Clinton Morrison was loved by everybody in the Ireland squad, and he was always a fan favourite during his time as an Irish international, but ahead of Exeter City's FA Cup clash with Liverpool where Morrison will be looking to score a goal at the tender age of 36, he has explained how he once made a rookie error in his snap judgement of Roy Keane.
They say never judge a book by it's cover, and while perhaps at 5-A-Side it's common to rate a player by what they are wearing if you've never played with them before, it's probably not a good idea to do that with an international footballer, let alone one of the very best the country you are representing has produced.
Unfortunately for Clinton, that's what he did when he first caught a glimpse of Roy Keane, although he did change his mind fairly quickly:
I remember when I first saw him training. Tight shorts, socks up to his knees, Diadora boots. I thought to myself, ‘This guy is no footballer’. Then we did a passing session and it was just unbelievable. Then a finishing session and he didn’t miss. Then you see him play in games, what he covered and how good he was on the ball.
He wanted to train how you played and, if you didn’t, he would lose his rag. He was nerve-racking but he made your game rise to another level. I remember walking along the beach at the World Cup with him. He would always tell us not to settle for second best. He said, ‘don’t think you are here to make up the numbers’.
Are Diadora boots not good enough for you Clinton? They were iconic!
Keane's style may not have been up to scratch for London lad Morrison, but as well all know Roy was one of those players who couldn't give a toss what he looked like so long as the job was done when it mattered.
It's refreshing to hear a former international footballer admit that he made snap judgement on players by their looks, as it's something we've all done ourselves at some point.
via The Independent.
