By Myles Palmer
I LAUGHED out loud when I read that line from David Seaman yesterday.
The line about his own back garden.
He said, “I have had 13 fantastic years at Arsenal, winning more trophies than I could ever have hoped for and working with world-class players. I have also had the privilege to work with great managers like Arsene Wenger and George Graham who have both been a massive support to me both professionally and personally during my time at Arsenal. But I want to say a special thank you to the Arsenal fans who have made Highbury feel like my own back garden when I played there.’
Summer’s here and everybody expects me to write about what players Wenger should buy and will buy.
But most footballers are on holiday right now.
And most of their contracts end June 30.
And it’s a buyer’s market this summer
I think I should write the pieces nobody else will write.
One of those is : The lessons Arsene Wenger has learned from last season.
That’s an interesting piece that nobody else will write.
But first I suppose I’ve gotta write the unsentimental Seaman piece that nobody else will write.
So here goes:
David Seaman was a world class goalkeeper at QPR.
And he was Arsenal’s best-ever keeper from 1989 to November 16, 1996, when Solskjaer cracked his ribs with boot or knee, I can’t remember which.
I can only remember that, at the time, I thought it was a vicious challenge.
A vicious late challenge.
Since that unhappy day, Seaman was never the same player, never as brave, never as commanding.
It wasn’t Arsenal that made him a celebrity. It was England.
After Euro 96, Seaman started signing his autographs as, “Safe Hands.”
He believed his own publicity and started charging for interviews.
Obviously, reporters detest millionaires who charge for interviews.
But they didn’t slag him off because he was England’s No.1.
He declined year after year until it became comical last season,when he looked like an old man, going for everything hands first, protecting his body, especially his ribs.
Yesterday Seaman should have made a special point of thanking the magnificent defenders who protected him so well for 13 years.
He had Tony Adams, a tactical genius, organising the action 40 yards from the goal, giving him little to do.
He had Steve Bould between him and John Fashanu and all the other big bulldozers who can hurt goalkeepers.
So Seaman was able to use his calm judgement, his huge experience, and his long arms, to good effect.
He was able to maximise his legend and lengthen his career.
At his peak, Seaman was awesome, especially at the Lane once when he made 5 incredible saves from Lineker in a 1-1 draw when Arsenal were getting pulverised.
Arsenal didn’t deserve a draw but they got a point because Seaman made saves that nobody else on this planet could have made.
He was absolutely fantastic in the two Cup Winners Cup runs in 94 and 95.
He was better than Schmeichel because he made fewer mistakes.
The cock-ups that big Peter perpetrated against Southampton and Athletico Madrid live on vividly in my mind’s eye. Seaman never did anything as crazy as that.
When Wenger came in 1996 he created the most ferocious team of midfield tacklers that English football has ever seen.
Seaman erected a hammock and slept between his posts as Petit,Vieira and Parlour won the ball 70 yards from him.
The only time he had to raise his arms was to applaud when Overmars, Anelka and Bergkamp scored at the other end.
He made one or two saves a match, caught a couple of easy balls. It was money for old rope.
For years he WAS as comfortable at Highbury as he was in his own back garden.
Even last season he had Sol Campbell and Keown between him and the big, bad, bruising centre forwards – and Vieira and Gilberto in front of them.
He won’t have them at Man City.
David Seaman could be facing the most terrifying reality check any British goalkeeper has ever confronted.
If I was an elderly, injury-prone millionaire, I would not want to play for a team where I would have to do dangerous, painful things that I haven’t done for decades.
I would say: Hey, I’m really glad that Arsene kept faith with me for two years beyond my sell-by date, I’ve had my share of glory and big money, let’s not tarnish my legend any further.
June 5th 2003.