Ted Lasso Star Kola Bokinni Teaches Us Soccer Basics

What's up, guys? Leslie Robbins here for young Hollywood. To my right Colo bikini. The man, the myth, the legend. We all know him as Isaac AFC, Richmond's captain. Hello, Captain.

Hello.

Nice to meet you. I met you. I met you already. You've been in L A. For a while now. Doing the Hollywood thing. Premiere lights, camera action. How's it feel to be in Hollywood?

It was great, you know. You know my local lad from Peckham, you know, and I'm here in Hollywood, and it's everything that I thought it would be. You know, everyone's great. Everyone's so nice, you know? Yeah. When when I signed up for it, didn't know what it was going to be, Um, loved football, Loved acting, made sense, You know, where I was out in my life. And, you know, God manifests his ways in, you know, small little opportunities. You know, just people keep asking me, like, what? Like, how do you feel? And honestly, there's not an adjective that I could just, like use to sum up the feeling that I have at this moment in time, other than something really English like splendid.

Take me back to the moment where you heard about a little show called Ted Lasso. You were casting guys that knew a little bit about football, which we'll get to because you know a lot about football and actors. So back to that moment where you said, that's mine to get.

So basically like my one of my best mates is Will Potter, that that small actor, you know, he's he's done a few jobs. Um, yeah. Yeah. And, um, he was like, his friend Jason is casting for a show that is football based and also a comedy. And he's like, You make me laugh, you know? You can make other people laugh kind of, you know, And I was like, I I didn't really think much of it. And then he, like, got in touch with my agent behind my back and then, um, kind of, like, hooked up the audition. So I went to Field Park. Who's the Carson director? Love you for, um, I love you, too. Um, and, uh, you know, audition. And, uh, here we are four years later. Yeah. Um, So thanks, will. It's never too late to start something new. No, I didn't I didn't go to acting school. Yes, I suppose you know, ego centric enough. I could do this. Yeah, I could do that. I could I could do that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Cool. Well, Bruce, Bruce. Denzel Course I'm joking. Um, but you're not because you needed that. Because nothing else can get you through all the rejection that comes your way. If you don't have that mindset, I can do that, too. I mean, you know who's if you don't believe in yourself? He's who believe in you. It's not like you're not, like, full of yourself. You're not full of it. If you believe in yourself, it's a It's a very, very positive mental attitude, you know, from to believe in yourself. You know, some people go overboard, of course, and then you can rein them in, but never, never, you know, get on to someone for believing they can achieve something. You know, I'm from Peckham. I'm here in Hollywood, baby. You know, But, you know, I just I take day by day.

We talk about cliche. If you could tell that kid from London something what would you tell him? Younger. Me?

Yeah. Just slow down, man. Like everyone's always like looking at other people and and over analysing it and and judging themselves based on someone else's credits. Everyone gets their day. You know, Everyone has their time, and it might not be your time now, but it will be. Just stick to your guns pretty much. That's what I'd say to her. Yes. Have fun. I think you're having fun. Yeah. Life imitating art, art imitating life. I think it all blends together.

Yes. Yes, it does. You're living Ted Lasso.

Yeah, I've had a great time. Yeah, So we're at an amazing facility called lab five. There are fields everywhere, and and we're gonna play because that's what you do in real life and on TV, which is amazing. But this was your thing, and and then you switched to acting. And so talk about that trajectory. How that came to be like, I've always been, you know, even when my soccer quote unquote career ended, um, I was always positive about the sport. Like it it it really helped me through some really, like, you know, tough times. And, you know, it's a come full circle like, this is a beautiful thing, you know, It's kind of like I don't want to say manifesting when it's myself, you know? You don't really do that. You know, when you're like Oh, I manifested. I don't want to sound like that kind of person. That's, you know, it's really cringy for me. But to be honest, for me to go from playing soccer to now, being in a soccer show, acting and being on FIFA and all that kind of stuff, there must be some sort of, you know, mysterious behind the scenes kind of thing that that's, you know, at play here because you can't really can't really write this kind of stuff, you know?

Well, the writers of Ted Lasso write stuff just like this. You you made a perfect segue into the writing of this show. You you almost sound like you're living the mantra and the belief system that Ted Lasso provides to everybody. Uh, were you always like this or kind of the? The energy and the spirituality of the show became part of you.

It it it rubbed off for me a little bit. You know, I I I would be if it didn't, um, you know, the way that they work. I I honestly don't know how they do it. Like they're all geniuses. Yeah, you know, the way they can, like, put words on the page and make it come alive like that? Another thing. Like if I wrote a story about my life, people would literally call it fiction. They wouldn't call it non fiction. It would hear stuff of, like, you know, that that never happened. You know what I mean? There's there's some sort of, uh uh a Hollywood romance and, you know, here But it's really true, you know, I was a footballer, and now I'm playing a footballer and they're writing me in the show. And you know, Joe Kelly, Brendan Hunt, Brett Goldstein and Jason and all of the writers, all of the crew of Tila. So everyone works so hard, so hard, like day in, day out, like early mornings, you know, like crack of dawn, and it's it's not warm in England. It doesn't matter how many jackets you wear. It still is like that kind of cold that's in your bones. It's kind of hugging you, you know, and they get up and drink a coffee and they get right back to it and I that rubbed off on me that, you know, I want their work ethic.

We're talking about being on set, though I I have to ask you about Jason. Mr Ted LA himself, the executive producer, the star, the man behind the show. What's it like being on set with him? Does he give you direction or he kind of lets you guys do what you want. He's a mentor or a friend. Is is he's Yeah, his titles. But he's just much more than that.

He he lets you like breathe. He lets, you know, be creative. He lets you know, add things like if you're gonna add things and if it if it if it works, you know it's in there, you know what I'm saying? He's lets us do that and he will rein it in. And he, you know, he he let us go and he'll rein it in like, and there's some things that he comes up with, and I'm like, How the blooming very English, the bleeding it did you think of that? You know, and that that just comes from being suppose a genius, like there's no other word for it. To be honest, you know, you have to just see it for yourself.

You soccer slash football skills? Yes. Football is all about balance. It's all about balance. There's a reason why Messi is the best player in the world because he has a low centre of gravity. The guy can literally be like, you know, like the the Super Bikes where they're like Sure, yeah, it's all about able to swivel. And yeah, OK, it's a lot like dancing. Yes. Well, truth be told, I'm not a soccer player, OK? Football player, Not not at all. OK, but I'm gonna learn from Captain Richmond. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And And I actually have to say while we're on the way to the shoot, Yeah, I got a call that you guys are gonna be a few minutes late. Yeah, this is a great story because you wanted to stop and get cleats for our segment, which is amazing in and of itself, therapy. You know, it's a thing, but here you are. Here's Isaac Ted Lasso guy, right? Walking into a sporting goods store in the middle of L A to pick up cleats Can you write it?

No. Only the fact that we don't call them cleats. No, I mean, I you know, soccer. I'll let you have that one. I can't. I can't. Stomach cleats. It's called boots.

Boots. I wasn't gonna even think that my cringe is like, Oh, you call them?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Boots walked in there. Yeah. Got some boots. Said Bosh. Give me the Predators. Boom.

Yeah, and And did anyone stop you?

No, no, there was a guy.

Wait. Well, you weren't recognised, though, which I find fascinating. Are you usually recognised when I heard a story, something about someone's like, Oh, you look like so And so did Did you actually own up to being him?

Or like, Oh, yeah, that's the story that I I I was on my that that legit happened to me like, um, I I got a haircut and I I was feeling good, you know? Come out my barbershop Feeling fresh, Boom. One step. He's, like, on my days and I'm like, yeah, yeah, my head does. You know, I I wasn't I wasn't um um he was like, you look like Isaac Macau, and I was like, I am. What is that? I do. And he was like, no need to lie, mate. And then he walked off, and I was like, Oh, that really hurt. You know, I was like, when Back in the barbershop was like, What did you do to my hair man? And he was, like, the same thing I've always done. No, but that guy just didn't believe me. And then I put it on and everyone was like, You've been, um, Tony. Yes, you've been Tony Hawk apparently happens to Tony Hawk a lot. Yes. You know, Tony Hawks on the aeroplane and be like, you know, that guy that does skateboard. And he's like, I am the guy at the skateboard, and he's like, Where's your skateboard? He's, like, here. He's like, Be like, Where are your boots? Uh, just bought them. Yeah, he's like Isaac. You wouldn't be in the store buying his own boots. Yeah, he would. He would.

OK, so what are you going to show me in the world of football soccer?

I could teach you dribbling, teach you shooting. I can teach you how to score goals, score a lot of those. No, I can teach you a lot of things where I can teach you ahead of the ball properly. I can teach you. You know, there's I can teach you how to do some kick ups. I can teach you, You know, some skills. I can teach you whatever you want. We got a list. Let's run. Run it down. Top three. Like I can teach you how to shoot properly. You know, I can teach you the basics so that you can like show, you know? You know, when you're at the beach and then someone has a ball and everyone's like, You can just be there and be like I got this. You know what I mean? Yeah, Yeah, yeah. You gotta control it. Pass it. There you go. Just pass it with this part of your foot. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Can make yeah. Couple of things.

All right, Let's do it. There you go. So, the secrets of the show, everybody knows a little bit. Oh, that was great. Everybody knows a little bit about football pros, but they have to know what they're doing.

Yes, yes, yes, of course. Um, that was like one of the like actual things about the audition process. You have to show a video of you, like, just doing, like, kick ups and all that kind of stuff, like, you know what I'm saying? And, um yeah, everyone had this, like, flashy, like trailer, you know, explosions in the background, boom. Like torpedo for me. I was just in the park with my cousin, and he was filming it on his phone. And it wasn't even like one of them good phones because it was four years ago. It might be like an iPhone six. The camera wasn't like it was kind of pixelated. Yeah. So when they come back and was like, yeah, that was a great bid. I was kind of like, how they saw your eyebrow, even in that video. Yeah, that's it. That's it. Yeah. Eyebrow. Yeah. Oh, what up? All right. All right. Yeah, yeah. Basically. What do you wanna learn? You wanna learn to pass? You're allowed to shoot. You were allowed to do kick up. You're allowed to do whatever first of all, when you get the ball. Yeah. When someone pass up, I pass you like this. Never put your foot up. Loads of footballers like it's like a cardinal sin. It's like I pass it like that and then basically, you put your foot up. It's just gonna go over there. So you put your foot like that, and then we'll touch there. So, like, your foot a part like that? There you go. Bo. You got Now you got control of the ball. Yeah. Now you want to beat the defender, he comes here. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You can do a little step over, but as in do like that, do that over the ball. Then you can flick it with your foot. There you go. There you go. Yeah, Yeah. Wicky Wicky Wicky. Yeah. So I just kind of like you out. Yes, yes, that's all about that's all. That's all it was all about. So you just boom that You know what I'm saying? Yeah. You You're defender? Yeah. So?

OK, so I'm a part of the ball. Yeah, and then you're gonna do it. Yeah, right. So am I telling you where to pass it? You kind of get that that bit there. That that you're showing me? Yeah, Give it to give it to my right I did.

No way. Because you're taking the cue from your teammate. Where to pass it. You're not just No, no. Whatever you like. If if I passed it to there, Yeah, you're in trouble here. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, And then that's a defender can tackle you. But if I If I passed it to the foot that you're showing Boom, then I can. Then I can just go. You know what I'm saying? So it's like it's all very, very like, I don't know scientific might be I don't know. You know what I mean? It's all, like, you know, because everyone size each other up. So if you got a lack of defender here Yeah, and I'm passing it to there. That defender can't tackle you there, you know? But if I passed it there, get tackled very light. But the other team will know what foot you're asking to. It's all very quick. It's like, within like two. OK, so if I was like, if the if the defender is like here. Yeah, and he's like, you know what? If I and then the midfielder's got the ball and he passes to you there Yeah. So you put your foot out like that, then Boom. Then you can you see. Now you got now, now, is he? I tried to score. Yeah, Yeah, yeah. You can't. You can't get tackled. Yeah, Shooting. Yeah, basically, if you wanna shoot your art, OK, you're just basically OK. It's like you. You open it out, and then you shoot like, you know what I'm saying. So you lace it Laces is hard, but if you wanna place it, use that. Or you can do outside foot, which is, like, stuff like does and that that's a bit It's a bit like elite elite. Yeah, Yeah, I could. Yeah. I could probably do it. Yeah, I've scored some goals like that before, but that's in the moment, you know what I mean? OK, but I mean, the problem is, there's always gonna be someone on the other team trying to stop you. But that's where you use. Why I just saw you a minute ago. So what you do is you plot your foot. There you go. Boom. There you You shoot. There you go. Yeah. So dribbling. Oh, dribbling. OK, so dribbling you got. You wanna keep it close to you. Don't do like what Marcus Rashford Mark Rashard does. He's just, like, super fast, so he can just, like, boot it about 30 yards and then he knows he's gonna beat the defender. You just do this. This is this is dribbling the dribbling. There you go. You have to do it with your toes on the side of the the the best way to do it is is is actually with with your that this part. OK, so you able to just you know what I'm saying? And you keep it ahead of you so you can move side to side, side to side, side to side. So you can't. Because if you if you if you dribble like this it just looks weird You can't run. You can't run. You can't. You know what I mean? So you know you can dribble and you can move it. You can move it. You can You know what I'm saying? Basically, yeah. Yeah. There you go.

I did not know. You dribble with the kind of

You got it. Like Like you know, like you know the ball for a while. You have to love the soccer ball. You gotta You gotta Yeah. You gotta love it. Yeah, that's why they call it a beautiful game. I mean, you gotta you gotta love it, you know? Yeah. And then you gotta hate it when you shoot it. Well, you love it. Cos it's brought you so much. It brought it. Brought you so much joy back then. And it brings you joy. Now, football is like for anyone that plays football is it's the best sauce. Or like, you know, when you go to the gym and it's like your mental health and your releases endorphins, and you get all that. You know, sometimes life gets you down, and then you, you you you know, you go to the gym and you have a great session and you release some of that tension and whatever. Um, football does that for a lot of people. It's like it's a sort of a sort of therapy. You know, when you're with your boys and that and you play a play a football match, even if it's like a five aside anywhere, Even if you got you got, you put your your jackets down and make goals like it's still like. It's a source of therapy. And and afterwards a nobody played a game of football and come off the field. Unless you I mean, it's your job, like, come forward and regretted it. Oh, I hated that. I should never have done that. That never happened. Same as the gym in it. You hate going to the gym, but then when you come back from the gym, you're like and I was Yeah, I was in there. You know what I'm saying? I was doing my thing like, Yeah, but, um, that's how loads of lads look at football in it. You know what I mean? Like people, it's almost like a religion. So I can let you know football. It genuinely affects me. When? When the team that I support loses because it's in my heart.

You know, I think I think the sport is in your heart. I think the show has seeped into your heart art imitating life, life imitating art. I think it's all kind of one for you.

Uh, normally, I would high five at the end of an interview because we do. You've got skills, though, but But I I like I gotta go back like you. You you You need a hug. You need a hug. You, You're it. You're it. Thank you so much. You You are lasso's like Captain. You're living it.

Yes, yes. Um, yeah. Um, thank you for having me. And thank you for all this. That great. Yeah.

One last move before we go where we got Wait. Oh, here we go. Here. She's coming in. She's coming in. She's dribbling! She's dribbling! There you go. Alright. Oh, no. Can she do it? Can she stop it? Yeah. Oh, that's Oh, she's got skills. You actually, she got she played before, innit? It, she's She's fooling me.