Blackburn midfielder David Dunn- Being a good dad hurt my career
20 Nov 2009 - 22:30:25
The first of two uncomfortable phone conversations for David Dunn came with a call from his furious chief executive at Birmingham, Karren Brady. 'Not the most pleasant chat I've ever had,' he recalls.
The second was to tell Sam Allardyce he was pulling out of a deal to join Bolton and accepting a last-minute offer to return to his hometown team Blackburn.
What's Dunn is done: The midfielder is back at his hometown club Blackburn after an injury-hit spell at Birmingham
'I was 10 minutes away from going over to Bolton and signing the contract,' says Dunn. 'I could understand their position but I had to do it for myself.
'Sam said he appreciated the call and I'm just glad I had the b******s to pick up the phone and do what was right. What goes around comes around.'
That was nearly two years ago. Tomorrow he will make the short journey to Bolton with Allardyce as his manager and no regrets.
This was not necessarily the case in 2003 when Dunn first left Blackburn for Birmingham in a £5.5millon deal, honouring a promise to Steve Bruce by ignoring interest from Everton, Middlesbrough and a rejuvenated Chelsea under the new ownership of billionaire Roman Abramovich.
'I kind of missed out a little bit there,' he says with a smile. 'We played Chelsea pre-season in the Premier League Cup in Kuala Lumpur and I remember Claudio Ranieri coming over and saying, "Why didn't you wait?".'
Having struggled to settle in Birmingham, it is unlikely Dunn would have been any happier in London (he insists he has only ever been out in the capital on a handful of occasions).
Dunn's ex-girlfriend Sammy Winward
Despite the playboy image attached to him during his first spell at Blackburn, he is happiest at home in Lancashire. Back with his family and friends. Close to his four-year-old daughter Mia. It was the split from his ex-girlfriend, Emmerdale actress Sammy Winward, and issues over contact with Mia that cast a cloud over Dunn's time at Birmingham as much as the persistent hamstring and back injuries that almost forced him to quit.
'I've never really touched on it before, but I was in and out of court trying to get contact for the best part of three years,' he says. 'I was up and down the M6 from Birmingham which certainly didn't help me.
'It was one of the reasons my football was taking a hit because I was in a really awkward position. Do you do your duty as a father and see your little girl or do your job?
'I felt an obligation to get up the road and see Mia, but on the other hand I felt I should be in training getting myself better.
'Maybe I wasn't focused. But it was an awful position and that's why I got so p***** off.
'I honestly thought about quitting half a dozen times at Birmingham because of the injuries.
'Steve Bruce was fantastic but it just got to a point where he was as frustrated as I was. I only played about 50 games in three-and-a-half years. It was a poor return on their investment.'
Now injury-free and happily settled back in Blackburn with his new girlfriend Hayley and their 15-month-old son Isaac, Dunn, 30 next month, is happier on and off the pitch.
'Contact with Mia has become far easier and better,' he says. 'Now I'm happy with Hayley, I've got a little boy that I love so much and I see my little girl probably more than I've ever seen her.
'With the injuries I've found a formula that works for me. I have different orthotics in my shoes, I don't go out as much, I train harder, I drink more fluid and I do a lot more leg work than I used to.
'Back then I was young and I didn't know better. I actually thought my ability could get me out of jail and see me through.'
Hero: Gazza
There was never any doubting Dunn's ability. A stocky midfielder with quick feet and an even quicker football brain, he drew comparisons with his hero Paul Gascoigne after bursting on to the scene at Blackburn and becoming England Under 21 captain.
'Everyone knows I love anything to do with him,' he says. 'When I was a kid he brought out a video called Gazza: The Real Me. I watched it twice a day for about two years. I was that obsessed.
'He was never afraid to take the ball in tight situations. I probably do the lads' heads in here asking for the ball and always whingeing when they don't give it me. But I want to make things happen. I'm never going to change, I'm afraid.'
Dunn's prized possessions are the signed shirts he was given by Gascoigne when Blackburn played Everton and Middlesbrough. Most of his other mementos are at his granddad's house, including the England jersey from his one senior cap against Portugal in September 2002.
His grandad - also called David - has exerted the greatest influence over Dunn's career, having refused to let him near a football pitch until he could kick with both feet.
'He thought I'd be showing him up,' says Dunn. 'He's old school and hates players who aren't two-footed.
'My granddad always said he wanted to make me an England player. As soon as I went on to that pitch against Portugal I knew he could die a happy man because he'd achieved his aim in life.'
That England cap seems a long time ago now, but he has not given up hope of persuading Fabio Capello to take him to South Africa.
Indeed, five goals from a more advanced role this season is reminiscent of the form that saw him make Sven Goran Eriksson's stand-by list for the 2002 World Cup.
'I look at the England team now and think, "Bloody hell I played with all these players! I was the captain". I honestly feel that if it hadn't been for the injuries I would have got a lot more caps, but I lost my way a little bit.
'Mr Capello has proved he will pick players who are in good form for their clubs and every English player is thinking if they hit a good run then there's a chance. I've had a good start to the season so you never know.
'But I've played for my local team and I've played for England. Growing up, that's all I ever wanted.'
Happy days: Dunn is enjoying his football again and not ruling out an England recall
Dunn never wanted to leave Blackburn in the first place, but a difference of opinion with Graeme Souness over the manager's decision to play him out wide rather than any concerns over a wide boy reputation forced him out of Ewood Park.
'Of course I felt a little bitter towards him for a while because I had to leave Blackburn,' says Dunn. 'It was a massive wrench.
'But we've spoken since and we never stopped speaking. I was 23 and I probably thought I knew more than I did. Looking back, I should have bitten my tongue.
'People go on about the playboy image but Souey never said that. I've never been a massive drinker.
'The problem I have that other players don't is that I live locally. A minority of people get a little bit jealous about a local boy doing well for himself. From being out having a meal with my family, I'm in a nightclub p***** up. It was never the case, but if you throw enough **** some of it sticks.'
As much as he would like to end his career at Ewood, Dunn's future is in the balance once again. He is out of contract in the summer and Blackburn have yet to open talks over a new deal.
'Things are creeping on now and I don't really know what to think at the minute,' he says.
'I'm prepared to do whatever is best for my career and if that means moving away then it's something I'd have to think long and hard about. '
Hopefully it won't get to that and something can be sorted out. But I'm sure we'll have options when the time is right.'
Allardyce knows what happens when Dunn has other options.
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