A Tribute To Zinedine Kilbane

Sposs

A Tribute To Zinedine Kilbane

Every generation a player comes along who makes the admission price to a
match worthwhile all on his own. Zinedine Kilbane is one such player.
A man of great pace, a scorer of great goals, a dribbler of great
dribbles..
Zinedine Kilbane, THIS IS YOUR LIFE.
Zinedine Kilbane was born in Preston on February 1st 1977, the
thirteenth child in a large Ango-Irish family. Whilst still only a
young lad,
Zinedine was spotted kicking the ball ten yards ahead of him and
running after it by the then Preston scout, Donnie Halstaff. Halstaff
asked him
to come along to a Preston training session and the rest, as they say
is history.
Looking back on Kilbane's years at Preston North End, Halstaff says
with a tear in his eye: "I'd been scouting for forty years and I'd
never seen
anything as graceful. And I'm a big fan of ballet so that's saying something."

In the intervening years, Kilbane was to draw similar attention from many
quarters. Not since the days of Tom Finney had Preston played host to
a talent like this. Every week that he pulled on the famous Preston
NE
shirt Ziinedine treated the fans to the Kilbane turn, overhead kicks, blistering pace and V-signs. The second division had never known anything
quite like it. It hadn't gone unnoticed down at WBA, either.
In 1997, on Friday the 13th, Gary Megson smashed WBA's transfter
record and brought Kilbane to the Hawthorns for a staggering £1.25
million euro.
Megson saw the potential in playing a footballer with two natural left feet on the left wing and thus, a star was born.
In his first season at the club, he ran past three players and crossed the ball once- a record he still holds at WBA. It's at this point, you
might say to yourself, "where to from here?" You've got the flash
Hyundai with alloy wheels, the designer flat in West Brom and you're
adored by
tens of screaming relatives. Well, there's probably only one place to
go to better yourself: Sunderland.

You'll never make it on to the all time greatest Irish players without
playing at Wearside at least once. In his time at Sunderland, together with obsessive tactician Peter Reid, Kilbane developed a style of
football which became known the world over as "Totally Sh*ite
Football." The style was based on a system of tactics involving lack
of movement and
hoofing the ball up to an oversized striker and hope that he could do something with it. Sunderland were relegated in its trial period.

This culminated in a bad period for Kilbane and the fans at Wearside.
Many will recall the infamous night when he stopped off at the
Majestyk Night Club in Leeds, only to be chased and viciously beaten
by a group of
Asian youths who shouted abuse at him as he lay on the ground.
Fortunately, David Moyes came to the rescue with an offer to take
Kilbane to Everton. Kilbane accepted the move, despite a distinct
sheepishness
about leaving Mick McCarthy, who had taken the helm at Sunderland. "I spoke to Mick on the telephone and despite the fact that he was laughing
a lot and it sounded as if there was a party in the background, he
seemed devastated. Even so, I knew it was a move I had to make."

Kilbane's affect on Everton has been phenomenal. Premiership right backs
are looking at the subs bench week-in, week-out wondering when the
time will come when Zizou will be unleashed onto a football pitch
once again.
When asked, David Moyes is coy: "Aye," he says, "I'm not saying
anything. I'm too coy."

Zinedine Kilbane, we salute you.

Lafortezza

Class

bdiddy

Zinedine Kilbane, we salute you.

U have to love that muppet. Where would the world of soccer be without this shining light(whineing sh*te?)

uberwolf

fantastic stuff

_blank_

classic

Imposter

...Megson saw the potential in playing a footballer with two natural left feet on the left wing

ROFL

Brian O'Leary

Absolutely class!!!

eirebhoy

Somes Kibane's career up to a tee.:D He really does make football look so easy

watman

Classic

Caesar_Bojangle

When asked, David Moyes is coy: "Aye," he says, "I'm not saying
anything. I'm too coy."

Great stuff:D

carl carlson

I didn't think the owl kick and run would work on cafú but sure kilbane will pull anything off - the big legend

[DF]Lenny

'Forest ' as myself and my m8's call him at Irish games.I have to say he has been our most consistent proformer for Ireland in the last 8 games much as it pains me to say it.Take a bow KK

gucci

i remember a great quote from a radio 5live commentator a few years back,cant remember the game,it went something like this:

"Kevin Kilbane,well he gets to the end line with the power and pace of david kampeeze and then crosses like hes kicking an oval shaped ball !! "

Exit

Originally posted by carl carlson
I didn't think the owl kick and run would work on cafú but sure kilbane will pull anything off - the big legend

That line had me in stitches as well as the original post.