New Delhi, Oct 6 (Inditop.com) He followed his father into professional football but then switched to trail his uncle’s footsteps into cricket. Meet Joe Gatting, son of former Arsenal footballer Steve and nephew of legendary England bastman and captain Mike Gatting.
The 21-year-old Sussex batsman, here for the Champions League Twenty20, is carrying the Gatting family’s sporting tradition and doesn’t want to be bogged down by the expectation of being the nephew of England’s finest batsman.
Football or cricket was a tough choice, but Joe chose football first.
“My father used to say that if I failed in football, I could still go and take up cricket. But if I fail in cricket, it would be very tough to make a mark in football because in soccer you have to make an impact while you are young,” he said Tuesday.
After a four-year stint with championship team Brighton as a forward, Joe realised that he would not make it to the top flight like his father.
“It was a tough choice. But after four years of struggle, one fine morning I realised that I was going nowhere. I had lost all motivation and I had stopped enjoying football. The only options I had were to try out with other clubs or give cricket a go,” he said.
Asked if his father was unhappy with his decision, Joe said: “He knew my limitations and so was happy with my decision and respected it.”
Joe played cricket during the football off-season at Preston Nomads, where his father, though a footballer, was the director of cricket. After a few good knocks with Preston, Joe joined the Sussex Academy last winter and also got a chance to play with the first team on a non-contractual basis.
Joe’s first break came when he scored an impressive 110 against Surrey in Abu Dhabi and was immediately given a two-year contract by Sussex.
Joe knows that Champions League is a biggest tournament in his career so far, and he is also aware that carrying a famous surname will keep the spotlight on him.
Asked if it is an added pressure, Joe said: “It is always a bit of pressure, but again it is good for me. It is nice to see that people expect something from me and that drives me to perform better.”
So what did Mike tell him before leaving for India?
“He keeps on giving me advice on the technical aspects of the game. He has also given me some tips on playing in Indian conditions. So I am looking forward to implement all his advices in the tournament,” Joe said.
rounak