NEVER FORGET
October 2013 was a simpler time. Nobody had ever heard of Brexit, or the Famileigh, or Gianni Infantino [unless you were a Uefa tombola nerd – Football Daily Ed]. As a society, we didn’t worry about bedbugs or video assistant referees. Football Daily lived freely, could drink as much Tin as wanted without fear of recrimination from any smaller Football Dailies that were pattering around the place, looking for the remote. If we wanted to watch Crystal Palace v Fulham on a school night, then that’s what happened.
And that’s exactly what did happen, exactly a decade ago this week, as this tea-timely email enjoyed yet another fabulous TV dinner in front of the box, as one of the Premier League’s most outrageous volleys was beamed into its living room, courtesy of Fulham’s Pajtim Kasami. This was a golden era of Barclays. After Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement a few months earlier, it felt like anything was possible. Michu had morphed into a Spanish Rivaldo down in south Wales, Stoke City were on course for a top-half finish and Martin Jol – the maverick – had paired Darren Bent up top with Dimitar Berbatov for Fulham.
But despite a late Philippe Senderos scissor kick sealing a 4-1 win for the Cottagers, the night belonged to Kasami and his wonder strike: a goal so precise and fluid that one could pour it into a bronze cast, allow it to set and erect it as a statue outside the away end at Selhurst Park; a goal so previously underrated (it didn’t even win Match of the Day’s Goal of the Month) until a few years ago, when the streets remembered that they had forgotten about the strike, and decided that they would – from that day forward – never forget again.
Only Kasami knows how the goal came to pass. The Swiss international was playing on the left wing, but for some beautiful reason traversed the pitch, took an inch-perfect pass from Sascha Riether on his chest while galloping down the right flank, and without breaking stride, walloped a zinging volley with his weaker right foot into the top corner from 25 acute yards. Blink and you missed it, but this was a moment of rare genius. “Everything happened so fast. It’s a goal of instinct; you score it and don’t think about it too much but after you realise: ‘Wow, what a goal,’” Kasami later told Big Website. “It was a perfect goal; with the pass, the run I made, the way I controlled it and then hit it with my weaker foot, everything was on point.” Perhaps in 2033 we will look back on this Monday night with the same fondness. Clips of Gibraltar v Republic of Ireland, or the international friendly between Russia and Kenya could litter the internet for years to come. But if not, we will always have 2013 and for that, Football Daily is thankful.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“This is a very proud day for me. It is a great honour to become manager of a club with a history as rich as [this one]. I’ve been inspired by [Pep] Guardiola, [José] Mourinho, [Diego] Simeone and [Zinedine] Zidane, and as such just like those great managers, my philosophy will be to play attractive football” – Pascal Chimbonda is hoping to follow in the footsteps of some managerial greats as he takes his first job at, erm, Skelmersdale United … of the Northern Premier League Division One West, in the ninth tier.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
Re: the Mitre Mystery (Friday’s Football Daily) – I see you’ve discovered that it’s pointless checking your facts … ” – Z Snook.
Regarding that ball Michael Owen was pictured with – surely the Liverpool connection will have reminded us it was the ball simply called ‘Mitre’ but to most football fans of the era, it was more commonly known as the ‘White Ball’ – Rod de Lisle.
I can’t help but throw my hat in the ring and take a punt at the mystery ball. Mitre Match or Match Pro is coming to mind, and I seem to be getting a stinging sensation with ‘Mitre’ imprinted on the inside of my thigh as I write this … Great memories” – Gerard Heffernan.
With reference to the search for USA USA USA’s next women’s manager (Friday’s Still Want More, full email edition), may I respectfully point out the success (England’s next manager) Casey Stoney is having on the other side of the pond?” – Nick Redfern.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Nick Redfern.
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