I was on holiday with my family in April last year when my phone rang. It was Ollie Watkins. He had scored one goal in 10 matches at the time and wanted to have a chat.
Ollie has mentioned this in the media lately, so I’m happy to talk about it, especially as it’s a relationship that has been beneficial. I was away with the kids, but I genuinely wanted to help him. I took myself away from the family and we spent an hour on the phone.
We were coming home on an Emirates flight that weekend and, unbelievably, Aston Villa’s game at Southampton was being shown live on the TVs. Ollie was a substitute and came on in the 66th minute. All of a sudden, I was so invested.
Straight away, I could see that Ollie was playing like a man possessed and he scored within seven minutes. I haven’t shouted so much for a goal since I finished playing! People were looking at me but I didn’t care, I was so happy for him. I got off the plane and, honestly, I felt immensely proud.
I didn’t kick the ball or do the work, of course, that was all down to Ollie. But when an elite player like him actually comes to you for help, it’s quite moving. I’ll be asked for my opinion on different subjects all the time – Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester United, England – but when someone who is playing at the top level believes you can do something to impact their game, that gives you a lot of pride.
He started the next league game against Newcastle and scored after 30 seconds. To see that, and the way he played in the first match after our chat, it gave me a sense of reassurance that I truly understand how these players feel at the highest level.
Daily Mail Sport columnist recalls the time England striker Ollie Watkins came to him for advice
Owen helped unlock Watkins’ ruthless scoring streak at the end of the season after an hour on the phone
We haven’t spoken loads of times, not at all – we should probably speak more. But I feel like I’ve got a good understanding now of what makes him tick – and it’s why I’m so pleased he got back into the England squad and is at the World Cup. Thomas Tuchel has made the right call with that, trust me. He’s top class.
So, what’s the secret to unlocking Ollie? The problem with him – and I tell him this all the time – is that he’s too nice. He’s the nicest man in the world! To be a top centre-forward, and truly rip the guts out of your opponents, which you have to want to do, you’ve got to be a bit horrible on the pitch. You’ve got to be ruthless. You’ve got to have an edge. Off the pitch, you can be lovely, and he is. But when you cross the line, you’ve got to be brutally clinical.
This is something we’ve explored – he’s just too nice until he gets mad. He admits that himself. When he gets dropped for a few games and then comes back in, or when he comes off the bench angry, he’s a real game-changer. You have to recognise that and find ways to feel that emotion, and he’s been working on it. When he does play with that streak, he is a serious force.
Look at his goal when he came on in the semi-final of Euro 2024 to win the game against the Netherlands. That’s Ollie with a point to prove. He’d only played 20 minutes in the tournament before that match.
He can have that type of impact, which is why Tuchel was right to take him despite leaving him out of the March squad. Harry Kane is going to start, so you might as well bring unique players who can come on and bang, be dynamic and seize the moment. If we’re desperate for a goal, which we will be at some point in the tournament, you don’t want to be bringing on vanilla.
Not just that, but Ollie has major tournament experience. He’s scored big goals on the biggest stage for England and Aston Villa. You cannot give a player, no matter what, the kind of confidence and self-belief that physically performing at that level gives you.
Yes, you can speak to a psychologist, you can do it in training, you can visualise it, and all of those things help. But when you’ve actually done it, the power that gives your mind is enormous. If Ollie is sat on the bench at the World Cup, he should think: “I’ve done this before, when I come on, I’m the one who scores the goal we need”.
And if he’s not feeling that, then he knows where I am!
