Ben Herd / Ben Herd / 12 January 2010 / Leave a comment " class="free-bet-btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">Free Bet

Ben Herd begins to consider a career away from football given how little he's played over the last few weeks with yet another match postponed due to the weather. This week he got in touch with Reading's Gylfi Sigurdsson for yet another edition of Ben's Banter....

"It was a big blow to me because as you said, he gave me my chance. His sacking was a bit of a surprise as well - I don't think any of the lads saw it coming. He was also a really good manager; he took most the training sessions and was really keen on improving us younger ones technically."

Once again our weekend fixture, at home to Rochdale, was off, and you would have had to have been to the moon for the past week to not understand why! With having all of these games off, it is making it more and more difficult for me to dig a player out, but keeping to my betting.betfair.com duties, this week I got in touch with Gylfi Sigurdsson. Gylfi has been a real bright spark for Reading, in a season where they have had little to cheer about.

The Icelandic free-kick specialist has really taken advantage of the opportunity given to him by Reading's former manager, Brendan Rodgers, and has been a mainstay in Reading's midfield this season, as well as scoring some spectacular free-kicks. Gylfi also spent some time on loan at my old club Shrewsbury last season, where I took him under my wing and even gave him a few driving lessons around the Prostar Stadium! I managed to catch up with him on the eve of Reading's replay with Liverpool in the FA cup. Here is what he had to say:

So Gylfi, what can you expect from tomorrow's game at Anfield?

For me personally, I want us to be playing Burnley in the next round, but obviously Liverpool might have something to say about that. I am sure that if we put the same level of performance in as we did the first round at the Madejeski, then we will at least be giving ourselves half a chance. Liverpool aren't having the greatest of seasons so far, so the pressure will definitely be on them.

How big a blow was it to lose Brendan Rodgers as manager, especially after he put so much faith in you by giving you your chance?

It was a big blow to me because as you said, he gave me my chance. His sacking was a bit of a surprise as well - I don't think any of the lads saw it coming. He was also a really good manager; he took most the training sessions and was really keen on improving us younger ones technically. I knew that he had worked with Mourinho at Chelsea, and you could definitely tell that some of his magic had rubbed off on Brendan.

You came to England at the age of 15, on trial at a few clubs before Reading decided to take you. How difficult was it leaving family and friends behind at such a young age?

Yeah it was tough at first, but my dream of being a professional footballer really meant that I had to leave Iceland, so it was a necessary evil. I was quite lucky that I ended up at a club that already had two Icelandic internationals, Brynar and Inmi; these guys really helped me both on and off the pitch. The only time I have felt homesick is when I stayed at your house - talk about boring me back to Iceland!

Cheers mate maybe I'll send you a bill for those driving lessons! How are you finding it playing week in, week out in the Championship?

It is brilliant. I have played in League 1 and 2 and coped alright in those two so the Championship was the next level to test myself at. There are times when I do find it tough physically, but that's what gaining experience is all about. Mind you, I would never complain about it because I am playing and enjoying my time so far this season - except some of the results!

What targets are you setting yourself as you start off in your career?

I want to play in the Premier League, hopefully that can be with Reading. From an international point of view, I want to play in a major tournament with Iceland, I don't want Iceland ending up like Wales and not going to a Championship for donkey's years. I wouldn't mind playing in La Liga in Spain either. I am currently doing a course in Spanish so that would come in handy!

Football

Favourite Premier League Player? Frank Lampard
Favourite player outside the Premier League? Lionel Messi
Manager you'd most like to work under? Jose Mourinho
Club you'd most like to play for? Man Utd

Best mate in Football? Simon Church
Messiest eater? Jen Karacan
Biggest ladies man? Robson Kanu
Worse Dressed team-mate? Simon Church

Non-football

Dream date? Adriana Lima
Favourite TV programme? Entourage
Favourite shop? All Saints
Worst vice? Biting my nails
Biggest pet hate? Smokers

50/50

Chinese or Curry? Chinese
Pepsi or Coke? Coke
BMW or Audi? Audi
Pro Evo or Fifa? Pro Evo
Michael Buble or Akon? Akon

Tags: Aldershot Town, Ben Herd, Brendan Rogers, footballers, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Reading players