Asprilla: success or failure for NUFC?

[Guest Invicta_Toon]

A question to Vic:

 

Asprilla - success or a failure?

 

I'm going to get s*** either way so I decline to answer

 

How about, What do you think of the new housemates? And do you think it will impact on the atmosphere of the house?

 

C'mon your just dying to answer that f*cker! 

 

only saw them for about 10 minutes this morning, been lashed all weekend.

[M4]

A question to Vic:

 

Asprilla - success or a failure?

 

I'm going to get shit either way so I decline to answer

 

Give an even slightly legible backed-up REASON for your opinion and you'll be fine. It tends to work that way.

 

Think the concept of sticking his neck out is totally alien to him.

 

again, much the same as with you and the concept of irony

 

And round and round we go, and round and round we go... still not answering questions I see, just trying to be awkward and contrary...

 

Do you even know what irony is?? Or is it just a fancy word you like to use?

 

Please explain to me why all my interventions are so ironic to you...

[Mick]

 

How about, What do you think of the new housemates? And do you think it will impact on the atmosphere of the house?

 

C'mon your just dying to answer that f*cker! 

 

[Cajun]

Vic doesn't really have his own opinions, just likes to comment on others.

[OzzieMandias]

I think, ultimately, failure -- though he certainly had his moments. A player of quite prodigious talents, but no discipline whatsoever. He could be fantastic to watch, and as frustrating as hell.

 

As I've seen pointed out before, he was at his best when he didn't have any responsibilities to any other players -- like when he was upfront on his own in 1997 because all our other strikers were crocked. His game against Barca was one of the best individual performances I've ever seen -- with a bit of help from Gillespie, he practically won the game on his own. Bloody awful player to try and shoehorn into a rigid tactical system, though.

 

It's right to say he was a luxury. And though it's nice to have a few luxuries, I wasn't that bothered when we finally sold him. I remember a friend, Man U supporter, someone who'd enjoyed watching him, asking me, "Won't you miss him?" And I just shrugged and said, "Nah, too inconsistent."

 

My favourite Asprilla story comes from the guy (friend of a friend) who was his interpreter. At some game where he was substituted, Asprilla was so pissed off that he started marching down the tunnel, rather than take his place on the bench. Someone urged the interpreter to persuade him not to, because Keegan would do his nut. When the interpreter caught up with him, Asprilla said: "I'll do it if you tell him he's a grey-haired cunt."

 

Seeing no other option, the interpreter said "OK", and he and Tino went back to the bench. The interpreter spoke to Keegan: "Tino's very sorry that he stormed off like that, but he just wants to do his best for the team and was angry with himself that he hadn't played so well." Keegan softened, and put his arm around Asprilla's shoulders and did a sort of "there, there, it's all right" number.

 

Asprilla said to him in Spanish: "You grey-haired cunt!"

[Guest Knightrider]

Asking Vic for an opinion on something is like turning up at a Macdonalds and saying to the nugget behind the counter "how can I help you?"

[Guest Knightrider]

I think, ultimately, failure -- though he certainly had his moments. A player of quite prodidgious talents, but no discipline whatsoever. He could be fantastic to watch, and as frustrating as hell. As I've seen pointed out before, he was at his best when he didn't have any responsibilities to any other players -- like when he was upfront on his own in 1997 because all our other strikers were crocked. His game against Barca was one of the best individual performances I've ever seen -- with a bit of help from Gillespie, he practically won the game on his own. Bloody awful player to try and shoehorn into a rigid tactical system, though.

 

It's right to say he was a luxury. And though it's nice to have a few luxuries, I wasn't that bothered when we finally sold him. I remember a friend, Man U supporter, someone who'd enjoyed watching him, asking me, "Won't you miss him?" And I just shrugged and said, "Nah, too inconsistent."

 

My favourite Asprilla story comes from the guy (friend of a friend) who was his interpreter. At some game where he was substituted, Asprilla was so pissed off that he started marching down the tunnel, rather than take his place on the bench. Someone urged the interpreter to persuade him not to, because Keegan would do his nut. When the interpreter caught up with him, Asprilla said: "I'll do it if you tell him he's a grey-haired cunt."

 

Seeing no other option, the interpreter said "OK", and he and Tino went back to the bench. The interpreter spoke to Keegan: "Tino's very sorry that he stormed off like that, but he just wants to do his best for the team and was angry with himself that he hadn't played so well." Keegan softened, and put his arm around Asprilla's shoulders and did a sort of "there, there, it's all right" number.

 

Asprilla said to him in Spanish: "You grey-haired cunt!"

 

at the anecdote, I can quite believe it

 

Summed up him as a player too, good post.

 

 

[Guest fraser]

Unforgettable againts Barca and conjoured two late gaols against Metz, other than that he was generally disappointing.

 

Two good games away v Liverpool as well. Overall he was entertaining. I think Keegan thought that Asprilla was the final piece of the jigsaw and I'm sure he was, just not the NUFC jigsaw.

[Norwegian-Geordie]

I've noticed this too. Vic rarely tells us what he thinks... Like in the captain thread(amongst others), all he did was bitching about his poll that got deleted.

 

IMO Asprilla was a sucsess. That night against Barca... He was a special guy though. Wasn't he a suspect in some drugtrafficking for some time ago? Or am I completely wrong?

[OzzieMandias]

It was a great name to chant in Geordie, too: "Tiiiiii-nooo-ooooh!"

[Guest Knightrider]

I think, given he was a forward, he did well overall, i.e. he actually turned up and scored goals and created them too. He wasn't here long so his more than respectable return was quite good when you consider some foreign players have taken a year or so to get going, although that may say more about the unique set up at Newcastle under KK than Asprilla's seemingly cameleon like ability to adapt to his surroundings. Then again, perhaps Newcastle was like a home from home for the lunatic

 

Overall though I look back fondly at his time here and him as a player, I doubt we'll ever see someone as outrageously gifted in our shirt or as mad off the pitch, ever again. He's no legend, far from it, but an icon of an era that produced so many?, without a doubt. He more than anyone perhaps summed up that era - unbelievable. From turning Cox inside out not long after touching down at Newcastle Airport to nutting Curle, to that hat-trick against Barca.

 

BTW his best performances often came in Europe and that was a level he was bought for.

[Dokko]

Manu, Barca & Feyenoord, 3 of my best footballing memories to date. Sometimes i think they are in my top 10 all time memories, i struggle to think of many other moments that gave me such pleasure and ecstasy.

 

Tino was responsible for one of them, and for thant he'll always be a legend to me, but a success here? No, nowhere near, but thanks for that one memory.

 

 

[OzzieMandias]

I think, given he was a forward, he did well overall, i.e. he actually turned up and scored goals and created them too. He wasn't here long so his more than respectable return was quite good when you consider some foreign players have taken a year or so to get going, although that may say more about the unique set up at Newcastle under KK than Asprilla's seemingly cameleon like ability to adapt to his surroundings. Then again, perhaps Newcastle was like a home from home for the lunatic

 

Overall though I look back fondly at his time here and him as a player, I doubt we'll ever see someone as outrageously gifted in our shirt or as mad off the pitch, ever again. He's no legend, far from it, but an icon of an era that produced so many?, without a doubt. He more than anyone perhaps summed up that era - unbelievable. From turning Cox inside out not long after touching down at Newcastle Airport to nutting Curle, to that hat-trick against Barca.

 

BTW his best performances often came in Europe and that was a level he was bought for.

 

Yeah, nine goals in Europe from 11 appearances. Even in his very last game, just before crocking himself while taking a free kick against Dynamo Kiev, I remembering him sending no less four players the wrong way with one bit of tricky body-shaping.

 

I remember Lee Clark (with whom he got on really well, apparently) talking about the tricks he could do with his body-shaping. Also that when they were practising penalties, Asprilla would just keep on putting the ball in the same top corner, over and over again, never missing once.

[Guest Knightrider]

I think, given he was a forward, he did well overall, i.e. he actually turned up and scored goals and created them too. He wasn't here long so his more than respectable return was quite good when you consider some foreign players have taken a year or so to get going, although that may say more about the unique set up at Newcastle under KK than Asprilla's seemingly cameleon like ability to adapt to his surroundings. Then again, perhaps Newcastle was like a home from home for the lunatic

 

Overall though I look back fondly at his time here and him as a player, I doubt we'll ever see someone as outrageously gifted in our shirt or as mad off the pitch, ever again. He's no legend, far from it, but an icon of an era that produced so many?, without a doubt. He more than anyone perhaps summed up that era - unbelievable. From turning Cox inside out not long after touching down at Newcastle Airport to nutting Curle, to that hat-trick against Barca.

 

BTW his best performances often came in Europe and that was a level he was bought for.

 

Yeah, nine goals in Europe from 11 appearances. Even in his very last game, just before crocking himself while taking a free kick against Dynamo Kiev, I remembering him sending no less four players the wrong way with one bit of tricky body-shaping.

 

I remember Lee Clark (with whom he got on really well, apparently) talking about the tricks he could do with his body-shaping. Also that when they were practising penalties, Asprilla would just keep on putting the ball in the same top corner, over and over again, never missing once.

 

He was supremely gifted and perhaps never really fulfilled that potential, he had the ability of Ronaldinho but will probably best be remembered for a game against Barcelona on a barmy night in Toon.

[OzzieMandias]

A friend and I used to imagine that someone who combined Asprilla's talents with Shearer's mental control (we used to call mid-90s Shearer "the Zen Warrior") would be just about the perfect player.

[Guest Invicta_Toon]

Vic doesn't really have his own opinions, just likes to comment on others.

 

another fat helping of irony from one of the Vic'ettes

[M4]

Vic doesn't really have his own opinions, just likes to comment on others.

 

another fat helping of irony from one of the Vic'ettes

 

there you go again then commenting on what you think are their shortcomings. Sounding more and more idiotic at every turn.

 

So once again (I know you don't lie answering questions), but in what way are our remarks at all ironic mister genius??

[Guest Invicta_Toon]

Vic doesn't really have his own opinions, just likes to comment on others.

 

another fat helping of irony from one of the Vic'ettes

 

there you go again then commenting on what you think are their shortcomings. Sounding more and more idiotic at every turn.

 

So once again (I know you don't lie answering questions), but in what way are our remarks at all ironic mister genius??

 

I doubt you could comprehend it tbh, I've given you enough opportunities to reflect on it, and you still can't help yourself

[Dave]

 

Classic.

[Baggio]

Take away the three goals he scored against Barca and the 3-0 game against West Ham and was average, the only thing stopping him being a flop is we got our money back.

[Optimistic Nut]

Also very important to us back end of the 1996-7 season when Dalglish used all three of Asprilla, Ferdinand & Shearer up front a fair bit and got us to the Champions League. Second-half of the Leicester 4-3 game, and the Forest 5-0 are prime examples.

[Guest cfhpantera27]

Legend :parky:

first name i ever got on back of shirt (due to the black shield)

[Cronky]

He produced some good moments, but overall the team didn't benefit from his signing. Failure.

[Baggio]

Are you sure that wasn't Stephen Spence, Nut?

[Optimistic Nut]

Are you sure that wasn't Stephen Spence, Nut?

 

 

Seriously though, I doubt we'd have finished 2nd that season without him and Elliott. Dropping Beardsley & Ginola for those two were pivotal in taking us from 4th-5th where we were when Keegan left, to 2nd place in May.