MY FAVOURITE PLAYER

 

OUR NEW OFF-SEASON SERIES FEATURES 'MY FAVOURITE PLAYER' FROM THE PRO GAME. JON TAIT KICKS US OFF. IF YOU WANT TO WRITE 600 WORDS ON YOUR FAVOURITE PLAYER, PLEASE SEND THEM TO jonmarktait@aol.com

I was working in the media department at a professional football club and we used to put a Dream Team in the match day programme. Every week players or staff would hand me their teams and I’d type them up for the printers. When it came to my turn to put a team in, the lads all took the micky because I’d put Johnny Sivebaek in at right-back. But I couldn’t not put him in; he’d been my favourite player.

As a youngster I’d been shipped from midfield to a full back slot and so I kept a keen eye on professional players in that position. Big John Anderson was an early one I saw in the flesh in the black and white stripes of Newcastle United on St. James’ Park and I recall him smashing in a goal from distance against Millwall in the sun on the final day of a season. Things were different in those days and if you got up to the ground early enough you could walk across to the players for a chat and an autograph as they got out of their motors in the car park, so I’d actually spoken to the genial Irishman who wore the number 2.

Sivebaek was different because he played in everyone’s second favourite national team, Denmark. The red and candystripe halved shirts of the Danes were not only iconic, but every player in the side seemed to have a style and swagger about them. Denmark were the underdogs who played the game with an attacking flair and skill and a devil-may-care attitude.

Preben Elkjaer, the striker, who seemed to be able to fire anything into the net; the slender Jesper Olsen on the wing with a touch light as a feather; Soren Lerby with his socks rolled down crunching into fearless tackles. The Laudrups, Brian and Michael, sheer class as they ghosted past defenders almost effortlessly, Frank Arneson, Allan Simonsen, the side was just packed with talent.

Then there was Sivebaek at right back. Always looking to play forward and starting moves from his own half, picking a pass and taking it back - comfortable on the ball, easy into the tackle and confident in getting up the pitch.

His goal against Ireland at Lansdowne Park in 1985 was pure quality. Collecting the ball as an Irish move broke down around the box, he tucked it short inside and was off down the line to chase the return which split the Irish defence in two. Cutting inside, he looked to be getting forced wide as he ran on towards the Irish box, beating two defenders then lofting a left footed shot over Patty Bonnar and in off the woodwork. It was goals like that which gave me the confidence, if not the freedom, to attack with an abandon on the pitch myself.

That goal also earned Sivebaek a move to Manchester United as then-Old Trafford boss Ron Atkinson was watching his impressive display from the stands, while Sivebaek is also famous for scoring the goal that earned suntan Ron’s replacement Alex Ferguson his first win during a struggling start in Manchester when he fired a free-kick over the wall and into the QPR net.

But what everyone forgets is that Sivebaek also put over the crosses for both of Elkjaer’s goals in that match in Dublin; so of course I put him in my Dream Team. Because what are the best full-backs but frustrated wingers?