The Beauty and Brilliance of Banff

By David Whitworth

Canada has lots to offer its visitors from lush greenery to mythical mountains. And its mountains are precisely where you can find outstanding natural beauty, the picturesque Rocky Mountains and its diamond of Banff.

Banff and its National Park entices you from the get go. This uber cool tourist hotspot attracts four million visitors annually and it is not hard to see why it is so popular with its gorgeous scenery towering over the township of its near 8,000 population.

Banff is a bustling resort full of bars and restaurants catering for its huge visitor numbers. Visitors from all walks of life come to experience this delightful part of the world. Ramblers can roam free, families explore, dogs are treated to great exercise and elderly people can marvel at the stunning sights Banff has to offer.

 

The town really welcomes everyone, even deer have been known to be found in local residents gardens and wander the streets freely.

When visiting the town, it is a must to scale its gondola ride to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. Located just five minutes outside of Banff and at 698m (2,292ft) this maverick mountain is the centrepiece which lies within the Alberta Rockies. Amazing views greet you as you gradually chug up the mountain. The gondola journey takes eight minutes to ascend as you glide over the Canadian treetops and sampling its steep valleys, lakes, flora and fauna. The landmark has a rich history of attracting tourists from all over the globe.

At the summit, breath-taking views show off the colourful and rugged topography of Banff’s grandeur. Its visitors center offers refreshments at the 360 degrees rooftop restaurant and observation deck and a variety of souvenirs to choose from. Also you can learn interesting information about Sulphur Mountain through exploring its extensive interactive exhibition catered for both the younger and older generations.

 

On a clear day from dawn until dusk, you can view Banff town and its six mountain ranges. Whilst at the top you can attempt Sulphur Mountain Boardwalk – a hiking trail through the summit’s greenery and mountain table top where you climb its steps to the top of Sanson’s Walk. This viewing platform was named after explorer Norman Sanson, who every week would walk all the way from the bottom of the climb to the mountain summit to check the weather at its peak. Remarkably, he did this for 30 years until he was 84-years-old.

 

For a trip on the Banff Gondola, prices are $64 Canadian dollars for adults and $58 when purchased at an advanced rate. Children between the ages of 6 to 15 are priced at $32 with an advanced rate of $29. Children under 5 go free to the attraction.

One of the beauties of Banff is there are various hiking routes from the keen walkers to the gentle strollers. A popular hiking trek is Tunnel Mountain, which takes in views of Banff and Bow River. It is a fairly short and pleasurable walk of a 4.3km (3 miles) round trip with an elevation gain of 300m.

At the summit there is a panoramic view of Banff with the ability to see perfectly 360 degrees the entire resort. Ascending to the summit and walking back down this particular route takes around an hour and a half but there are other routes which can fill up your entire day.

 

From Tunnel Mountain, the Fairmont Banff Springs can be seen – the famous and spectacular accommodation nested in the Canadian pine trees. The hotel has 757 rooms and includes a restaurant with great panoramic views whilst dining and at an affordable price.

 

If you want to venture out of town a little more, well worth a visit is Lake Louise. Its a 45-minute drive away at 57km (35 miles) from Banff. At Lake Louise, you can see some breath-taking views of the sheer mountains backdrops and the impressive Victoria Glacier.

 

To fully immerse yourself in this mountainous wonderland, you can take a trip on its famous turquoise lake on a canoe boat. The area is also ideal for hiking and skiing and there is the stunning Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise located on the shores of the lake, accommodating 539 rooms and features impressive views overlooking Lake Louise.

For a trip on the lake, the canoeing experience for visitors can be purchased per canoe for $125 Canadian dollars per hour and $115 per half hour. Guests staying at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise resort take priority over the general public and enjoy rates of $85 per hour and $75 per half hour. Up to three adults or two adults and two small children under 25kg are permitted in a canoe. One person in a canoe must be 16 years or over to board.

To beat the crowds, hotel guests can reserve an exclusive night time canoeing experience which departs at 8:15pm, priced at $85 per hour. Guests must show their key pass as proof to board a canoe.

 

Banff is home to various other outdoor sports such as skiing, scrambling, fishing and biking. There is even an annual running race in the town every September – The Melissa Run – which participants run around the undulating resort. There are three different courses for runners depending on your level with distances of 5km, 10km and a half marathon to choose from.

Prices are $110 Canadian dollars for the half marathon, $89 for the 10km route and $69 for the 5km trail.

Banff has something to offer for everyone and Alex Corbett, who resides in the Canadian city of Red Deer in Central Alberta, really cherishes her visits to the area:

“Banff is one of those magical places that despite being a very popular tourist location, it feels like a hometown.

“We live two hours away and get to go there quite frequently. And even so, every time we enter the Rocky Mountains and drive down Banff Main Street, we breathe the fresh mountain air, our shoulders drop and we feel so refreshed when we leave. Mountains are good for the soul!”

Banff is a wonderful area to discover; a treasure worth its waiting gold.

My Holy Trinity of Views

By David Whitworth

As travel gets back up to speed slowly but surely, it enables us to see the beauty of this world. Travel nourishes the heart like no other. It is enriching and through travel we learn about the world and about us too. Every one of us has a view which takes our breath away or holds strong emotional value. I wanted to share my three favourite views and explain why they mean so much to me. If you think two of them look like a painting, that is because they are! A permenant reminder of my love for the views. So here we go!

Puente de Triana, Sevilla

The city of Sevilla in southern Spain is where I call home is a wondrous place. It has little gems up and down the city. And my personal favourite is Puente de Triana (The Bridge of Triana). Overlooking the neighbourhood of Triana, the view is a hotspot for tourists and residents alike to meet up and watch the sun go down. It is an ideal photo opportunity of one of Sevilla’s most iconic monuments. It was inaugurated in 1852 and took seven years to construct. This steel arch bridge is a thing of beauty with its characteristically shaped ‘O’ feature. It certainly mesmerises this humble writer. The bridge is also known as the Puente de Isabel II (The Isabella II Bridge) in honour of her reign during the period when it was built. It is the first solid bridge to be built in the city and connects Triana with the city centre and stand above the flowing River Guadalquivir. Every time I gaze into this view, especially at night when the lights illuminate the bridge and shimmer into the water, it is a marvel to see.

Menai Bridge, Isle of Anglesey

It must be something about bridge views as two of my top three consist of views with bridges in the background! This is another breath-taking view from north-west Wales and overlooks the Menai straight and Snowdonia National Park. The bridge is known mainly in Welsh as Porthaethwy as Porth (harbour) and Daethwy, the name of a local Celtic tribe. It is also known as Y Borth. The bridge was built in 1826 by renown constructor Thomas Telford. The road where this view can be found is known as Thomas Telford Way. The lay-by is a popular beauty spot for people to take photos and have a walk in the greenery located nearby the tidal water.

A novel photo is of Ynys Gored Goch (Red Weir Island) which is a small island in the Menai Strait. Amazingly, a house can be found there, which is private property and accessed only by boat. The tidal water is treacherous and creates whirlpools which are known locally as ‘swellies.’ The property has featured on a number of television programmes.

Lake Louise, Alberta

No bridge this time but a spectacular view of the glacial lake in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Time stops when you see this view and it is awe inspiring. The lake is named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. It is also known as ‘Ho-run-num-nay’ (Lake of the Little Fishes) by the Stoney Nakota First Nation People. The lake has a turquoise colour which comes from the rock flour deposited into it from melt water of the glaciers which surround the lake. In the summer months, you can row along the lake at your leisure and by winter, skate over it. To the other side of the lake stands Fairmount’s Chateau Lake Louise, a luxury resort hotel built in 1890 by the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Snowdon: The Jewel of the Welsh Mountains

 By David Whitworth

SNOWDONIA – The country of Wales has lots to offer its visitors from ancient castles and modern day seaside resorts to lush greenery and mythical mountains. And its mountains is precisely where you can find outstanding beauty and the picturesque Snowdonia and its highest peak: Snowdon.

Snowdonia National Park entices you from the get go. Its majestic scenery, hidden crags and wondrous waterfalls are a mecca for tourists of all kinds. Covering 823 square miles, which ‘Eryri’ as Snowdonia is known in Welsh, it was designated a nature park in 1951 – one of three in Wales, and it is beautifully preserved in all its glory.

Visitors from all walks of life come to experience this delightful part of the world. Ramblers can roam free, families can explore new adventures, dogs are treated to some great exercise and elderly people can leisure around and marvel at the stunning sights Snowdonia has to offer. Over four million visitors a year are attracted to this mountainous magnet and it is not hard to realize why so many people find so much joy with the impressive mountains, rolling hills and gorgeous valleys which tower over you.

Breath-taking views of the colourful and rugged topography of Snowdon from its peak

When visiting Snowdonia, it is a must to scale the highest mountain in Wales and second highest in Great Britain. At 1085m (3,560ft) Snowdon, derived from Old English as ‘Snow Hill’ or Yr Wyddfa in Welsh, which translates to ‘the tumulus’ or ‘the barrow,’ is the jewel which lies within the Welsh mountains. The landmark attracts 582,000 people every year and has a rich history of entertaining guests, attracting tourists from all over the world.

There are various ways and routes to ascend up Snowdon. For the keen walkers, it represents a tremendous challenge and human effort to reach the summit. It takes on average between five to seven hours to climb to the top of the mountain and walk back down in a round trip.

Snowdon is also part of the National Three Peaks Challenge, where enthusiasts can test themselves by scaling the highest mountains in each of England (Scarfell Pike) Scotland (Ben Nevis) and Snowdon within a 24 hour time limit.

The most idyllic way to visit the top of the Welsh mountain is by train. The Snowdon Mountain Railway has been in operation since 1896 and transports 130,000 passengers annually. Currently the railway is being upgraded with 100 metres of track being replaced every year to provide necessary maintenance to make the train service fit for purpose for modern day use.

At the summit of Snowdon with a shot of its visitor centre amongst the Snowdonia grandeur

Overall, the train journey takes two and a half hours and is a memorable experience. It takes approximately one hour from Llanberis at the bottom to its summit – a distance of 4.7 miles. It has amazing views as you gradually chug up the mountain and snake through waterfalls, valleys, lakes and farm animals with sheep dominating the route upwards. The train travels at a steady 5mph as you rise up towards its peak. There at the peak, guests have 30 minutes to savour and take in the top of the mountain where there is the Hafod Eryri Visitors Centre located offering refreshments, souvenirs and interesting information about the mountain.

Also, depending on the weather, guests can venture outside and climb the steps to the absolute summit where a bright gold compass awaits (below) detailing in which direction some local places are located. It is an intriguing viewing point fit for Snowdon’s high stature.

On a clear day, visitors can see as far as the mountains in the Peak District and all-in-all, 24 counties including all in the British Isles, 29 lakes and 17 islands are visible when the weather is favourable. The view overlooking the National Park from Snowdon really is the best vantage point possible. As a famous James Bond movie title goes, Snowdon really has a view to a kill and it brings such tranquilly to see natures way of the highest order. Beaming smiles and faces of amazement in awe of the magical mountain are the norm.

The mountain itself is a national nature reserve, known for its flora and fauna and its many grand lakes which are dotted all around its terrain. It really is from an environmental perspective, a landmark of the highest importance.

Some housekeeping in terms of Snowdon’s railway service. The train is open to the public from March to November, weather permitting, and there are three price bands of the railway service. The Heritage Steam Experience, taking guests on a voyage through their steam train, is priced at £39 for adults and £29 for children. The Traditional Diesel Service, which transports guests on a diesel powered locomotive, costs £30 for adults with £21 for children.

There is also an early bird offer which has only one service in the morning at 9am. This is the cheapest journey with adults paying £24 and children £15 and also uses the diesel train. Discounts apply to disabled travellers and prices are based on a return journey from base to summit. Passengers can buy a single ticket, which gives visitors the opportunity to walk down the mountain, which can last on average around the three hour mark. This way ensures the best of both worlds and giving the visitor a glance at Snowdon from both perspectives. All trains depart every 30 minutes from Llanberis station until 5pm, which is the departure time of the final journey up to the top of the mountain.

View from Llanberis station taking you to the heart of Snowdon

It is also possible to travel to Clogwyn station, which lies three-quarters up the mountain and has a duration of 45 minutes. This service runs from mid-March to May when the weather is too inclement to journey to the summit. It is advisable to book in advance, especially in peak holiday periods as tickets can sell out fairly quickly. It is also necessary to be at the departure station at the foot of Llanberis thirty minutes in advance to be ready to embark.

Snowdon and its famous railway brings you the joy, satisfaction and fulfilment desired and it is a thoroughly pleasurable journey. Overall, Snowdonia is a wonderful area to discover and a treasure worth its waiting gold. However, in its famous peak of Snowdon, it has its jewel of the Welsh mountains.

The Ride to Happiness at Plopsaland de Panne

The Ride to Happiness | Plopsaland de Panne, Belgium

By David Whitworth

Riders of Plopsaland’s latest attraction will be head over heels with happiness – literally, as riders will be sent into a spin like never before with the creation of The Ride to Happiness.

The Ride to Happiness by Tomorrowland was opened last year on July 21^st to coincide with Belgium’s national day. It also coincides with the dates pre pandemic of the world’s greatest electronic dance festival of Tomorrowland, who collaborate with the ride. Their branding is featured not just on the ride, but as part of Plopsaland’s new themed area of Tomorrowland, which heralds from the village of Boom in Belgium. The four elements of water, earth, wind and fire are all present to evoke the festival vibe, which Tomorrowland successfully creates. Add to this is a themed food and beverage section along with merchandise stands which the festival is known for. Through this, Plopsaland brings a flavour of Tomorrowland and forges together two big Belgium brands.

The park describes the emotive experience further detailing: “The magical decorations, uplifting beats, distinctive food stalls and so much more will make you feel like you’re on the meadow in Boom. And rest assured, a ride on the Ride To Happiness will be at least as amazing and memorable as the acts on the Main Stage.”

The ride cost €17.5m euros to construct and took 18 months to build from start to finish. The attraction is the first steel Xtreme Spinning Coaster in Europe. The ride gives you a real twist for your senses and travels up to 55.9 mph (90km/h). Its height reaches 108.3ft (33m) and its track length spans 3,005.2ft (916m). Mack Rides returned to the park to manufacture the ride after creating their wooden roller coaster Heidi The Ride in 2017. The ride holds the world record for the most inversions on a spinning coaster – twisting a mind bending five times throughout its journey.

The coaster travels with two trains of four vehicles per train. Passengers sit in two rows of two for a ride total of 16 riders per train. 570 passengers per hour can ride onboard, which is increased to 720 riders an hour with two trains in operation to experience Plopsaland’s new attraction. The Ride to Happiness has two LSM launches of a maximum of 0.7G to propel passengers to paradise. During the ride, the coaster effortlessly glides over water and its aquatic feature gives riders a rickety ride for the senses.

The Ride to Happiness has beautifully crafted carriages with the signature Tomorrowland logo of a butterfly and an eye. Its track is coloured brown as is the décor of the Tomorrowland festival. And as passengers await the ride and travel on board the ride, an exclusive Tomorrowland soundtrack plays out, which has been created especially for the attraction through legendary producer Hans Zimmer. A roller coaster dancing to a new melodic beat.

The spinning coaster commences with a sedate barrel roll to which riders are, after a small pause, launched up rapidly to its maximum height of 103.8ft (31.6m). A steep drop towards the park’s pond follows by a section of various inversions of banana rolls and vertical loops. The ride packs a punch: pulling up to 4.0G at its maximum vertical acceleration. The journey continues passing two banked turns before propelled once again for the next launched system. The second part of the ride consists of several airtime hills and a dramatic double-inverted dive loop. The ride makes its way to the finish with a 180 degree swift turn. One of the hallmarks of the ride is the cars ability to spin freely during all the ride – giving passengers an unpredictability every time.

Maximillian Roeser, marketing at Mack Rides, spoke about Plopsaland’s new attraction The Ride to Happiness.

IP: What challenges did the project face?

MR: “Normally you would guess that a seaside park would have rough winter conditions to set up such a ride. But 2020 was challenging us a lot more: With the beginning of the project we started to head right into the pandemic. As everyone else we didn’t know what consequences this would have: Would we have a reduced staff at our company? Would we be allowed to travel to Belgium easily? How about the transport of the ride to the park? All these uncertainties came suddenly into play and we adapted very quickly and very efficient so that we were able to deliver the ride on time to park.”

Discuss the twisting carriage technology utilized for the Ride to Happiness and the thought process in choosing that type of carriage and its difficulties. 

MR: “The Xtreme Spinning Coaster trains are designed to combine powerful launch sections and inversions with the ability to free spin along the track. To dampen the rate of rotation we installed a magnetic break below the passenger compartment. Depending on the settings we can make this ride wilder or softer with only a very gentle rotation. When designing the ride layout we prepared external magnetic elements along launch no.1 to give the cars an initial rotation while being launched forward. When riding guests will never know in which direction they are going to spin along the track.”

Discuss some elements of the rides and why they were chosen such as the banana roll, dive loop and the zero-g roll. 

MR: “The banana roll in combination with the Xtreme Spinning Coaster is a very disorientating element: you see where the track is going but the inertia will make the car spin the other way around. To have this as a direction changing element at one end of the layout was very important for us. Also it might look old-fashioned from the outside, the vertical loop is a wonderful example of what the Xtreme Spinning Coaster offers for the guests: Riding this element sideways is so unique and you can clearly see the horizon doing a 360° roll while going through. And right after launch no.2 we got the double inverting dive loop standing tall over the entrance plaza of the ride. This element is the most dynamic on the track and would already be a great hit with a non-spinning car. With the Xtreme Spinning Coaster gondolas this is an outstanding masterpiece right at the beginning of part two of the track.”

Plopsa is a theme park division within the Studio 100 media group and own seven theme parks in total. They attract three million visitors annually. Plopsaland is situated in the seaside resort of de Panne and is an ideal destination of roller coaster enthusiasts. The park was recently awarded with the prize of ‘Europe’s Best New Coaster,’ bringing The Ride to Happiness further joy.

The slogan for the music festival at Tomorrowland is ‘Live Today, Love Tomorrow and Unite Forever.’ And The Ride to Happiness gives riders a thrill that they will certainly live and love.

Marcos Assunção: The Maestro of the Dead Ball

By David Whitworth | @DCWh1tw0rth

An extraordinary free kick specialist who lit up Serie A and La Liga. A player who goalkeeper’s feared even before a foul was committed. The dead ball specialist Marcos Assunção.

The Origins of the Free Kick Master Assunção
The story of the midfielder starts in his native Brazil in his municipal of Caieiras, located in the state of São Paolo. And it was evident that the young Brazilian was hooked on football from an early age:
“I loved playing football and playing with my friends who had a good level. Also, I remember my father would take me to matches and he dreamt of me playing for a team one day.”

In his neighbourhood, there wasn’t many hobbies or passions to try out. Therefore, he exclusively focused on football. And his first footballing steps were with local side Rio Branco Esporte Club at the tender age of 17 years old. In addition, he would spend the first two years of his professional career forming his game at the club. It was there where the young Assunção started to practice and polish his now famous free kick deliveries.

His reference when practising those free kicks was his countryman Marcelinho Carioca. He was known as angel foot due to his accuracy on dead balls. The attacking midfielder played for most of his career in Brazil with Corinthians and also played in La Liga with Valencia.
“When I started to play football, I would practice my free kicks based on his technique and wanted to curl footballs to shoot like him.”

His next move would be to Santos where his growth as a central midfielder continued apace. Another two years followed by a season sandwiched in-between at Flamengo. It was there he had his breakthrough season in Brazil. In 1998, he scored seven goals in 42 matches. That successful campaign alerted the interest of European clubs.

The Italian Job
His first port of call in Europe would be Italy and AS Roma. He would play under Fabio Capello and share the field with the likes of Francesco Totti, Gabriel Batistuta and Vincenzo Montella. He also shared the dressing room with Brazilian compatriots including Cafu and Aldair. The presence of several Brazilians in the team made Marcos feel at home and welcome from the get go:
“I arrived when I was 22 years old and the fact that I had many Brazilian team mates made me feel more relaxed like I was in Brazil. So I owe a lot to those players because they helped me a great deal to settle in to life in Rome.”

He would spend three years in the Eternal City, scoring ten goals in 83 appearances with 11 assists. One of those assists would be in Turkey against Galatasaray as the midfielder would get his first taste of Champions League football during the 2001/02 season. That assist was for a wonderfully executed bicycle kick, scored by fellow Brazilian Emerson.

It was to be a highly productive spell trophy wise. Assunção would be part of the Roma squad that would complete a double success. In 2001, Roma won the Serie A crown with 75 points by a distance of two points to Juventus. In addition, the Wolves also lifted the Italia Supercup title in August of that year as the League Champions defeated the Coppa Italia winners Fiorentina 3-0.

Assunção a Bargain Betis Buy
Soon after, in the summer of 2002, an offer arrived from La Liga side Real Betis Balompié. The Brazilian duly swapped Rome for Seville. The midfielder was a petition and a high priority signing for new manager Víctor Fernández, who wanted him as one of the key new pillars of his club. His persuasion worked and Assunção signed from Roma for €6 million euros.

If the Brazilian wanted to make an instant impression, he did that and more.

A Debut to Remember for Assunção
It is likely Sunday 1st September 2002 is a date he will never forget. The newly signed Assunção made his debut for Real Betis away against Deportivo La Coruña in La Riazor. Back then, it was ‘Super Depor’ and ‘Fortress Riazor’ as no team relished playing against arguably one of the best teams on the planet in that moment. But Assunçao did.

It was to be a remarkable debut for the midfielder as, in the 19th minute and wearing the number 19 shirt, he scored his first goal for the club. He did it in style as with his weaker left foot, he launched a fierce shot from distance to arrow into the top left hand corner of the net. What a way to make your mark and open your account.

If that wasn’t enough, his free kick prowess began to gain recognition with not one, not two, but three free kicks he would smack full on against the crossbar. Opposition goalkeeper José Molina was in disbelief at what he was witnessing. It was almighty bad luck for none of his efforts to enter the net. They were such sweetly connected with his venomous right foot on each occasion. Even the Betis bench looked at each other with bewilderment with the thought, “Who is this player we have signed?!”

However, it was to finish all positive as Assunção ended up with a wonderful goal and a terrific assist from a corner. Above all, he finished on the winning side with a 2-4 triumph on the opening night of that La Liga season. An impressive win against a formidable foe in their fortress.

Hard Work Pays Off for Assunção
Real Betis started that season very well with only one defeat in their first 10 games. This included a creditable draw against Real Madrid. It also included thrashing Barcelona 3-0 with Betis defender Fernando Varela scoring La Liga’s official goal of the season. The right back went on a mazy run from his own half. His mesmerising goal included beating six players and goalkeeper Victor Valdés in scoring a Messi-esq goal for the ages. It is very much worth checking out and admiring for the beauty, the audacity and the skill to pull off such a goal.

This fast start to the season which Betis made was no fluke, as Assunção points out:
“I arrived to Real Betis when I was 25 and a formed football player, fresh from winning Serie A with Roma. Thanks to playing with the likes of Marco Delvecchio and Vincenzo Montella, players of quality and known stars, that helped me to be the player I was. I arrived to Betis very calm.
“I remember I had a fantastic pre-season programme. But, the team in general also trained really well to arrive to that first match against Deportivo ready. So this is why we started the season on a high. For me, the training conditions meant we made the perfect start.”

Betis’ Own Rocket Man
It was a blistering start to the Betis career of the Brazilian. From that moment on, he would be known as ‘El Cañon de Heliópolis’ (The Canon of Heliópolis), named after the rocket of a shot he let loose on his rivals and the neighbourhood location of the Betis stadium. He was appropriately anointed that nickname for his venomous ball strikes which would become his hallmark throughout his career.

Although he had a difficult spell on the side-lines with five month out of action due to injury, the Brazilian would play a vital role in the success of Betis. He was almost an ever present member of the 2004/05 historic team. He missed just four games in the league as he made 34 appearances in 38 games and scored eight times. All of them in the second half of the season as he finished with a flourish. Almost all of them by way of his party piece free kick.

All in all, he made 143 appearances in the green and white and scored 29 times.

Assunção A Man to be Feared
“The player I feared the most on set plays was Marcos Assunção.”

Words from the iconic Goalkeeper and Spanish World Cup winner and captain Iker Casillas. High praise indeed from one of the best goalkeepers of all time. And Assunçao remembers him with great fondness:
“Iker was a fantastic goalkeeper, one of the best in the world. As a person, he was very humble. I remember a Betis vs Real Madrid match. After the game, as I was going to the dressing room, he called me over to say ‘Marcos, can we swap shirts?’
“So of course I said yes, what joy!” Such was the Brazilian’s reaction. Humbled and flattered for Casillas to acknowledge him.
“I still have his shirt to this day and I take care of it with a lot of affection. But I never got to score against him, such was the difficulty to score against him and his fantastic ability between the posts.”

Assunção’s Highlight Reel
His range of goals from his free kicks marked him out as he could score from close to the goal centre on, from either side of the pitch or from long distance. No wonder Casillas feared him.

Assunção’s free kick goals read like a highlight reel and the Brazilian was the star of the show. His goals were of the highest calibre and, as the pitch would be his stage, he would take the limelight and steal the show. Time after time.

Technique and Accuracy
As a goalkeeper, you knew exactly what was coming. But you were powerless, such was the pinpoint technique and accuracy of Assunção. He had a defined style and rigid approach to taking his free kicks. He would take a one step run up and launch the ball with his right foot. If you check out the goals of his reference Carioca, it is clear his style and run up is modelled on him. And when he struck the ball, more times than not, it would find the back of the net.

Against Valencia he scored many times with a glorious free kick. Their Goalkeeper Santi Cañizares had countless frustrations of conceding to him time and time again. He also scored a textbook dead ball verses Real Zaragoza, one of many La Liga free kick treasures he served up.

Marcos’ Milestone Moments
Two of Marcos’ most cherished free kicks came when he score a fabulous free kick for his Brazilian side Palmeiras vs Vitória in the South American League. Assunção’s Palmeiras would lose the first leg 2-0. But they turned that deficit around in the second leg to be winning 2-0 and be level in the tie at two apiece. There were 88 minutes on the clock with extra time beckoning. Cue Assunção with one of his trademark free kicks to score a fantastic goal and win the tie 3-2.

His other favourite free kick was a wonderful strike for Betis as he scored against Real Mallorca. It was a crucial goal, which would seal a final day draw 1-1. In addition, it meant securing 4th place and earning a Champions League play off berth.
Two months later, Betis would prevail from that qualifier against AS Monaco to secure a Champions League place outright. The club drew Group F which included both the then Champions, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Two Weeks to Savour
That summer was a special period in the life of Assunção. Just 15 days after scoring that goal in Mallorca, Real Betis would win the 2005 Copa del Rey Final. The Green and Whites defeating Osasuna in extra time 2-1 in the legendary Estadio Vicente Calderon.

Marcos cherishes those two weeks to remember:
“It was a very beautiful time. Simply perfect. Two special moments in Mallorca and to win the cup was so special to see the supporters celebrating and the city full of happy people.
“Winning the cup was an immense feeling. I remember at the hotel concentration before the final with so many supporters of Betis in the streets cheering us. So it was fantastic and made even better by the fact we won the trophy.
“The feeling of winning a cup so important like the Copa de Rey for Betis who hadn’t won it since 1977 was priceless. I will always remember that feeling after that game and the team celebration at the dinner afterwards with my Brazilian and Spanish teammates. So it was one of the best moments of my life.”

More Than a Free Kick Taker
For all his glory and success at set plays, Assunção was much more than an extraordinary dead ball specialist. He had a range of passes in his locker. From defence splitting through balls to spraying the ball effortlessly from one side of the pitch to the other. All created with ease, composure and accuracy.

Twilight Success Back in Brazil
The midfielder would leave Betis in 2007 after five successful seasons. And after a two-year-spell in the United Arab Emirates with Al-Ahli and Al-Shabab, the Brazilian returned home. And the Brazilian had something of a renascence where he played until he was 37 years…young. His performances were evocative of that famous fine wine – playing great football in the twilight years of his career. After a spell at Grêmio, his move to Palmeiras rejuvenated his career with 16 goals in 78 games. Most of them strikes coming by way of his fabled free kicks, such as the aforementioned goal vs Vitória.

International Honours with Brazil
A momentous moment in his footballing career arrived on the 18th February 1998. The midfielder made his debut for the Brazilian National team aged 21 against El Salvador. It would be under fabled manager Mário Zagallo, the first person to win the World Cup as a player and a manager. A footballing great who won the title in 1958 and 1962 in his playing days and in 1970 as a manager and 1994 as an assistant manager.

The midfield marksman would go on to be capped 11 times in total for La Canarinha, scoring a goal against Russia.

As one can imagine, in Brazil, it is every little boys dream who loves football to wear the famous yellow shirt. And for Marcos, it was no different:
“I thank god that I arrived to the Brazilian team and it was incredibly important. I feel lucky with the career I’ve had to live through so many great memories in the Brazil national team and in my club sides too.

Life on the pitch after football for Marcos entails a role as Director of Football at the Brazilian team Esporte Clube Aguá Santa in the Paulista League – A top flight Brazilian championship held in São Paulo. “It is a job I love and hold dear to my heart. So I hope I can be as successful off the field as I was on it.”

Marcos Assunção will forever be remembered as one of the best free kick takers of all time. His strike rate in the dead ball scenario was phenomenal. His all round play enriched not just his fellow teammates and staff. But, also, all the supporters he played for throughout his distinguished career.

The Brazilian possessed a magical technique and was undoubtedly the maestro of the dead ball.

The Demise of Deportivo de la Coruña or a New Dawn?

By David Whitworth | @DCWh1tw0rth

Spanish outfit Deportivo de La Coruña are currently enveloped in almighty trouble and face one of the most darkest periods in their 113 year history.

It is a sad state of affairs to see a giant of La Liga languishing in the lower regions of the Segunda División.

Only 20 years ago this year at the turn of the millennium, ‘Super Depor’ as they were known back then, accomplished the ultimate for any La Liga club – Being crowned champion of Spain for the very first time in their proud history.

Lead by their experienced manager Javier Irureta, the Galician team were a who’s who of star studded talent – Diego Tristan, Albert Luque, Roy Makaay, Djalminha, Jorge Andrade and Juan Carlos Valerón to name a few who lit up La Liga with flair, entertainment and goals in abundance.

It was a rosy period league wise with five straight finishes in the top three positions of the upper echelons of Spanish football between 2000 and 2004.

Not only did they dominate La Liga, but were a regular fixture in Europe too and were not just there to make up the numbers either. Thanks to their fortress of La Riazor, which no away team relished, Deportivo conquered all before them.

One famous night in particular on 7th April 2004 when La Coruña blitzed a Hollywood AC Milan side – roaring back from 4-1 down on aggregate from their first leg defeat in San Siro to win 4-0. This ensured Depor performed one of the greatest feats in European football history to prevail 5-4 on aggregate to write another famous chapter in their history.

They also famously crashed Real Madrid centenary party by winning La Copa Del Rey in The White’s anniversary year back in 2002 – In their sanctuary of the Santiago Bernabéu. The Spanish party poopers very much so.

Those days seem so far away now for the team based in North West Spain thanks to a lack of finances and poor organization. Depor are a world away from those heady days and currently are battling for their lives at the bottom of Spain’s Segunda División. The Galician’s are potentially staring at the Abyss of a first league campaign in the Segunda B División for the first time in 40 years, since the 1980/81 season, when their stay lasted just one season before being promoted once more.

It could have been oh so different as at the end of last season, Deportivo were a goal away from returning to the top flight of Spain. The club made it to the play off final against Mallorca and won the first leg in La Riazor 2-0 to take a commanding league to the Island only to lose in Son Moix 3-0. A bitter pill to swallow to lose out by one solitary goal. So close and yet tellingly now so very far.

That disappointment clearly affected the club who were so tantalisingly close to promotion back to the elite of Spanish football. Fast forward to now and this historic and once highly successful club is on its knees. One hopes that the club doesn’t fold altogether as neutrals would dearly miss a club which has brought much joy to many supporters throughout their history. For now though, the club is in a precarious situation and the demise of Deportivo is real…or is it?

Spanish football returned after a short Christmas pit shop in January and after three games back in the Segunda División, Deportivo showed something of a revival with three straight wins against Numancia, Racing Santander and most notably against high flying Cádiz. That represented four wins on the bounce in the league after their pre Christmas victory against Tenerife. This amazing turnaround ended with seven straight wins to be closer to the play-offs than the relegation.

The experienced Fernando Vázquez, who knows his way around this division and is in his second stint with the club, has been charged to steer the club into calmer waters and it is a case of so far so good since his appointment post Christmas.

However, the team suffered the ignominy of being dumped out of the Second Round of the Copa del Rey on penalties by lowly Segunda División B outfit Unionistas Salamanca but that could yet turn out to be a blessing in disguise to concentrate on their more pressing league duties.

Although the team went through a sticky patch after that remarkable run, the team has returned well after the resumption of Spanish football. Depor are currently in 15th place on 48 points. They are seven games unbeaten with three wins and four draws.

Although the Galician’s are still in troubled waters of the relegation battle, crucially they are four points from the relegation zone. A remarkable feat considering only at Christmas the Galician’s were flush bottom and completely cut adrift of the pack. There is fight still left in this giant.

These are delicate times for an historic outfit of Spanish football as is Deportivo de la Coruña as to whether their demise is a reality or perhaps, there is indeed a new dawn breaking.

Manuel Pellegrini Appointed New Real Betis Manager

By David Whitworth | @DCWh1tw0rth

Spanish La Liga club Real Betis Balompié have appointed Chilean veteran Manuel Pellegrini as their new manager today.

The Green and White’s new manager has signed a two-year-deal with the option of a third based on sporting objectives.

According to ABC Sevilla news outlet, an agreement was concluded in a meeting in firstly Alicante with the definitive agreement reached in Benidorm. A meeting between the agent of Pellegrini and the Betis board of directors. This took place on 28th June whilst the team were playing in nearby La Nucía when Betis lost 4-2 to Levante.

The club were waiting to announce his appointment until the team were mathematically safe from relegation. A fact which became a reality last night when Betis convincingly defeated Osasuna 3-0 to assure their status in La Liga next season.

It was one of the team’s best performances of the year. In addition, the motivation shown on the field was clearly influenced by the new manager watching from afar.

The 66-year-old brings a wealth of experience to the Seville based outfit. After a long spell coaching in South America with the likes of River Plate, he made his move to Europe and had a highly successful period with Villarreal. There, he would make European football a staple diet with each season being a part of the Europa League and the Champions League. Under his guidance, the team reached the Champions League semi finals in 2006 and lost out to beaten finalists Arsenal.

His reward was a brief spell at Real Madrid at the start of the new Galactico era. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema all arrived to much fanfare. The Whites would finish with 96 points, a record total in La Liga to that point but were beaten by Barcelona on 99 points.

‘The engineer’ as he is known, returned to the dugout with Málaga when they were flush with money. He would duly take them to the Champions League. They were minutes away from making the 2013 Champions League semi finals but their opponents Borussia Dortmund scored twice in injury time to end their fairytale in dramatic style. Joy for Jürgen Klopp but despair for Pelligrini.

He would swap Málaga for Manchester City in 2013 and played a crucial role in City winning the Premier League title in his first season. Thus, becoming the first manager outside of Europe to achieve the feat. He would also taste further glory that year by winning the League Cup. It is a trick he would repeat in 2016.

A shirt stint in China would follow with Hebei Fortune China but two years after he would find himself back in the Premier League with West Ham. It would be a mixed spell for the Chilean where he would record a top 10 finish and start the following season in the Champion League places. But four successive defeats and a baron run cut short his time in London.

Now he returns to a league where he made his name and holds a challenge in fulfilling the potential of Betis. A club which historically has made things difficult for themselves and one which is yearning for stability. Betis have had a disappointment campaign this season and are currently in 13th place with 41 points. The club are far away from their original expectation of European football.
Betis have a impressive squad including the likes of World Cup winner Nabil Fekir, Marc Bartra and Sergio Canales. Yet the main player remains the evergreen captain Joaquín, who previously worked under Pellegrini at Málaga. It is clear with a team rich in quality, they have underperformed. It will be the job of Pellegrini to engineer himself a winning team and bring in some much needed stability and experience.

As part of the agreement, Betis are negotiating terms for a new Director of Football. The club’s number one target is Antonio Cordón, who is currently Director of Football for the Ecuador national team. He is a familiar face to Pellegrini as he was the Director of Football to Pellegrini at Villarreal during those successful seasons.

Betis have rolled the dice with the appointment of Pellegrini. Time will tell if it has been a successful roll.

The Enigma That Is Nabil Fekir

By David Whitworth | @DCWh1tw0rth

Spanish side Real Betis Balompié captured arguably one of the bargain transfer deals of last summer when they signed the talented French and Algerian attacker Nabil Fekir from Lyon.

 

The attacking midfielder, soon to be 27 this July, penned a four year deal with Los Verdiblancos. It was an eye-catching deal worth just £17.7 million pounds, with an extra £8.9 million pounds in various performance related installments. It represented a notable coup for the Andalusians.

A World Cup winner with France just two years ago as the biggest feather in his cap, Fekir has a wealth of weaponry in his armory in terms of pure footballing skill. A gifted dead-ball specialist with an eye for the spectacular. (See his effort against Paris Saint-Germain for an exhibition in outstanding free kick delivery).

In Lyon’s third game of the 2017-18 French First Division season, he would brilliantly score from the halfway line against Bordeaux, showing the visionary and his fine ability with the ball. A player who brings an inventive style of play with his trickery and elusiveness being his forte – capable to wriggle out of small spaces still in total possession of the ball thanks to his intelligent awareness. A player with verticality, who likes to carry the ball from deep and maraud forward into the opposition box with his gift of a left wand.

A classy and cool finisher in one-on-one situations with the keeper, he also has a great knack of key assists with his creative killer-splitting defensive passes. His dynamism with his tremendous ability to dribble means he is a hit with supporters and with that he is able to conjure up an assist or goal from nothing. He is also a very versatile player – able to play in any of the attacking positions, be it left-wing, right-wing, attacking midfield, where he excels the most, a secondary striker and has experienced playing in the out-and-out strikers role.

Two years ago, Fekir almost become a Liverpool player – to the extent the player posed with the club’s shirt at a photo shoot and conducted an interview with Liverpool’s in house television channel. This all occurred before the deal fell through due to Liverpool’s intention to re-negotiate their original deal with Lyon of £53 million pounds after they found issues with a previous knee injury of his – that despite him passing all the requisite medical examinations.

The player, born and bread in Lyon and a product of their academy since the age of 12, played for six successful seasons at the Ligue 1 outfit, and was handed the captaincy for the last two seasons, bringing leadership as well as trickery. Fekir was part of their Champions League campaign last season – scoring with aplomb against Manchester City. Indeed, Fekir has a wealth of European experience with 30 appearances in both the Champions League and Europa League, scoring ten goals, with seven assists to his name to date.

In his time with the team known as The Kids, he appeared in 145 league matches, scoring 54 goals. An impressive ratio from the French marksman. Last season he scored nine goals in 29 league appearances however, his best season to date was the previous year – plundering 18 goals in just 29 games for his second double-figured haul of league goals of his career.

During his time in France, he was recognized by being named Ligue 1’s Young Player of the Year for the 2014-15 season and twice secured a place in the prestigious Ligue 1 Team of the Year, awarded in both the 2014/15 and 2017/18 seasons.

For whose who doubted Fekir’s ambition to swap a Champions League club with a team not in European action this season, bear in mind that Real Betis are a big club in their own right – housing the 4th largest stadium in La Liga with their Benito Villamarín a vast 60,721 capacity. Betis are also known to possess one of the most passionate supporters base in the country. Fekir arrived to a club where football goes beyond football – where football is a pure and passionate religion and emotive feeling, and its players are treated as royalty.

The deal for Fekir was also allied to the fact his younger brother, 22-year-old winger Yassin Fekir, joined the club too. Soon after, he was loaned out to third tier Guijuelo, a club based in Salamanca in the North of Spain.

On paper, the Nabil Fekir transfer represented a fantastic bit of business for Betis, who arguably found a ready made replacement for the outgoing Giovani Lo Celso to Tottenham Hotspur. However, the signing of the talented Frenchman should have softened the blow.

A lot of fan fair and excitement brought Nabi Fekir to Real Betis and his arrival was seen as him becoming the new jewel of the Betis crown.

Yet, it has been a frustrating campaign for the French international with only seven goals and seven assists in 25 appearances. Good statistics on paper but the attacker has flattered to deceive.

He made a flying start on his debut by scoring a terrific goal against Barcelona. What a way to cap off your debut scoring in the Camp Nou. The next game he scored again against Leganes and the Frenchman was performing as expected.

But since then, his form has tailed off alarmingly and has shown a distinct lack of discipline in many games both tactically and personally – he was sent off against Barcelona this past February.

There are several factors for his underperformance. Firstly, his club Real Betis have had a very poor season – currently languishing in 14th place and closer to the relegation places than their target of Europe. A club underachieving just like their new star.

In terms of Fekir, his best moments have come with a moment of individual brilliance rather than part of an impressive team move. For all his skills, he hasn’t taken the mantle of grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck and demonstrating the leadership he has shown in his Lyon days. In many matches he has been absent and the game has simply passed him by.

Another key factor has been that far too many times Fekir has been positioning himself too deep and not in dangerous enough positions on the edge of the box. His marauding runs are nice on the eye but he hasn’t put himself enough in those key areas to hurt the opposition. He has looked isolated and reliant on his individuals moments as he hasn’t integrated into the team’s pattern of play.

It is not all his fault as his team mates haven’t got the best out of him. Betis have shown themselves to be a collection of individuals with a lack of structure, organization and cohesion. From a tactical standpoint, there has been a lack of clinical vertical passes through to him. The possession has been pedestrian and players have ambled along with more horizontal passes which haven’t penetrated the rival.

As the season comes to a close, it is the clear the Nabil Fekir experiment clearly hasn’t worked so far. It remains to be seen whether the maverick signing will remain an enigma and a luxury to some extent or he will adapt to Spanish football and fully flourish on the La Liga stage.

The Mercurial Makaay

By David Whitworth | @DCWh1tw0rth

A league champion in two different leagues, top scorer and the proud holder of a fastest goal record – All stellar achievements of the former Netherlands striker Roy Makaay.

It was in his native Netherlands that the forward would kick off his career. Eredivsie outfit Vitesse Arnhem would be his first port of call and the platform to showcase his talents. In four years with the club between 1993 and 1997, he scored 42 goals in 109 games.

His performances would earn him a move to La Liga and Tenerife. It was a difficult time for the club as they battled against relegation, which they succumbed to in 1999. Yet the Dutch proved his worth during his spell on the island, contributing to 21 goals in 72 games. Shortly after relegation, he would swap the Canary Islands for Galicia and a move which would put him and his team firmly on the footballing map.

Deportivo de la Coruña paid €8.6 million for the striker’s services and it proved to be one of the bargains of the season. He started his career at La Riazor with a bang – scoring a hat trick on his debut in a 4-1 home win vs Alavés. It was a sign of things to come as his 22 goals that season earned Deportivo their first La Liga crown as they kicked off the new millennium on style. It was a fitting victory after the heartbreak of six years earlier when Depor had the chance to win La Liga only to draw 0-0 in their final game and missed a penalty in the last minute from Miroslav Đukić.

The La Liga coronation was the culmination of the hard work at the club. Indeed, Makaay was at the start of the ‘Super Depor’ heady days where they were one of the best and most feared teams on the planet. No opposition team relished going to the Fortress Riazor where many a rival would return empty handed.

Makaay continued to be within the goals for the next three season and was a member of the team which won the 2002 Copa de Rey, famously beating Real Madrid in their own backyard. Deportivo were very much the party poopers as their crashed The Whites centenary celebrations.

The flying Dutchman would win three major trophies in his time in La Liga, linking the Copa del Rey and La Liga to the 2002 Spanish Supercup as Deportivo added to their trophy haul like taking candy in a sweetshop. It was the Galician’s golden era and more success was to come for Makaay as the 2002/03 season would see him crowned as the Pichichi of Spanish footballing scoring a mighty impressive 29 goals in 38 games. In addition, his nine goals in 11 games in the Champions League increased his tally to 39 goals in 54 games and earned that season’s European Golden Shoe as the top goal scorer in all of Europe.

After four years in A Coruña and 79 goals in 133 appearances, Makaay moved onto pastures new and that would be found in Germany with Bayern Munich paying €20 million euros to acquire him. His success continued in Bavaria where he would rack up another two league titles back to back in 2005 and 2006, as well as the German Cup from the same years and therefore completing the double double.

Like in Galicia, the Dutchman would spend four years in Die Bundesliga and scored 78 goals in 129 games. During his time with Munich, he had a penchant for breaking records. In 2004, he became part of a select few of players to score Champions League hat tricks at two different clubs when he scored three against Ajax. Curiously, his previous hat trick was for Deportivo against his future club of Bayern a year before he moved to Germany. Talk about putting yourself in the shop window.
He would also score Bayern’s 3,000 goal in 2006 and a year later, on 7th March 2007, he would achieve the notable feat of becoming the fastest goal scorer in the history of the Champions League. That strike arrived after just 10.12 seconds against Real Madrid as Bayern overcame a first leg defeat to conquer their Spanish rival. The goal was made even more remarkable considering Madrid kicked off and it was a mistake from Roberto Carlos which lead to Makaay breaking through to score. A record which still he holds to this day.

After a glorious time in Germany, Makaay would return home to The Netherlands and sign for Rotterdam outfit Feyenoord. He would play on for three more years where he would lift the Dutch Cup. Fittingly, he ended his career by scoring a hat trick in his last professional match against the Frisians of Heerenveen. For many years after he would be part of the Feyenoord management staff covering a range of roles from Scout to Under-21 Coach.

International honours also arrived for the striker who played at two European Championships in 2000, in his home tournament, and in 2004 in Portugal. His record for the Oranje reads six goals in 43 games.

He also appeared in the 2008 Olympic team in Beijing as one of the three designated overage players. He would captain the side as The Netherlands made it to the Quarter Finals before losing to eventual winners Argentina.

Makaay was known as ‘the goal machine’ for the sheer amount of goals he scored. In addition, the majority of his career he arrived to double figures. He was also known as ‘the phantom’ for his ability to conjure up a goal from nothing.

The striker was a naturally gifted footballer with quick reflexes which was complemented by his sheer pace and power. This gave him the ability to race away time and again to score. Allied to that, Makaay had the knack of being in the right place at the right time. Timing was crucial to the prolific striker who would time his runs to perfection to play off the shoulder of the last defender. He would successfully detach himself from his marker and position himself behind his opposition defense ready to roam into free space and bear down on goal. Makaay made this an art and it was his forte.

It was all due to the striker’s smell of where a goal would happen. The Dutchman was also technically very gifted with both feet. Yet, he scored an abundance of goals not only with his feet, but with his head too due to his ability in aerial situations.
The striker played in three different leagues but it was La Liga which really propelled him to stardom. In terms of his footballing skills set, Roy Makaay had the lot. He was an eloquent footballer who did his talking on the pitch and was a mercurial talent that indelibly left his mark on the beautiful game.

Premier League Legends: Dennis Bergkamp

By David Whitworth | @DCWh1tw0rth

Welcome back to the latest series of articles from Last Word on Football. This time we look back on the footballers who many class as Premier League legends. Players who wowed the crowd, frustrated the opposition, scored great goals and inspired their team to glory.

Today we look at a player who entertained the Premier League for 11 years and widely recognised as one of the best foreign players to ever grace the Premier League – Arsenal Striker Dennis Bergkamp.

Where It All Began for Bergkamp

The origins of Dennis Bergkamp, named after Scottish legendary striker Dennis Law, started in his native Amsterdam where at 11 years old, his natural ability with the ball attracted the attention of the city’s historic club Ajax. Originally playing as a wide midfielder, Bergkamp progressed through the clubs fabled youth academy of De Toekomst. Six years later at the tender age of 17, he would make his professional bow for Ajax at home vs Roda JC as a late substitute. It was a happy debut with his side running out 2-0 winners.

The Becoming of Bergkamp at Ajax

By now, the Dutchman had been converted to a striker and in seven years with the Amsterdam outfit played 185 matches and scoring 103 goals. His final three seasons at Ajax would bring a goal glut ranging in the mid twenties. In his final season he scored a remarkable 26 goals in 28 games in the Eredivisie to cement himself as one of the best talents in world football.

During his time in Amsterdam he won the league, cup, European Cup Winners Cup and the 1992 UEFA Cup Final Edition defeating Torino over two legs. Not only in club football was he shining, but on the international stage too. He scored a career best seven goals in 11 games for the Oranje during the calendar year of 1992.

The Ill Fated Italian Job

As Bergkamp was exhibiting himself at the top level, the top European heavyweights would start to circle. It was Inter Milan who won his signature back in the summer of 1993 for £7.1 Million Pounds. His international team mate Wim Jonk would also join him as it was a case of double Dutch for the Italians.

Bergkamp was sold on the Italian league being the best at the time and playing in a big stadium atmosphere. It looked the perfect fit yet for all Bergkamp’s quality and skill, he never got to grips with the tactical and defensive prowess that Serie A was characterized for. Domestically, it was indeed an ill fated spell scoring only 11 goals in 52 matches in his two seasons at the San Siro.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom though, as in his first season he racked up eight goals in 11 matches in the 1993/94 UEFA Cup season in which Inter Milan won the trophy 2-0 on aggregate against Austria Salzburg. Bergkamp had such a good season he finished joint top scorer with Edgar Schmitt of Karlsruher SC on eight goals.

It was a run which included defeating Norwich City 2-0 over two legs with a penalty and an outfield goal by the Dutchman. Bergkamp had a happy memory of that game and soon after he would be back playing in England for real where his career hit the heights of legendary status.

Arsenal’s Jewel in the Crown

As his time at Internazionale came to an end, it was the Londoners of Arsenal who prised him away for a club record fee of £7.5 million pounds. After an average first season where both supporters and the press expressed doubts in the Dutchman, he fully flourished under new manager Arsene Wenger. Aware of his technical ability, Wenger made him his main man and changed his position to a more permanent second striker role. Also, thanks to some revolutionized dietary and sports medicine and practices, Arsenal became the pioneers of that Premier League era with Bergkamp spearheading the Gunner’s success.
In the 1997/98 league season, Bergkamp would taste both league and cup success by winning the Premier League and FA Cup, defeating Newcastle United 2-0 in the showpiece final.

Bergkamp and That Hat Trick

One of the most talked about moments in Premier League history is the hat trick Dennis Bergkamp scored against Leicester at Filbert Street on the 23rd August 1997. Three goals, three different goals of pure class. Firstly, a superb curling strike from out side the box arrowed into the top right hand corner. Next, a lovely lob for his second but the piece de resistance was the hat trick strike. A ball from deep arrived at the feet of the Dutchman and with the poise and intelligence he firstly controlled the ball with his right foot. Then, with his left foot, he flicked the ball pass the bamboozled defender Matt Elliott with both touches of the ball not even touching the ground. Finally, Bergkamp showed his guile and coolness to slot the ball past goalkeeper Kasey Keller into the top right hand net.

A moment of brilliant and a hat trick of the highest order. He remains the only player to have the distinction of all his goals being included in the top three best goals for Match of the Day viewers to chose their goal of the month. The only time in 50 years. Remarkably, it was Bergkamp’s only hat trick with the Gunners. A milestone tinged with slight disappointment that the hat trick didn’t earn the victory it deserved as Leicester would gain a 3-3 draw.

The Brilliance of Bergkamp

18 years ago in 2002, Bergkamp would score one of the great Premier League goals against Newcastle United. A goal which encapsulated all the hallmarks of the talented Dutchman. His creativity and imagination to think of the flick and turn. His technique and skill to actually make it happen by tapping the ball one way and swivel the other past a bewildered Nikos Dabizas. His brute force to outmuscle himself past the defender also marks another reason why this goal is right up there with the best goals ever produced.

The Non-Flying Dutchman

During his career, it was well documented his fear of flying. An incident occurred during travelling for the 1994 World Cup held in the United States of America when an engine failed to start on the aircraft he was flying on. Add to that, his unease at travelling in small planes with Inter Milan triggered his phobia to the point he would get anxious at the thought of flying. Naturally, this made it troublesome in travelling abroad for his side Arsenal’s European games and with the National team. But he managed to travel by train and car to as many games as possible due to warm support of his club Arsenal and The Netherlands Football Association.

The relative close proximity of the 1998 World Cup held in France made it easier to hop on the Eurostar and take part in the tournament. Supporters all over the world, apart from Argentina, glad he did as that summer was lit up by the famous strike he scored in the Quarter Finals at the Stade Velodrome.

A lovely arrowing ball from deep from Frank de Boer found Bergkamp who, marked by the great Argentine defender Roberto Ayala, coolly trapped the ball, turned the defender and delicately caressed a wonderful strike past goalkeeper Carlos Roa into the net. Just 2.51 seconds separated three wonderful touches to bring worldwide acclaim as one of the goals of the tournament. No wonder he was nicknamed the ‘iceman’, so cool under pressure he was.

End of an Era for Bergkamp

Returning to club matter, in his final league appearance for Arsenal, he came off the bench with the score 1-1 against West Bromwich Albion and gave an assist to Robert Pires before scoring an 89th minute strike to taste victory at the end. It was to be his last competitive goal.

Yet, unfortunately he couldn’t bow out on a high on the field as he was an unused sub in the 2006 Champions League Final defeat to Barcelona.

A Fitting Testimonial

Given his status, Bergkamp was awarded a testimonial match against Ajax on 22nd July 2006. It was to be Arsenal’s first match at the Emirates Stadium. The first half lined up an Arsenal vs Ajax current tram whereas in the second half the legends of both sides took part. It was a young Klass-Jan Huntelaar who would have the honour to score the first goal at the stadium. A match won in the end by Arsenal 2-1 thanks to Thierry Henry and Nwankwo Kanu.

But the day belonged to Bergkamp and opening the stadium and new era was a fitting finale to close the chapter on the glittering era of Dennis Bergkamp. A hugely influential player in a transformational crossroads moment in the Premier League. A supremely gifted footballer and his 315 goals and 87 goals for The Gunners earned him hero status. His glorious career truly solidified him as a Premier League great.