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TRIBUTE TO MATT LE TISSIER
Alvan has been a Saints fan since the 1993-1994 season when Matt scored two of the most astonishing goals ever in the history of football against Newcastle. Like many in Singapore, Alvan is a Saint because of Matt. Alvan wrote the following tribute to his hero just after he announced his retirement:
Oh when the Saint goes marching out...*Sob*
Growing up as a teen during the 90s, the first and only footballer I have ever admired is Matthew Le Tissier. In French, 'le tissier' means 'the weaver'. He certainly weaved his magic around me. Le God, as he is affectionately known to fans of Southampton FC, announced his retirement at the end of this season
late last week. Simply, I am heartbroken.
Thanks for the memories, Matt. I'll always be a Saint because of you.
Enigmatic. Mercurial. Brilliant. Naturally gifted. Outlandishly talented. A creative genius. All these words and phrases have been used to describe you, and rightly so. Not for nothing are you so revered and admired among discerning football fans who can truly recognise and appreciate what a great player you are.
But my favourite phrase which anyone has used to describe you is 'simply unbelievable', which equally describes your goals and footballing skills. You are undeniably one of the best football players of your generation, in terms of sheer skill and talent, flair, vision, creativity, number of goals scored and created (assists), penalty conversion rate and of course, for the outrageous ways you score so many of your goals. I think it is safe to say some of your goals will go down as all-time classics in the history of English and world football. These legendary strikes are destined to be part of football folklore for generations to come.
You made a prophetic remark in an April 1998 interview, just before the June 1998 World Cup. When asked how you rated England's chances in the World Cup, you replied, "I think they'll make it to the semi-finals if they take enough penalty takers with them...."
You failed to make the England World Cup squad despite scoring a hattrick in an England 'B' 4-1 win over Russia in a friendly just before (while Darren 'sicknote' Anderton and Les Ferdinand were selected). You had scored 10 goals in the last 10 games of the season, and were the most on-form midfielder in England. Instead 'do nothing' people like Paul Merson, Steve Maca-whatever-man and David Batty were picked! The sheer injustice! The stupidity of the England manager! Too bad, it is an unfair world after all.
You have the best penalty-taking record in the Premier League, having only missed one in your professional career (in a cup match) and you have a 100% record in league games (something Alan Shearer, Robbie Fowler, Andy Cole, etc can't boast of). Well, we all know what happened to England in the World Cup afterwards. Oh right, in the 1990 World Cup and 1996 Euro Cup, England also kena knocked out by penalties, when they left you out of the squad. See a pattern?
I remember your dribble from your own half past four Blackburn players, weaving in and out, left and right, with such ease and skill and completely making a fool of those guys... before you glanced up, just over the half-way line, and hit a sweet volley into the top left corner from 30 yards out. The Blackburn home fans, after an initial stunned silence, gave you a standing ovation - the whole stadium stood and applauded a goal AGAINST their team. It was voted Goal of the Season 94/95. (That season, Blackburn were the champions, and Tim Flowers was one of the best keepers.) And so many many many more goals which are so so so amazing. (My fave is your 93/94 season strike against Newcastle. I bet that brilliant goal is something even Pele, Maradona, Cryuff and van Basten admire and wished they'd scored.)
Why do we watch football? Why do we love football? Sure, its a team game. But we always remember and appreciate individual players who show what the sheer
beauty and joy of football is all about. The incredible skill, grace, tricks, class, dribbles and goals of the best. You make football fun, enjoyable and inspiring to watch. How many football fans have become football fans because of you? Countless. Even in Italy and Spain, they have Le Tiss fan clubs. Italy! Spain! All over the world, you have fans.
You have scored a total of 209 goals in 462 appearances for Southampton and spent your entire career in the top flight. You are the only non-striker with over 100 EPL goals to your name. You have a unique record of never missing a league penalty. For a midfielder, that's a record any striker will die for.
You were NEVER given a fair chance for England, starting just one game (against Ireland which was cancelled prematurely because of crowd trouble.) Your seven other caps were as a substitute for the last 15 minutes or so of the match. No less than Pele once said you would have been a world star if you had been born Brazilian. And it WILL NOT matter if you played for a minor Brazilian club. It's only in England (and Singapore) that people judge you by the team you play for. Sad! (Glad to see Wayne Bridge making such great strides into the England XI now, maybe things are changing.)
You are not famous for just your goals. You are famous because you are a genius, a player with talents that comes along once every generation. You have created countless assists for your team mates, and your freekicks, corners, passing, vision, playmaking and match awareness are among the best as well. I just wish people would give a fair assessment and you will be honoured and recognised for what you are - one of the very best players of your generation. We will never see anyone like you again.
Alvan Yap
late in the 2001-2002 season
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