In Deep with Nick Rizzo Part 2
?Coming to Anfield was fantastic and training with the players they had, one of the most feared clubs in Europe, was phenomenal.
?When you play and train with the likes of Steve McManaman, who represented England, is mind blowing and not many fully understand just how good a player he really was.
?He had immense pace and made the difficult look ridiculously easy and it wasn?t as though he didn?t practice or it just came naturally because his work rate both on the pitch and training ground was enough to make ordinary folk tired just watching.
?He was a great professional and a good friend.?
Of course things are not always easy for any player and Rizzo rates Zvonimir Boban as the toughest opponent he came up against: ?I was playing for the Socceroos against Croatia when he was in his prime, his club side was AC Milan, and he really gave me a torrid time on the pitch in 1998/99.
?I would have to rate him as one of the best players in the world of his era and thankfully I don?t have to play against him every week.?
His trip to the Sydney Tigers, where he has only been for the last few weeks, has taken in Liverpool (2-years), Crystal Palace (2-years), a four year stint in Italy and a further three years with MK Dons (formerly Wimbledon FC) in England and he likens some of the TeleChoice Premier League sides to those of League One in the UK: ?There is a very good standard in the NSW State League and without doubt there is an under current of talent that wouldn?t be out of place in League One and if I?m being honest there are players in this league that should be playing at the A-League level at least.
?We seem to have a truly good system of bringing on the younger players, the next generation and maybe, just maybe one day we will produce a player like Roberto Baggio, my all time favourite, which is always going to be a long shot but who knows??
On the TeleChoice Premier League and Sydney Tigers he had this to say: ??I?ve been with them only a short time but I can say we have been unlucky this year, particularly in front of goal.
?We have never been dominated and have held leads only to concede late on so perhaps we need to look at fitness levels or staying switched on for the full 90-minutes.
?It?s a hard one to put your finger on and is something we all have to think about and not just the coach.?
Perhaps that is something the midfield maestro will ponder on as he feels coaching may be in his future when finally the boots are hung up, the trophy room reflects past glory and the body becomes frail but not too soon hopefully and as ever a short article can never do justice to a man with so much experience so we may just have to sit down and knock back a fruit juice or two at a later date?
-By Micky Brock
