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WAT THE HELL?
Troy Deeney makes shock career change as former Watford and Birmingham star agrees to swap sports
But prize money on offer is modest amount compared to a footballer's salary
TROY DEENEY is all cued-up to try a new sport…as he battles professional pool players next month.
The former Watford and Birmingham City footballer has accepted a wildcard to appear in the UK Open Pool Championship in Telford between May 7-12.
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The ex-Premier League striker was approached by promoters of the World Nineball Tour to get involved in the 256-player event on an invitational basis.
Deeney, 35, told SunSport: “I’m absolutely buzzing.
“I always fancied myself on the table at the training ground with the boys.
“So when this opportunity came up, I jumped at the chance to put myself to the test against some of the world’s top players.
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“It was something I couldn’t really turn down. I appreciate athletes in other sports. This has given me the opportunity to go and see it first-hand.
“Hopefully it brings a new audience to Nineball. Until two months ago, I didn’t know what the format was. I thought it was reds versus yellows, spots versus stripes.
“I’ll face a proper player to start with. It’s like, for want of a better word, balls-deep. Straight in.”
Pool has long been a big part of Deeney’s life – he played it in pubs growing up in Birmingham and often took on team-mates at Vicarage Road.
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Deeney said of his time playing on the tables at Watford: “It was a good school. We had the likes of Etienne Capoue and Craig Cathcart.
“But the shark of the group was Ben Foster, who had his own cue by the end.
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“They were all quite competitive. The difference is then, you were getting a grape thrown at you while trying to take a shot. Or people nudging you in the back.
“I’m hoping the UK Open will be more professional than the changing rooms of Watford. Rather than have Ben Foster throwing grapes.
“Look, in football or team sports, it’s easy to blame other people – if I didn’t score, it’s because the cross wasn’t good enough.
“But in this situation, if I don’t do the hard yards and deal with it mentally, then you make yourself look like a plonker.
“I don’t want to do that – especially in Telford, when I’m from the Midlands.”
Deeney will enter the first round – where prize money is £400 – and he will have at least two games in the tournament against a seeded star, with each contest being the best-of-nine-racks.
Troy Deeney's career stats
Those numbers in full:
- Chelmsley Town, 2004-2006: 64 games, 27 goals
- Walsall, 2006-2010: 136 games, 27 goals
- Halesowen Town, 2006-2007 (loan): 10 games, 8 goals
- Watford, 2010-2021: 419 games, 140 goals
- Birmingham, 2021-2023: 56 games, 11 goals
- Forest Green, 2023-2024: 18 games, 4 goals
Deeney added: “I want to have a bit of fun, try to win a game or two, showcase how great this sport is.
“I think there’s more pressure on the other guys – they don’t want to be the one who loses to the footballer!
“That’s my mental edge. Get them to understand the pressure is on you not me.
“Some people may moan about this but then they always moan about something.
“We cannot please everyone. We are putting the hard yards in and training with ex-pros.
“I’m not coming here as a gimmick, turn up on the day and start trying to chip the ball. It won’t be like that.
“We live in a world where people tell you, you cannot do something. It’s a miserable world. Turn the news on, you’ll find more than enough things to be negative about.
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“Why not have some fun? Do something new.
“It’s me trying to learn something new. We can shed a light on these fantastic pool players. I’m genuinely grateful for the opportunity.”
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