Missed chances to tackle the conundrum that is Collymore
When I heard on Wednesday that Stan Collymore had retired, I couldn’t help thinking of what might have been. His career was a terrible waste of talent and 10 years ago I was close to getting the chance to set him on his way.
When I was in charge of Sheffield Wednesday in 1990-91 we had agreed to take $810 celine paris flat sandal zipper front optic white leather slingback 36 him on a week’s trial from Stafford Rangers. He had been recommended by a friend as big, raw talent and I wanted to see what he could do. But before we had a chance to look at him, Stafford’s manager informed Steve Coppell at Crystal Palace that Stan might be going to Hillsborough and Palace signed him for £100,000.
Because Stan was not someone we had been knocking doors down for, I brushed it aside as one of those things. But I did try to buy Stan for Aston Villa from Southend a few years later. Barry Fry was trying to get me to take him and I offered £1m. Barry wanted more but I wasn’t prepared to go higher because in Dalian Atkinson we had a lad at the club who was similar. Stan ended up going to Nottingham Forest for £2m.
He did well there and I understand from talking to people like Steve Stone that he was hungry then. He was making his way, was on decent but not vast money and was trying to become the star. But once he went to Liverpool and got the status and big wages he didn’t seem to want to put his back into it.
It’s a shame because, if Stan had 25% of Dean 0 celine a scene 75 cincinnati Saunders’ application and love of the $890 celine python and leather loafers shoes game, he might have become the best centre-forward England have had since Geoff Hurst. His ability was fantastic and, when I look at someone like David Platt, the waste seems even greater.
David was the opposite of Stan. I had him as a teenager at Manchester United and he was a long way short of the young $1k iconic nib celine bam bam sandals nude 37 us 7 0 celine bag 17727 3abe 070c-13 strikers such as Mark Hughes and Norman Whiteside. But I told Crewe’s manager Dario Gradi to take him because he was an honest lad who might have a chance of coming back. David worked his socks off, applied himself and became England captain and a good goalscorer who never let anyone down.
Stan, on the other hand, $1350 celine red leather trio crossbody handbag let everyone down since $1150 new authentic celine trio leather beige shoulder crossbody bag italy the Liverpool period, including himself. I can’t think of anyone who has had such massive money paid for him, been given such great $4100 celine black leather python edge satchel gold zip top bag women& opportunities and given so little back.
People often mark Rodney Marsh, Alan Hudson and Stan Bowles as under-achievers. Maybe they didn’t get 0 celine 173823ska 18cc money the bags of caps they should have but they all did their clubs proud whenever they pulled the shirt on. Dalian Atkinson $950 new celine us 10 eu 40 pony hair 2 may not have fulfilled his potential but he did well for me and never got loaded up with money or had vast amounts paid for him. He was a good lad but lacked the mental strength.
A player I get a real sense of „if only“ about is Matt le Tissier, though he’s achieved a lot more than Collymore. He’s one of the biggest talents I’ve seen and I would have loved to have worked with him. At Aston Villa we tried very hard to get him. People have said Matt didn’t have the drive but he had the ability to become the man England could have built a team round through the 90s. If he had gone to Manchester United when Eric Cantona went there, that could have been the catalyst but you were never sure whether he had the mental strength.
As I understand it, Collymore almost ended up at Old Trafford. I think he was ahead of Andy Cole in the pecking order of strikers Sir Alex Ferguson wanted in 1994-95. But apparently, when Alex was trying to buy him, Forest’s manager Frank Clark was off with flu and Alex, unable to get hold of him outlet, decided to take Cole straight away. That might have been lucky: if Collymore had gone to Old Trafford it could have been a marriage made in hell.
I know Stan had his illness but he messed too many people about. I remember from speaking with Roy Evans that he was supposed to move into the Liverpool area but never did and would miss training sessions. And I know senior players at the Villa were very disappointed when, out of the blue, he moved out of the dressing room at training and was changing with the young lads.
There were stories that he would be surly and skipped training at the slightest excuse. There were suggestions, too, at Anfield and Villa that he might have a bad influence on the younger lads.
Whether we’ve seen the last of Stan on a football pitch I’m not sure. I wouldn’t be over surprised if he’s just used retirement as a get-out-of-jail card at Oviedo because he doesn’t fancy it. Yes, he’s unlikely to find a club in England but with Stanley Victor Collymore you never know.
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