Tommy Mooney: The Marbella man talks missed opportunities in England, he could have played with Kevin Campbell and Duncan Ferguson you know...

Champions League / Tommy Mooney / 15 October 2008 / Leave a Comment

Our man in Spain looks back on some of the striking moves he could have made and then turns his attention to Wales' fixture with Germany...

You might have read in earlier weeks that my nine-year-old boy, Kelsey, is into his football - but I'm definitely bottom of the pile when it comes to pushy parent syndrome.

He's been playing competitively for two or three years now but, when I watch, I'm the least vocal parent on the side; in fact, I hardly ever say a word at his matches.

As long as he's enjoying his football I'm happy - and, as his dad, I can tell if he's enjoying it or not. He's played Sunday League club football back in England, and he was with Aston Villa's academy last year.

Out here, he's being coached by ex-professional Steve McGavin as part of a youth set-up that's associated with my club UD Marbella.

It's funny really, Kelsey and I were only talking yesterday about how much hard work goes into someone becoming a professional footballer. Some parents I know see their children as a meal ticket and push their kids accordingly. But they've got to want it badly enough themselves - and that's why Kelsey will decide how far he goes or what he does, not me.

I've already seen crowds of around 200 for youth games out here. They get hysterical - in a lovely way, I should add - with rattles, whistles and good-natured pitch invasions when there's a goal! Kelsey is playing two years up in the Under-12s and was at Fuengirola on Saturday. It was superbly attended and the passion among the families is great to see.

I had to pay €3 to watch my own boy, by the way! But it's fine, they re-invest it into what are magnificent facilities out here.

As far as my career goes, it was all quite different back then. The game moves on, it's inevitable, and as a player you've always go to do the same. The only thing I look back and think I would have changed in my career is that I had a chance to go to Everton, as well as Birmingham who I signed for, when I left Watford in 2001.

I actually met Walter Smith at Manchester airport. Because I was on a free, they were able to sign me but they weren't able to match Birmingham's contract until they sold Francis Jeffers, such was the state of the club. He wanted to play me, Kevin Campbell and Duncan Ferguson up front together; to beat teams up, really.

I was one of those players caught between the Championship - which I found comfortable - and the Premiership - which, in my mind I thought would be a stretch, week in week out. So I was too honest and told Walter that at the time.

Anyhow, I'd already met Trevor Francis. I knew I could score bundles of goals and we'd get promoted at the Blues. And yes, I did get the goals, we did get promotion but I never got the chance to play in the Premiership at Birmingham.

I'm an old-fashioned English centre-forward. I don't do tricks or speed but I've always put myself about and I'm not frightened of getting hurt. I suppose you could compare my style, although not my quality, I hasten to add - to the likes of Alan Shearer or Andy Gray, that sort of player.

When I went to Swindon, the manager Andy King said to me "You know what, you're a little big man." And I know what he means. I'm 5ft 11ins, not a giant, but heading has always been my strongest suit and often the big centre-halves would leave me free in picking up our defenders at set-pieces. I scored a lot of goals from getting that run on a marker for a far-post header.

A player from the international scene with an undeniable goal record is Miroslav Klose.

Because German football is quite similar in style to England, he would do fine over here as he's that sort of old-fashioned type. And he's got that goals knack; five at each of two consecutive World Cup tournaments speaks for itself as an international record, which is where I've seen him play most.

He's up against Wales - and I expect the usual German efficiency here against a pretty average Welsh side.

I'm looking at something like 2-1 [10.5] or 3-1 [13.0] as Correct Score investments. So it's Over 2.5 goals for me at [1.61] and I don't think it'll be long before the Germans are in control so Germany to be leading in the Half Time market. That's got odds to back of [1.59] and looks a good way of backing the hot favourites for this one.