a tribute to Zidane

nice article by Tony Cascarino

Zidane: the French legend
By Tony Cascarino



HIS BODY TWISTED SUBTLY like a ballerina as he danced down the left wing. I remember standing in the centre of the penalty box thinking: “If Zinedine Zidane passes, don’t fluff it. Don’t embarrass yourself.”
Here I was on the same field as the guy. Me, Tony Cascarino. I made a run to the near post, my heart pulsating. He skipped by a defender, dropped his shoulder to shimmy past another, fooling not only the defender but me as well.

I stumbled, but managed to stay on my feet as the great man slid the ball across the box. I tapped it in from a yard and reeled away towards him — just like in one of those romantic films — and we embraced. All I could think was: “I just hope someone is taking a picture of this so I can get it framed.”

For all my fond memories and achievements playing football, one of the biggest was playing on the same park as Zidane, the world’s greatest footballer. I’d played with Roy Keane, against Alan Shearer, but I’d never felt a mixture of awe, trepidation, nervousness and excitement. I had to pinch myself — I still do. I was, and still am, one of the few British players who had played alongside Zidane, albeit in a testimonial.

Apart from being conscious of not giving the ball away cheaply and looking a fool, I remember thinking, as I partnered Eric Cantona up front, I hope someone lays the ball back to Zidane and then he can ping it 60 yards over the defender’s head for me to run on to and score.

Zidane was like a hypnotist. When the ball was at his feet, the crowd and players became transfixed. It was as if the ball was fastened to the end of a yo-yo. He had an awareness of where players were and played simple but very accurate passes, his biggest attribute. But shackled in a tricky situation, he could conjure a trick to free himself.

He controlled the ball deftly, allowing him to change direction very quickly and leave an opponent. He drifted into intelligent positions, always seemed to have time on the ball and made things look easy. He had guile and strength, and a deceptive turn of pace to ghost away from players and deliver telling passes.

We met before the match in the dressing-room when he said “hello” in French and shook my hand. He was quite shy and sat in the corner, keeping himself to himself, down-to-earth, laid-back and polite. But he giggled when Fabien Barthez played the prankster. Cantona arrived last and wandered into the dressing-room with no boots, scattering the officials around the stadium to find a pair.

Cantona introduced Zidane to Sir Alex Ferguson, who was the guest manager of the Marseilles old boys team in the testimonial for Pascal Olmeta, a goalkeeper, three years ago. Ferguson, complete with a minder, was in a jovial mood and asked me about my time in France and if there were any promising young players.

As we trotted out of the tunnel on to the pitch, the player’s names were announced to cheers: Chris Waddle, Jean-Pierre Papin, Basile Boli . . . Zidane was the last player to run out. The Stade Vélodrome in Marseilles erupted to the throb of “Zizou, Zizou . . . ”

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. On the pitch this unassuming man became a showman in Marseilles, a club that had rejected him when he was younger. In the dressing-room after the match, Ferguson wandered over to me and said: “Have a word with the No 10 for me.” Which one, I jested, knowing full well he meant Zidane. “He’s not bad, is he?” I said.

Although Ferguson was being flippant, I think it was also his way of testing the water to see what Zidane thought of United. “Have a word and see if he’ll come to Manchester United?” he teased.

I’d first seen Zidane play when I left Chelsea to play for Marseilles in France in 1994. Everyone likes to think that they can judge a player. Before Euro 96 I told players in England about this rising star who was playing for Bordeaux. He disappointed in that tournament and maybe some people doubted him. To think that Blackburn Rovers, under Kenny Dalglish, had the option of signing him, but only in a joint deal with Christophe Dugarry.

He’s been exceptional for Real Madrid. Even if United are winning 2-0 on Wednesday night at Old Trafford, beware. Big players will produce big moments in big matches.

Big players, such as Zidane, don’t have a panic button.