Leroy Fer says fellow DJ Paul Pogba is a fun guy but the Dutchman vows to get his Swansea team-mates pumped up to face the Manchester United superstar
Swans ace was appointed as their head of music this summer - and wants to win the spin war against Utd's record buy on and off the pitch
PAUL POGBA better watch out because Leroy Fer wants to leave him spinning in a battle of the DJs today.
The Swansea midfielder bought professional mixing decks and cans — headphones to me and you — after being appointed his team’s head of music this summer.
And Dutch international Fer plans to drown out Manchester United’s resident music man Pogba, who is also “in da house” at the Liberty Stadium — meaning the music will be blaring out of both dressing rooms.
Fer laughed as he said: “I’ve checked Pogba out on social media, showing off his dance moves, musical taste and brilliant football skills.
“He seems a fun guy but, hopefully, on Saturday we’ll be the ones that come out on top in more ways than one because I’m hoping to get all the boys pumped.
“Everyone here enjoys my music and I also like spinning stuff others like too.
“We’ve got diverse taste. You’ll get reggaeton, which is popular with Fernando Llorente, Roque Mesa, Angel Rangel and Federico Fernandez, because it blends reggae with Latin American music.
And it can go from that end of the spectrum right across to Ed Sheeran.
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"We especially like playing music really loud before games because it gives us that extra energy.”
Fer was inspired to take up his new hobby by his pal and well-known Dutch DJ, Sam Blans, who performed at his wedding three years ago.
The Holland midfield ace said: “I’ve always loved listening to music and asked my friend, ‘Is it hard to be a DJ?’.
“He just said, ‘Why don’t you give it a try?’. So I went out and bought the DJ set you need. I took it over to the USA for our pre-season tour to practice.
“The hardest part of DJ’ing is the mixing — you have to listen to what you have in your headphones and the music keeps spinning. You have to blend it together.”
Incredibly, despite playing at a World Cup and in front of capacity stadiums as a footballer, 27-year-old Fer confessed he was nervous performing during the club’s summer tour to a few team-mates and club staff.
He added: “It’s because it’s out of my comfort zone. This summer during pre-season, club staff filmed me doing it and I was sweating.
“There were cameras on me and it was so different because when I’m on the pitch playing in front of big crowds, I’m used to it and know what I am doing.”
But one man who was not immediately impressed was manager Paul Clement.
Fer said: “I put a track on for us with a lot of swearing in it. And the gaffer looked at us and said, ‘Who the hell is playing that?’.
“I said ‘Me, gaffer’ and he replied, ‘No, no, no — not this one. There is too much swearing in it’. And I just told him, ‘It’s what it is, gaffer — you have to listen to it because WE like it’.
“But we do catch him bopping his head to a few tunes, so he does like some of our music!”
Fer once recorded a rap song with Leeds ace Vurnon Anita, ex-Liverpool star Ryan Babel and rapper Mitchell Burgzorg.
And his opponent today, Pogba, has had a number of rap songs dedicated to him — including one by superstar grime artist Stormzy.
Fer and Pogba are also renowned for their dancing skills and regularly show off their moves in the dressing room and at the training ground.
And a video of Fer’s wedding dance with his wife Xenia Schipaanboord that went viral showed he can give Pogba a run for his money if the pair end up having a dance off.
Former QPR star Fer added: “There’s no danger of me entering Strictly Come Dancing because that ain’t my scene — but you do have to have it in you to dance really well.
Game Fer a laugh
THREE MUST-HAVES ON YOUR PLAYLIST?
1 Drake — Unforgettable. 2 Emms — Het Is Een Feit. 3 Clean Bandit — Rather Be.
WHO’S THE WORST DANCER AT SWANSEA?
Fernando Llorente. The big man can move on the pitch but not off it.
WHAT’S YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT?
Accidentally buying a horse at a charity auction for 30,000 euros. I bid for a laugh thinking someone would go higher — no one did! I was living in an apartment so had nowhere to keep it. I managed to sell it for 35,000 euros so made a profit.
THE BEST MIDFIELDER YOU’VE FACED?
N’Golo Kante. He is everywhere and reads the game so well. He may only be small but he’s a beast.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE GAME v MAN UNITED?
The 1-1 at Old Trafford in April. I came on in the second half. We were 1-0 down and Gylfi scored that free-kick. We could’ve won.
“I’m not a perfect dancer but can move well. My wife was a professional who won lots of prizes — but she was in a wedding dress so couldn’t do her thing as well as me so I looked better than I actually was!”
Pogba looked every bit an £89million player in the 4-0 thrashing of West Ham in Sunday’s season opener.
The French star’s performances for United were largely criticised last season, although he was their Man of the Match in the Europa League final triumph against Ajax.
And Fer said: “I like him. He had that price tag on his back after his move from Juventus and everyone was speaking about that last season.
“Remember, he had been in Italy for a few years and that’s a very different style to the Premier League.
“He needed to adapt back to English football and has that out of the way now.
“Everyone said he had a bad season but didn’t he win three trophies, the EFL Cup, Europa League and Community Shield?
“Not bad for a bad season, huh? I’d settle for that.
“United paid that money because they wanted him to help win them trophies — and they did.
“Pogba is a fantastic player and will do good for Man U. This could be his year.”
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Meanwhile, Fer has been impressed by the form of veteran skipper Leon Britton. The midfielder started for Swansea in the goalless draw at Southampton last Saturday just a month shy of his 35th birthday.
Fer said: “It’s unbelievable. When he came back into the side for the last five games last season, he helped us stay up.
“He bossed the midfield with the way he keeps the ball and passes.
“He is a true legend here and has 360 degree vision. Phenomenal.”
One player who will not be lining up again for Swansea is Gylfi Sigurdsson, who completed his £45m move to Everton on Wednesday.
Dutchman Fer added: “It’s not just his outstanding quality on the pitch we’re going to miss, he was such a cool and calming influence to all the lads off it as well.
“In the middle of a relegation battle he was so relaxed and it helped us.
“But in football that happens. It’s happened here a lot, we’ve lost important players like Ashley Williams, Wilfried Bony, Michu and Andre Ayew.
“However, the strength at Swansea is not just one player but the whole team.
“We’ve a fantastic work ethic — we all work for each other. And it’s a family club. We will not lose that.”
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