That awkward moment when… You step on English soil and you seem to struggle… By Gregg Halsey
So it seems I caused a bit of stir up with a recent piece about the greatest footballer in the world (oops) but it’s water off a ducks back to me. I don’t take offence when people have a difference of opinion, as a wise man said “if we all agreed the world would be boring”. Well ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages… here’s the follow up!
I’ve always been fascinated by different leagues in football and how each country has a unique style to their play, and to be honest the world events take too long to come around to view it all out in the open so I like to watch what I can; mainly Spanish these days on the TV, although I prefer Italian I can’t grumble, it’s still enjoyable.
I grew up playing football, started as a centre forward (NOT a striker) but then a few years on, my new team decided to use my height and love for headers and put me in the back line. I like this new position as one of my all time favourite players is Paolo Maldini and this is down to my granddad (bless his soul) who was a Chelsea fan but his true love was Italian football and it was something I would watch when I went there and then I started watching it every weekend at home; fell in love with AC Milan & Roma with a soft spot for Juventus.
I used to always love watching the players in the middle and attack always doing the odd trick, and seeming to have all the time in the world: the defensive side of the team would always keep the ball, pass it around and then look for that KEY pass to unlock and set their striker on his way and AC Milan had two pretty hot strikers that stood out over the years George Weah and of course Andrei Shevchenko.
George Weah had a pretty good goal scoring record prior to a loan move to Chelsea in 2000 where he only got 11 games but bagged himself 3 goals which isn’t too bad considering the little amount of games, Shevchenko on the other hand also came to England to join Chelsea and although scored on his debut and then scored again 10 days later (both 2-1 losses) he only notched up 9 goals in 48 appearances in the league (22 in 77 total): for a £30.8million signing with a prolific goal scoring record you’d expect more right?
Let’s stick with Chelsea for just a few more names, I won’t detail them all as we could be here all day –
* Mateja Kezman – the next big thing out of Holland (PSV – 129 goals!) played 41 for Chelsea scoring 7.
* Winstone Borgarde – Ex Barcelona full back signed for free played 11 games in his whole Chelsea career, signed by the director of football, liked by neither manager he played under and got a cool 40k a week
* Gabriele Ambrosetti – The ‘Italian Ryan Giggs’ remember this clown? Well although the same age as Giggs, he retired 4 years ago rotting in the 4th tier of Italian football, not securing a contract with one of the biggest teams on the planet taking him in to his 40’s!
Now on to another Chelsea guy, but let’s go to where he started in England; Manchester United. I of course speak of Juan Sebastian Veron.
The Argentina international was a big player in Italy for Parma, Lazio and Sampdoria, his skills in the middle of the park were phenomenal although not a goal scorer by trade he hit the back of the net a few times in his career. Then of course he hits the English soil, his space gets taken away and £28.1million of Fergie’s transfer kitty went down the toilet. He scored a couple of goals and was pretty good (in Europe) but as for the Premier League he just couldn’t adjust to the pace and style of our great game.
So who else did United bring in who couldn’t quite cut it?
How about Diego Forlan, heard of him?
You may well have heard of him since leaving England as over in Spain he became some what of a big thing scoring 59goals in 106 appearances for Villarreal and 96 goals in 134 appearances for Athletico Madrid but for United he managed just 10 goals in 63 – Good job United had Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ruud Van Nistlerooy.
Who else is on the Ferguson flop list?
* Massimo Taibi – the goalkeeper who had fingers of butter, wore the tracksuit bottoms and let in the goal that rolled across the line at snail’s pace from Matt Le Tissier’s boot!
* Eric Djemba-Djemba – no he was not so good he was named twice… not only poor on the pitch but off as well as was bankrupt at 26!
* Jordi Cruyff – His dad was Johann, his dad was a legend… This was his son, sadly he was not his dad.
Thomas Brolin I believe was the first big flop from the foreign lands, joining Leeds united in 1995 after winning UEFA Cup, Coppa Italia, Super Cups with Parma, came to England played 20 games scoring 4 goals in two seasons…
These are just a few names you could go through and spend a whole week looking at names that couldn’t cut it over here.
I feel any ‘world’ class player needs to prove themselves in various countries especially this one before they should be hailed as the greatest in the world but sadly this will never happen, but then it’s the same in reverse, how many of our lads could go across to Spain or Italy or even Germany?
Beckham did alright, Owen was pretty good Gazza, Ince, Platt all put in a good stint in Italy (frightened a few players when they closed them down) but I’m sure if I dig deep you’ll catch a few flops!
Well that’s it for another article, hope it’s been enjoyable.
It has been nice to hear feedback on my pieces negative or positive, just always remember boys and girls no one is right or wrong it’s simply an opinion.
On that note… Come on Messi come over here and light up the premiership, I DARE YOU!
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