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Marvin Andrews
The Rangers legend and Trinidad and Tobago captain gives it to you straight about God, booze and homosexuality
Paul Doyle
Friday October 5, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
[Answering phone] Hello? Hello, is that Marvin?
Yes.
It's Small Talk ...
[Silence]
Ready to do this thing?
Fair enough.
Tremendous. So how are things going for you at Raith?
Well. The team are doing well and for me personally things are going well too.
Well, that's good. Having spent two seasons at Rangers and last summer at the World Cup as captain of your country, it must be quite a come-down to be mucking around the Scottish second division?
I'm happy here. As I keep saying, this is where God wants me to be at this particular time. But my personal ambition is to go back to the highest level. I mean no disrespect to Raith Rovers because I'm enjoying my time here but my main goal is to go back to the highest level.
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You say in your book that upon leaving Rangers you went to Raith despite interest from several big English clubs. Who did you turn down?
I heard that Reading and Southampton were interested, but I'm not 100% sure.
About the World Cup: how angry were you and your team-mates after the England game, which you may not have lost had Peter Crouch not been allowed to get away with pulling Brent Sancho's hair?
These things happen in football. The referee can't see everything. The main thing was that Trinidad and Tobago put in a fantastic performance on the world stage.
Say, you must know fellow Trinidad and Tobago international Kenwyne Jones fairly well, how good do you think he is?
He's very good. He's only young but he's very talented and strong and fast. Only time will tell how far he goes but he definitely has the potential to be one of the top strikers in the Premier League.
Someone else you know better than most is Gordon Brown, who was influential in bringing you back to Raith. How often do you see the prime minister these days?
Not very often, he's got more important things on his plate at the moment. But whenever he comes to a Raith game, I see him.
You're a very religious man and you mention in your book that before each game you pray to God for help. Isn't that cheating?
No.
It's not a form of performance-enhancement?
I don't regard it as cheating. The Bible says that if you call upon God in times of trouble he will save you. The Bible says that everybody needs God, it doesn't matter who you are. If anybody wants to believe that their talent, strength, speed or whatever is all their own work, then good luck to them - but [begins enunciating his words very deliberately] I know where my strength comes from, I know who has created me and given me the talent to do what I do. So I will continue to offer prayers to God because he's the one who will continue to guide and protect me and help me win.
If you encounter an opponent with equally strong faith, will the match end in a draw?
The match isn't bound to end in a draw. That's got nothing to do with it. It's just about praising God and believing in what he can do for you. It's as simple as that. It doesn't matter if anybody else can trust in God as much as me, nor about what faith they are or whatever. It's not a competition - I know what God can do and I'm going to believe and trust in him: that's it.
You're active in your church and also do a lot to help people in difficulty in the Kirkcaldy community - do you intend devoting even more time to such work when your football career is finished?
As I said, my life is directed by God. I don't know what he has planned for me.
Are you happy with the way your book has been received?
Yes. As I say, I give all glory to God because the only reason I got to write a book is because of what God has given me and put me through.
Moving on to the regular questions then, what's the last CD you bought?
[Chuckles] I don't really buy much music but I listen to all sorts, such as Soca, which is from Trinidad and Tobago, reggae from Jamaica, and hip-hop and R'n'B.
What's the last movie you went to see?
Transformers. I really enjoyed it.
If Small Talk were to invite you out for a meal, what would you order?
Spaghetti carbonara.
And to drink?
Lucozade.
No booze?
I don't drink alcohol. I used to but not any more. Not because I had any particular experience, it's just that alcohol doesn't do anything for me. It doesn't benefit my mind or body.
Fair enough. Now then, what's the oddest request you've ever had from a fan?
I've never really had a strange request.
Small Talk guesses you must get a lot of people asking you to pray for them?
Yes, that happens a lot and I do it whenever I can.
Who would win a fight between a lion and a tiger?
The lion. The king of the jungle.
Can you tell us a joke?
[Laughs] I can never remember jokes.
Finally then, Marvin, Small Talk once read that you reckon homosexuality is "an abomination" and that gays have demons in them or something. Do you believe that or was it a misquote? Perhaps a comment that was taken out of context?
That's a misquote and it was taken out of context. They were just trying to bring controversy, to be honest. I'm not against people who are homosexual, I don't dislike them or hate them. All I said is that what they are doing is against the word of God, you understand?
Right, so ...
The Bible said that it's an abomination to God; that God created a man to be with a woman or a woman to be with a man. Simple as that.
So do you think homosexuality should be illegal?
It's against the word of God, simple as that. God has not foreseen that to be right. God created Adam and Eve and said go forth and bring forth fruit. That means they should have children and a family, that's the way God ordained the world to be. But the devil is tormenting people, deceiving them to make them think that homosexuality is OK. But I don't hate these people for who they are, I'm just saying that what they are doing is against the will of God.
So if not hatred, what do you feel towards them? Pity? Envy?
I don't have anything against them as human beings. What I am saying is that the act they commit is against the word of God. I'm not going to change that. The Bible says it ... it's not right for a man to sleep with a man or a woman to sleep with a woman. Simple as that.
OK. Glad you set the record straight about the misquote. And on that note, bye Marvin and thanks for your time. Cheers. Bye. Marvin Andrews's book, entitled Marvellous Marvin: The Life, Football and Faith of a Soca Warrior, is available now and features a foreword from Gordon Brown, no less.
The Rangers legend and Trinidad and Tobago captain gives it to you straight about God, booze and homosexuality
Paul Doyle
Friday October 5, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
[Answering phone] Hello? Hello, is that Marvin?
Yes.
It's Small Talk ...
[Silence]
Ready to do this thing?
Fair enough.
Tremendous. So how are things going for you at Raith?
Well. The team are doing well and for me personally things are going well too.
Well, that's good. Having spent two seasons at Rangers and last summer at the World Cup as captain of your country, it must be quite a come-down to be mucking around the Scottish second division?
I'm happy here. As I keep saying, this is where God wants me to be at this particular time. But my personal ambition is to go back to the highest level. I mean no disrespect to Raith Rovers because I'm enjoying my time here but my main goal is to go back to the highest level.
Article continues
</IMG>
You say in your book that upon leaving Rangers you went to Raith despite interest from several big English clubs. Who did you turn down?
I heard that Reading and Southampton were interested, but I'm not 100% sure.
About the World Cup: how angry were you and your team-mates after the England game, which you may not have lost had Peter Crouch not been allowed to get away with pulling Brent Sancho's hair?
These things happen in football. The referee can't see everything. The main thing was that Trinidad and Tobago put in a fantastic performance on the world stage.
Say, you must know fellow Trinidad and Tobago international Kenwyne Jones fairly well, how good do you think he is?
He's very good. He's only young but he's very talented and strong and fast. Only time will tell how far he goes but he definitely has the potential to be one of the top strikers in the Premier League.
Someone else you know better than most is Gordon Brown, who was influential in bringing you back to Raith. How often do you see the prime minister these days?
Not very often, he's got more important things on his plate at the moment. But whenever he comes to a Raith game, I see him.
You're a very religious man and you mention in your book that before each game you pray to God for help. Isn't that cheating?
No.
It's not a form of performance-enhancement?
I don't regard it as cheating. The Bible says that if you call upon God in times of trouble he will save you. The Bible says that everybody needs God, it doesn't matter who you are. If anybody wants to believe that their talent, strength, speed or whatever is all their own work, then good luck to them - but [begins enunciating his words very deliberately] I know where my strength comes from, I know who has created me and given me the talent to do what I do. So I will continue to offer prayers to God because he's the one who will continue to guide and protect me and help me win.
If you encounter an opponent with equally strong faith, will the match end in a draw?
The match isn't bound to end in a draw. That's got nothing to do with it. It's just about praising God and believing in what he can do for you. It's as simple as that. It doesn't matter if anybody else can trust in God as much as me, nor about what faith they are or whatever. It's not a competition - I know what God can do and I'm going to believe and trust in him: that's it.
You're active in your church and also do a lot to help people in difficulty in the Kirkcaldy community - do you intend devoting even more time to such work when your football career is finished?
As I said, my life is directed by God. I don't know what he has planned for me.
Are you happy with the way your book has been received?
Yes. As I say, I give all glory to God because the only reason I got to write a book is because of what God has given me and put me through.
Moving on to the regular questions then, what's the last CD you bought?
[Chuckles] I don't really buy much music but I listen to all sorts, such as Soca, which is from Trinidad and Tobago, reggae from Jamaica, and hip-hop and R'n'B.
What's the last movie you went to see?
Transformers. I really enjoyed it.
If Small Talk were to invite you out for a meal, what would you order?
Spaghetti carbonara.
And to drink?
Lucozade.
No booze?
I don't drink alcohol. I used to but not any more. Not because I had any particular experience, it's just that alcohol doesn't do anything for me. It doesn't benefit my mind or body.
Fair enough. Now then, what's the oddest request you've ever had from a fan?
I've never really had a strange request.
Small Talk guesses you must get a lot of people asking you to pray for them?
Yes, that happens a lot and I do it whenever I can.
Who would win a fight between a lion and a tiger?
The lion. The king of the jungle.
Can you tell us a joke?
[Laughs] I can never remember jokes.
Finally then, Marvin, Small Talk once read that you reckon homosexuality is "an abomination" and that gays have demons in them or something. Do you believe that or was it a misquote? Perhaps a comment that was taken out of context?
That's a misquote and it was taken out of context. They were just trying to bring controversy, to be honest. I'm not against people who are homosexual, I don't dislike them or hate them. All I said is that what they are doing is against the word of God, you understand?
Right, so ...
The Bible said that it's an abomination to God; that God created a man to be with a woman or a woman to be with a man. Simple as that.
So do you think homosexuality should be illegal?
It's against the word of God, simple as that. God has not foreseen that to be right. God created Adam and Eve and said go forth and bring forth fruit. That means they should have children and a family, that's the way God ordained the world to be. But the devil is tormenting people, deceiving them to make them think that homosexuality is OK. But I don't hate these people for who they are, I'm just saying that what they are doing is against the will of God.
So if not hatred, what do you feel towards them? Pity? Envy?
I don't have anything against them as human beings. What I am saying is that the act they commit is against the word of God. I'm not going to change that. The Bible says it ... it's not right for a man to sleep with a man or a woman to sleep with a woman. Simple as that.
OK. Glad you set the record straight about the misquote. And on that note, bye Marvin and thanks for your time. Cheers. Bye. Marvin Andrews's book, entitled Marvellous Marvin: The Life, Football and Faith of a Soca Warrior, is available now and features a foreword from Gordon Brown, no less.
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