Robbie’s star rises in LA
For some strange reason, Robbie has never really received the plaudits he richly deserves — especially at home — for what he has done for Ireland. His goalscoring record for our country is nothing short of remarkable. He has always turned up for every single trip, regardless of his club schedule and his patriotism is clear for all to see. In stark contrast, there are some nations where their “star players” pick and choose their games.
A lot of people raised their eyebrows when Robbie chose a different avenue in heading to America for the next chapter in his career. After playing in the Premier League for numerous clubs for over a decade, as well as a stint in Italy with Inter Milan and, of course, a loan move to Celtic, he obviously felt he needed a change. Having played at that level for such a long time, I don’t think a move to a team struggling at the wrong end of the Premier League would have appealed to Robbie. I’m sure when he left Spurs he had numerous options but I can see why he chose this new adventure.
As it happens, I was close to moving to New York when I left Wolves at the age of 24 but that was under entirely different circumstances. I wasn’t having a great time with injuries, form and confidence and felt a total change of scenery could be the answer but, thankfully, family and close friends talked me into sticking at my trade in England.
After the Euros in the summer there was interest in me from a few different countries, but none really appealed enough for me to follow up. And while I would have liked to have sampled different football styles and cultures, I think it may now be too late in my career for that — but you never know.
Meanwhile, tomorrow the top two teams in the Premier League face each other in what, in recent seasons, has become an even more fiercely contested derby given the spending power Man City now possess. I have lived close to Manchester for a number of years now and while this game has always excited local rivalry, there is no doubt in my mind that Man United fans in particular now take this fixture a lot more seriously than they used to.
That said, neither side has so far hit the heights they did last season. Yes, United will be delighted they are top of the league but, having watched a lot of Alex Ferguson’s interviews in recent weeks, it’s clear he knows, given the way they have played and especially defended, they are a little fortunate to be sitting top of the table. The main reason they are where they are is the sheer firepower they possess. They have simply outscored teams so far this season, but I’m not sure how long they can continue to do that.
Sorting things out at the back is therefore imperative. They have been without their captain and probably their best defender in Nemanja Vidic for most of the season, as well as two of the finest young defensive talents around in Phil Jones and Chris Smalling. If these players can stay fit for the remainder of the season then there is only one winner of the league in my view.
The quartet of strikers they have in Rooney, Van Persie, Hernandez and Welbeck have shown how explosive they are no matter what combination has been chosen or in some cases come off the bench to rescue the team. Van Persie has been a massive signing for them. Man United rarely spend big money on players that won’t have a resale value so it goes to show how much they wanted him at Old Trafford. It’s not just about his goals either, as his movement and awareness are as good as anyone in world football. He has been worth every penny.
City’s problems seem more complex. Last season they had a settled central defensive partnership in Vincent Kompany and Joleon Lescott that got stronger as the campaign wore on, but this season the personnel and even the formation has changed frequently. The body language of some players tells you it’s not a happy camp. It has been a struggle so far this season and, although they were given a tough draw in the Champions League, their fragile spirit won’t have been improved by going out at the group stage for the second year in-a-row.
Of course, with both City and Chelsea failing to progress in the Champions League, the question has inevitably been asked if the Premier League is as strong as it once was. I, for one, wouldn’t overreact – I think it was simply a case that these two didn’t perform well enough over the six games they had in the group. Certainly, for excitement week in and week out, the Premier League is still the best for me.
Still, in stark contrast to the fortunes of some of England’s biggest guns, Celtic have had a fantastic season in Europe and, against all the odds, qualified from a very tough group this week. The performances against Barcelona have quite rightly received all the plaudits but the result and, more importantly, the resilient performance against Spartak Moscow on Wednesday night at a tense Celtic Park was just as impressive.
Celtic have restored more than a little bit of pride to the domestic game with the uplifting way they have gone about their business in the Champions League.
