Nine while nine
Heidar Helguson is on his way. Bolton manager Sammy Lee sees a role for the belligerent Icelander at Bolton and has paid good money to take him Up North. My birthday game this year is Bolton away so this’ll make the trip somewhat bearable.
Because I like Heidar. He’s not a big player but he’s big in the air. He plays every game like an angry bull, charging into tackles with a recklessness not often seen on modern football fields. This leads to cards, but also endears him to supporters who appreciate a player who’s given everything he’s got for the team. He must be hell to play against.
One of my enduring memories of last season is the 0-0 home game against Watford. It was a game we had no business not winning, but despite throwing the kitchen sink and Collins John at them, we found no way past Ben Foster. That’s not quite right: we scored twice and Heidar got them both. The first was a majestic, thumping header from a right-wing cross. Offside - just - but what a goal. How football should be. He scrambled another soon after, ruled offside again (incorrectly), and I think we knew it wasn’t to be our day then.
That may have summed up his season. He scored one of his famous penalties against Middlesbrough (anyone remember Jesper Olsen?), turned around the away game at Watford and belted that corker against Newcastle, but there were some dodgy misses too. And then those cards… we had some funny games against Spurs last year, generally playing better than the results would suggest, but Heidar got himself sent off in one of the games (1-1 I think) at a time where we really were in control. That was disappointing, but again summed up his season.
I’ll miss him a lot. He was supposedly quite a character (in a good way) and a good club man. He certainly wouldn’t have disgraced our squad this year, but with all the new signings he wasn’t really needed and the money was presumably too good to turn down (it effectively financed Lee Cook, a player who adds more to this group of players than Heidar, you’d guess). Now he’ll go to Bolton where his up and at ‘em style is perfect for that team’s approach. Good luck, Heidar, and thanks for the memories.
Take the money and run, I say!
To read the comments on TOOFIF (and even some of yours, WMC), anyone would think Helguson was our ever-present, top-scorer who performed heroic deeds to save Fulham from relegation. The truth is that he wasn`t even good enough to start or complete every game. He scored even fewer goals than Bocanegra, and that included penalties! In fact, taking penalties was the only thing he excelled at.
The fact is: if you`re a striker, you have to score goals. Anything else you contribute is a bonus and doesn`t make up for not scoring, especially when the whole team is struggling to find the net.
Wing Half
20 Jul 07 at 6:23 pm
Yeah, I deleted a paragraph about him not getting enough goals! Seemed unduly negative. Point stands, of course, but it doesn’t change the fact that I really did like him as a player. Ah well.
weltmeisterclaude
20 Jul 07 at 6:26 pm
More than his character, I’m sure the team will miss his wife and her enormous, beautiful breasts.
Nordy
20 Jul 07 at 8:00 pm
I will always remember him turning that game at Watford on its ear last year.
While you could find fault with his ability to hit the back of the net consistently, you could never fault his effort. I always liked when a GK was trying to creep upfield with the ball at his feet and HH would close him down quickly. He would sometimes take a few steps, pause for a second and then go full throttle towards the keeper. Love to see that type of effort from a professional.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see him do well at the Reebok. It will be interesting to see if Bolton plays him and Davies together or if he is just insurance for when Davies gets a knock.
BTW, what ever happened with those proposed t-shirts with HH’s drawing of Bocanegra’s face?
George H.
20 Jul 07 at 8:00 pm
Mark Maunders (who looks after the players and seems like a very nice man) did get back to me and say that Heidar would rather not! And in case you haven’t heard the story, google “Mark Maunders Goma Goldfish”…
Nordy, how do you know about that?
weltmeisterclaude
20 Jul 07 at 9:41 pm
Ah, to save you the trouble:
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1348323.html?menu=
well worth a read!
weltmeisterclaude
20 Jul 07 at 9:42 pm
Someone had posted a picture of Mrs. Helguson on TFI once. It left a positive impression on me!
Nordy
23 Jul 07 at 2:38 pm