Peter Osgood – en sammanfattning
Chelseas tv-värd Neil Barnett har i korta ordalag sammanfattat vem Peter Osgood var för klubben. Här följer hans sammanfattning om den nu avliden Chelsealegendaren.
"There are so many reasons why Peter Osgood became the King of Stamford Bridge. The swagger, the goals both in quality and number, the devastating skill from a man of six feet two inches, the arrogance, the cheek, the humour… he was unique.
There were goals of outrageous skill, Southampton at home, Burnley away, the hat-tricks, four goals at Crystal Palace in dreadful conditions, five goals at home to Jeunesse Hautcharage in the European Cup Winners’ Cup, stunning volleys against top European teams and Arsenal in the FA Cup, and of course that diving header against Leeds in the FA Cup Final replay.
There was the occasion against Everton in 1973 when he scored his 100th League goal and once the game had finished celebrated in ‘Ossie’ fashion with a lap of honour throwing kisses to the crowd.
There was the anger, petulance, moments of lost desire and laziness, the non-football headlines, drunkenness, women, actress Raquel Welch waving at him and blowing kisses from the touchline during a game. He seemed to live the life of every fan as well as the King.
In an age when the tackle from behind was allowed, he was the complete centre-forward. He had more skill than anyone then and probably anyone now, he was brave, hard, could beat people, get away from them, he was great in the air, he was a breathtaking passer who constantly set up goals for others, he had vision and innovation.
And Ossie was ours, Chelsea’s. He came from the youth ranks, although he’d escaped the scouting net and had become a bricklayer in his home town Windsor. He came for a trial and was withdrawn at half-time of a game in case the opposition spotted him, and was signed immediately.
In recent years he’d become the settled family man with wife Linda. He visited the training ground with his youngest son Darren to watch José Mourinho at work, and the manager came over and greeted them with real affection.
Ossie had aura, both on the pitch and off. Last year he held a testimonial dinner in Central London on the day of the PFA seasonal awards. Captain John Terry, on his way to collecting the Player of the Year award, dropped in to pay his respects and meet the people who had turned out for the King.
At the end, we have to remember him most as a great footballer, as someone who seemed born to the big occasion. Why else, 25 years on, when we cemented our position at the top of the Premiership against Liverpool as recently as February 6th, would he have enjoyed the ground singing: “Osgood, Osgood, Osgood, Osgood, born is the King of Stamford Bridge,” as he walked round the pitch at half-time in honour of the club’s centenary.
He was the King, he is the King, he will always be the King."
Fotnot. Texten är tagen i sin helhet från Chelseas officiella hemsida.
För att se programmet från CTV om Osgood, klicka här.
