James Ward-Prowse

I enjoy signing autographs and giving something back to the fans.

I found that I skip and jump when I strike the ball and it helps to get it up and over. If you look at lots of different players, like Gerrard plants his standing foot, Beckham is laid back and keeps his feet on the floor to get that extra whip.

During my practising I wanted to find the right technique for me.

If you want to be the best, you get that one chance in a game to put the ball in the net, you have to put in the extra hours and extra work.

If you want to be good at anything you have to put the work and the hours in.

I've had some really special moments in a Southampton shirt, in terms of some big games.

You know, when you grow up through the Academy, you don't necessarily think about 300 games later into your career. You're only thinking, 'I'm focusing on that first one' really.

That's why football fans tune in, because you like seeing the teams at the bottom scrapping out against the top teams, and equally the top teams having to fend off the lower teams in order to achieve their goals.

I think as a young player, coming through the system like I have, you play for the love of the game, you play for the competitiveness.

Dad took me to football but there was never any sense I would follow him.

When I was little I'd kick balloons or socks around.

If you can jump when you strike the ball it can help you get it up and over the wall quickly which gives the 'keeper no chance.

I want to start every game I can.

I've had a few years of starting games and not starting games so I want to nail down a permanent place in the team.

International-wise I want to be heading for the full England squad.

I had to really go away and practice and try and perfect the dead-ball situations and being in the same squad as Rickie Lambert, who better to teach me? He had a fantastic record of free-kicks and I learnt a lot from him.

I've been young before, looked up to footballers and maybe they've been too busy to sign an autograph or say hello.

I want to give myself the best chance possible and set really high standards in everything I do.

Always applied myself 100 per cent to what I'm doing.

It's difficult when a player comes in for big money.

When I go back to my club I feel I've benefited a lot from the experience I've had with England. That's credit to the whole system, the coaching, and the lads I'm with.

I've studied videos of Beckham as well and he's someone I do look to compare myself to in terms of set-piece deliveries.

You have to emulate what Beckham did when he was younger, practising those free kicks, to be at that level.

They typify a midfielder. Box-to-box with lots of energy, could score goals, good technical ability and I want to try and replicate those sorts of players. The likes of Gerrard and Lampard, they were the guys I tried to emulate.

You must lead with your actions, be the best you can and work hard. If you can do that you obviously set a great example for the rest of the lads to follow.

All of my role models - Gerrard, Lampard and Beckham - were leaders and that's the sort of person I like to think I am, an inspiration to others.

Jose Fonte is a fantastic captain and I've been learning from him. Hopefully he can show me the way and lead me down the right path.

Away from the pitch, I am still the same guy, but on the pitch, I want to be more aggressive. It's a mindset change.

I want to create my own image, put my own stamp on things.

Even as a youngster, my dad put me into one-on-one coaching with Tony Mount, Mason's dad, and Mason would come along and we'd have a session together to toughen us up.

I probably started practicing in my mum and dad's garden, I'd watch endless amount of games and I'd watch Beckham, the Gerrards, Lampards, the free kick takers, the penalty takers and those sort of players. They were the ones who I was trying to replicate in the garden.

Sitting on the bench is not what I'm about.

I didn't really like tackling.

To be in an environment with top class players and be on the same team as Wayne Rooney in training you don't do it every day.

We all want to be the best and give ourselves a chance to succeed.

We want to be the best in the world. If you want to win tournaments you've got to become that sort of team.

We have got to give everything when we cross that white line.

If you're not up for group games at the European finals then there is something wrong.

As captain you naturally want to go out and take the game by storm.

When I go out to play now I don't think it's the be all and end all. I've got something greater than football at home.

I remember facing Paul Scholes in my third Premier League appearance. He came on when we were 2-1 up and changed the game. His passing, his decision-making - you couldn't get near him.

Just by making a tackle or a good pressing run, the stadium lifts and we are on the front foot.

There are certain scenarios in a game and you have to take yourself out of the situation and see what is best at that time.

I'm a big believer in my technique and, if I can put the ball where I want to, no keeper can save it.

I believe in muscle memory - the more you practice an action, the more your body becomes in sync with it.

Beckham was the one for me. Not only his free-kicks but his overall image. I copied every haircut, I wanted his boots, I wanted to wear his number. He was the guy that I looked up to and thought: 'Wow.' He had that effect on me and inspired me to try and take free-kicks.

I've seen a few still images of my body and the way I am when I strike the ball and it baffles me a little bit. You think: 'I'm putting stress on my body, I shouldn't be able to walk some days if I've taken 10 free-kicks in a row.' But I've just adapted my body to deal with it.

I'm all about sport.

I was a bit afraid of a tackle and wasn't really ready for the men's game so my dad suggested that I go to train with Havant & Waterlooville in the Blue Square South and get kicked and have that sort of feeling.

I've had difficult experiences and obviously there's been the birth of my son.