THE demise of humour at Dens Park has been greatly exaggerated.For a kick-off, Dundee manager Jim Duffy is in playful mood. Havingbeen asked for some time with his defender Brent Sancho, he informsthat there are a number of ladies harbouring such a desire. Except,he laughs, he's sure they are after more than an interview. Thereasons may not be instantly recognisable to all but that's because,while the packaging may be to some tastes, it's what's on the insidethat's really attractive.
There's a depth to Sancho that is lacking in the stereotypicalfootballer. Intelligent and warm, his stimulating views on the meatyissues of life and death, education, philosophy, psychology, racism,the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and their legacy on life inhis adopted hometown of New York, are captivating and tackled withopenness and integrity. But on the more frivolous topics of sport,his dream of opening a Caribbean restaurant or his favourite books,he is equally engaging. The serious issues provoke well-thought-outviews and arguments, while an infectious 110-watt smile embraceslight-hearted moments.
It's that grin and the accompanying laughter, which, combined withDuffy's teasing, make a mockery of the headlines declaring a sense ofhumour bypass on Sandeman Street. 'Of course we are in a serioussituation,' he says of their drop into the relegation dangerzone.'But it's not the first time we've had to pull together. I've beenhere almost two years now but there's times when that feels like alifetime. The events that have taken place on and off the field, itseems never-ending at times. But I think adversity sometimes bringsout the best in people and in the situations where you need innerstrength, you learn more and you cherish life, football, yourprofession that bit more. If you want the rainbow you need to weatherthe rain.'
It's an admirably-positive philosophy considering the hand whichlife has dealt him. Experiencing a series of ups and downs in thepast few years, the Trinidad international, who emigrated to New Yorkas a 15-year-old, lost two friends in the Twin Towers tragedy, thensuffered more heartache when his international room-mate and boyhoodfriend, Mickey Trotman, and then, one month later, his cousin, diedin separate car crashes. He arrived at Dundee shortly before the clubwas plunged into administration, and, as he and his team-matesdrowned their sorrows, he was submitted to racial abuse andsubsequently forced to clear his name after being charged withassault.
In between it all he also graduated from university with majors inpsychology and sports science, and carved out a football career whichhas taken him across the USA, on to Finland, home to Trinidad and nowto Tayside, where today he faces friends and former colleagues, NachoNovo and Marvin Andrews.
'It sometimes just feels like I've been there, done that! I'veseen a lot and I've been through a lot of life-learning experiencesand they have helped me as a person, on and off the pitch,' says thedefender, who will celebrate his 28th birthday tonight by havingdinner with his team-mates and friends, including the Rangers duo.'It's made me a more well-rounded individual. You can sit and weepand wonder 'why me?' but if life gives you a silver spoon then Ithink you don't really get to understand or enjoy the meaning oflife. I think some of the things I've been through, although theywere tough on me at the time, have helped me a lot in terms of beinga better human being.'
His study of psychology did not end the day he graduated. The partplayed by the mind, in sport and in everyday life, is of constantintrigue. In his spare time, he only turns to his Playstation if hisbrain is about to overload on the latest information he has garneredfrom the internet, or from books, and his long-term plans revolvearound the psychology of sport.
'Footballers have a lot of spare time and I like to think I use itwisely. I look at life after football and think, 'yeah, I've gotthings I can do after football because of I have an educationalbackground.' I like the challenge of learning and love reading aboutpsychology and it has helped me put things that have happened in mylife into perspective.'
But it does have its pitfalls. He laughs as he recalls his firstday at university. 'In my first day in psychology class, the firstthing I did was start questioning whether or not I was crazy becausethe professor started laying out traits of schizophrenics and forother types of psychological disorders and I started thinking, wait aminute that kind of sounds like me but it was the same for everyoneand when you question things, you get a better hold of who you are.Once you understand your mind off the pitch, it helps you gear yourmind for things on the pitch and that helps you become a betterplayer.'
An amalgam of laid-back Carribean beach bum and win-at-all costsNew Yorker, his recognition of both traits means he has managed tochannel them both positively.
'That's the funny thing with me. I'm such extremes. On the pitchyou wouldn't think I am the same easygoing person I am off the pitchwhen I tend to be very relaxed and easygoing but on the pitch I'm theother side of that Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and I kinda just go to theother extreme and battle, to prove people wrong and to win.
'Off it I'm just relaxed and a very laid-back, cool guy and veryquiet - you don't hear me much but on the pitch it's a differentstory because when I go out there I want to win. If you look back onthe life of Brent Sancho, you'd see me living in Trinidad and thenspending nine years in New York and I think both places are reflectedin the kind of person I am.
'New York is fast-paced and there's an attitude where you have tosucceed in life. There's no failures over there - no ribbons ormedals for second-placed and I've learned that attitude all the waythrough university and living there but there's also my Carribeanside, my West Indian side, being from Trinidad, where it's allcoconut trees and lying back on the beach, so the way I live my lifeis a mix of both. But I love challenges. Even when I decided to goprofessional, I started late. I was 21 and I'd finished universityand a lot of people didn't give me much of a chance but for me thathelped. I like when the odds are stacked up against me. I like beingthe underdog. I like that mental fight and I think I've become abetter human being and a better football player because of thechallenges I've had to face.'
The battle with racism has been a virtual constant in his life. Aguy who wears his heart on his sleeve, he also wears it on his wrist,which is adorned with a 'Stand Up, Speak Up' anti-racism charitywristband.
It was a racist slur directed at him on a night out in Dundeewhich led to the player and team-mate Stephen McNally facing assaultcharges. Although he was ultimately cleared, the court case stilltook its toll on Sancho and his parents. His dad was besieged by themedia in Trinidad, and family, drip-fed inaccurate information in aperverse game of Chinese whispers, required daily updates from areassuring Sancho, who deep down needed reassurance of his own.
'Again, I've been through a lot in my life but that was one of thetoughest, sitting in court, knowing you are innocent but feelingguilty because you are sitting in a dock. It was a surreal world. Ikept thinking this can't be happening but it was and all becausesomeone had too much to drink and started saying things theyshouldn't have. But I try to find the silver lining in every cloudand I'd say I learned a lot about myself and, though, initially, Imight have been angry, I can't say I hate the person who put methrough that. I sympathise with them and hope they get to learn aboutblack people and the pain and suffering that something like thatbrings to someone. I hope that in retrospect they have learned fromthat and other people have learned too.'
He looks to New York for inspiration. A city of diverse culture,there was very little integration before the terrorist attack on theTwin Towers. 'But since then, people have realised life is too short.Now you go out in The Village and there are black and white peoplesitting together and it seems normal. And it's a generation thing.Hopefully the next generation will see that and realise that's theway it should be.'
Informed, his thinking and attitude to life make him a far fromstereotypical footballer. He looks bashful but grins. 'I've been toldthat before,' he says. It's easy to see why.
