Getting Off to a Good Start Written by TheBlueStig on Wednesday, 6th Mar 2013 19:40 It takes just a quick glance, maybe three seconds, for someone to evaluate you when you meet for the first time. In this short time, the other person forms an opinion about you based on your appearance, your body language, your mannerisms, and how you are dressed. But what if you're a footballer? After yet another debutant made his bow last night in young Reece Brown the thought came to mind, what were the best and worst debuts I’ve ever seen for my club or any club for that matter? Who proved me wrong? When Queens Park Rangers’ strange but eager communications department described new signing Park Ji-Sung as a “global phenomenon†it was easy to mock. After all, a quick Google search of the phrase mentions the decline of the honey bee but little of the similarly busy Korean midfielder. And yet, who hasn’t at some time got carried away with outrageous optimism and excitement about their club’s summer signings? It’s common knowledge that every team in the country, from the great Manchester United to little Ipswich Town or (no disrespect) even Braintree Town is perennially three players away from success. And so, in the heady days of July, Chelsea fans will elevate Eden Hazard to the status of all-conquering hero; Man Utd fans clung to the hope of Shinji Kagawa smashing Man City; while Arsenal fans might believe Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud could make light of a Robin van Persie exit. By August the dream will have died for some. Who knew that Michael Laudrup's Spanish flare would work at Swansea, or even the emergence of Raheem Sterling at Liverpool? Hazard and Kagawa will have their every touch analysed and those modern-day Roman emperors – aka Alan Hansen and Gary Neville – will be waiting with their equivalent of the thumbs-up or thumbs-down. Sometimes you do just know – instantly. Sergio Agüero’s brilliant brace on debut for Man City against Swansea last season had football fans frothing, and nine months later he proved to be the man who defined the Premier League season. Equally, Chris Sutton never was going to recover from stumbling like a drunk at a disco when clear on goal in his Stamford Bridge bow. But it isn’t always so, as Arsenal fans can attest. Dennis Bergkamp didn’t score until the seventh game of the season before blasting home two beauties against Southampton. Thierry Henry’s start was similarly disappointing. Long before Arsenal’s record goalscorer had a statue built in his honour, he was being dubbed the French Perry Groves during an opening sequence of eight games without a goal. Draw your own conclusions. Man Utd fans will have similar tales. Jaap Stam looked painfully cumbersome in his first outing against Nicolas Anelka in the Charity Shield a few years back, while Patrice Evra was substituted at half-time after being woefully exposed in his opening game for the club away to rivals Man City. Conversely, although Juan Sebastián Verón later became characterised as a complete failure in England – uniquely appearing on worst-ever signings lists twice (for Man Utd and Chelsea) – he was named Premier League player of month in September of his first season with the Red Devils. Supporting Ipswich since the woeful 2001/02 season I have seen many, many awful players that have pulled on an Ipswich shirt, let alone their debuts. However, the same amount have really impressed and deserved their opportunity to move on to pastures new and make a good career for themselves. So when you’re walking away from that first match of the season telling your mates you’ve seen the future of football, or writing off that new striker after one miss, just pause. Take a deep breath. And remember, you’ve been wrong before. Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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