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ADRIAN MARIAPPA is quite literally the model professional.
On the pitch he is the ever-reliable defender. Off it, he has become one of the faces of ‘Fresh Ego Kid’, the rising fashion label started by his good friend and former footballer Marvin Morgan.
The growth of Morgan’s brand, a favourite of a string of Premier League stars and celebrities, means you don’t have to go too far to find pictures of Mariappa in modelling mode.
The 32-year-old Watford star said: “I was asked during the summer, said ‘Why not?’ – and it has snowballed.
“I thought it would just be one or two days and it has ended up being a lot more.
“They asked me to come back and do some more which means it must have been all right, otherwise I’m sure they could have got someone else.
Stick
“If Marvin binned me off I don’t think I’d be sticking my CV out anywhere!
“Football is my main priority and this opportunity just came, I took it and am just seeing where I can go with it.
“I’ve had so much stick it’s a joke, especially at first as I didn’t tell anyone I was doing it, but it’s died down now.
“I end up getting sent the pictures and messages from here and mates at other clubs like ‘ah, what a model!’ – but obviously said sarcastically.
“It is way out of my comfort zone but I’ve enjoyed it. I just gave it the same approach that I do with playing football, try and do it to the best of my ability.”
That approach has served Mariappa well and is a big reason why he has been able to battle back from missing out on a scholarship aged 16 to making almost 300 first team appearances in two Watford spells.
“I wanted to give everything I could to try and make it,” he said. “Not getting a scholarship made me knuckle down and focus. It was heartbreaking at the time as you work your whole life for that decision but I look back now and it’s the best thing that ever happened to my career.”
Mariappa answered concerns about his height – “5ft 10 at a push” – by working relentlessly on his heading, positioning and timing of challenges while also leaning on traits picked up from his school days playing basketball.
He studied similar-sized defenders like Fabio Cannavaro, Carles Puyol and Ivan Cordoba plus powerful airborne strikers such as Les Ferdinand and Heidar Helguson.
That helped him handle Jon ‘The Beast’ Parkin on his full league debut and later tangles with the likes of Peter Crouch and Kenwyne Jones.
Mariappa responded to concerns about his supposed lack of pace by joining a local sprint club in Harrow off his own back.
That meant missing out on youth team holidays to destinations like Faliraki and Magaluf to attend the three-times-a-week sessions for three summers in his teens.
And seeing the slightly older Manchester United star Ashley Young battle back from his initial Watford knock back because of his size provided further inspiration.
Mariappa said: “Things that were seen as negatives spurred me on and now my heading ability and pace have ended up being strong points.”
His work ethic and defiant attitude has helped Mariappa become a player Watford know they can trust.
Even if he does not start every week, when he is selected, he can be relied on.
Ahead of today’s visit of Cardiff, he added: “I have been part of this club since I was nine. I have spent four seasons away [at Reading and Crystal Palace], that’s it.
“I’ve gone to games and watched us at Wembley get promoted, seen us under Graham Taylor, been through a lot of experiences at this club so to still be here putting the shirt on means a lot and I will always give 100 per cent for this club.”