INTERVIEW
SHAUN MALONEY
Interview Ed McCambridge
Is it true you used to play tennis with Andy Murray as a kid?
No, though I played against his brother, Jamie. Andy was a few years younger than me so we never faced each other, but we'd often be at the same youth tournaments. I remember seeing him play when he was about nine and he was already super talented. I wasn't quite as gifted but I tried hard. I opted for football instead and, thankfully, it turned out to be a pretty good choice.
You joined Celtic as a teenager and played a part as the Bhoys reached the 2003 UEFA Cup Final. What are your memories?
Scottish football was in a great place in the early 2000s. I remember Henrik Larsson and John Hartson both being injured ahead of the UEFA Cup last 16 first leg against Stuttgart, and I got my first big start. We won 3-1 and I scored. We then beat Liverpool en route to the final and eventually lost 3-2 to Jose Mourinho’s Porto – I came on in extratime. I’ve still never watched that final again. We also lost the league title four days later, with Rangers pipping us on goal difference. It was heartbreaking but, looking back, what an incredible season for a youngster to experience.
You were crowned Scotland’s player of the year and young player of the year in 2006. What an achievement…
I’d missed most of the previous season through injury, then Gordon Strachan replaced Martin O’Neill as boss and was keen to develop more of the younger lads. He changed my role from striker to left-winger and gave me confidence to go out and show what I could do.
You signed for Aston Villa in January 2007, but didn’t settle at first. Why?
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 2024-Ausgabe von FourFourTwo UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 2024-Ausgabe von FourFourTwo UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
NINE REASONS TO BE EXCITED FOR COPA AMERICA
Family feuds, Bielsa's return and an Icelandic dentist - it's all been going on ahead of South America's biggest tournament hosted by, er, the USA. Oh, and Messi's going to be there as well...
30 GREATEST PUNDITS EVER
FFT rates the finest opinion offerers in the history of UK television, via Del Boy, Space Jam and Donald Trump...
"TERRY VENABLES PUT HIS FAITH IN ME AT EURO 96 - I COULDN'T LET HIM DOWN"
Only Cristiano Ronaldo and Michel Platini have more goals at the Euros than Alan Shearer's seven - the forward hit five on home soil to secure the Golden Boot in 1996, and tells FFT why he found form at the perfect moment
HOW DID I FEEL AFTER SCORING NINE GOALS IN FIVE GAMES AT EURO 84? TIRED!
Forty years ago, Michel Platini's Euros-record tally propelled France to glory on home soil... and he wasn't even a forward. No player has ever had a finer European Championship - now, in his own words, he recalls it to FFT
WHY ENGLAND COULD TAKE THE HANDBRAKE OFF AT THE EUROS
Gareth Southgate has been labelled a cautious coach in recent major tournament near-misses - in Germany he might just be more adventurous, which brings risks but also potential reward
GEORGIA ON THEIR MIND
A Frenchman, an Englishman and a local genius walk into a Caucasus country to qualify for a first major tournament - is this a joke? Not for Georgia, who are dreaming big
SYIVINHO KING OF ALBANIA
The former Arsenal defender was an unexpected appointment last year, but he guided the Balkan nation to Euro 2024 - and now he tells FFT that he wants to spring another surprise...
CAPITAINE LEADER LEGENDE
Kylian Mbappe wrote his name into history at successive World Cups. Now France's captain and desperate to break his Euros goal drought, can he make it to the Berlin final and succeed where Zinedine Zidane failed 18 years ago?
JUDE AWAKENING
Three years ago, Jude Bellingham briefly became the European Championship's youngest ever player - now, after a superb debut season at Real Madrid, he's ready to make a greater impact
VIVA RONALDO
Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal career was as good as over when he was dropped at the last World Cup - instead, CR7 goes to Euro 2024 as their main man once more, aged 39. Will this be the end, and can he make one last pitch to be considered the greatest?