The Inside Scoop with … Jai Quitongo
In our weekly website feature, a Morton player gives both an insight into his career and the inside scoop on his Ton team-mates by answering a series of questions posed by media officer Jonathan Mitchell.
Full Name: Jai Quitongo.
Nickname: The Mamba.
Time at Morton: This is my third season.
Any targets set for this season: At the start of the season, it was to get 10 goals. Now it is to return from my operation fitter and stronger than I was.
Greatest achievement in football: Playing for my country at Under-21 level was a great achievement for me and my family.
Best ground you’ve played at: Hampden or Parkhead.
Favourite Band/Musician: I’m multicultural; I love all music. But I’m a really big fan of Drake.
Favourite Food: Other than all the healthy foods I consume on a daily basis, there’s only one winner: a Chinese.
Choose any three people to go on a night out with and tell us why: Gaz Oliver, because he brings his dad’s bank card with him. Tam O’Ware, because he’s a great mover on the dance floor. And probably Gary Harkins, as he is so persistent in his other profession known as ‘grafting’. Never seen the likes of it!
Choose a team-mate to swap lives with for a week: I would love to swap lives with Ross Forbes for a week and just study his day-to-day life. He is a different species of human. You could make a documentary on him.
Fastest team-mate: Other than myself, I would probably say Scott Quiffoney.
Slowest team-mate: I’ve seen milk turn quicker than Tam O’Ware.
Most skilful team-mate: Gary ‘The Grafter’ Harkins has been blessed with tremendous feet.
Best dressed team-mate: No one other than Ricki Lamie. He’s like something out of a Hugo Boss catalogue.
Worst dressed team-mate: Has to be Derek Gaston or Gary Oliver. Derek because the bottom of his jeans are that baggy he looks like he’s floating, and Gary because the boys are a bit sceptical about the authenticity of his clothes.
Team hardman: Young Lewis Strapp, by far. He would two foot his granny.
Best trainer: Michael Tidser and Conor Pepper. Their application and hard work towards being model professionals is second to none.
Worst trainer: Doyley [Michael Doyle]! You would think he was born with two left feet.
Best dancer: A really hard one! I think as a squad we have all been blessed with a bit of rhythm thankfully. I’ve actually heard off a few people now that the gaffer used to get called ‘Snake Hips’ back in his heyday, so that would be interesting to see.
Biggest joker: Probably the Chuckle Brothers, aka Marky [Russell] and Murdo [Andy Murdoch], or Craig McPherson. Marky and Murdo are always up to mischief, and Craig because he thinks he’s still a player.
Most intelligent: Surprisingly, big Thommo [Robert Thomson].
Least intelligent: Again, I would be a strong challenger. Or wee Tiff – I overheard him asking Jack Iredale if the currency in Australia was ‘Dingo Dollars’. True story.
Biggest moaner: Lee Kilday, by a country mile. The only way I can describe him is as a big baby
Tightest team-mate: Ricki Lamie. It’s a struggle for the boys to get his fines off him on a weekly basis. He has been given a nickname to do with being tight – one that I couldn’t repeat on the club website – as a result of this.
If you could pick a wish for a team-mate, what would it be and for whom: For everyone to stay fit and healthy. Also, I wish Jamie McGowan could grow a full head of hair.
Image: David Bell
