Favourite sporting memory from my playing career
PICKING MY FAVOURITE memory from my playing career is an easy one for me. It was clinching the double in Wembley in 1986, after winning the league at Chelsea the week before.
The FA Cup final of ’86 against Everton was a really spectacular occasion with no animosity between the rival supporters. It was the first Merseyside Cup final, but also the two best teams in England. On the day, I had a lot of nervous energy; it was hard to absorb it all.
My dad was a passionate Liverpool fan, and he died after I signed for them. As I reflected about what I achieved, I was both sad and proud. My dad would have been thrilled.
The celebrations later that night are a precious memory for me. My family and friends came over from Ireland and they ended up partying with me and team in London. That was special.
Winning the double felt like all my hard work through the years was now starting to pay dividends. To win it at 22 years-old was a great achievement, considering what would happen later on in my career.
Worst sporting memory from my playing career
I remember the day well, 21 January, 1987. It was another Merseyside derby against Everton in the fifth round of the League Cup.
A tackle from Everton’s right-back, Gary Stevens, left me with a double fracture of my leg. It was a horrible injury with the doctor operating through the night.
After learning the Liverpool way in the reserves, I felt the injury hit me when I was at my best. At 23 years-old, I was in a strong Liverpool team, delivering consistent performances and improving all the time.
Although I would never play for Liverpool again, the injury didn’t retire me, I went on to play 20 odd games for Leeds and won the second division title but I was never the same player again.
At the beginning I was angry about my injury, but I don’t dwell on it, in the end the anger only affects you. You have to take the blows in life and pick yourself up.
Favourite sporting memory that I wasn’t involved in
My injury meant I never played in a major tournament for Ireland. I played in two of the qualifiers for Euro 88, but I would have loved to have been part of Italia ‘90, especially the penalty shoot-out against Romania.
I was in Genoa for that match, covering the game for RTÉ Radio. I would have killed to have been part of it, but I suppose commentating was the next best thing.
My nerves were building throughout the game. After 120 minutes without a goal, penalties stood between us and a place in the quarter-finals. When David O’Leary scored the winning penalty, I was so proud to be Irish, I remember the utter joy I felt, but it was tinged with sadness that I was not part of it.
Looking back, I think I would have been willing to take a penalty. I definitely wouldn’t have shied away from it, anyway. There seems to be something about left-backs taking penalties. I will never forget Alan Kennedy scoring the decisive penalty for Liverpool to win the 1984 European Cup final in a shoot-out against Roma.
I once did something Daniel Timofte of Romania failed to do and score in a penalty shoot-out against Packie Bonner, in an exhibition match between Liverpool and Celtic. I still like to remind him of that!
Giving my younger advice
The main piece of advice I would give my younger self is to always consider the bigger picture and not to act solely on impulse. Growing up, I was a little impatient and didn’t always think things through.I didn’t appreciate the importance of seeking good advice from people.
When Joe Fagan, the Liverpool manager started taking me with the first-team, I wasn’t happy as I didn’t get any game time. I just wanted to play football.
Previously, I played reserve matches on a Saturday afternoon and I thought the lack of minutes was going to have an impact on my overall sharpness and fitness levels.
I was frustrated, but looking back I should have taken it as a compliment, they must have seen a player in me. Joe Fagan later told me my path was being planned and he was just trying to guide me through the transition from reserves to first-team action. I suppose this lack of perception comes with youth, both on and off the pitch.
Should get the city accountants to have a look at it, they could fix anything
@JimmyMc: Stupid comment
@JimmyMc: Brilliant comment.
@JimmyMc: brilliant comment.
@JimmyMc:
stupid comment
Citeh should have been awarded a penno , and the ref should have looked at it again after the episode . So var imo is only fair to a point , not in all situations .
@Tricksy: how can that be called handball? If it happens once more I’m finished with soccer.
@Sheila Teehan: because the ball hit the hand and that’s the rule now tough on city but there you go. Don’t worry it’ll balance out
@Eamonn O Connell: it’s already 3 nil to var in city games
@Martin Brennan: I’m sure they’ll get a few before the seasons out Martin don’t be fretting about it
@Sheila Teehan: lol absolutely seething
@Sheila Teehan: It’s called Football :)
@Sheila Teehan: Answer is in the question. It hit his hand!! If you don’t like the rule interpretation then I agree but can’t blame VAR for that.
@Sheila Teehan: under new rules brought in by uefa and national f.a’s ”if the ball hits or touches a players hand or arm -whether with intent to play the ball or impede the progress of the ball in order to deny or create a goal scoring opportunity then a foul will be deemed to have been committed” . if the ball had hit the spurs player in the same way it would have been deemed a penalty to city . can’t blame v.a.r for this – its a rule change made by uefa and national f,a’s . not v.a.r.
“They crossed the halfway way line maybe 4 or 5 times in the 90mins so we defended well” still conceded two goals. Rolls eyes
Personally I have no issue with VAR
It’s not VAR that needs fixing, the handball rule is a joke. Wolves denied a goal last weekend for something similar.
@Colm Coughlan: the handball rule was amended in order to accommodate the unintended consequences of VAR arising from last year’s World Cup. VAR was rushed in and has so far required amendment of the handball rule, penalty kick rules and offside officiating rules. There will be more changes to the rules in order to accommodate VAR. Scrap it.
@JoeO: I don’t think scrapping it is the way to go. It is working. La Porte hand balled it according to the rules, and they reviewed that in the context of the rules.
@Mushy Peas: The rules need to be changed, the handball needs to be deliberate. Laporte went to head the ball,same as Boly did last weekend.
@Colm Coughlan:
the handball needs to be deliberate…
stop being dim….your idea is subjective which is what VAR is trying to stop
When did ball to hand stop being a thing? Ridiculous rule, City robbed of a winner
@Fergus O’Connor: The 1st of June, 2019. The new handball rule states that any handball, whether intentional or unintentional, that leads to goal will see the goal disallowed. So yeah, the 1st of June, 2019 is when it stopped being a thing.
@Evan Dunne: it’s a bit daft though the new rule isn’t it and nod you’ll have attacker’s trying to kick the ball at someone’s hand to get the decision. Ridiculous.
@Sean: an attacker kicking a ball at someones hand doesnt lead to a goal though does it
@Sean: I think the theory is to take away the argument if its accidental or not. It is a stupid rule, but we might see more goals, although it will favour the top teams as they attack more.
@Evan Dunne: absolute bollokcs, game is gone
@will stamp: Could lead to a penalty though
@Fandandi: Accidental ball to hand still won’t lead to penalty only if it leads to a goal will it be disallowed..they were going on about it being stupid rule on MOTD
@Mick paisley: no thats not quite the theory – it was amongst a number of small rule changes from this season – it is in relation to handball incidents that lead to goals scored – people here are (understandably ) confusing with handball incidents that should be a penalty – the rule basically says that any contact with hands in an attacking move that results in a goal will be disallowed – and var can be used to check that now –
@Evan Dunne: also ‘on the other hand’ “any contact between the hand or arm (deemed as being ”from the end of the shoulder to the tip of the index finger) and the ball by a defending player in the goal area will be deemed a penalty” so it cuts both ways – there was some debate before the champions league final that we ‘might see attacking players ‘deliberately’ aiming to hit a defenders arm to try to win a penalty under the new rules ..
@Eric Davies:
isnt it crazy that your “quote” is not mentioned in UEFAs document.
https://img.fifa.com/image/upload/khhloe2xoigyna8juxw3.pdf
its like u made it up…
VAR will eventually destroy the game . Part of the excitement/ passion is the uncertainty of what will happen next. Will the ref make a mistake, will he miss a foul it all adds to the drama. As it stands both teams might as well be playing subutteo.
@martin hayes: What you described was what made the game so passionate, going to die a slow death but maybe we will all go back to grass routes where we can laugh and cry in equal measure at the injustice at the final whistle
@martin hayes: except this is an article about the injustice of a decision.
dont think v.a.r itself will destroy the game – but the idiots at fifa /uefa and national f.a’s certainly will … rule changes and new interpretations of the rules being made by people who have never played the game to any decent level (if at all) mostly ‘political’ and ‘financially motivated’ appointments ,most these people have no experience of the game and are only actually involved for financial reasons – ie their company sponsors a cup or tournament .. these farcical decisions and the growing ‘power’ given to tv companies is what will destroy the game -not var technology
Give Aguero a hug there Pep lad
City were superb and if that’s not a peno on Rodri in first half I don’t know what I’m watching? Not a person who seen it wouldn’t give it but ref and var said no!!! And Kane was a passenger again, he scores goals but his overall play is shocking, said before he has no pace so push up tight on him and spurs can’t get out exactly what city did as he’s no threat in behind, spurs were blessed to get a draw out of that.
@Dougal67: Parrott in!
They’ll still win the league this year. And probably by a large margin
Why does it “need fixing”? If the decision is right, the decision is right, no matter the circumstances.
If VAR had been present last season, City would have finished second. Was it “fixed” then?
@James Doyle:
ok i’ll bite. why would they have finished second? and i hope you have checked all games instead of pointing out one liverpool gain
Wait till a game of relagation or top 4 importance what then millions of pounds up for grabs
Trickled in ?,he buried it in fairness,great finish
Sour grapes
@Chris OB: sour -,my arse is sour right now after a bottle of Red and a Tbone but var and those behind it are clearly Liverpool supporters – not city supporter but they have now being Robbed 4 times by Var in Last 2 games v Spurs
@Martin Brennan: I wouldn’t say they’ve been robbed as VAR is only following the rule – it’s a stupid rule – but City have certainly been hard done by. I love watching City play and hope they benefit from VAR as the season goes on. Spurs are bound to be on the other side of VAR as well before the season ends.
@Martin Brennan: var or no var football and referee decisions are always swings and roundabouts. Everyone has an agenda ….Peps moans are sour grapes end of!
@Chris OB: I think you’re being very hard on Pep there. He actually took it well and he was rightly cheesed off that they got no penalty in the first half.
What’s ridiculous is that had the ball touched the defenders arm rather than Laporte it wouldn’t have been a penalty.
@ger o’ dwyer: exactly they can spin it all they want in City V Spurs games it’s now
4- 0 to Var V city in two games. It’s crazy
@ger o’ dwyer: why is that ridiculous ? they are trying to stop any advantage for attacking using hands ???? so they have the ability with VAR to disallow goals hands are involved in the attack – it’s football – the ball to hand excuse cannot be used to gain any advantage in terms of scoring goals – but it would be harsh to be giving penalties ball to hand with no discretion – plus open to abuse – so it isn’t quite as ridiculous at all actually. Its a pretty clear rule actually – no use of hands- in any way- that results in a goal can be allowed. It is football after all ….
Jokeshop nonsense eating away at the beautiful game.
“But it was a handball under the new rules”. The only reason there was a new rule is because of VAR!
Scrap it altogether, its sucked the fun out of football. The PC approach is killing the game, players need those dodgy decision to instigate famous performances. VAR has killed thr appeal of football.
@Peter D Keating:
fake account
I wonder if Pep would still think it needs fixing if the disallowed goal had been for Tottenham!
@Stephen Collins:
probably he would…he has supported it even when the desicions went against his team.you do remember CL last season? i wonder if you thought your comment would be “funny”
My only issue as a Liverpool fan is the 770 city left me down for var can be so cruel lol
Is this bog-bollerey or whacking little white balls around a field supposed to be somehow important? P.S. Got on here by total accident. Couldn’t care less how many sweaty guys are kicking a children’s toy around a muddy field.
@Pat Farrelly: good kick up the h**e is what you need, (by total accident)