EPL season preview by John Dykes
Heard the one about the Premier League footballer who chose to spend his summer holiday in a muddy field on an island off England’s south coast? No, well it’s a story that might provide some comfort for fans of West Ham United.
The Hammers get their 2009/2010 Barclays Premier League campaign underway this weekend with a tricky assignment at Molineux against pumped-up newcomers Wolves. Given their ongoing financial woes, and following an underwhelming pre-season, some pundits feel the Wolves game will be the start of a long, difficult battle to avoid relegation.
Striker Carlton Cole is desperate for a new signing to partner in the absence of the departed David Di Michele and the on-loan Freddie Sears. Key players such as defender Matthew Upson could yet leave before the transfer window shuts. Much-vaunted Chilean midfielder Luis Jimenez, a loan signing from Italian champions Inter Milan, seems to be struggling to settle.
But if all of the above needs putting into perspective, and if a bit of common sense and pragmatism will get Gianfranco Zola’s men through a challenging season unscathed, they need look no further than goalkeeper Robert Green.
Nothing fazes the 29-year-old Englishman. Last season, he turned in a stunning series of performances despite suffering the lingering after effects of altitude sickness. A ‘keeper who once self-deprecatingly had the legend “England’s number six” embroidered on his gloves in response to repeated snubs by his national team now finds himself Fabio Capello’s first choice.
Green’s impressive efforts last season helped West Ham to a ninth-place finish in the BPL, one higher than the previous term. Yet, despite that success and his recognition at international level, Green decided against a typical modern-day Premier League star’s self-congratulatory summer break. Not for him champagne in St Tropez or clubbing in Las Vegas. Rather, Rob Green opted for a campsite on the Isle of Wight, just off Portsmouth.
He and a friend rented a cheap fixed caravan, wore the same clothes for a couple of days and braved muddy conditions and appalling portable toilets at the annual Isle of Wight Rock Festival, which this year featured performances by the likes of the Stereophonics, Neil Young, the Prodigy, Razorlight, Simple Minds and the Ting Tings.
“I’d have to say the Prodigy were probably the highlight as I’d always wanted to see them. It was great, just what I wanted to do with my end-of-season break,” said Green during West Ham’s trip to China for last month’s Asia Trophy.
“It’s just that it’s the sort of thing that I simply wouldn’t normally get a chance to do as a footballer,” he added, glancing around his Beijing hotel’s vast, marbled foyer.
That’s some understatement: one could hardly imagine any of his contemporaries for club or country making a similar choice, let alone going largely unrecognized over the course of a weekend spent in the public eye.
It was also in keeping with Green’s recent tradition of spending his summer holidays in ways that distance him from 5-star hotels, first-class travel and all the trappings of the millionaire footballer persona.
Last summer he climbed Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, to raise funds for AMREF, a medical and research facility. Before the climb he spent time in Kenya, seeing the organisation’s work for himself.
“I’m glad I did it and raised the money but it’s something I will never do again,” he admitted. “Some people suffer from altitude sickness, some don’t. I was a real mess by the time I got to the summit. I was delirious, and by the time I made my way back down I was the best part of two stone lighter. I felt the effects all season.”
As you might have gathered by now, Robert Green is not your average footballer. He writes an intelligent, original column for a British newspaper, dabbles in poetry and studied law and psychology before deciding to begin a professional footballer’s career with Norwich City.
He once told an interviewer, “A footballer’s job stimulates you a lot physically, but not mentally. It’s very much tunnel vision. There’s no real spectrum of life – not real life anyway – and it’s good to have something else to focus on.”
But don’t for one minute think he is anything but focused when it comes to his work. Green’s all-round skills as a ‘keeper have blossomed in recent seasons. While he had the capacity to pull off some remarkable shot-stopping during Alan Curbishley’s spell as West Ham manager, last season saw Green taking his game to new heights.
He attributes his improvement in large part to Gianfranco Zola and the work he has done since he arrived at Upton Park.
“‘He has introduced a new brand of football,” said Green. “Changed the way we play. I think everyone has benefited, including me when it comes to distribution. Now that we are being encouraged to play football, and the guys have the confidence to play the ball, I have been able to release the ball from the hand a lot more.”
Confidence is so often the difference between success and failure at sport’s highest level. West Ham fans can take huge comfort from the fact that their team’s goal will be guarded this season by a player confident in his own playing abilities and confident in his ability to make the right decisions, both on the field, and in the wider context of life itself.
Catch John Dykes on ESPN’s Football Focus every Tuesday night at 8.00pm
The Hammers get their 2009/2010 Barclays Premier League campaign underway this weekend with a tricky assignment at Molineux against pumped-up newcomers Wolves. Given their ongoing financial woes, and following an underwhelming pre-season, some pundits feel the Wolves game will be the start of a long, difficult battle to avoid relegation.
Striker Carlton Cole is desperate for a new signing to partner in the absence of the departed David Di Michele and the on-loan Freddie Sears. Key players such as defender Matthew Upson could yet leave before the transfer window shuts. Much-vaunted Chilean midfielder Luis Jimenez, a loan signing from Italian champions Inter Milan, seems to be struggling to settle.
But if all of the above needs putting into perspective, and if a bit of common sense and pragmatism will get Gianfranco Zola’s men through a challenging season unscathed, they need look no further than goalkeeper Robert Green.
Nothing fazes the 29-year-old Englishman. Last season, he turned in a stunning series of performances despite suffering the lingering after effects of altitude sickness. A ‘keeper who once self-deprecatingly had the legend “England’s number six” embroidered on his gloves in response to repeated snubs by his national team now finds himself Fabio Capello’s first choice.
Green’s impressive efforts last season helped West Ham to a ninth-place finish in the BPL, one higher than the previous term. Yet, despite that success and his recognition at international level, Green decided against a typical modern-day Premier League star’s self-congratulatory summer break. Not for him champagne in St Tropez or clubbing in Las Vegas. Rather, Rob Green opted for a campsite on the Isle of Wight, just off Portsmouth.
He and a friend rented a cheap fixed caravan, wore the same clothes for a couple of days and braved muddy conditions and appalling portable toilets at the annual Isle of Wight Rock Festival, which this year featured performances by the likes of the Stereophonics, Neil Young, the Prodigy, Razorlight, Simple Minds and the Ting Tings.
“I’d have to say the Prodigy were probably the highlight as I’d always wanted to see them. It was great, just what I wanted to do with my end-of-season break,” said Green during West Ham’s trip to China for last month’s Asia Trophy.
“It’s just that it’s the sort of thing that I simply wouldn’t normally get a chance to do as a footballer,” he added, glancing around his Beijing hotel’s vast, marbled foyer.
That’s some understatement: one could hardly imagine any of his contemporaries for club or country making a similar choice, let alone going largely unrecognized over the course of a weekend spent in the public eye.
It was also in keeping with Green’s recent tradition of spending his summer holidays in ways that distance him from 5-star hotels, first-class travel and all the trappings of the millionaire footballer persona.
Last summer he climbed Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, to raise funds for AMREF, a medical and research facility. Before the climb he spent time in Kenya, seeing the organisation’s work for himself.
“I’m glad I did it and raised the money but it’s something I will never do again,” he admitted. “Some people suffer from altitude sickness, some don’t. I was a real mess by the time I got to the summit. I was delirious, and by the time I made my way back down I was the best part of two stone lighter. I felt the effects all season.”
As you might have gathered by now, Robert Green is not your average footballer. He writes an intelligent, original column for a British newspaper, dabbles in poetry and studied law and psychology before deciding to begin a professional footballer’s career with Norwich City.
He once told an interviewer, “A footballer’s job stimulates you a lot physically, but not mentally. It’s very much tunnel vision. There’s no real spectrum of life – not real life anyway – and it’s good to have something else to focus on.”
But don’t for one minute think he is anything but focused when it comes to his work. Green’s all-round skills as a ‘keeper have blossomed in recent seasons. While he had the capacity to pull off some remarkable shot-stopping during Alan Curbishley’s spell as West Ham manager, last season saw Green taking his game to new heights.
He attributes his improvement in large part to Gianfranco Zola and the work he has done since he arrived at Upton Park.
“‘He has introduced a new brand of football,” said Green. “Changed the way we play. I think everyone has benefited, including me when it comes to distribution. Now that we are being encouraged to play football, and the guys have the confidence to play the ball, I have been able to release the ball from the hand a lot more.”
Confidence is so often the difference between success and failure at sport’s highest level. West Ham fans can take huge comfort from the fact that their team’s goal will be guarded this season by a player confident in his own playing abilities and confident in his ability to make the right decisions, both on the field, and in the wider context of life itself.
Catch John Dykes on ESPN’s Football Focus every Tuesday night at 8.00pm
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