“Desert Island Kicks” is a pale imitation of the legendary “Desert Island Discs”. I’m looking to nab answers from footie fans from all corners of the globe and all walks of life.
You’re stranded on a desert island, what footballing memories would you take with you? I want you to pick a game, shirt, goal, player and piece of turf from a stadium to take with you to a desert island, oh and you’re allowed one luxury too.
Next up on Desert Island Kicks is Andy Brassell, European football expert who can be found on BBC Five Live and Fox Soccer amongst other places.
GAME:
Wimbledon 2 Watford 1, FA Cup quarter-final 1988. As well as being perhaps my favourite match at Plough Lane, it has all the twists to keep you interested; a sending-off, a comeback by the ten men, missed chances…I don’t have the VHS of it anymore sadly, but I watched it on countless occasions and it felt just as tense every single time. I always got a lump in my throat when Eric Young scored the equaliser and watched through my fingers as Worrell Sterling dragged wide when clean through at 1-1. Magic.
SHIRT:
Netherlands, Euro 88 home shirt. My godparents are Dutch, and got me this shirt when I was a kid – in such a ‘he’ll grow into it’ size that it still fits me. It looks great in the sun and would remind me of one of my favourite international teams of all-time. Whenever I see it now, it always reminds me of dear old Rinus Michels’ stunned face after Marco van Basten smashed in that incredible volley v USSR in the final.
GOAL:
Diego Maradona v Greece, World Cup 1994. While swathes of England feasted on schadenfreude when El Diego was later booted out of the tournament, I was gutted. The goal against Greece had been great in isolation, but that it trumpeted he was back on the biggest stage made it just thrilling. It retains that feeling for me every time I see it. The celebration of him facing off the camera always makes me chuckle, too.
PLAYER:
Zlatan Ibrahimovic. An inventive man. He knows how to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear and, just as importantly, how to hunt. Even if he didn’t have a gun to shoot a wild boar, you get the impression he could kill it with his bare hands, or by staring at it.
PIECE OF TURF:
A square containing the divot that turned Sam Hatton’s harmless shot into AFC Wimbledon’s late winner away at Thurrock in February 2009. It was a crucial moment en route to the title. Who knows; if the groundsman had shovelled it down at half-time, maybe Wimbledon wouldn’t have been promoted that season. I’m not sure how well it would last outside of its native Essex, however – or even if it made it to the end of that match.
LUXURY:
Common consensus has Milanello as the best training/player relaxation facility on the planet, but France might beg to differ after Euro 2012. They are using Shakhtar Donetsk’s palatial training facilities, which are unbelievable. Jonathan Wilson went there once, and he told me that it has its own aviary! If the training camp was on the island, it would help while the time away. I can see me and Zlatan having falconry competitions in the afternoons.
You can follow Andy on Twitter at @andybrassell
