Sport is not just about heroes. It is also about GREAT CHARACTERS; they add spice to the riveting theatre that sport is. Over the last quarter of a century, the English Premier League has seen many of them. Like these gentlemen, whom P. K. AJITH KUMAR lists below.
ERIC CANTONA
He is widely regarded as the greatest player ever for Manchester United. The French forward was known not just for his sublime skills to score and create goals. One of his most talked about kicks, in fact, was not directed at the ball, not a player even. During an away match against Crystal Palace in 1995, he kicked at a fan, in true kung-fu style. It earned him a prison sentence, which, was then reduced to community service.
About the affair, he said famously at a press conference: “When the seagulls follow the trawler, it’s because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Thank you.”
He said nothing more. Reporters were left to ponder about the meaning of that statement, for years.
Meanwhile, Cantona showed he had shooting skills of a different sort too: he began to act in films and plays, one of which was directed by his wife Rachida Brakni.
LUIS SUAREZ
Maybe it was in the fitness of things that Luis Suarez arrived at the Premier League while still serving a suspension for biting a player. That was in 2010 and he was with Ajax. His dental adventures would, of course, attract bigger attention globally later. He may have been dubbed the Cannibal of Ajax by a Dutch newspaper, but he had scored 111 goals from 159 matches for his club before he reached Anfield as one of Liverpool’s most expensive signings. Over the next four years, he proved he was worth the £22.8 million the club spent on him; he scored frequently and was named the PFA Player of the Year in 2014, his last year at the Premier League.
But, he also exasperated the Liverpool management on quite a few occasions. He was found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra of Manchester United and biting Branislav Ivanovic of Chelsea. He had also handled the ball before scoring against Mansfield Town in 2013.
This story is from the August 19, 2017 edition of Sportstar.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 19, 2017 edition of Sportstar.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Tokyo Marathon Cancelled For Amateurs On Coronavirus Fears
Organisers in Japan cancelled the amateur portion of the Tokyo marathon, affecting around 38,000 runners, on fears about the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan.
Right Criteria To Pick The Tennis GOAT
What should the criteria be? What weight should be attached to each criterion? And what should not be considered as valid criteria?
The making of a batting behemoth
If Steve Smith dominated the Ashes in England in a dramatic, blockbuster fashion then his like for like a replacement, Marnus Labuschagne, is the Next Big Thing after an exciting summer of run-glut.
WHEN ACES WERE REWARDED...
It was an evening of nostalgia and celebration when the Sportstar Aces awards were given away in Mumbai.
A question of recognition
After a week of awards, one wonders if it’s only a departed player that one will be named after.
Thinking straight, thinking right!
“A lot depends on when I am bowling and what is required from me. That’s something I do when I play for India and I try to follow the same thing in the domestic circuit,” says Yuzvendra Chahal.
The Big Three and the Next Gen
Though the Big Three are very unlikely to retire during the same year, Judy Murray, mother of Andy, echoed the sentiments of many fans worried about the impact of their departures.
WAKING UP TO MENTAL HEALTH
Sport at large and cricket specifically has taken an inordinately long time to address the elephant in the room — the dark abyss of depression.
Like sunshine in a gloomy dressing room
Bangladesh quick Abu Jayed Rahi is new in the red-ball arena, but his swing brings back old memories — of James Anderson on green tops.
The league of the masses
With traditional clubs locking horns with the hard-working nurseries of the game, the I-League will continue to keep the beating heart of Indian football alive despite official apathy.
