|
|
James Beattie
Southampton and England striker
The mood in the Southampton dressing room after Saturday's defeat to Everton was pretty sombre.To lose a game 2-1 after leading with just six minutes left is unacceptable - and boss Gordon Strachan was less than pleased.
Sometimes after a defeat a manager adopts the arm-around-his-players approach.
Saturday's game against West Brom is an excellent opportunity to get back to winning ways
On Saturday it was very much a case of a firm kick up the backside - and rightly so.
He was unhappy that when we had a corner late in the game we did not put the ball in the box.
He told us that when we have a chance to win the game we play positively, a philosophy I agree with.
It was a long journey home on the coach to Southampton, with everyone making their own assessments of what went wrong and what could have been done better.
The players had Sunday to think about it and perhaps watch a copy of the game, but we are all professionals and that means learning to deal with defeat.
Players have responsibilities to perform, for the management team, the supporters and everyone involved with the club.
There is nothing wrong with feeling devastated after a defeat, especially when the team is hit by two late goals.
But professionals need to bounce back and Saturday's game against West Brom is an excellent opportunity to get back to winning ways.
We haven't talked about the prospect of winning a European place, but this is the sort of game we need to win if we are to do so.
As for the Golden Boot, that honestly isn't something I've thought about.
I'm thinking solely about scoring more goals on Saturday and helping the team win.
I was pleased to get on the scoresheet again at Everton after four games without a goal.
The ball seemed to take an age to come down.
At first I was going to round the goalkeeper but decided to take it early, something that may surprise the opposition.
Sometimes when a cross comes over instinct takes over, but when I have a long wait I sometimes think about my options.
As long as the ball ends up in the net I tend not to worry about it.
Sunday of course is the Worthington Cup Final and I'll be watching.
Some players might like to get away from the game on their day off but I like watching Manchester United.
I think they're a great side and I'm strongly tipping them to win at the Millennium Stadium.
Liverpool's season hasn't really gone to plan but, as with us after our defeat at Everton, it's simply a case of sticking at it and keeping going. Return to index
Keep it behind closed doors
Southampton and England striker
There's no doubt about the biggest talking point in football at the moment, the dressing-room incident at Old Trafford.Even though players gossip among themselves, I don't suppose we will ever know what really happened, and I have to say that's how it should be.
I happen to agree with what Sir Alex Ferguson says in this case, that what goes on behind a dressing-room door should stay there.
A football dressing room is no different to any other workplace, and people have rows with their colleagues in the office or on the factory floor.
When it happens, there's no reason why it should become public knowledge.
Even though I can appreciate why football fans are so keen to know what's going on at their club, what's said in-house, should stay in-house.
Football is all about passions and there would be something wrong at a club if players and managers didn't care enough to let their feelings show some times.
At clubs with good spirit, what's said or done in the heat of the moment is quickly forgotten.
It's been a return to the so-called bread-and-butter stuff this week, after my international debut.
But it's not a case of after the Lord Mayor's Show. I'm more than happy to get my head down for my club.
After all, it's how I earn my living, and the Premiership isn't a bad place to play!
I'm looking to get back on the goal trail, not having scored in four games since I hit the winner at Sunderland.
Not that I'm beginning to panic. Don't worry, the goals haven't dried up, and I've still got plenty of confidence in my ability.
I know if I continue to get on the end of things, I will score goals. I might have had one in our FA Cup win over Norwich last Saturday, but for a couple of good saves from Robert Green.
But as I say, I'm not losing sleep at the moment, and if there's any criticism flying around in the media, I tend to shrug it off.
This Saturday we come up against Everton and such is the nature of things that people will inevitably be making comparisons between myself and Wayne Rooney.
We both made our England debuts against Australia and I suppose part of the price you pay for being in form is having the spotlight turned firmly on you.
It's not for me to say what Wayne is or isn't going to become - the press will make enough of that.
It's back to domestic action for Wayne Rooney as well
But he's patently a good player and his talent at such a tender age is undeniable.
The goals he has scored have been pretty spectacular, but I'm sure he would rather be known for being a great goalscorer rather than a scorer of great goals.
As a striker, there's no better feeling than almost busting the net, but look at all the great strikers and they trade mostly in tap-ins, and perhaps Wayne needs to start scoring a few of them.
I won't be looking out to see what he's doing on Saturday, I will be too busy concentrating on my own game. Return to index
The cap fits
Southampton striker
It was a proud moment for me on Wednesday night when I made my full international debut for England against Australia.
Although, naturally, the result took some gloss off the occasion, it still could not detract too much from what has been the highlight of my career to date.
I'm no complete stranger to international duty, having won England Under-21 caps.
But being with the senior squad is just something completely different and special.
We joined up on Monday morning and trained in the afternoon.
The Manchester United players and others who played Sunday were excused the Monday training session but we were all together on Tuesday.
That was the day when it really hit me that I was involved with the England squad.
The training wasn't vastly different from what we do at club level and it was conducted by Sammy Lee and Brian Kidd.
There was time for a laugh during the serious business of training
Sven-Goran Eriksson kept a watchful eye on everything and you could tell that he was sizing things up all the time.
We did some exercises in drills and general team shape and I lined up in the team that looked as though it was going to start the match.
I didn't actually know what team I was going to be in until Wednesday when Mr Eriksson pulled me to one side and told me I would be in the starting line-up.
Although he made it clear to everyone from the outset we would only be playing for 45 minutes, it still meant a lot to me to be in the starting line-up.
No matter how many times you watch England games on television, nothing can prepare you for that moment when you pull on that shirt and walk out as an England player.
I'm lucky in that I don't really suffer from nerves, but when I lined up with the others and the national anthem began, it did send a shiver down my spine.
It was a very proud moment for me, and I know it was for my mum and dad and all my relatives.
As for the game itself. Well, for all the criticism levelled at England's first-half performance, you have to give credit to the Australians.
They played really well and I thought Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka were outstanding.
They worked very hard all over the pitch, closing us down and making sure that the supply to us front men was kept to a minimum.
My currency this season has been scoring goals and if I carry on scoring, I would hope it earns me another chance
As I say, I knew from the start that I was only going to play 45 minutes, and it's difficult to make an impression in that time.I was given a job to do by Mr Eriksson and I was determined to do that. What I couldn't do was run around like a lunatic trying to impress and catch his eye.
The way to do that was to carry out the job I was given.
I felt I did well, and Mr Eriksson congratulated me afterwards.
Have I done enough to get in next time? I don't know. Only Mr Eriksson can answer that.
What I have got to do is get my head down, and do what I did to get me into the reckoning in the first place.
My currency this season has been scoring goals and if I carry on scoring, I would hope it earns me another chance. Return to index
Big day approaching
Southampton striker
Saturday is going to be a big day for me. But not for the reasons you will be thinking. Contrary to what most people might think, I won't be sitting waiting for the phone to ring.
It's out of my hands as to whether I'm picked so it's not something I will worry about
Most people in the media already seem to have made up their mind that I will be picked in the England squad to face Australia. But I have said all along that I'm taking nothing for granted, and I'm sticking by that.
Of course I would love to play for my country and if it happens, great. But it's out of my hands as to whether I'm picked so it's not something I will worry about.
Saturday is a big day for me because I'm going back to Blackburn. I supported Blackburn as a lad and I started my professional career there, so there's always going to be a bit of a sentimental attachment to Ewood Park and I'll look forward to going back there.
I'll catch up with one or two of the lads who were there at the same time as me, David Dunn and Damien Duff.
Blackburn might have held my affections when I was a kid, but there it ends.A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then and I'm a Southampton player now.
I certainly wouldn't have any problems about scoring the winner against my old team. We're going to Blackburn on a high note after our FA Cup win over Millwall.
I know we had to endure extra-time but when you're going well you never feel as tired as you do when things aren't going so well.
Blackburn also went through extra-time - followed by the emotionally draining experience of a penalty shoot-out - so they will be in a physically similar state to us.
Make no mistake, it is a big game for us and any ambitions we might have. Liverpool are three points ahead of us so we can't afford to lose any ground on them. Just as importantly, Charlton and Spurs have the same points as us and we can't afford to slip up.
We are one of only seven Premiership teams left in the FA Cup and with a home draw against Norwich in the fifth round, people are inevitably talking up our chances of going all the way.
It's not something you'll hear from us as the gaffer is pretty good at keeping our feet on the ground.
Millwall gave us two tough battles over two games and although we emerged as good winners in the replay, the one thing you can't do is take anyone lightly and we know Norwich will be a tough nut.
You learn very quickly in football that you can't afford to take your eye off the ball for a split-second and the thing we've done really well this season is retain our focus. Return to index
Smells like team spirit
Southampton striker
Every win is a good one, but our victory at Sunderland was vital for several reasons.
After losing our unbeaten home record to Liverpool and the FA Cup draw with Millwall we needed to bounce back, for ourselves as much as anyone else.
People were saying that our bubble had burst and that we would start to drop down the table.
We only ever considered the defeat against Liverpool a blip, and our Get Out of Jail Free card against Millwall was a typical Cup tie.
But it was important to prove to ourselves as much as to our supporters and the media that that was the case.
A collection of brilliant individuals does not necessarily constitute a good team
What the win at Sunderland proved is what a great spirit we have, and I think it is perhaps the most important component in a successful team.
There are no bad players in the Premiership, and by and large, there isn't a vast difference in the technical levels. Of course, there are some outstandingly skilful players but what separates good players from the rest is the confidence to express their skills.
That extra little flash of skill is vital to unlock the tough defences at the top level but without spirit, skill on its own is not enough.
You could pack a side with 10 Diego Maradonas or Peles but they would not beat a good, well-organised team who are all pulling together.
A collection of brilliant individuals does not necessarily constitute a good team and it's the ability to play for each other that makes a team a good one.
That's where spirit comes in.
Team spirit is a tremendous asset and its importance should not be underestimated - in any sport
We don't have the biggest squad at Southampton but we are a really tight-knit group who all stick together, and that's because we're all mates. We socialise together, we go out for evenings to the cinema or out for a meal, and that transfers itself on the the pitch.
We all pull together and cover for each other and that compensates a lot for the shortage of numbers we have compared to some Premiership clubs.
It means that guys like Francis Benali can come into the side not having played a first-team match this season and not feel out of place.
Other guys have to fill in, in positions they might not usually play, but they do it willingly for the team cause.
Team spirit is a tremendous asset and its importance should not be underestimated - in any sport.
If you could bottle or package team spirit, you would make yourself a fortune.
In a strange way, perhaps it's one of the advantages of not having a big squad.
Our gaffer Gordon Strachan has only been able to pick from about 16 or so players all season, and the sort of squad rotation that the bigger clubs can practice has never been an option for him.
One or two injuries are starting to nibble away at our already small squad.
But while we might be thin on numbers, we're big on team spirit and that can compensate an awful lot.
Stretching our legs
Southampton striker
and BBC Sport Online columnist
Our run had to come to an end some time and we're all disappointed to have lost our unbeaten home record to Liverpool last Saturday. But they say the sign of a good team is how they bounce back.We've got the ideal opportunity to do that against Millwall on Saturday.
Millwall are on a good run themselves and we certainly won't be taking them lightly.
But a home tie in the fourth round of the FA Cup is the perfect platform for us to prove to ourselves as much as anybody that last Saturday was just a blip.
A lot of people have asked me about our format for away trips.
Talking to older and past professionals, it appears to have changed a lot over the past 10 years, but I haven't known any different since I became a pro.
The biggest difference appears to be that now we travel to all away games the day before and stay overnight.
Even the short trips to London, we'll go the day before, whereas in days gone by, teams would travel up on the day.
The thought process is that we won't be affected by any stiffness from the journey, as apparently any type of travelling - no matter how short - is not good for muscles.
For that reason, clubs are keen to keep travelling time down to a minimum, and for most games in the north now, we tend to fly.
It might seem a bit of an extravagant luxury flying up to Manchester, or Leeds but it's a small cost considering the value of Premiership players these days.
Staying overnight gives us the scope for a good night's rest, and a light training session on the morning of the games to run any kinks out of our legs.
For an evening game like our trip to Sunderland next Tuesday, we'll fly up on Monday.
We'll train Tuesday morning, return to the hotel for an afternoon rest, and then meet up about three hours before kick-off for our pre-match meal.
Away trips do have their down side. One is having to share a room with Wayne Bridge, but it could be worse, it could be Chris Marsden!
There's no doubt about the worst part of away trips - the journey back.
For trips to places like Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Sunderland we will charter a plane and fly back, but often we'll coach it back.
The coaches are pretty luxurious, but it's still a grind to sit on a bus for four or five hours, and the journey is even longer if we have lost.
When we're on the coach, we'll have a meal. The coach is fully equipped and our kit man Malcolm Taylor is the Gary Rhodes of the microwave.
Again, this isn't an extravagance but a necessity as dieticians and nutritionist stress how important it is to replace the lost carbohydrates after a match.
It's pasta on the menu, but I fondly remember the days when we would stop for fish and chips.
Return to index
Southampton striker
and BBC Sport Online columnist
I think I had better clear up the mystery over the T-shirts. I've been inundated with questions about them over the past couple of weeks, so here's the bottom line.When I scored against Spurs the message on the T-shirt: "Macca and Feathers - at home!" was a dig at a couple of mates of mine, Andrew McAvoy and James Featherstone.
We were all apprentices at Blackburn and they were supposed to be coming to watch the game at St Mary's but flunked out at the last moment and decided to watch it on the television at home, in front of the fire.
I didn't think I could let them get away with that, and thought that scoring might give me the chance to have a dig at them.
The 'Obvious' message on the T-shirt when I scored against Middlesbrough was another little in-joke with Macca and Feathers, who were in the crowd last Saturday.
"Obvious" is a little catch-phrase we're always using to take the mickey out of each other, and it seemed a good chance to have another pop at them.
I don't tend to put too much planning into these things, they're spontaneous and not rocket science!
I did the 'Obvious' message while I was getting changed before the game, although I didn't nick the magic marker the gaffer uses on the tactics board.
I haven't got one planned for this Saturday - but that's not because I'm not confident of scoring against Liverpoool!
Apparently the England manager is coming to see our game against Liverpool, but it won't make any difference to me.Of course I'm aware of all the talk and speculation surrounding the next England squad - I would have to be deaf and blind not to. But I have said all along that I will let other people do the talking.
Of course I would love to play for England, but I won't get carried away by all the hype. All I can do is to continue to score goals and hope that does the trick.
If Mr Eriksson is watching it won't make any difference to me. I won't let it enter my head and will treat it as a normal game and do exactly as I always do in terms of preparation. I have got where I am this season by keeping to the same formula, and there's no reason to change it now.
There will be plenty of England players on show on Saturday - Michael Owen, Emile Heskey, Danny Murphy, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Bridge - and if Mr Eriksson does come, I wouldn't flatter myself to think he's just come to look at me.
It will be a tough enough game against Liverpool without any other mental baggage.
We're in the top five on merit and my main priority on Saturday is to try and get Southampton three points from a team who are breathing down our necks. Return to index
Circuit training
Southampton striker
and BBC Sport Online columnist
We were given a few days off by gaffer Gordon Strachan after our FA Cup win over Spurs, and believe me, it was very welcome.He reckoned we were running on empty after a hectic spell of games in a short space of time, and I must admit that the high tempo type of game we play does take a bit of a toll.
Having a few days off gave us a chance to just chill out a bit, although I have to admit that our competitive instincts did reveal its ugly nasty head at one point.
A few of us trooped over to Wayne Bridge's house one afternoon, where he has got the mother of slot car racing circuits. We're not just talking a figure of eight, we're talking like 10 kits joined together in a 50metre circuit. The rules are quite simple; the winner stays on until he's beaten.
Surprise, surprise, Bridgey was on just about all the time. He was virtually unbeatable, and I suspect that he spends a fair amount of time practising. I wouldn't be surprised if he reports in injured on our first day back at training with a blister on his trigger finger. But Bridgey is now officially the Michael Schumacher of Scalextric.
It was a different type of driving ambition on show on Saturday in the FA Cup, and it was nice to put on a televised show for the whole country. A lot has been made of how badly Spurs played, but I think that was down to us.
It's true in football that you can only play as well as the opposition let you and if Spurs were as bad as people thought, then a lot of that has to go down to the fact that we never let them play.
The game was never easy, and even when we were 4-0 up, we still worked hard.
That's the ethos in the club, and even when you're in a situation where the result is virtually sewn up, you have to continue to be as professional as possible.
You don't take your foot off the pedal, and if you're 4-0 up, then you try and make it five.
There is no bigger fan of the FA Cup than me. I certainly don't think there are too many players in the Premiership who think it's an inconvenience that gets in the way, despite what some managers or clubs might say.
It's the greatest cup competition in the world - you ask the lads at Shrewsbury or at Farnborough.
We got exactly what we wanted - a home draw, and believe me, whoever wins the replay, we won't be taking either Millwall or Cambridge lightly.
As Shrewsbury proved, everybody loves a Cup upset - except those on the receiving end, and we'll be determined that won't be us. Return to index
Fighting fit
Southampton striker
and BBC Sport Online columnist
Summer seems a long way off, but it's all the hard work you put in back then that pays off now as the fixtures come thick and fast.The big reservoir of fitness and stamina you build up in pre-season is what gets you through a hectic spell of games.
At times like this, rest is more important than training. We were given Sunday off and the training we do in between matches is very light and gentle stuff, designed more to make sure you don't stiffen up and to gently take any knots out of your muscles.
Basically, you keep yourself fit by playing matches - and there are plenty of those at the moment, with the promise of more to come!
When you are playing this number of games in such a short space of time, your fitness is as much a mental thing as anything.
It's often a question of how much a player wants to play, and if you love playing, you'll shrug off and ignore a lot of things.
To be honest, I don't think I have ever started a match where I would say that I was 100% fit. There's always something to just make you dip below that 100% level. It might be a knock in training, a twinge or a cut. Something minor, but just enough to deny you a completely untarnished level of fitness.
We've had a good Christmas so far and if anybody had offered us five points from three games, including draws from trips to Leeds and Chelsea beforehand, we would have bitten their hands off.
The fact that we scored our equaliser at Leeds and the winner over Sunderland late in the game is a testament to our fitness which enables us to keep going not only for 90 minutes, but beyond.
There are some big dates coming up, both on and off the pitch. There's the third round of the FA Cup, and we've got a really tough game against Spurs.
But we're at home and our form at St Mary's this season means we fancy our chances against anyone on our patch. We are due a good cup run and given our form at the moment, there's no reason why we can't have one this season.
The other big date coming up is the opening of the transfer window, and it will be interesting to see which clubs will be dabbling in the market. Players are usually among the last to know if a new face is likely to turn up in the dressing room.
I personally don't think there will be too many big money deals done - apart from the £20m package for me and Wayne Bridge. Only joking, Gaffer!!!
The clubs most in need of signing players would appear to be those at the top and bottom ends of the table, but I wonder how much money there is in the game at the moment.
Anyway, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year.
Return to index
Christmas cheer
Southampton striker
and BBC Sport Online columnist
Christmas is coming, but professional footballers won't be getting fat.I don't suppose I have had what you would call a proper Christmas for several years - but don't think I'm looking for sympathy. Far from it.
As professional footballers, we don't let Christmas pass us by and we enjoy as much as we can given the circumstances.
The Southampton players held our Christmas do on Monday evening, but it was far from the rioutous occasion that a lot of office parties turn into!
We went for a quiet meal in a restaurant in London, with a couple of glasses of wine each. By and large, players tend to behave themselves these days because we know how much there is at stake.
The rewards in the Premiership are so high that not over-indulging at Christmas and missing out on some things is hardly a major sacrifice. You accept that as a small price to pay. Plenty of other people work at Christmas, and footballers are no different.
We play at Chelsea on Boxing Day this year, so in the run-up our preparation won't be any different.
On Monday 23 December and Christmas Eve we will be training as normal. A Boxing Day fixture means Christmas Day is like the normal Friday session we have before a Saturday match day. A fairly stiff session, followed by drills and possibly a practice match.
I'll go home for a spot of Christmas lunch, and yes, it will be turkey and all the trimmings. Our diets are fairly closely monitored by a nutritionist during the course of a season.
We have to make note of everything we eat during a day and he will tell us whether we need to increase our carbohyrates, or cut down on other things.
We tend to eat wholegrain rice and wholemeal bread, which is better for you regardless of whether you're a professional sportsman or not.
Nothing is 'banned' as such. You can eat what you like, but like all things, it has to be balanced and in moderation.
My parents will be with us for Christmas, so lunch will be a fairly festive affair, but club rules stop us having alcohol 24 hours before a match.
After lunch, I'll set off to meet up with the team as we will travel up to London on the evening of Christmas Day.
That doesn't particularly bother me, but I can imagine it can be a bit tough for the lads with young children.
Travelling on Christmas Day also makes you realise that plenty of other people have to work on that day, our coach driver, the hotel staff, so we don't moan about our lot.
Anyway, whatever you're doing over the holiday period, I'd like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Return to index
Top of the pile
Southampton striker
and BBC Sport Online columnist
It's tough at the top, but the hardest part is staying there.I'm proud to be the Premiership's top scorer, but it didn't sink in until the other day when a friend of mine pointed it out to me.
He asked what it was like to be the top scorer in the best league in the world, and to be honest, I hadn't given it much thought until then.
It's not a case of having to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. I have always had belief in my ability to score goals at the top level.
Being at the top, though, means that everyone is determined to shoot you down and knock you off - and that's fine by me.
Because being at the top also provides me with the motivation to stay there.
It's impossible to avoid what people say about you, especially when all the talk is of England caps. The important thing is how you react to what they say.
People have been saying some nice things about me during the past couple of weeks.
Alan Shearer - who I still look to as The Master - was spot on when he said I have to produce the type of consistency he has down the years.
Mr Eriksson also said that he had noticed what I have done this season and that if I continue, then he would have to consider me.
That's just the sort of encouragement any player needs. It's a good feeling to know that you have caught the attention of the England coach.
Now it's up to me to make sure I give him every reason to pick me, and I know I'm only going to do that by continuing to score goals.
That's why I'm not getting carried away by all the talk. The publicity is nice, and you accept it as repayment for the bad patches you go through.
But all that means nothing if I don't back it up with the hard currency of goals.
I know that our home game with Newcastle this Saturday will invite comparisons between Alan and me - it will be billed as the Master versus the Apprentice. It's inevitable.
You can be sure I'll be doing all I can to make those comparisons stick by getting on the scoresheet.
On a different note, I tuned in with millions of others for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
The British public are pretty shrewd judges in this sort of thing and I would go along with the choice of Ronaldo as Overseas Sports Personality of the Year, and Wayne Rooney as Young Sports personality of the Year. He was the only real contender in any sport.
Arsene Wenger also had to be coach of the year, but sorry to Paula Radcliffe and the Ryder Cup boys, you would not get my vote.
Lennox Lewis is my choice for Sports Personality of the Year, without doubt the best boxer on the planet and known as well on the other side of the Atlantic as over here.
As for the Team of the Year, well I would have to go for Arsenal over the Ryder Cup team and Great Britain's Olympic gold medal curlers.
After all, I am a footballer and I've got to be loyal to my sport, haven't I? Return to index
At home at Rod's place
Southampton striker
and BBC Sport Online columnist
Rod Stewart's fan club increased by about 20 people on Monday afternoon. We were invited to train in Rod's back garden at his place in Theydon Bois in Essex on the morning before the game at West Ham.Our gaffer Gordon Strachan and Rod are good friends, but then I suppose Scotsmen have to stick together!
When you're invited to play in somebody's back garden you don't quite know what to expect. But what a house!
Everyone knows Rod is mad on his football and has a full, international size pitch laid out on his land, complete with corner flags and nets with the Scottish lion on them.
He might be in his 50s but he's still pretty fit, as you have to be to put yourself through the tours he does, and he still plays football.
Rod has got full-time staff who obviously look after the grounds and the pitch is immaculate as good as most Premiership pitches we play on.
He's not around at the moment so we didn't have the chance to look around inside the house.
But they got one - yes, ONE! - of his Ferraris out of the garage for us to have a look at.
People say that professional footballers earn big money but Rod puts us to shame.
It was a privilege to visit Rod's house - but that was not the reason we arrived late at Upton Park because we actually left for the ground from our hotel.
We might have arrived late because of traffic, but we made up for it by being prepared to work late.
There's no way back from an injury time goal, and although I scored from about six yards out, I would rank it among my better goals this season, purely from a striker's point of view.
I've been lucky enough to score some spectacular strikes this season but I get as much satisfaction from what are often seen as 'striker's' goals.
Sometimes you get branded as somebody who can only score the spectacular goals whereas strikers such as Michael Owen and Kevin Phillips are seen as instinctive, penalty-box predators.
When I saw Brett Ormerod get the ball down the left my initial movement was towards him to offer help in case he turned inside.
But once he got away, I knew it was my job to get in there for Brett to roll a ball across the box.
As a striker, you have to gamble on occasions, and that's what I did as my movement took me towards the near post.
Although Christian Dailly was between me and Brett, it was such a good ball that it took the defender out of the equation. My gamble got me into the right position to cash in and finish as the ball came in.
Not a bad end to a pretty special day! Return to index