One To Watch: Joleon Lescott meets Villa starlet Lamare Bogarde

LiveScore's Premier League columnist Joleon Lescott will be meeting some of English football's up-and-coming stars in our new One To Watch series.

To kick things off, the ex-England defender sat down with versatile Aston Villa starlet Lamare Bogarde at the Belfry Hotel — just around the corner from Villa's Bodymoor Heath training facility — to discuss his career so far.

JL: Going back to where it began, you started out at Feyenoord. Tell us a bit about that stage of your career — how old were you when you joined?

LB: I was playing at my local club when I was around five years old and Feyenoord came to watch a game.

They scouted my brother [Melayro] first and when they saw me standing on the sideline with a ball every game, they decided to scout me as well.

I ended up staying there for 10 or 11 years before joining Villa. My brother left a couple of years before me to join Hoffenheim in Germany, where he still plays now.

JL: Plenty of clubs were after you at Feyenoord. Why did you ultimately choose Aston Villa?

LB: When my agent told me the list of clubs interested in me, I heard Aston Villa and they invited me to come and watch training.

At that time, they were nearly relegated too. They had to get a result on the last day to stay up against West Ham.

We watched that game and they stayed up, then we talked through their rough plan for me and I thought that was the best option.

JL: Your first-team debut came against Liverpool in the FA Cup. That must have been a dream come true for you?

LB: It was special. I played against a fellow Dutchman in Gini [Wijnaldum], which was cool.

I remember being in the tunnel waiting to go out and I saw Mo Salah and Sadio Mane stood next to me.

We thought they were going to play a rotated team! That's when I knew we were in for a serious game but it's a night I'll never forget.

JL: Unai Emery has done amazingly well since coming into the club. How much have you enjoyed working with him and what's he said about your future?

LB: When he joined, obviously it was a tough period because the previous manager [Steven Gerrard] had been sacked.

But everyone likes him. They've seen what he can do with this squad and he's brought some new players in too who have done really well. He's a top manager.

He's told me I have to wait for my chances. He said that they will come, so it's more a long-term view. I'm not rushing anything.

JL: John McGinn has spoken about how intense and tactical the sessions can be under Unai. How have you found it?

LB: Some sessions are long to be fair, but it's more the tactical side of things. He likes to explain stuff on the pitch.

He knows every player so well and loves going into detail.

JL: You've played as a centre-back and a holding midfielder. Which position do you prefer?

LB: I would say I think I see myself more as a central midfielder but I do like playing centre-back as well.

As a centre-back, Ezri often tells me I play the same way he does. But I'm trying to watch the midfielders at Villa very closely.

Players like Douglas Luiz, Boubacar Kamara. They are top midfielders.

JL: What would you consider your biggest areas to improve and biggest strengths?

LB: I think what I need to work on is being more consistent and staying switched on for the whole game.

I've been working hard on that. Sometimes I get caught in certain situations out of possession — but I'm aware of it.

In terms of strength, I think I'm quite fast and have always been strong from a young age, which helps me.

JL: Do you have any targets for the remainder of the season?

LB: At the start of the season, I was hoping to make my Premier League debut. I think that's still possible too.

That's a short-term goal but also a long-term one. If it doesn't happen this season, I will keep pushing.

I want to play regular first-team football as soon as I can.