COVERED 2024 Spring

COVERED 16 TRENTBRIDGE.CO.UK “I actually really enjoy those car jour- neys,” he says. “Because of the fact that you’re on autopilot for the majority of the time, sometimes you get the most weird and wonderful thoughts coming into your head.” Making Chelsea’s Cole Palmer captain for the next match week in Fantasy Premier League was not the expected example from this deep-thinker. One of his favourite mid-journey experiences, however, came from a legend of mixed martial arts fighting, Georges St-Pierre. Hameed has sincere admiration for the former two-division Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipWorld Champion, and has taken St-Pierre’s words in his stride as a powerful tool for inspiration, for the celebrated sporting great has openly shared his moments of fragility. “I really enjoy listening to his podcast clips. I just find him fascinating,” Hameed begins. “He’s one of the greatest fighters the world has ever seen, but he hates fighting. He said he would get nervous or even scared before his fights.The one time he had a full night’s sleep, he lost. “He breaks this perception that to be an elite sportsperson you have to be confident at all times and not show any weakness. It’s just incredibly refreshing to hear what he has to say and it really resonates with me. “No matter who you are, everyone has fears, everyone has insecurities and doubts.” His belief in honesty and vulnerability will no doubt carry powerful resonance amongst the Nottinghamshire dressing room. These fundamentals are built into the captaincy that Hameed envisions for his term at the helm.There is no prevarication nor pandering.To the kind of man that he is, candid talk is the key to unlocking potential and bringing cohesion, and he aims to lead from the front. “Something which I hold dear is respect. It doesn’t mean you can’t have a laugh or have fun, but I try to hold a level of respect for everyone around me and I find that the lads give me that respect back in return. “I like to think that I’m approachable, too, and if there’s a conversation that needs to be had, then I will be prepared to have that with whoever that may be. “Ultimately I want to lead by example. I firmly believe that as a captain you have to set the standards for everyone else to follow. If you can’t deliver what you ask of the team, you’ll get called out very quickly. “I’m really excited to see where this group can go. After a tough few years for the club we’re now on an upward trajectory, and I’m hoping I can help us continue that.” “I WANT TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT AS A CAPTAIN YOU HAVE TO SET THE STANDARDS FOR EVERYONE ELSE TO FOLLOW.” Haseeb Hameed