort of mold to your feet a little bit, then; That’s a tip there for anyone that struggles to break in their Superfly III‘s!

I’ve also seen some people wear them in baths, but for me it’s just a little soak in hot water before I take them to training

Do you think that the football boots a player wears on the pitch say something about him as a player?

I think so, yeah. You look at the Superfly III for example, you think ‘Fast’, ‘Good’ and ‘Scores Goals’. I’m looking at it now and I just think ‘Fast’! The lightning bolts on the heel and the shape of the boot just look fast to me!

Nike are running a campaign on Facebook at the moment, ‘Who is Superfly?’. Have you played against a particular player who really embodies what it is to be ‘Superfly’?

• You look at Cristiano Ronaldo; the way he looks, the way he plays and the stuff he does off the field too – that’s what the campaign is about, he’s definitely Superfly. Hopefully one day people will look at me and say I’m Superfly, too!

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