‘I was coached by Wenger, Benitez and Steve Bruce but one ex-manager had us singing R Kelly in the dressing room’

JERMAINE PENNANT has revealed that his erstwhile Billericay brag Glenn Tamplin had players singing R Kelly successful the dressing room.

The erstwhile Liverpool and Arsenal star, present 41, joined the non-league broadside arsenic a 34-year-old successful 2017.

Pennant, who played successful the Champions League last a decennary earlier, was convinced to motion for Billericay by chap erstwhile Premier League prima Jamie O'Hara, who claimed that they were paying "League One wages".

He lasted conscionable 4 months with the Essex outfit, however, aft uncovering Tamplin's unorthodox methods hard to enactment with.

Speaking astatine the motorboat of Ladbrokes' "Gaffer of each Accas", Pennant recounted his antithetic experience.

He said: "Jamie told maine they were going to beryllium flying; the proprietor wanted to motion a load of ex-pros and effort and ascent up the leagues, and helium said helium reckoned the task could've taken the squad up to the National League.

"I thought that sounded similar a decent happening to beryllium a portion of, truthful decided to get involved.

"Then, aft astir six months I conscionable thought 'I request to get retired of this.' The manager, Glenn Tamplin, was conscionable a spot of a fruitcake.

"You know, we'd beryllium beating teams similar Wingate & Finchley, connected a Tuesday night, successful the rain, possibly 3-0, and he'd travel successful screaming, due to the fact that we hadn't scored 5 oregon six goals.

"Because helium had a load of ex-pros, helium thought we should person been battering everyone 7-0. If I hadn't scored 3 - adjacent if I'd scored and acceptable a mates up, oregon created a load of chances, he'd person a go; helium conscionable didn't recognize it.

BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS

"And I'm conscionable determination similar 'I've had Arsene Wenger coaching me, Steve Bruce, Rafa Benitez… and you're telling maine what's bully and what's not?'

"I couldn't perceive to it, and truthful I conscionable had to get retired successful the January."

On 1 of Tamplin's much antithetic tactics, Pennant continued: "Sometimes, erstwhile we played large teams, he'd get america each successful the dressing country singing R. Kelly - The World's Greatest.

"I tin retrieve looking astir reasoning 'I've played successful a Champions League final. What americium I doing?' I'm conscionable looking astatine Kevin Foley, and Jamie, reasoning 'what americium I doing?'

"You know; I couldn't ideate Stevie Gerrard, successful Athens, singing The World's Greatest, earlier we played AC Milan! I was conscionable like, ohio my God... where's my vocation gone?! How've I got to this point?!"

Prior to dropping down to non-league, Pennant had been playing successful League One for Bury.

After leaving Billericay, the winger did not motion for different club, soon announcing his retirement.

'I COULD HAVE GONE TO REAL MADRID'

A acold outcry from non-league, Pennant besides revealed that helium astir signed for Real Madrid.

He said: "I had six months near connected my declaration astatine Liverpool, and I could person gone to Real Madrid. The manager astatine the clip was Juande Ramos, I think. He cancelled the deal.

"It was much a woody the wide manager and the hierarchy wanted to marque happen; they wanted to bring successful a right-winger due to the fact that idiosyncratic had got injured successful the squad, and they spoke to my manager astatine the time.

"I was perfectly up for the move, due to the fact that I was successful the past twelvemonth of my declaration and I wasn't playing astatine Liverpool.

"As we got nearer to agreeing everything, Juande cancelled the move, and they contacted maine to archer maine the manager wasn't blessed astir it. They didn't spell to him first, and that had evidently bothered Ramos, and truthful they looked elsewhere.

"But, yeah, I'd got arsenic acold arsenic learning a woody had been agreed - truthful of people I started to deliberation astir the thought of playing for Real Madrid… who doesn't imagination astir that benignant of move? Yeah, I got excited by it, but it didn't happen, truthful I was similar "alright… let's spell to Portsmouth!"

"I'm not holding it against Juande Ramos, but if I bash ever spot him, he's going to get it; I'm going to archer him if we ever transverse paths… I'll inquire him wherefore helium did that!"