Henrik Larsson, classic or classic?

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So, , reducing many an adult to tears this afternoon, myself (and himself) included.

He's come out of international retirement to put himself in the shop window at Euro 2004 as the offers haven't exactly come flooding in. If he doesn't get a club, he will retire at the age of 32, moving back to Sweden and helping out at Hogaborg, his first team.

So, is this a loss to the game? Would you want him in your team?

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 16 May 2004 16:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Fuck, I'm bad at this.

Link here (hopefully)

The bit that went missing from my original post said "Henrik Larsson has played his last league game for Celtic", by the way.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 16 May 2004 16:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, the fact that no big clubs consider the league's most successfull striker in years a worthy catch could be used as a stick to beat the SPL with, but to be honest, at the moment, I really can't be bothered iwth the argument. I'll let other people do it for me.

― Johnney B, Sunday, 16 May 2004 17:00 (twenty-two years ago)

He will be upfront at Middlesbrough or Fulham next season.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 16 May 2004 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

um. classic.

― cozen (Cozen), Sunday, 16 May 2004 20:59 (twenty-two years ago)

What is that, some Refused song?

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Sunday, 16 May 2004 21:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I shed a tear.

― cozen (Cozen), Sunday, 16 May 2004 21:02 (twenty-two years ago)

As you should, they never topped "The New Beat," did they?

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Sunday, 16 May 2004 21:03 (twenty-two years ago)

yes it's a shame he has not played in the Premiership, no offence intended to Celtic or their lovely fans

― stevem (blueski), Sunday, 16 May 2004 22:07 (twenty-two years ago)

It's a shame the whole team has not played in the Premiership.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Sunday, 16 May 2004 22:38 (twenty-two years ago)

larsson, you are amazing and i love you. classic classic classic.

i cannot recall when a single man gave so much, oh so much pleasure, to so very, very many.

― DQ (danny quintana), Sunday, 16 May 2004 23:08 (twenty-two years ago)

premiership zzz. who gives a fuck -- not us, and certainly not him.

"the fact that no big clubs consider the league's most successfull striker in years a worthy catch". by the way, larsson turned down man U a few years back but i expect you didn't know that.

i love the way the english think the premiership is the best thing that ever happened to sport.

middlesbrough v. wolves on a rainy tuesday night?

I THINK NOT.

martin o'neill to tottenham hotspur?

I THINK NOT.

― DQ (danny quintana), Sunday, 16 May 2004 23:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I read that link and cried. Hail the king of kings.

Best bargain ever.

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 17 May 2004 09:50 (twenty-two years ago)

turning down Man Utd...hmmm....

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 17 May 2004 10:10 (twenty-two years ago)

middlesbrough v. wolves on a rainy tuesday night?

I THINK NOT.

how is this less appealing than Kilmarnock vs Hibernian on an even rainier Tuesday night?

you're dead right about O'Neill tho, ha ha

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 17 May 2004 10:11 (twenty-two years ago)

they should just have the old firm game every week and be done with it

― chris (chris), Monday, 17 May 2004 10:13 (twenty-two years ago)

or welcome them with open arms...into Division 3

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 17 May 2004 10:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Well the Premiership is so poor these days I'm not sure the Old Firm would want to join it.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 17 May 2004 12:15 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah the premiership is BRILLIANT!!!!

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Who cares if its an exhibition (okay, we can all pretend its CL) but I'll be right behind the bench when they come to TO. joy.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 02:29 (twenty-two years ago)

So he scored twice yesterday in the Scottish Cup Final to end his Celtic career with another win. His first goal was a thing of beauty - he wasn't even looking where he hit the ball, he was watching the defender the whole time.

the fact that no big clubs consider the league's most successfull striker in years a worthy catch could be used as a stick to beat the SPL with

But he is a proven striker at international level, as well as being Celtic's top scorer in Europe ever and having scored twice in a European final (against a team now in the Champions League final). I really don't know why no-one wants him on a free transfer. Have Celtic's European exploits the last couple of seasons really done nothing to enhance the much-maligned reputation of the SPL?

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 23 May 2004 17:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Middlesbrough should sign him - I am serious about this. He'd give them the goal threat they are currently utterly lacking and he has a proven UEFA Cup record.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 23 May 2004 17:04 (twenty-two years ago)

they're apparently getting Kluivert

yes, my mind is boggling too

― chris (chris), Sunday, 23 May 2004 17:05 (twenty-two years ago)

WTF?!!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 23 May 2004 17:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Hang on, isn't Kluivert shit now?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 23 May 2004 17:06 (twenty-two years ago)

GET THIS SHITE OFF THE KING OF KINGS THREAD

― Dave B (daveb), Sunday, 23 May 2004 19:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Partick Thistle have too many world class strikers at the moment, we can do without Larsson.

― Keith Watson (kmw), Sunday, 23 May 2004 19:35 (twenty-two years ago)

The Beast* claims that Larsson turned down a move to Blackburn "because of the weather" so I'm assuming that God won't be playing in the Premiership next season.

(*Graeme Souness)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 24 May 2004 08:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Larsson for Bournemouth?

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 24 May 2004 08:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Ha ha, I forgot to take into consideration the weather conditions in Blackburn as opposed to the rest of England

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 24 May 2004 08:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd like to see him go to a big club in England or Europe, in fact I wish he'd gone sooner. I suspect he should be being bracketed with the likes of Van Nistelroy and Henri. But without seeing how he performed in a major league week in week out we will never know.

As a Scot I wish the SPL were "much maligned" but if the current SPL clubs joined the English leagues I'd guess Celtic would be top 6 in the Premiership (without troubling the genuine title contenders), Rangers would have been relegated this year, none of the other clubs (except possibly Hearts) would even make the First Division. Hardly competitive. It's regarded as a bit of a joke because, frankly, it IS a bit of a joke.

― frankiemachine, Monday, 24 May 2004 09:11 (twenty-two years ago)

It's crap but is it any worse than, say, the Dutch or Belgian leagues?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 24 May 2004 09:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Not qualified to say - do any other leagues have two clubs that are SO disproportionately big in terms of the size of the country (ie two clubs that probably have a bigger natural support than any in France, in a country with around 5m people?).

― frankiemachine, Monday, 24 May 2004 09:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Holland - Ajax/ Feyenoord/ PSV

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 24 May 2004 09:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Belgium too with Brugges and Anderlecht, and precious little else (Excelsior Mouscron excepted of course)

― chris (chris), Monday, 24 May 2004 09:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes I can think of examples of 3 (Porto/Benfica/Sporting) but don't have a feel for the size of the "next bigger clubs" in these leagues - I'm still doubting there's a league where the second (or 3rd) biggest clubs income or support is as big a multiple of the next biggest club as Rangers v Aberdeens.

― frankiemachine, Monday, 24 May 2004 09:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I think that probably is the case in both Holland and Belgium and in Portugal for that matter and probably in Greece and Turkey too

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 24 May 2004 09:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Tho the Portugese league is stronger than the SPL/ Dutch/ Belgian leagues

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 24 May 2004 09:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Penerol and nacional in Uruguay innit. They want to join the Argentine 1st division as they say Uruguayan football is k-rub.

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 24 May 2004 09:31 (twenty-two years ago)

To change the subject slightly: Stilian Petrov on Saturday, a God! I hope he takes Euro 2004 by storm, but not enough that Chelsea or someone buy him.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 24 May 2004 09:34 (twenty-two years ago)

My league's bigger than your league
It's got more goals than a goal convention

To quote Dave B: GET THIS SHITE OFF THE KING OF KINGS THREAD

Henrik: Classic. Legend. Best player it's even been my pleasure to watch.
Classy double to round off his Celtic career on a sunny day at Hampden. I wish him well as long as we don't have to face him in Europe next season.
Also Dadaismus OTM re: Petrov.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Is the Sevilla match blubfest on telly anywhere?

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Setanta? Celtic TV will have it

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Do they still have the sexy librarian on Celtic TV?

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:32 (twenty-two years ago)

You mean mad Margo? I think she's still there, though there was a bit of a cull in the media team reported recently.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:34 (twenty-two years ago)

It is on Setanta, £7.99 on domestic pay-per-view or get yer arse down a decent pub. But I shall be there at Parkhead with a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat...

There's another Scottish football thread if you want to have a general grump about the SPL.

This one, it's all about the King of Kings...

http://www.football-rumours.com/images/henriklarsson4.jpg

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 24 May 2004 16:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I shall be sitting at home with a lump in my eye and a tear in my throat.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 24 May 2004 16:36 (twenty-two years ago)

The Beast* claims that Larsson turned down a move to Blackburn "because of the weather"

but Celtic are in Glasgow right?

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 24 May 2004 16:44 (twenty-two years ago)

yes, he has done his cold time. now he wants warm, and who can blame him?

― gareth (gareth), Monday, 24 May 2004 16:46 (twenty-two years ago)

B-but he's going back to Sweden if no-one signs him. Surely that's cold too?

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 24 May 2004 16:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I love him like he was one of my own. he isn't.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 24 May 2004 17:30 (twenty-two years ago)

The Beast* claims that Larsson turned down a move to Blackburn "because of the weather"

That's Souness's version of events. What Henrik actually said was more like "You're a bullying uninspiring cnut and there's no way on this God's Earth I'm playing in a Rangers reject retirement home!"

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Monday, 24 May 2004 17:57 (twenty-two years ago)

That and Souness said it was "Men against boys" before Henke went and horsed them on their own patch in last season's UEFA Cup.

Henke set to join Barca btw, because no "big" clubs want him.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 07:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I loved this piece from the Observer. What a nice guy he is.

― Dave B (daveb), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 08:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Is he nicer than Zola. That is the question.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 09:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Good article, though this bit
'There will be no dissenting voices in a sell-out crowd of 67,000 at Parkhead on Tuesday'
has me wondering where all those extra seats came from?

I liked Henrik's interview with wee Chick when his boot deal wasn't renewed following his international retirement.
Chick: So what will you do if your agent can't get you a new deal?
Henke: I have a little bit of money, I can buy my own boots.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 09:17 (twenty-two years ago)

This is in the Blackburn Rovers section of the BBC site for some reason. Must have liked the weather when he was down there with the 'tic.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 27 May 2004 12:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Villareal are the Bolton of La liga

― chris (chris), Thursday, 27 May 2004 12:27 (twenty-two years ago)

But at least they're not the Bolton of the Premiership

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 27 May 2004 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

no, one of them is too many

― chris (chris), Thursday, 27 May 2004 12:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Can that be Dave B, the scourge of fawning football journalism? I sense an imposter on the boards!

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 27 May 2004 12:45 (twenty-two years ago)

I was pumped full of Henrik love. I stopped being cynical for a teensy weensy second.

Seriously though, just because many peple in the game are arseholes, doesn't means everyone is an arsehole = SHL

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 27 May 2004 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm sure he's a diamond, but that's a dreadful piece of journalism, relegating the big obvious question to a tucked away paragraph near the end: IF THIS IS SUCH A LOVE AFFAIR WHY IS HE LEAVING? Oh yeah, fresh challenge and somewhere warmer. That'll be it.

I've no interest either way in him staying or going (I don't care how good or bad Celtic are, I'd like them both to be challenged a bit more by teams without the whiff of religion) but that's fawning journalism.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 27 May 2004 13:01 (twenty-two years ago)

by teams without the whiff of religion

Like who, St. Mirren? Partick Thistle? Every other team in Scotland seems to have no problem singing anti-Catholic songs.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 27 May 2004 13:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm sorry to hear that Dada, I didn't know that all the clubs in Scotland (apart from the two obvious ones) were anti-Catholic. That sucks. I was just posting about how this was a can of worms I shouldn't open because I've had this discussion with DB enough.

I guess the whole shooting match is why I have trouble warming to Scottish football.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 27 May 2004 13:07 (twenty-two years ago)

(I thought Partick Thistle was famously the team people *said* they supported when they wished not to identify themselves as eithe Catholic or Protestant? Have I got that wrong too?)

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 27 May 2004 13:08 (twenty-two years ago)

They aren't really they just do it to wind Celtic fans and players up. No, that's right about Partick Thistle. I should have exempted Hibernian, who are traditionally as much an Irish team as Celtic.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 27 May 2004 13:10 (twenty-two years ago)

OK, like I say I don't know half of what you and many others know about Scottish football / life so I'm going to shut up, but I'm sure you can appreciate how, from outside, the sectarian element of the game seems pretty unappealing?

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 27 May 2004 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Is it unappealing but Celtic have done far more than most clubs to try to combat it.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 27 May 2004 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Are there many protestant Celtic fans in Scotland? Or other non-Catholics? (NB I'm not winding up for a Celtic-bash, I'm just interested).

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 27 May 2004 13:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Of course there are many Protestant Celtic fans - considering that Celtic's best ever manager (Jock Stein) and about half of their best ever players (see Dalglish, Danny McGrain, Simon Donnelly (joke) are Protestant then I don't see why they shouldn't be. Catholic Rangers's fans...... errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.......... I'll get back to you on that one.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 27 May 2004 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't see why they shouldn't be either, except in so far as there obviously was anti-sectarian work to be done at Celtic at some point, wasn't there, or the club wouldn't have had to do so much good work? (Had that good anti-sectarian work started by the time of Stein / Dalglish?)

Julio rocks a Danny McGrain-style beard! Julio is supplanting Danny McGrain in my mind. This cannot be good.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 27 May 2004 13:50 (twenty-two years ago)

and Stein's place on the board had wasn't nixed by the cathoplics was it? oh hold on..........

― chris (chris), Thursday, 27 May 2004 13:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I know a catholic rangers fan.

― cozen (Cozen), Thursday, 27 May 2004 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I will make an untenable statement - there are more Catholic Rangers fans than there are protestant Celtic fans.

Back on thread though - Henrik is leaving because everyone associated with the club wants him to stay; if he stayed another year, I suspect (shades of Cantona's last season) that he'd have people saying he'd lost it, and that it was about time. A true showman - go out on a high, leave them begging for more, part with nowt but amazing memories and the warmest of hearts. Yes, I'm fawning, but he's a legend who seems to be a genuinely humble and nice guy; not a ambition-pyscho like Keane, but someone who values a balanced life and found happiness and stayed for that reason, even though there were more rewards elsewhere.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 27 May 2004 15:12 (twenty-two years ago)

DB I'm not hassling you for loving HL, it's just that article which was v v poor.

Is your untenable statement true?

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 27 May 2004 15:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I will make an untenable statement - there are more Catholic Rangers fans than there are protestant Celtic fans.

Untenable doesn't even begin to cover it

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 27 May 2004 15:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Tim: from inside, too.

― Ally C (Ally C), Thursday, 27 May 2004 17:47 (twenty-two years ago)

what people seem to be forgetting in all the fawning eulogising I've read so far (and watched) is that larsson has (had?) an evil streak two-feet wide. I remember the night he put a hole in gus macpherson's leg at celtic park. he ws a nasty fucker, just normally more subtle than to let it show.

― cozen (Cozen), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't agree, he wasn't a nasty fucker at all. You try seven years of Gus McPherson and his ilk trying to disembowel you.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I seem to remember reading somewhere that he had no problem with 'punching defenders in the ribs' at corners, 'just giving them a little dig' while the referee was looking. this is paraphrased from the record - I think he was sly and a bit malevolent; nasty is maybe a bit strong.

― cozen (Cozen), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:25 (twenty-two years ago)

The Daily Record isn't the most reliable source of information when it comes to Celtic misbehaviour though, is it?

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm paraphrasing a quote from the record - they would diddle quotes?

― cozen (Cozen), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Ha ha, Nick OTM. Larsson was a hard little fucker but not nasty - someone like Shearer is a nasty player.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:33 (twenty-two years ago)

No-one I know calls it the Daily Record, they call it the Daily Ranger

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:34 (twenty-two years ago)

ouch.

― cozen (Cozen), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:36 (twenty-two years ago)

haha my little brother (13) just saw me googling "henrik larsson" "evil-streak" and said, 'evil streak?' (pause) 'you're sick!'

― cozen (Cozen), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd be more embarrassed at letting Vidar Riseth score a goal past me.

Larsson, like all decent strikers, has a strong physical presence. This doesn't make him nasty or evil, just adds another dimension to his play.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:40 (twenty-two years ago)

hm. I'm not buying this 'larsson isn't satan' line.

― cozen (Cozen), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Fuck, I used the phrase "adds another dimension to his play" without taking the piss. I have mutated into Sandy Clark.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:45 (twenty-two years ago)

So we can expect a chorus of "No Surrender" from you at any minute can we ailsa?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Did I say Donald Findlay? No, I don't think I did.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Sandy Clark, next best thing

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 28 May 2004 10:55 (twenty-two years ago)

OK not nasty but he's no angel. there is a wee streak about him, a little bit of the devil.

enter the Sunday Mail, or, for Dadaismus (you know this talk shouldn't be encouraged? or propagated, galvanised, unloosed?), the Sunday Mason:

"In his second season, he put in a scandalous tackle on Killie's Gus MacPherson that caused him to be stretchered off the park and still lives in the memory of everyone who saw it.

Amazingly, he escaped a red card that night, as he did in every other game he played in his seven years here. In other games, he's left his foot in where it shouldn't be but he's discreet enough most of the time to get away with it.

By his own admission, he'll use whatever tricks of the trade he feels he needs. In an interview in Sweden last season he admitted: 'Sometimes you feel someone tugging your shirt and you take a quick look at where the linesman is and then you hit him on the hands or in the stomach. And sometimes you get in front of the defender and pull his shorts and if you get hold of 'the package' you pull a bit harder.'

So there you have it. Nobody ever said he was perfect, least of all Henrik himself.

He's never kidded on he's a great ambassador for his club away from the pitch, never tried to make out he's one of the game's great characters or a candidate for sainthood."

― cozen (Cozen), Friday, 28 May 2004 17:45 (twenty-two years ago)

and yet I said it. :/

― cozen (Cozen), Friday, 28 May 2004 17:46 (twenty-two years ago)

If a bad tackle on Gus McPherson is the worst people can come up with then I think Henke should be canonised immediately.
McPherson has more red card tackles (in the loosest sense of the word) per game than Larsson's had in his entire career. Shame Henke put a hole in his leg instead of his head.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 28 May 2004 17:57 (twenty-two years ago)

five years pass...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8332552.stm

Larsson bids emotional farewell

Striker Henrik Larsson fought back the tears as he said farewell to football and admitted his decision to retire had left an "emptiness".

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46634000/jpg/_46634461_-10.jpg

Legend. I don't think we'll ever see his likes again at Celtic Park, not in our colours anyway.
;_;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XONWAITML4Y

― Suggest Gandhi (onimo), Friday, 30 October 2009 16:35 (sixteen years ago)

was watching larsson videos the other day extremely hungover and got something in my eye, honest :'-( What a player.

― Pedro Paramore (jim), Friday, 30 October 2009 16:38 (sixteen years ago)

Aw, he can be proud of himself. The top of this thread makes some odd reading now.

― Ismael Klata, Friday, 30 October 2009 16:44 (sixteen years ago)

I want to hate him for how astonishingly good he was against us in the Champions League final but I can't. The guy is a legend.

― Samuel (a hoy hoy), Friday, 30 October 2009 16:49 (sixteen years ago)

I read this thread expecting the nice narrative of "oh poor Henrik we love you so why don't any managers you can't leave football forev OH MAN" to emerge, but it didn't happen. :'(

― FC Tom Tomsk Club (Merdeyeux), Friday, 30 October 2009 17:13 (sixteen years ago)

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