The Liverpool full-back grew up wanting to play at the front but now relishes his defensive role and wants to make the England right-back spot his ownNathaniel Clyne used to be a striker. He was football crazy as a kid but idolised Gianfranco Zola and thought David Beckhams match-saving free-kick against Greece in 2001 was the final England feelgood moment.
He had no intention,in other words, of growing up to be the fresh Gary Neville, and yet full-backs have to come from somewhere. An academy coach at Tottenham Hotspur suggested Clyne switch to defence,and the Londoner has not looked back since. Spurs ended up lost out on the player because their Essex training base was too far from Stockwell for Clyne to reach after school, but Crystal Palace picked him up and from there it was a regular progression to the England right-back berth, or after making a name for himself at Southampton before joining Liverpool this summer.
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Source: theguardian.com