Up Close and Personal with...Mark Poland

Ever wondered what your favourite GAA star listens to on their iPod or what they get up to in their spare time?

GAA.ie’s latest weekly feature allows you to get ‘Up Close and Personal’ with the stars of Gaelic Games. Each week, we’ll talk to a top inter-county player and ask him the questions you’ve always wanted answered. And some you’d never have thought of asking!

This week www.gaa.ie gets 'Up Close and Personal' with Down forward and 2010 GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship runner-up Mark Poland.

Factfile
Name: Mark Poland
Age: 26
Height: 5’ 9”
Position: Centre-forward
Place of Birth: Newry
Inter-county debut: All-Ireland Qualifier v Sligo, 2006
Honours: 1 Ulster U21, 1 Down IFC, 1 All-Ireland 7s.
Occupation: Plasterer

What’s on your iPod?
Anything at all. Gigi D'Agostino’s L'Amour Toujours is a good dance tune.

Who would you like to invite ‘round for dinner at your house?
Kate Beckinsdale. Enough said!

If you could change one thing about your game, what would it be?
I’d like to take players on a bit more and be a bit stronger on the ball.

What are your hobbies and interests outside the GAA?
I’m into soccer and that and I enjoy boxing. I don’t get much time for socialising.

What’s your favourite TV programme?
Shameless.

Who’s your sporting idol?
Steven Gerrard.

When I was younger I wanted to be…?
A Physiotherapist.

What’s your earliest GAA memory?
Down-Armagh in the Ulster Championship at the Marshes in 1991 and Mickey Linden scoring a penalty.

Which player would you buy if there was a transfer market?
Colm Cooper. He is everything you would want in a player.

Who is your all-time favourite GAA player or childhood hero?
Mickey Linden

Any pre-match superstitions?
I have to wear the same pair of socks I have had for the last few years. I pack my bag the same way all the time and things have to be in the same area of the bag.

Best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Never settle for the player that you are and always try and be better. But I’m not sure who actually said that to me.

Who is the best player you have ever played with?
Benny Coulter

Who do you share with on away days?
Ambrose Rogers or Marty Clarke. I can’t complain too much about either of them.

Who is your most confident team-mate?
Mark Doran.

Who has the worst haircut on the panel?
Conor Garvey. Brutal. Peter Fitzpatrick is pretty bad too. I can’t decide. They are like Dumb and Dumber.

Who is the biggest joker?
Brendan McVeigh by a complete mile.

Who fancies themselves as a ladies man in the squad?
Danny Hughes. Big time. But he doesn’t have a woman either so it’s all talk.

Mark will be in GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Qualifier Round 3 action for Down this Saturday night against Antrim at Casement Park, Belfast (throw-in 7.00pm).