Bobby Convey, formerly with DC United, and currently with both the US Men’s National Team and Reading FC, allowed the Sons of Ben to gain some insight on him and his career. As a Philadelphia native, he is very supportive of our efforts to bring MLS to our region.

What is your most memorable Philadelphia Sports moment?

My most memorable Philadelphia sports moment was probably when the Phillies were doing well in the early 90’s. I was a little kid and just remembering getting to stay up and watch the games real late on school nights. Obviously any time the Eagles win is good and more the team I support now but the Phillies with Kruk were awesome.

Living overseas, are you able to follow Philadelphia sports? If so, should the Eagles stick with McNabb? Can the Phillies go the distance this season?

Actually it kind of stinks during the football season because in England they only show two games on Sunday and you just have to hope the Eagles are the game they pick. I actually met McNabb and an ESPN magazine party a few years ago and he is a nice guy and I think he still has it. It is funny because I am usually on the phone with my family during the game and am exhausted the next day at training since the games are played in the middle of the night in England. My coach is cool though when I am tired he knows the Eagles were the late night game.

If Philadelphia enters Major League Soccer, would you want to be on the team?

There is no question I would love to be on the Philadelphia team when they have one. Saying that i have a lot more that I still want to prove in the Premiership to show I can compete with some of the best players in the world. There would be nothing better then to play for my hometown team though and have my whole family for the first time be able to come watch me play without having to travel around the world. That would be a dream come true because they don’t get to see me play live very often in England.

We all hope you will be our one of our first Designated Players on the team. If that were to happen, are you really prepared to bear the weight, and wrath, of the Philly fans? In other words, can you handle being cheered and booed at the same time by the city you call home?

Philadelphia fans are very passionate people and I would gladly take the mantle to try to lead the team and play as much as I could to please the fans. There are ups and downs in soccer and the crowds in England are pretty much like the fans in Philadelphia. I have had beer, chicken heads, and human pee in a bag thrown at me in games before and you just have to deal with me. In Philadelphia you are held to a winning mentality and that has molded me into why I have been able to be successful through my career.

Where would you like to see the soccer-specific stadium be built (Sports Complex, Delaware waterfront, etc.)?

I don’t care where the stadium is built as long as it is built. I think it is something that has been needed for so long in the Philadelphia area and I think as long as it is close to the city then it will be a huge success.

How would things have been different had Philly had a team while you were growing up?

I think the difference in my career would have been that it would have given me players to look up to and a team to try and play for. It would have given me some role models and allowed me to watch good players every week live that I could have learned things from.

Would you rather play for Philadelphia Athletic, Philadelphia Independence, or Philadelphia FC? Is there a different name you would suggest for a Philly team?

Philadelphia Athletic and Philadelphia FC are both cool. Independence sounds a little corny like a little kids youth club team. The other two Athletic and FC are both established throughout the world and world give the team instant credibility.

What were your initial feelings when you were drafted by DC United? As the youngest player ever signed by MLS at that time, did you feel any additional pressure?

When i was 16 I didn’t know what was really going on I just knew that I had the one good chance from my family to make something of myself to help my family for the future. I had a lot of pressure on me and many unachievable expectations put on me but I am happy with how my career has turned out and just try to get better every year and improve my skills.

Do you think the presence of Rongen and Etcheverry severely hindered your growth in your preferred position?

Actually those turn were two of the best influences on my career. Obviously I would have loved to play more centrally but Marco was the best player in the league at the time so their was no chance. Thomas was exceptional in protecting me from the media and the pressure of being the youngest. He always tried to put me in positions where he knew I would succeed and not fail even though he knew it was impossible for me to sometimes. Marco took me under his wing and is the reason why I feel I can deliver good set pieces because he was so smart with the ball and taught me so much. He was a truly great skillful player that I still admire and look up to.

Can you tell us how you felt when you signed with Reading FC, especially considering it was the highest transfer fee ever paid by the team?

Again I just tried to get better and better every year and just knew my time at DC United was up and that I needed to move on to get better as a player. Being the highest transfer fee was added pressure but I had been used to it and knew even though I was young I wanted to be a successful American in England. I knew I needed to be in pressure situations all the time to see what type of player I really was and prove myself all over again.

What was is like to help Reading clinch promotion to the Premier League? Did you ever, in your wildest dreams, see yourself playing in the top tier of English soccer?

After not playing that much my first year it was so amazing to play every game in a team that only lost two game all year and proving myself in England. It was an awesome achievement and playing in the Premiership is where every player wants to be and I was getting a chance at such a young age to play against great players. The Premiership is like playing a video game on playstation except I am actually playing in the game and not on the TV.

From the perspective of a player in the EPL, how is David Beckham’s move to MLS viewed? What are your thoughts?

I think Beckham’s move to America has obviously created a lot of buzz around the world because he is such a big name. At first his contract was mocked and joked about but now that he is there and the league is doing well it is just giving the league even more exposure. It is making people notice that wouldn’t have noticed before and also that you cant just retire in MLS that there are good players. The league just needs more time to grow to compete against other leagues around the world.

You have been in FourFourTwo magazine, as the tenth best player in the Football League. Sons of Ben was highlighted in the June ‘07 issue of FourFourTwo as a great fans without a club. Coincidence?

FourFourTwo is a good magazine and I was honored to be in there and actually saw the article on Sons of Ben as well. Who would have thought a player from Philadelphia playing in the premiership and a fans group would be in an international magazine around the world. Now all we need is the team and hopefully the league notices that.

What first game of your career stands out more in your mind: DC united, Reading, or the US Men’s National Team?

I think the best game is close for me. It is between my first start at seventeen playing against brazil and Cafu in the Rose Bowl in front of like 70,000 people for the national team. It was an awesome experience to play against guys I looked up to. Also I probably scored the best goal of my career dribbling the whole field in my first game for Reading so both I guess.

If you weren’t playing professional sports, what career would you have?

I would be developing property. I love real estate and everything that has to do with it. I would also be doing Habitat for Humanity in the offseason because there is nothing better then helping people in need and changing their lives forever.

Pat’s, Geno’s, or Jim’s?

All three at this point. When you live in England you want any food from the states. HAHA

Do you trust the guy that sells pretzels 3-for-a-dollar outside sporting events?

Pretzels are my favorite food in the world. I make my family when they come to England buy some at the pretzel factory and carry them on the plane so they don’t get lost in their baggage every time they come to England so I can eat one when I pick them up at the airport. Anytime Anyplace I will get a bag of pretzels accept they used to be 4-for-a-dollar.



Poor Richard Says: Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to us. Good luck with the rest of your sophomore season in the EPL, and we’ll keep our fingers crossed that we see you playing for Philadelphia in the near future.