I'm still buzzing about Palace drawing Man-ure on Saturday. 10 men down and they took everything Man U could throw at them for 30 minutes. The team did every fan proud.
A couple of items:
Aki Riihilahti's website -
http://www.akiriihilahti.com/
You gotta love a Finnish mid-fielder with a sense of humor ...
Zoo interview with Aki Riihilahti (my favorite response in blue) ...
Zoo Magazine spoke to Crystal Palace's Finnish midfielder Aki Riihilahti a few weeks and he spoke about life under our Manager of the Year, Iain Dowie. Here, he answers further questions on Palace's season so far.
Q - You were out of contract in the summer. Were you ever close to leaving?
Who could throw away a chance to play Premiership football under a great manager?!
Q - How has Iain changed you, personally?
He has changed my career, my views on sport, life and leadership.
Q - How closely does he monitor what you do off the pitch, like diet?
He gives us guidelines and help in whatever we need, but in the end of the day he trusts us to be good professionals.
Q - Does he apply any sort of scientific theories to football?
Mostly mathematics - if you score more than the opponent, you'll have a good chance of winning.
Q - How long are his team talks and how much does he focus on tactics?
He works really hard to go through every detail tactically during the week, and then before the game he gives his motivation speech, which is often very inspirational.
Q - How key are Kit Symons (assistant) and John Harbin (fitness coach) alongside Dowie?
They are very important for the whole picture. The management team is well balanced with different kinds of knowledge and responsibilities, combined with good leadership skills, hard work and grey hair.
Q - Who's the toughest player you've come up against this season?
Jermaine Jenas was impressive.
Q - Who'd be your Player of the Year?
I've got to say Andy Johnson.
Q - Was winning the play-offs your finest achievement?
No, enjoying my life, being happy is my finest achievement so far. Winning that promotion was one of my finest moments in football though.
Q - How confident are you of staying up?
I've never doubted it and the force is strong in us. We believe we are able to stay at the top level.
Q - Who's the biggest loon at the club?
There are couple of borderline cases, I'm one of them.
Q - Has anyone tried stealing Gabor Kiraly's magic pyjama bottoms?
Why would anyone else want to wear them?!
Q - Who do you room with on the road, and what's their worst habit?
The other Finnish player [Joonas] Kolkka eats too much bread, that is not good for the room air.
Q - You often mention in your column that you don't have a girlfriend. Been lucky lately?
It's not like I'm advertising it but yeah, I'm still single.
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