Four Four Two - UK (2022-06)

50 February 2016 FourFourTwo.com

I n TERVIEWS

Interview Ian Murtagh

The poacher turned pundit

chats Larsson and Shearer –

and reveals why Celtic joy

tops a Premier League title

TEAMS

Norwich

Blackburn

Chelsea

Celtic

Birmingham

Aston Villa

Wroxham

England

CHRIS SUTTOn

“I WaSn’T THE

LAST STRIKER

TO STRUGGLE

AT CHELSEA –

I SET A TREnD”

You’re one of few players to have won titles

in both England and Scotland. Do any stand

out above the rest?

Not really, though I probably appreciated the

titles I won at Celtic more than when I won

the league at Blackburn. I was young when

I joined Blackburn for what was then a British

record transfer fee – the 1994 equivalent of

Jack Grealish, just a bit better looking! Rovers

were on the rise, so it was a wonderful time.

It was the last 42-game season and one of

the greatest title races, with Kenny Dalglish

going head to head with Alex Ferguson. By

the time I signed for Celtic I was much more

worldly-wise and, of course, I’d struggled at

Chelsea, so everything I won up there meant

more. I loved Glasgow, loved those fans and

loved playing under Martin O’Neill. That first

season was very special. I’ll never forget the

‘Demolition Derby’ when we stuffed Rangers

6-2 and I scored in the first minute. My whole

time at Celtic alongside Martin was incredible,

and I’m immensely proud to have won titles

with two great clubs either side of the border.

You formed the famous ‘SAS’ partnership

with Alan Shearer at Blackburn – did the

fact he got more publicity ever annoy you?

Does Alan get more credit than me? Yes, but

deservedly so – he was phenomenal. I can’t

remember him missing a chance during that

title-winning season – and some of his goals

were breathtaking. It was the only club title

he ever won, but when you look at the man’s

numbers and realise even Harry Kane is some

way off him, it hammers home just how good

Alan was. Younger fans don’t realise that at

the peak of his career, he suffered two serious

injuries. And he scored a few goals before the

Premier League launched, which tend to be

forgotten. This country has been fortunate to

lure some of the world’s best strikers over the

past three decades, but he was miles ahead.

Do you regret snubbing England B, which

effectively ended your hopes of adding to

your one senior cap under Glenn Hoddle?

I’ve thought about it many times, and I had

no right to do what I did. I work with Glenn

now at BT Sport – I like him and have said he

was right to put me in my place. I was a bit

of a hothead and angry at what I perceived

as a slight. Back then I felt I was justified,

but it was a big mistake – we all make them

when we’re growing up.

Was the move to Chelsea a regret, too?

That’s the wrong word. I wanted to play for

Gianluca Vialli, who I admired as a manager

and as a person. I was joining a good team

who were pushing at the top of the table but,

for probably the first time in my career, I lost

confidence and that set me back. Today, as

a pundit, I can spot strikers who are playing

without confidence because I’ve been there.

There’s no doubt that season at Chelsea was

a disappointment. I got absolutely battered

by the media which comes with the territory.

Maybe I started a trend, as I wasn’t the last

big-name forward to go there and struggle,

was I? It’s a strange club for strikers – Torres,

Morata, Shevchenko, Kezman, Falcao and, of

course, Lukaku now. But I’d never have been

signed by Celtic if I hadn’t played for Chelsea.

You’d enjoyed heady days with hometown

club Norwich at the start of your career...

I look back on my time there with immense

satisfaction. We finished third in the Premier

League and are the only British side to beat

Bayern Munich at the Olympiastadion. But

there was also the disappointment of losing

an FA Cup semi-final when Sunderland, who

were in the Second Division, beat us 1-0 at

Hillsborough. That was near the start of my

92 June 2022 FourFourTwo