Footy Star To Poker Star?

Here's a great interview with one my favourite ex-Manchester United footy star, Teddy Sheringham!

• Fame & Fortune: Teddy Sheringham
  
  Teddy Sheringham, 43, was the oldest man to have played in all four English football leagues before he retired last year. He was awarded an OBE in 2007 and currently lives near Epping with his girlfriend Kristina.
  
  Sarah Ewing
  Published: 2:00PM BST 07 Oct 2009
  
  How did your childhood influence your attitude towards money?
  We were very hard up when I was a child. Dad was a policeman and mum worked part-time. Dad always said to be grateful for what you've got in life, instead of what you haven't got. He always told me to look on the good side.
  
  That stuck with me throughout my football career, even when I was earning good money. There were always other people earning even more. It didn't matter to me, as I was earning more than I thought I would ever earn, and I was grateful for that.
  
  Some of the big names in football who played in the 1970s and 1980s probably wished they played in the current era, but the way I see it, they were earning more than the average person and if you managed your finances sensibly, then you would okay. Nowadays, the money has escalated beyond all belief, really.
  
  Did your parents really make you earn your pocket money?
  Yes. We always had at least one set chore each. My older brother and I had to do the dishes and dry up after dinner. We never did them properly, so mum probably had to go over them anyway. All we wanted to do was finish as quickly as possible so we could go out and play football with our mates. Just the fact we had to do it was grounding.
  
  Would you consider yourself more of a saver or a spender?
  Well, I like nice cars and nice holidays, so that's where I'm lavish. I do go out and spend on clothes every now and again, but I'm not like other footballers who have to have the latest of everything, whether it's gadgets or clothes.
  
  I don't really move with fashion. I like Prada for smart casual and Abercrombie & Fitch for a relaxed casual look. Every now and then I will have a big blow out and drop a lot of money over a few days, but then that'll do me for the next six to eight months.
  
  However, I'd prefer to treat my family to something special. Mum's suffered a bit with her hips recently and doctors said we might need to look at getting her a hip replacement in the future. It's not a usual gift, is it? But if it makes my mum feel better and gets her up and about again, then that's what's important.
  
  What sort of car do you currently drive?
  I've got a Bentley Speed, which is the third one I've had – I really like how beautifully it drives. It's a great feeling getting into the car. I did try the Ferrari 599 recently, which costs £220,000, but I wasn't convinced.
  
  Have you learned any difficult lessons about money?
  I've been playing poker seriously for the past six years or so, even though I've played card games throughout my entire career, on the coaches on the way to matches or sitting in hotels the night before. Unfortunately, you only learn to play poker by losing money.
  
  When you are playing at dodgy dens, like I played at, you know how many dodgy characters there are that have no money but have these skills to play poker that can't wait to get your money off you. They sweeten you up so they can take your money because they know they have more experience than you.
  
  They've got the cushions, make a cup of tea for you, and you think, 'Oh, this is nice of you'. So despite losing money week after week, you come away thinking, 'It's a really nice place, that is, I really enjoyed that.' It finally dawns on you, the techniques and tactics, and you can play them at their own game and make good money.
  
  What is it that you like so much about poker?
  I love the competition and the thinking skills involved. When people first start playing they think it's all about getting the big pairs and the high cards because that looks flash. Now it's more about trying to figure out what other people have got, using real skill, and whether they're bluffing. You have to think ahead.
  
  Is there anything that you hate about dealing with money?
  Bills! I'm terrible with them. One comes through and I'll leave it, another one comes through and I'll leave that one too – for some reason I can't sort it there and then. Before I know it, I've got eight bills on the side, then I have a mad day of getting the chequebook out, bank, bank, bank, bank, done, done, done. It makes me feel so much better.
  
  What's been your best buy over the years?
  Probably my current house, near Epping. It's named Camp Nou, after the scene of one of my greatest triumphs – Manchester United's 1999 European Cup victory. I lived in flats for a long time because of all my travelling with football, but I had this built in 2005. I had to pay over the top for the plot of land. I found an area where I wanted to live, but there was already a house there, a smaller house.
  
  I looked at the position of it and thought I would like a house there – just not that house – so the plan was I would buy it, knock it down and then build exactly what I wanted. I'm so pleased I did it. I'd previously looked at houses and didn't like lots of little rooms that never got used or strange layouts. I wanted to make the best use of the space I had, tailor-made to my needs, so every inch is maximised.
  
  Waiting for planning permission killed me, but once it was done, it was obvious the wait was worth it. I think I'll be here quite a long time. I have a new girlfriend who I've been with for a couple of years now, so if she wanted to move, then I might consider it. But luckily, she loves the place so I can't see that happening.
  
  Have you ever made a really bad decision about money or made a bad buy?
  When I was earning a lot of money at the peak of my football career, my agent was with a particular company, with a financial adviser looking after my money. He said he could do this and do that with my investments.
  
  I gave him a substantial sum of money and he frittered it away for me. To this day, I look back and think how could I have been so stupid to give him so much money? To give it to somebody else to just gamble with was just, well, terrible. I could have had so much fun with that money!
  
  How do you prefer to pay for things – cash, card or cheque?
  I'm definitely a cash man. I like to have a bit of cash on me and if I see something I like I'll buy it there and then, rather than writing cheques out and see it come out of the bank later on. I win and lose money at poker through cash, so that just the way I operate.
  
  Are you a good tipper?
  If I have good service, I'm a good tipper, I think. Bad service and I'm a bad tipper – that's exactly the way it should be.
  
  Do you think people expect more because of who you are?
  It wouldn't embarrass myself if someone said to me you were in my friend's restaurant the other day and you only gave a small tip. My response would be, well it obviously wasn't good service. I have no qualms about that. If someone gives me good service, I'll give them a good tip. If there was a story going around about me that I wasn't a good tipper that would be my response.
  
  Do you invest in stocks and shares?
  Not really at the moment. My son, Charlie, has been getting involved in trading in town for perhaps the past six to eight months. He's enjoying it, so I'm hoping that he'll come good or we can do it together.
  
  Do you have a financial adviser?
  Yes. We have a meeting maybe once every six months, maybe even a bit longer than that, just to clarify what's happening. He's someone I get on well with and has been with me now for a good few years. I like the way he works and the way he explains things. I need someone I can really trust after the last one I had.
  
  Do you like online banking?
  Ohhhhh no! I'm not an online man at all. I don't even know how to turn a computer one. I'm not sure I'd trust it either.
  
  Do you have a pension?
  When you're a footballer, you get your pension at 35. I didn't take it at 35 because I was still playing football, so I took it at 40 instead. I could have left it until I was 55, but I felt it would be too late to enjoy it. There's still a kind of pension that's rolling over, but most of it was taken out.
  
  What advice would you give to young footballers who might have more money now than they could ever had imagined, but not the experience to deal with it?
  Don't do anything major on a whim. A mate or an associate might come to you saying, 'I've got this idea, just give me £200,000,' which isn't a great deal for footballers these days.
  
  Then that idea doesn't work out and your money is gone in a blink of an eye. There are always people around that are looking to topple us over. You might think he seems alright, this fella – don't do it. Try and work it out for yourself.

source: here