Newcastle-Online comment: 25th July 2004
Newcastle-Online
conducted an opinion poll the other day regarding the signing of Patrick
Kluivert asking whether the Dutchman was a good signing or not and
despite an attempted sabotage by Smoggies, no doubt jealous having
only signed Hasslewank and the fat Aussie, the results are now in.
A total of 960 Toon supporters voted, with 4 options
to choose from.
Great Signing? 542 people voted yes (54.2% of the
vote)
Would Rather Have Beattie? 85 people voted yes (8.5%
of the vote)
Money Grabbing Mercenary? 189 people voted yes (18.9%
of the vote)
Lets Just Wait & See? 148 people voted yes (14.8%
of the vote)
Although doubts obviously remain, the majority see the signing as
a great one and I have to agree, now that he is finally a Toon player.
With Kluivert, he could either bomb spectacularly or take the League
by storm. All things point to the latter thankfully. His 'stock' in
world football has fallen dramatically in the past two years and for
a player of Kluivert's repute he will want to rise to the top again.
He has a lot to prove and he will be hungry to do just that.
I feel NUFC is his type of club, the Premiership his type of League
and the football his type of game. He will be a revelation.
His temperament and character have been well documented, but in his
10 years as a professional player NUFC are only his 4th club and he
has done the business at all bar AC Milan, where many felt he moved
from Ajax too early. Even last season he managed to score 8 goals
in 21 appearances and the general consensus is that he had an awful
season. He is Holland's all-time record goalscorer with 40 goals,
he is a genuine world-class player when bang on his game.
I've long been an admirer of Kluivert and always wanted to see him
at the Gallowgate, my appetite whetted by his appearances for Barcelona
at St. James' Park. In the 3-0 friendly defeat back in 2002 he was
quite simply head and shoulders above anyone on the pitch - including
wor Al. The way he took his first goal was exquisite...
Back then he was in his pomp and considered to be one of the finest
forwards in the game - two years later he finds himself at a club
not as big nor as glamorous as Barcelona. Out of form, unwanted and
with a poor two seasons under his belt, all the doubts and concerns
are legitimate but there is an old saying: form is temporary, class
is permanent!
It's a well used cliche of course but for a player who has a sublime
touch, a creative mind, power in both feet and a fantastic leap on
him it's hard to imagine him not profiting from the high octane, fast-paced,
defensively slack Premiership and with a supportive crowd behind him
you do feel he will explode onto the scene and take the League by
storm.
Here's hoping anyway. |
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