The towering Glory marksman talks Josh Risdon up and rubbishes claims Perth are overly physical.
Billy Mehmet doesn’t shy away from much on or off the pitch, this week he joins us for our Free Kicks segment.
Afternoon Billy, how-s things?
Yeah good mate, really good.
Excellent, we hear your brother is a bit of an agent waiting to make his mark, ever thought of doing that post-retirement?
Yeah, my brother has an agency called ProSports Global and I-m looking to go into that after I finish football, when I moved to Turkey my brother became interested in it and started looking to do an agency.
From my previous clubs I-ve been at my brother has got a hold of some of the players I have played with and is trying to get some youngsters on board to build a profile and look to the future.
So far I-m on board along with a few younger players he has got at Fulham, Millwall, Crystal Palace, basically the London clubs.
Josh Risdon would be a good one to pinch if you could.
Definitely, he is my girlfriend-s brother actually, he has been doing really good, but he is tied down so I-ve not put any pressure on him just yet.
Fair enough, we also hear you-re pretty decent at ProEvolution and FIFA, who is the Glory champion?
At the moment I-ve been playing ProEvolution with Smeltzy, Scott Jamieson and Adrian Zahra. Smeltzy likes to think he is good and so does Jamo, but I think I-m probably the best at that, but on FIFA that-s a toss up between Zahra and Jamo, but Zahra pumps himself up and always has an excuse when he loses.
You have known Shane Smeltz since you played together in Turkey any bets between you two as to who scores the most goals?
Na we just get on with it, I-m more of a target man and Smeltzy scores the goals, as long as we get the job done I don-t mind.
Any hidden talents?
I-m a bit of a pool shark, along with Steve McGarry and I like to rap.
Really, how are your rap skills?
To be fair I-m alright but I wouldn-t say I am brilliant or anything, my favourite rapper is Little Wayne, I like what he has been producing lately.
Best concert you have been to?
I-d have to say Tea in the Park in Scotland, they get some big names and the Scottish people love a drink and are a bit mental, they love a good laugh too.
Is it a myth that your team (Glory) are overly physical?
To be fair what I have heard about this is an absolute joke, I spoke to a few media people last week about it, last season we got to a grand final. I don-t know how you can get to a grand final by just being physical, you need to be a good footballing team as well.
And this season if you look at the performances we have had, we have played some teams off the park and away from home if you look at the Sydney game, if you look at the first hour they weren-t even in the game till we got the man sent off.
If you look at the stats, I think we-re fifth and Sydney was top of the physical stuff, (most fouls), so we do get that label but you just deal with it.
We have good players and Liam Miller who I think is the best player in the league, if he was playing in Melbourne or Sydney I-m sure he would get pumped up a little bit more, but over in Perth I think we fly under the radar a bit.
Finish a few sentences for us please Billy.
My toughest opponent is…. Patrick Zwaanswijk
Josh Risdon is… one of the best young players and a future Socceroo.
My teammates would say I am… they would think I reckon that I am a funny guy.
Perth Glory will… hopefully be there at the end of the season and be challenging for the title.
Cheers Billy, good luck this weekend
Thanks mate.