The expectation is still high."It is easy to forget that Collymore made the best possible start to his Liverpool career, scoring a superb winning goal against Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day of the season. But injury and illness struck, and even when Collymore was fit he found the old Ian Rush-Robbie Fowler combination was keeping him out of the team. He was not happy, and he let it show in a magazine article in which he was critical of the way he felt he was being treated by Liverpool. "We made it plain we weren't happy with what he had said," Evans said. As a result, Collymore decided he would not speak to the press.Trouble certainly follows him around. There were training ground bust- ups earlier in his career; in February this year he was cleared of an assault charge after an incident outside a nightclub; last month, he had the worry of his mother falling seriously ill.On the playing side, things have started to pick up.
With Rush injured, Collymore is back in the team, and says he is feeling the benefit of the work in training that he and Fowler have been putting in. But in lifting his self-imposed ban on interviews he is standing up for what he believes he does best "I think I've got to," he said.So. what has been stopping him performing to the level that brought him 41 League goals in two seasons at Forest and made him the most exciting and sought-after striker in Britain? "First, it's settling in after being in and out of the side Plus, I think, the differing styles of play Forest suck teams in and then hit them on the break. Commenting before the game John Giles and Mark Lawrenson both expressed disappointment and bemusement at Charlton's team selection. Two great, vastly experienced players, who know the game backwards, know the demands of a great occasion such as last Wednesday, know as well how utterly demoralising dressing-room life can be when the governing imperative is managerial folly and fear.The folly of a limited coach who has never really known how best to deploy the wonderful players available to him, the fear of a bully confused by talent, determined to mask his confusion by projecting the image of sturdy conviction.
In public relations terms that act has worked, worked beyond his wildest dreams, elevating him to the status of national hero at the expense of the true heroes, a magnificent generation of Irish players whose like we will never see again.Last Wednesday night at Anfield the Irish football team looked demoralised from the moment they entered the arena. Charlton decided to leave him on the bench.Perverse? Worse than that. This preference for Phelan over Houghton offended football reason. Thus, this important game was lost before the Irish team left the dressing-room. He would have made an incalculable contribution to the cause last Wednesday. And although he is not a goalscorer, he scores goals when they are most needed.Houghton torments defenders.
As recently as last April at Lansdowne Road, Houghton played a major part in turning the game against Portugal Ireland's way He was superb. not your own players.Ray Houghton is a great battler, a player blessed with the spirit for the important occasion. For Liverpool, Aston Villa and Ireland, Houghton has been an inspiration to his team-mates in so many difficult games. He is a wonderful player, the quintessential good pro with an acute footballing brain Houghton lifts any team he plays for. Watching him struggle in vain to cope with the problem Charlton set for him was painful The idea is to humiliate the opposition. He is notably limited with the ball at his feet, which is where it was on Wednesday night.
No respecter of reputations, as the great Italian Paolo Maldini discovered at Giants Stadium, when McAteer took him to the cleaners during the last 20 minutes of Ireland's most famous victory during last year's World Cup.The case of Jason McAteer is the perfect illustration of Charlton's mistrust of originality, of his narrow mind and fearful spirit Jason cannot be trusted to obey orders He won't be bullied. Therefore he is no use to Jack Charlton.The decision to play Terry Phelan on the left side of midfield was laughable Phelan is a good full-back, quick and aggressive. Off the field this gifted young player possesses the kind of irreverent exuberance that is reflected in his play Jason is an original A free spirit Unafraid. and, with a superbly flighted cross, Ireland's best chance of the night which Tony Cascarino missed connecting with by a matter of inches.It is an open secret that Charlton doesn't like young McAteer. More pertinently, Blackburn never had the option of playing Jason McAteer instead of Kenna.