On Saturday I watched David James' press conference where he was presented as Bristol City's newest signing.
The England goalkeeper has left Portsmouth, turned down approaches from Premier League and Scottish clubs, and signed for the English second tier outfit.
I found one particular remark from James of great interest. When asked about his knowledge of lower league matters, he confessed to not knowing much about the sport as a whole. James pointed out how much he loves playing the game itself, but that he lacks knowledge about the game's personalities. He admitted to playing the sport for around 20 years and routinely not being able to identify his opponents.
It is fascinating to think that one of the major goalkeeping protagonists in Premier League history can get by having such little interest in the game.
Many players confess to living and breathing soccer, keen students of the game who watch as many matches as possible, but not our James.
I believe he is not alone. He is not the first player I have heard admit to having little interest in the game, treating it more as a job than a passion. There is a tendency among supporters to think that all players must be enthusiasts about the sport.
Read this fascinating interview with Tottenham's Benoît Assou-Ekotto to realize that is anything but the case.
Shaun Botterill / Getty Images
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