Part-footballer and general artist Dimitar Berbatov has been imparting his poetry to The Times of London today, in an interview which showcases Berbatov's unique ability to make the mundane seem profound. A return to England, potentially with Newcastle United, elicits the dreamy response: "Everything is possible...just to smell the grass one more time, especially in England.” This is perhaps unsurprising from a man who learned to speak English by watching The Godfather.
The main thrust of the interview is pondering his next move whilst recalling his luxuriant hat-trick against Liverpool in 2010, given that the old rivalry will be renewed at Old Trafford on Sunday. Later in the interview, Alyson Rudd pushes him to name the best Premier League XI he has played with. Berbatov is unwilling to do so, but he does mention one man.
He struck up a magnificent partnership with Robbie Keane at Spurs. On one level, you'd expect it to work: the little and large duo; Keane's work rate complementing Berbatov's more cerebral approach. But both shared an incredible football intelligence, that few partnerships in the Premier League have ever matched.
Berbatov sums up it up beautifully:
He was a great guy, running like crazy and we complemented each other because he was running everywhere and I was running in my head and we gelled together. We both made each other better and both go to bigger clubs. He went to Liverpool and I went to Manchester.
"I was running in my head" is the quintessential Berbatov quote. Superb.
By the way, despite the fact Berbatov was unwilling to name his Premier League XI with the Times, he has in fact named a teammates XI before, on Sky Sports Show the Fantasy Football Club. Robbie Keane is keeping good company:
Bask in the full interview here.
