Memories are made of this

Aston Villa versus Manchester United is a fixture that holds a special significance for me but this year’s FA Cup tie found me at the game in a new capacity – not as a player for either side but, for the first time, as a pundit on the BBC.

This meant working with the three wise men – Alan Hansen, Mark Lawrensen and Gary Lineker – and they couldn’t have been nicer in terms of putting me at my ease and making the whole thing seem like an informal chat. Except, of course, that it isn’t, it’s live television, and I must admit that I was very nervous. With those guys being as experienced as they are, you have to make an effort to get your spake in. Once or twice, I’d be about to say something and they’d cut across me – but then, this wasn’t the first time ever that Gary Lineker, in particular, has cut across me! Overall though, it was an enjoyable experience.

Luckily, after a miserable first half on the pitch, it was exciting too. Which made the Beeb happy. I thought it was a bit naive of John (Gregory, Aston Villa manager) not to do something to bolster the defence when they were two goals up with 20 minutes to go, but then again, how does anyone cope when someone like Van Nistelrooy comes off the bench?

To me, Peter Schmeichel is still the best in the business at coming off his line and making himself look like a monster, but the way Van Nistelrooy went around him for the second goal was fantastic. It’s something I’ve noticed about the big name European players – the stress levels don’t seem to get to them, the way they do other people. They still play as if they’re in the schoolyard.

Coming back from the dead seems to be the theme of Manchester United’s season, so much so that I’d have to pick them now as favourites to win the title, just ahead of Arsenal. When United had their bad run before Christmas, it looked like they wouldn’t be able to make up the ground, but the strange thing was that none of the other big clubs really seized the initiative. It’s as if no one is ready yet to take over the baton from United, as England’s dominant club.

There’s still a lot of talk here about Paulo Di Canio going to Old Trafford. I think it would be a great bit of business by Alex Ferguson because Di Canio is an entertainer – and a potential match-winner – in the way that Cantona was. However, I suspect a lot of supporters would prefer if the club made a big defensive signing a priority. Blanc may be a world-renowned player but, at this stage in his career, his lack of pace is a problem.

It’s obvious to everyone at this stage that United’s defence is their weak point and, as a former defender myself, I think it’s particularly unfortunate that a young player with great potential, like Wes Brown, is suffering because of the general instability around him at the back.

For all that, expect the rest of them to be chasing Manchester United to the finish line once again. If we’ve learned anything over the past few weeks it’s that, with a group of players as talented as this, it’s always too soon to write them off.

People are already talking about that Villa game as a “modern classic”, and it’s a subject that has also been on my mind because of Channel 4’s poll this week of the 100 Greatest Moments In Sport.

The one that stands out in my memory was Muhammad Ali winning the world title against George Foreman in Zaire in 1974 – the famous ‘Rumble In The Jungle’. Ali was such a hero of mine and, like everyone else at the time, I was genuinely frightened that he was going to get a hiding from Foreman, who was a real juggernaut of a man. No one gave Ali a prayer.

I remember watching it and simply hoping that he wouldn’t get punished too much – because, in the early stages, he really was taking a few digs. So for him to come back and win it in the end – that was a truly fabulous moment in sport.

As was Brazil’s World Cup win in Mexico in 1970. This was the first World Cup I remember watching as a child and, to this day, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone in football come close to matching the brilliance of Pele. Even his misses were incredible – I remember an amazing dummy against the Uruguayan keeper in one game and then what would now be called a Beckham-style shot from the halfway line against Czechoslovakia, that went inches past the post. And then there were all the great goals.

But it wasn’t just a one-man show. Think of Zidane today; well, the Brazil of 1970 were like a team of Zidanes. I was absolutely mesmerised watching them, the way they knocked the ball around – I don’t know how many passes they put together for that wonderful fourth goal in the final against Italy.

Still, given that Channel 4 are polling mainly English viewers, I suppose we must expect 1966 to come out on top. Although, I hear that there’s a move in Ireland to blitz the site and make our victory over England in Germany in 1988 the winner, which would be hilarious.

As it happens, from a playing point of view, that game has to count as my own personal greatest moment in sport. It was almost surreal walking off the pitch at the end, a sense of “have we really won?” because few people gave us much of a chance and, knowing the English players as we did, we knew ourselves that we were up against it. But then Ray Houghton went and scored that early goal and somehow we hung on.

It was special too, because we knew how much it would mean to the folks at home; frankly, they wouldn’t have given a hoot if we’d gotten hammered 4-0 in the other two games, as long as we won that first one.

Now, with 2002 under way, we can look forward to what I hope will be another memorable tournament for Ireland this summer in Korea and Japan.

Inevitably, people will be watching the fortunes of key Irish players very closely between now and then. On which point, if I was Robbie Keane, I’d be looking very hard at the situation in Leeds now. With Robbie Fowler having come in and Mark Viduka and Alan Smith already there, I’d be thinking that maybe a move to another Premiership club would be in my best interest.

Whether he’s in the Leeds team or not, I would think it’s imperative that Mick bring a player of his quality to the World Cup – but ideally you want him to be full of confidence, scoring goals and on a high going into the competition.

Another guy I think can be a star for us next summer is Damien Duff. He has enormous natural ability but what I really like about him is that still has the kind of innocence and cheek that means he won’t be shy about nutmegging top players or generally leaving them on their backsides. And whereas Robbie is already something of a known quantity internationally, Damien could really make a name for himself on what is, after all, the highest stage of all.

As for me, I hope to be there too – but this time as a fan.