Ten Questions with Colm Cooper

This week, GAA.ie puts the questions to Kerry forward Colm Cooper. The four-time All-Ireland winner and seven-time GAA All Star gives us an insight into his sporting passions outside the GAA and relives some memorable moments from his first All-Ireland success in 2004.

Colm will be in action for Kerry in Round 2 of the GAA Football All-Ireland Qualifiers against Westmeath at Cusack Park, Mullingar next Sunday.

Q: Have you got a favourite sports team in another code?

A: I'm a Liverpool supporter so I don't have much to shout about at the moment. I have followed them since I was very young. I've had good days and bad days - probably more bad days than good. They're a team I've always loved to follow and I've been over a couple of times as well to watch them and it was great to see them in action. I'm hoping things will improve a little bit next season.

Q: Have you ever shown any ability in another sport and would you like to have pursued it?

A: I played a lot of soccer when I was younger (with Killarney Celtic), up to about 15, but football kind of took over then because there was so much happening. I don't think I was good enough to make it over to England or anything like that, but I would have liked to live the professional lifestyle they do.

I play a little bit of golf too, but not at a very high level. I'm getting a little bit more competitive at it because you are always looking to improve, but they are the two sports that I like.

Q: What do you see as the percentage breakdown between talent and hard work in terms of what makes a top GAA player?

Q: I think it's 50/50. I think there are loads of players in every county and everywhere that have the ability but it's down to how much you are willing to work at it. I would always say to kids that the difference between a good player and a really good player is the amount of extra work they are willing to put in after training, going down to the local club, training on your own and working on your skills.

That might only be 10, 15 or 20 minutes but the difference it can make is huge. It's fine having the ability but you don't get anything without the hard work that goes in behind it.

[highlight/>

GAA.ie: Do you think the average person on the street is aware of how much even the top players have to work on their game?

A: I'm not sure people are aware sometimes of the amount of hard work that goes in behind the scenes. We don't have any switch to say 'I'm going to turn it on today'. You put in the work and the harder you work the luckier you get.

Q: Some big soccer games have been settled on penalty shoot-outs this summer. If there were penalties in Gaelic Games and the All-Ireland final ended in a draw, would you volunteer to take one?

A: Definitely. I'd take the first one actually. I'd go for it. Absolutely. You only get a couple of opportunities in your life to do things like that. I certainly wouldn't fear it anyway.

Q: The Olympics are starting in a few weeks, is there any event that you will be keeping a particularly close eye on?

A: I love watching the athletics and over the last couple of years I've started getting into it, watching people working so hard and preparing to beat times. I did a very little bit of cross-country when I was young but I don't know if I would have had the stamina or the appetite to stick at it.

I can't wait for the Olympics, particularly when it's on in London. It's only a stone's throw from us. Watching Katie Taylor and people like that looking to bring gold medals back to Ireland will be a lot of fun. That's what it's all about.

Q: What's the most enjoyable game you've ever played in?

A: Probably the 2004 All-Ireland final (against Mayo). I won my first All-Ireland medal that day. I got 1-5, I got a great goal in Croke Park that I will never forget. Everything I touched seemed to work that day and physically I felt great. Everything came so naturally for me at the time. Those days don't happen too much in your career but that is one that I will always remember.

Q: What's your favourite inter-county jersey?

A: I actually like the Kerry jersey and I always have done. I have the Dublin jersey and I wear it a bit at training so I will have to say that the Dublin one is alright too.

Q: What's the greatest game you've been to in any sport?

A: I went to the Superbowl when New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts a couple of years ago in Miami. It was a fantastic spectacle and a great game too that went down to the last quarter. To see a quarter-back throw a ball 60 yards and win a game was amazing. It's a massive thing in the States so to go and see something like that was fantastic.

Q: You've scored plenty of memorable goals in your career, but which one stands out the most for you?

A: My favourite goal is the one I got against Mayo in 2004 because of the circumstances - my first All-Ireland medal and just the way the match went for me. There was a little bit of all the skills in it: catching, side stepping, rolling the ball into the corner and coming back inside the defender. Everything came so naturally for me at that time. Those days don't happen too often too much in your career but that's one I will always remember.