FeatureEarly riser, being a meme and star-struck by Stevie - five stories from 'A Day With... Curtis Jones'
He’s an early riser…
Host Rubi Deschamps had barely finished her breakfast before she was on location with Jones, though nobody can argue with the midfielder’s reasoning.
“I’m one of the early ones [into training],” he says of the 8.30am filming start, going on to explain how teammate Mohamed Salah’s dedication has rubbed off on him.
“A little bit, yeah, in the sense of how good he is – and if he is in the gym before everybody else, then that shows that I’m not doing enough.
“If there’s a day when I’ve come in and I’ve not done it then I feel like I’ve cheated a little bit, or something isn’t right. So, now it’s an everyday thing.”
The early bird catches the worm, as they say.
How he became a viral meme…
“Warra win that was then…”
It’s October 2019 and Jones has just converted the winning penalty in a shootout after a breathtaking Carabao Cup tie against Arsenal at Anfield that ended 5-5.
A memorable night already, and the Scouser is about to gain a place in internet lore, with – we must admit – an assist from the club’s digital media team.
“Let me tell you exactly what happened there,” he tells Rubi with a big laugh. “Before I was media trained, somebody has come with a phone and said, ‘Is there any way you can give the fans a little message?’ Yeah, of course.
“‘Just say what a win that was Reds, I’m happy I’ve seen you all there, this and that.’ So, I’ve just said it how they told me to say it!
“And that clip obviously got used and the rest is history, I ended up becoming a meme.”
No phones at the coffee bar…
Curtis is a regular at the recently installed coffee bar adjacent to the players’ dressing room at the AXA Training Centre.
Indeed, he, Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Kostas Tsimikas have formed a frequent routine of catching up for chats while getting a caffeine boost.
And an important rule has been implemented.
“We’ve got this thing that we’re not allowed our phones when we’re there having coffee,” says the No.17. “It’s Mo who has brought in the rule.
“If we’re inside there and I’m on the phone then Mo will tell Dom, ‘Text him and tell him that we’re here and want to have a conversation with him.’ In other words, ‘Get off your phone!’”
Thank you, Curtis’ mum!
It seems we all owe Jones’ mum a debt of gratitude for helping him achieve his ambitions.
He certainly couldn’t be more thankful himself.
“The definition of a proper Scouse mum!” beams the 23-year-old. “She is the one who reminds me of who I actually am. We’ve always had a bond.
“It was her who did all my footballing stuff, the taxis there and back, the times when it was freezing cold outside in the rain and stuff, it was always her. The Mossley Hill days.
“My goal as a kid was always to have my mum in a big house and the nice cars, but that’s not what she wants. If she’s comfortable then it makes me happy.”
Star-struck by Stevie G…
Curtis had quite the interesting Instagram feed during his summer break, bumping into the likes of Dr. Dre, Steven Gerrard and LeBron James.
He got memento photographs with each of them, naturally, though in the case of Liverpool icon Gerrard only after a quick realisation.
“I was chilling and he came over with his little boy and we were getting a photo and speaking,” he reveals of their impromptu holiday catch-up.
“I thought, ‘Why haven’t I asked him for a photo?’ I get he’s been my coach [at LFC U18s] and our relationship is still good, but that’s a man I don’t really have any with.
“So I went over to him and his wife and kids and I was like, ‘Sorry to disturb you, I know it’s a little bit mad because obviously you were just over here and I didn’t really say anything, but can I get a photo?’
“‘Yeah, of course you can! Come here.’”