Football expert interview questions – Greg Lea
1. Can you tell us about your background in football betting and journalism? How did you get started in this field?
After graduating from university in 2014, I started writing for free for various online publications, primarily as a hobby. After a few months I was offered paid work by the likes of FourFourTwo and Goal.com, and I guess journalism became an actual job at some point in 2015. I’ve regularly written betting previews throughout my time in the industry.
2. What sparked your interest in football?
It’s hard to say! I remember starting to take an interest when I was probably five or six, and I soon caught the bug. I started playing after that and my dad took me to watch our local team every other week.
3. Which leagues and competitions do you write about?
My specialism is the Premier League, but I also preview matches in the Champions League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1. When writing tips and predictions, I think it’s vital to offer something the reader they might not already know. You have to put a fair amount of research in, as well as watching numerous games every week.
4. With the ever-changing landscape of football, how do you stay updated on team news, player form, and other factors that can influence betting outcomes?
It’s important to follow every managerial press conference for team news, since players are often ruled in or out at that stage. For form and other factors, there are plenty of excellent research facilities available online. Where possible, I like to watch the team’s previous game too. Overall it’s a blend of a qualitative and quantitative approach.
5. What do you believe sets apart successful football bettors from the rest?
Football is a low-scoring sport, so you have to learn to look beyond the scoreline as that alone does not tell you very much. Statistics and analytics are not the be-all and end-all, but when used correctly they can be really useful to football bettors.
6. How do you manage risk and deal with losses in football betting? Do you have any advice for novice bettors on bankroll management?
It’s essential that you do not bet more than you can afford. In football betting, set yourself a limit and do not go over it. Chasing your losses is never a good idea.
7. What role do statistics and data analysis play in your betting process? Are there any particular metrics or indicators you find most useful?
The most obvious metric is expected goals, which provides an insight into how well a team is actually playing beyond the scoreline. There is an abundance of other data out there that I always check before making tips. How good is the team at home versus away? Do they tend to score their goals in a particular half? It’s all about making use of what’s out there.
8. How do you assess the impact of factors like home advantage, weather conditions, or referee decisions on match outcomes?
Home advantage is present for a variety of reasons, but bear in mind that not every team has a sharp divide between their home and away form. Some sides are actually better on the road - it’s important to do your research on this rather than making blind guesses. Personally, I don’t consider weather conditions much, but for the yellow and red card markets, it can be worth taking a look at a referee’s history.
9. Can you share any memorable experiences or success stories from your time as a football journalist?
I have been really privileged to write for some major publications such as FourFourTwo, ESPN, the Guardian and Talksport. For two years I was the National’s Premier League correspondent in London, so I went to cover live games every week. I have also worked as the editor-in-chief of The Set Pieces.
10. What’s your favourite EPL club?
I’m a Crystal Palace fan. I grew up two streets away from the ground and have supported the club for more than 25 years.
11. What are your other favourite sports besides football?
I’m pretty much a one-sport guy! I find there’s so much going on in football that it’s hard to add another sport into the mix. If you were to pin me down, I’d say cricket.
12. What are your expectations of England in Euro 2024?
England have a real chance this summer. There’s great continuity with Gareth Southgate having been there for eight years, and they’ve gone close at recent tournaments. Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane are genuine superstars, but there’s a question mark over the defence. Ultimately, I think England may fall just short.
13. Do you believe that Italy, the reigning champion, will have the opportunity to defend the title this year?
You can never rule them out and few expected Italy to go all the way last time out, but I reckon they will struggle this year. This isn’t a vintage Italian team and they’ve been drawn in a tough group alongside Spain and Croatia.
14. What was Euro 2020's most beautiful goal for you?
Patrik Shick’s shot from the halfway line won the Goal of the Tournament award, but I really enjoyed Luka Modric’s outside-of-the-foot strike against Scotland. What a player!
15. Who do you think is in his best form to become the top scorer for Euro 2024?
It’s hard to look past Harry Kane. He’s had a great season, takes penalties and is uber-reliable.
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