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ON THE BALL: Roberts (right) in action against Aston Villa’s Emile Heskey

IF THERE is a more articulate Premier League player than Jason Roberts this correspondent is yet to meet him.

The much-travelled Blackburn Rovers striker has walked the walk and is now quite literally talking the talk as the new host of BBC Five Live’s popular radio phone-in show 606.

If the truth be known, the Grenada international has competently dabbled with the media for some time but he’s now gone through the gears courtesy of his new position.

“The media has always been something I’ve enjoyed doing,” Roberts confessed to the Voice of Sport over Sunday lunch at Cottons restaurant in Islington, north London.

TUNED IN: Roberts in the 606 studio

“Inevitably as you get towards the end of your career you look at what else you could possibly be doing and I’ve always enjoyed the media and to get the opportunity to do it is a big deal,” says a player who can count Wolves, Bristol Rovers, West Brom and Wigan among his former employers.

“I’ve now taken the opportunity and I’m learning all the time and it is really good experience for me and long may it continue.

“It is interesting having to put your opinions on record. You are obviously judged by what you say and do and the opinions that you have.

“I’ve been involved in football for a long time, and at many different levels, and I have strong opinions about stuff and it has been great for me to be able to articulate those opinions and hopefully have people listen to them.

“Even though football has been my life I’ve never really been a fan in terms of following football. So getting fans call up the 606 show has been a real education in that respect.”

While football results are hard to predict it was a given that Roberts, 33, would receive stick from team-mates and the wider football fraternity courtesy of his dalliance with broadcasting. So said, so done.

“Yes, there has been a lot of stick floating around as you would expect! The boys listen in and have always got something to say, but that’s all part of it.

“If your going to be on TV or radio you’ve got to put your opinions out there and people are going to make judgements on it. The banter is all par for the course.”

What has also been par for the course for Rovers during the very early stages of the Premier League, has been defeat.

Rovers manager Steve Kean and his team had just seven points from a possible 36 to their name by late November and it would be fair to say that the fans – who have resorted to pre and post match demonstrations – are far from happy.

Roberts said of the club’s difficult times: “As I’ve always maintained, and including last season [when the club needed to win the final game of the season against Wolves to secure their Premier League status], the club has always been a positive place.

“Results haven’t been what we’d like them to be and it is a tough situation for everybody involved because nobody likes losing matches. But we feel that we’ve turned a corner and that our performances haven’t got the results that they have warranted.

“But all we can do is work hard on the training ground and remain focused as a squad.”

Rovers’ arduous start to the 2011/12 campaign has been even more frustrating for Roberts as he has viewed much of it from the bench.

LEGEND: Roberts’ uncle Cyrille Regis

But the nephew of West Bromwich Albion legend Cyrille Regis, handles the whole situation with grace.

“Not playing as often as you would like is just part of being in the Premier League, especially in my position as a striker.

“I think there are much better players than me that are not guaranteed a game at this level.

“Two features of modern day football are that the squad will be rotated and the different way that players view not playing.

“Of course the best players will always play, there is no doubt about that.

“At my age there is probably an element that you can’t play in every game also. But I do want to be playing every minute of every game if I can.

“I’ll keep working hard in training to give myself a chance of being in the side.

“When challenges come along that is when you find out about people. You look at the back end of last season and I think I showed some of my best form – and that’s what you get from experienced players.

“I think from my view point when someone has needed me to perform I’ve done that. I think the manager knows that and I think there will come a time in the season when I am very influential for the team.”

You would have had to have lived in a cave or on Mars for a very long time to have not registered the racism issues that have plagued the beautiful game in recent months.
The Luis Suarez – Patrice Evra and Anton Ferdinand – John Terry incidents have concerned most observers including Roberts.

“Everyone has their opinion on the matter and certainly I have mine. I remain positive that the decision making process will be correct,” said a player has two other uncles that played football, Dave Regis and Otis Roberts who heads up the highly successful Jason Roberts Foundation which uses football and sport as a catalyst for good for youngsters in the UK and the Caribbean.

“It’s obviously a worrying situation. The incidents have taken us back to a place where we didn’t want to be,” added Roberts.

“Racism was something that was once commonplace in the game. I think while it is sporadic there are still issues.
“I think now people don’t want to accept things like racist abuse and I think in this day and age that is absolutely right.

“I think there is a new vigour about the way that people handle the issue.

“I’ve seen all my uncles abused while they were playing and it was sad that as a youngster I had to witness that.
“What we need to do is make sure that the next generations don’t see it too.”

With the next generations in mind, Roberts set up his foundation and football club and is more than happy that he has been able to influence young people.

CHILD’S PLAY: The Rovers striker talking tactics

“I’m really proud about what we are doing. It’s tough times and a tough world at the moment globally but what pleases me is that no matter what we have adapted to whatever situation we have faced.

“We are running programmes that are affecting lives.
“What some people don’t realise is the value that can be given to a young person through football.

“During the August riots we were still getting hundreds of kids turn up to our events which shows that there are a lot of positives out there.

“Off the back of the foundation we run the Jason Roberts Football Club as well. The club is dear to my heart because growing up in Stonebridge [north west London] my nearest team was 20 miles away.

“So with the club being based in Stonebridge we have a chance to get the local kids to play against the likes of Norwich, Blackburn, QPR and Bolton.

“I go to the games and it is great to have a rapport with the kids and be able to interact with them. I’m delighted to give something back in this way.”

Visit: www.jasonrobertsfoundation.com or
www.jasonrobertsifa.com