In this week’s edition of Jets Insider, Sam Gallaway is answering questions submitted by the Club’s Members and supporters.
In this week-s edition of Jets Insider, defender Sam Gallaway is answering questions submitted by the Club-s Members and supporters.
Gallaway answers questions about his rapid elevation to the Jets first team, what it is like playing alongside Emile Heskey and the current mood within the Jets squad.
Paul Oswald asks via email: How do you think playing with the Jets youth team in the local league during the off-season helped you this year?
Sam Gallaway (SG): I think it just helped me more or less with my fitness. Obviously during the previous A-League season I didn-t play many games and I wasn-t very match fit so playing in the NBN State League definitely helped with that.
It-s a very physical league where you-re going to be copping shoulders and dirty tackles, so it also prepares you for that as well and it definitely helped me get ready for this A-League season.
Alex Walsh asks via email: Were there times earlier this year where you thought you might not get a chance to play for the Jets again? How did you stay motivated?
SG: Obviously it was looking that way until I was able to get my chance, but I just had to keep working hard and make sure I was ready if an opportunity did come.
To stay motivated you just have to keep your head right, stay focused and keep doing your best at training. There were a few senior boys who were pushing my case, so that showed me I had been doing something right and their support helped a lot.
@Crackers_14 asks via Twitter: Who is the biggest “pest” in the squad?
SG: The biggest pest would definitely be Connor Chapman, just because he-s always lurking around looking for someone to annoy or play a joke on. He-s just always causing trouble.
@Mitchell_Ox1 (Mitchell Oxborrow) asks via Twitter: Why have you changed since you have started playing!?
SG: (Laughs) I don-t think I-ve changed. Maybe I don-t see Mitch as much and he misses me or maybe he-s just a bit jealous, I-m not too sure.
@kallum_warne asks via Twitter: What-s it like playing with Heskey?
SG: Obviously it-s an honour to play alongside someone who has achieved what he has. If you said to me two years ago I would be playing on the same team as Emile Heskey I probably would have laughed at you.
He-s a great player and it shows that the quality of the A-League is always improving to have big names like Heskey, Del Piero and Ono here.
Bob Peters asks via email: Will it be frustrating being on the sidelines this weekend with it being such a big game against Sydney?
SG: It definitely will be. I love playing against Sydney FC and it-s the same with Melbourne Victory. They-re big clubs and it-s always a big game, especially with the Heskey and Del Piero factor.
It-s obviously disappointing not to be playing, but that-s the way it happens and I-ll be supporting the boys from the grandstand.
Chantelle Pyke asks via email: Do you support an overseas football team? If so, who and why?
SG: I obviously watch a lot of overseas games, but I-m not a big supporter of any one club. If I had to say one, it would probably be Manchester United, but I don-t really like to admit it, just because everyone else supports them as well.
Dayna Stevenson asks via email: How did you first get into football?
SG: I started playing from the youngest age I could at about five or six and I just haven-t stopped because I really enjoy it.
I played some rugby league while I was at school, but football was always my first choice and I-m glad I stuck with it.
Warren Clark asks via email: If you could pick any other sport apart from football to do as a profession, what would it be?
SG: I-d probably say surfing, just for the lifestyle they have. They do a lot of travelling to a lot of nice, beachy places and they get to surf for a living, which is pretty sweet as well.
Nathaniel Thomas asks via email: What is your highlight of the season so far?
SG: Probably getting my first game of the season against Sydney. I was buzzing just to be playing again and to be back out on the field and to get a win in that game was really good as well.
Oliver Brown asks via email: How is the mood in the team? Do you guys still feel confident you can make the finals?
SG: The mood is really good. We haven-t lost in four games, so we-re confident in that aspect of it all. We-ve been structurally sound in defence and we just need to start scoring those goals again. If we can start taking those chances, I-m very confident we can finish in the top six.
Kyle Smith asks via email: What are your goals for the rest of the season as an individual and as a team?
SG: Individually it is just to keep my spot at left back and play every game. Obviously I-ll miss this game on the weekend which is disappointing, but like I said that-s football. For the team, our goal is to make the finals and see what we can do from there.
For next week-s Jets Insider interview Jets CEO Robbie Middleby will answer YOUR questions. Simply tweet your question using the #JetsInsider hashtag or send your question to communications@huntersportsgroup.com by COB Wednesday. Then check back in Jets Insider next week to see if your question is answered.
