MattBackHome
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 11,878
'A few mazy dribbles' is such a poor description of the sheer ART that he produced in that season. There was magic in them there boots.
I have to say I loved him.
In hindsight it was a pretty poor season and there was literally sod all else to get you off your seat. So seeing supertramp stroll on, socks around his ankles, hair somehow looking stylish but a mess at the same time, unshaven, looking like he's just rolled off a park bench having been drinking cheap whisky all night, charge down the wing at a snails pace yet still beating 5/6 players before putting a cross into the box, which invariably no one got on the end of (I put this down to the other players not being on his wavelength) really was the highlight of the season. He would then stand hand on hips in amazement that someone hadn't stuck the ball in the net, before strolling back out to the wing chatting to himself wondering how it had come to this.
Flawed genius.
That is my recollection of him. Maybe slightly flawed by alcohol as well.
If you don't like Paddy McCourt, you don't like football. It really is that simple.
There are many aspects to being a footballer and there needs to be a balance between self and team as well as attacking and defending.
I was always baffled at the cult status he seemed to enjoy with some fans here. A few mazy dribbles that invariably came to nothing, yet we were so desperately BAD that season, that some people were still crying out for him to come off the bench or to get a start. He was utter junk.
Thanks for telling me I don't like football. However I'm not going to change my view on McCourt.
There are many aspects to being a footballer and there needs to be a balance between self and team as well as attacking and defending.
Yes he may have looked good in a Celtic team when playing against the no hopers in Scottish football as he could stand around doing nothing for the 5 minutes in the game when Celtic need to defend.
However his best position for the Albion was 8th sub.
Why we ever decided to raid the Barnsley squad i don't know.
Always looked like he'd slept in a bus shelter.
You've pretty much just defined "flair" in it's truest sense. Flair isn't about being effective, or the most consistent.
[MENTION=1349]turienzo's lovechild[/MENTION] will confirm.
He brought along some novelty value in a terribly grim season, but we were so abysmal that year that it was a case of having to laugh at us (and him), or you'd cry. When the likes of McCourt provided a brief afternoon highlight, then you knew you were stuck watching a really shit team.
The Ulster Messi.
Yes you need to give him the ball, he aint going to win it, yes he is lazy when he has to track back, but.... When he has the ball he can make things happen that other more disciplined players cant even see.
Would never fit with Hughton's work ethic but sometimes a McCourt is exactly what you need.
Another gifted player wasted his talent IMHO - still only 33 but playing non-league
The only thing he made happen was the rest of the team hurredly tracking back when he lost the ball (again).
This sounds more like Noone