On Tuesday night Roger Hermiston abandoned his usual seat in the Britannia Stand for one in the Main Stand at Selhurst Park, in a quest to find out what’s happened to Pablo and co….

A decade or so ago Pablo Counago and Xavi Hernandez were close colleagues in an outstandingly gifted Spanish Under-21 team. The two of them had been the key players in Spain’s 1999 (Under 20) World Cup winning side, and in the year afterwards continued to torment international defences, Xavi opening them up with his rapier-like passing and Pablo converting the offerings with the instincts of a born goalscorer.

On Tuesday night I had the opportunity to watch one or other of these talented footballers. The obvious choice would have been to open a bottle of wine, settle down in front of the TV and watch Xavi imperiously dismantle the Arsenal defence before 90,000 or so enthralled fans at the Nou Camp. Instead, I chose to join 12,549 hardy souls in the trek to Selhurst Park, the distinctly unglamorous home of Championship strugglers Crystal Palace, where Pablo is currently plying his trade.

I’d wanted to check up on Pablo’s progress – and that of Town’s other ‘old boys’ Owen Garvan, David Wright and Darren Ambrose (not forgetting Lewis Price as well) – and a necessary trip to London gave me the opportunity.

In their different ways Pablo, Wright and Garvan were all casualties of the Dark Winter of the Keane autocracy. Clearly the ‘little Spaniard’ (as Jim used to call him when he was pleased with him) and his mercurial skills were never going to take their place in the Regime of Fear. Similarly, Garvan was presumably considered too much of a ‘Fancy Dan’ to ever impress the blinkered Irishman. Quite what Wright ever did wrong is beyond me.

Anyway, on Tuesday night Garvan and Pablo could only find places on the Crystal Palace bench, while Wright was employed in the unfamiliar role of a holding midfield player. Judging from the mindless comments from many of those around me in the Main Stand, poor old David is now the scapegoat for anything that goes wrong (Memo to stewards: the boorish occupant of Seat 88, Row 20 of the Stephenson (E) block contravenes the ‘no swearing and abusive language’ sign - situated just 20 yards in front – almost every other minute and deserves to be kicked out of the ground).

In fact, on this night, ‘Wrighty’ (as the more discerning Palace fans affectionately refer to him) did an excellent job in keeping a watching brief on the likes of Chopra, Whittingham, Bothroyd Bellamy and Emmanuel-Thomas. His distribution of the ball left something to be desired on occasions, but all in all he put in a resolute performance, just what his manager Dougie Freedman would have wanted.

However Wright’s gain at Palace is Garvan’s loss. Freedman - a perky little Scotsman who was a fine striker in his playing days (he won two caps for Scotland) – has decided that, first and foremost, his side should be hard to beat and that has meant no place for Owen. In fact these days he’s not even guaranteed a place in the squad of 18; on Tuesday he was putting a brave face on events, laughing and joking with fellow substitutes Wilfried Zaha and Jermaine Easter, but inside you somehow sensed he was hurting.

Pablo, of course, has rarely entered into the camaraderie that is an inevitable part of a football team’s mores. He has always seemed to march to the sound of a different drum, exhibiting a persona that those who would criticise him see as ‘moody’ or ‘selfish’.

On some days Pablo can indeed appear languid and casual in his approach, inviting the accusation of laziness. But on Tuesday night his attitude appeared determined, focussed. The stretching and jogging along the touchline as he warmed up seemed to have purpose to it, as if he clearly anticipated entering the fray. When he has played, Freedman has astutely employed him just behind the main striker (big men like James Vaughan and Steffen Iversen) where he has the time and space to either hold the ball up or manipulate it to pick a defence-splitting pass.

One of Pablo’s best performances for Town was in fact in that sort of position, ‘in the hole’, on April 13, 2008 when he absolutely tore Norwich apart at Portman Road. Ipswich won 2-1 but should have scored six, the profligate Danny Haynes being the chief culprit.

One senses that Freedman rates Pablo as a player, although he hasn’t trusted him with many 90-minute appearances; there are certainly similarities between the two in their styles of play. However it’s fair to note that Pablo’s season at Selhurst Park hasn’t been an unblemished success. Under his mentor George Burley, he’d started to establish himself in the side, although just two goals in 20-odd appearances (many as substitute) hasn’t particularly endeared him to the Holmesdale End regulars. Cleverness takes second place to strength for these South Londoners.

Anyway, on this night, Pablo was given his chance after 70 minutes, with the score at 0-0 and Palace – for all their resolute defending (despite conceding a penalty) and muscular attacking – looking highly unlikely to score.

The little Spaniard conjured two moments of class, and one of them was enough to win the game. First, a beautifully-weighted pass sent Ambrose through into the box on goal, only for a superb tackle from Dekel Keinan to deny him his scoring opportunity. Ambrose, incidentally, had a very subdued game, but he remains the idol of Selhurst Park and was duly granted his obligatory standing ovation when he came off in the final minutes.

Then, with eight minutes left, Pablo won his side the game. With his back to goal, he controlled a high, looping ball immaculately on his chest, then spun and chipped a lovely pass over his shoulder and straight into the path of Palace’s signing, Kagisho Dikgacoi (or ‘KG’ for convenience’s sake). The big midfielder stumbled his way into the box and somehow, as a Cardiff defender challenged, the ball fortuitously ricocheted off his heel and almost apologetically trundled into the net.

At the final whistle, while his team-mates embarked on their ritualistic round of handshakes and waves to the crowd in the centre of the field, Pablo – nearest to the dressing-rooms – simply marched off the field, his job done. Just another moment of quality – as with Xavi – from the ‘Class of 1999’.

* Roger’s new book Clough and Revie – The Rivals Who Changed the Face of English Football is published on April 7.

SitfcB added 12:43 - Mar 10 http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/9420351.stm Can see Pablos assist here...
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Bluefish added 13:17 - Mar 10 Great blog - That derby game that you mentioned Pablo was simply outstanding and unplayable. I will never understand anyone that did not appreciate his brilliance, although we were all well aware of the other side, I believe the away norwich game the same season was a fine example of which. Ole Pablo
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JayITFC added 13:26 - Mar 10 Good read.
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JayITFC added 13:29 - Mar 10 Pablo weighted pass was class.
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Wickets added 13:44 - Mar 10 Trouble is the "OTHER SIDE" spreads so quickley, and we have the odd passenger already
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cornishnick added 14:07 - Mar 10 Let's face it, Pablo and Garvan were and are colossal underachievers. Show flashes of Premier League class, but most of the time are League One standard. Wright was possibly flushed away little early, but he's hardly been pulling up any trees has he? Ambrose was the one that got away, but wasn't that Jim's decision?
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sw20tractor added 14:55 - Mar 10 Good read, always nice to hear how pab's is getting on. Am a firm believer that Pablo was shown the door too quickly at town. One of the most 'gifted' strikers we have had at our club for a while and worth the admission fee alone on many occasions. If he was accused of being 'lazy' how is Priskin still here? Not a shadow of the skill pablo possesses and only willing to chase the ball when playing Arsenal on TV

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naa added 15:13 - Mar 10 cornishnick: no. He left early in Royle's reign (so you're well out) but that was forced due to administration issues. Magilton did bring him back on loan but I don't think any of us thought he was worth keeping at the time as he was pretty poor. Season after he was brilliant for Palace though. As for Pablo, I always forgave his relaxed attitude etc as I just like to see someone with some class in the team, and he has it. and I think Jewell would love a player with Garvan's passing ability in the team too. If only Keane hadn't been so desperate to remove any trace of skill from our squad....

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cornishnick added 15:45 - Mar 10 naa, I was referring to his loan spell. Shame we didn't offer him something, but agreed he didn't show much at the time. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
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jas0999 added 17:53 - Mar 10 Firstly, you were lucky not to witness a completely disgraceful performance by ITFC on Tuesday! Secondly, yes, I think releasing Wright was a mistake, but in regards to Garvan and Pablo - we simply do not miss them. Don't get me wrong - I have always been a Pablo fan - but he is not the answer and no doubt will be released in the summer. As for Garvan - well, can any club afford for him to only play well at home - and when I say well, only occasionally? Garvan and Counago were given ample opportunity under Roy. Sadly they didn't take it.

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Garv added 18:34 - Mar 10 I think fans like you jas will never appreciate a player like garvan. Are you keano in disguise? Similar to Jimmy Bullard, rarely sets the world alight (occasionally like Saturday, and garvan had his moments) but makes the team tick. Maybe this piece explains why he wasn't in the 11 for the cardiff game, which is in a game like that you set out not to lose, and garvan isn't that type of player but for me most games he should be starting like he was at the start of the season under burley, and he was playing superbly and scoring goals (when was leadbitter's last goal from open play?) Not seeing Pablo in a town shirt again would sadden me as much as anything at Portman road (apart from relegation). A good servant for the club, always liked the fans, we always liked him and still a class act for me. I think in a way he was alienated by keane when he was here, never played the right way for his game and then dropped him at the sign of any inconsistency. I genuinely think we would see a different side to him now under Paul Jewell than we have in the last year and a half. I like to think Jewell is keeping an eye on him as well as Roger Hermiston.

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Garv added 19:25 - Mar 10 Not a 'disgraceful' performance either on Tuesday i didn't think. Not seen many better away sides than reading this season. Pressed us the whole game didnt let us play our game, plus that quality upfront that we dont have in Long.
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itfc24 added 21:14 - Mar 10 Probably the best blog I have read on TWTD for a long time. Cheers.
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Garv added 21:29 - Mar 10 Agreed, very good blog.
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slowerball added 23:26 - Mar 10 Nice blog. Pablo, sure he could still do a job here, especially with us playing one up front, him coming on, playing just behind the front man... always saw him as having a bit more ability and class than many we've seen. On his day - quality. Why not have this guy in the squad - as you say, his touch and pass for the goal against Cardiff - just the sort of quality and final ball we so often miss. Do that twice a game and it gives you a chance of winning every game.

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MBG added 07:58 - Mar 11 Good article. We need more well-written pieces such as this. At the risk of sounding mean and miserable I don’t understand why Pablo Counago has become such an important figure among certain sections of ITFC fans. He is one of many players who showed enormous promise at U21 level but proved to be not quite up to it when it comes to senior level club football. He was signed on a very generous contract in 2001/02 when Town was looking to consolidate its place in the Premier League after a much better than expected debut season. Pablo hardly distinguished himself in a season that ended in relegation. The club desperately tried to offload him to rid itself of the huge wages he was collecting but no club would come in for him at anywhere near the wages Town were paying him because he just wasn’t good enough. Meanwhile Pablo sat still for two seasons drawing a big fat salary while the club slowly went to the wall. In 2004/05 when his contract was over he left the club in on a free transfer and joined some minor club in the Spanish second division because his talents were not deserving of anything more. A few seasons later he got lucky when Jim Magilton came and dragged him out of obscurity with a second contract at Ipswich Town. I appreciate that Pablo Counago loved our club and did his absolute best but he got far more out of Ipswich Town than the club got out of him.

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Ipswich24 added 08:51 - Mar 12 Good blog very good report
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Doctor_Albran added 09:13 - Mar 14 Got to agree with MBG - It seems that people have rose tinted glasses when it comes to Pablo (and Garvan, for that matter). Here are two players who, on their days, could turn a game, however, those days were few and far between. As both are finding out, they don't fit easily into a side fighting for survival (which is were we were last season and most of this) and whilst the occassional flash of brilliance is good for the crowd, it wins fewer matches than strength and resolve. Also, Jim made sure that his spanish chum wasn't short of a few bob in his last contract and when you want to bring players in to give a side 90 minutes and not 5 or 10 when they can be ar$ed then others have to make way - just a shame he had to be shoe horned out. Unfortunately I believe it was the wages side which led to David Wright being let go, which of the 3 would be the only one I regretted seeing go - one of lifes 100%'ers. The references to Garvan being happy with his mates on the subs bench provides a subjective position - he could be still smiling despite being left out or he doesn't care and he's laughing - and I'm not sure how people warm up with a purpose... As such whilst I feel this is a good blog, it nails it's colours firmly to the mast, including the now requiste Keane bashing - which whilst deserved to some extent (I was neither his biggest supporter or his most ardent hater - just a Town fan), it's getting tedious and suggests lazy writing along the lines of the Daily Express still going on about Princess Diana! Finally, whilst not mentioned in the above, I'd like to draw comparisons between Pablo and Jason Scotland. Scotland (sometimes fairly) gets referred to as lazy by a number on this website and around me in the ground, however, I would suggest that his goals per game ratio is far better than Pablo's (although this needs a stato to do the math!) - yet one is criticised, whilst the other deified, maybe somebody could write a blog about that...!

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Lightningboy added 10:23 - Mar 15 Good article...i'd rather still have Pablo here than the useless Priskin to be honest.
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WadzillaBhoy added 00:51 - Mar 18 lol @ Garv the only thing Garvan and Bullard have in common is that they both have an "a" and "r" in their surnames.
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