Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Ivo Stas on June 23, 2017, 08:35:54 AM
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http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/books/819968/Darius-Vassell-The-Road-to-Persia-Book-Review-Aston-Villa-Manchester-City-Euro-2004 (http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/books/819968/Darius-Vassell-The-Road-to-Persia-Book-Review-Aston-Villa-Manchester-City-Euro-2004)
Or for those who'd rather not click on links:
Darius Vassell: The Road to Persia, Book Review
4 / 5 stars
OF England’s Golden Generation that spectacularly crashed out of Euro 2004, Darius Vassell is one of the names that probably doesn’t immediately spring to mind.
By JOE SHORT
It was the squad of David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Steven Gerrard. The squad that had a young Wayne Rooney carrying the hope of a nation. The squad that spectacularly failed to live up to expectation.
Yet Vassell bore the brunt of that Euro 2004 exit to Portugal heavier than most. It was he who missed the final penalty in the shoot-out with Portugal, he who suffered a backlash for the botched effort.
While the country’s top stars went back to their clubs and got on with winning domestic and European titles, Vassell's career took its decisive turn.
As England prepared to head home from their hotel in Lisbon, Vassell was all for stealing away and spending a few weeks lying low in Portugal. Michael Owen had already offered him the use of his villa.
But a candid discussion with then-England captain David Beckham in his hotel room convinced Vassell to stick with the team, to show a united front. It was the first time he had been properly thrown into the national limelight, the first time he’d let the fans down.
And in his book The Road to Persia, Vassell is wonderfully open and thoughtful about his misgivings during and after that tournament in 2004 — and the twists and turns of his career since.
Vassell grew up an avid Aston Villa fan. All he wanted to do was play for Villa. England never really crossed his mind. The Birmingham lad grew up a fast, hungry striker who sulked when shouted at and revelled in the glory of goals.
We read plenty of autobiographies of sports men and women passionate about their trade. About winning. About medals. But Vassell’s sole passion in the formative years of his career was an avid love for his club. Playing for Aston Villa was his drive.
That drive, sadly, is dying from the game. Vassell was allowed to live his dream, playing alongside idol Dion Dublin and banging them in on a regular basis at the Holte End. Remember, Vassell’s record of 47 outings for not losing when scoring in a league game was only recently broken.
The dreamers, it feels, are disappearing in football. Fewer and fewer kids support their local clubs — opting instead to follow the soap opera on Sky Sports and Match of the Day. Kids are more likely to form an attachment to their chosen FIFA or Football Manager team than the club down the road.
And that is why Vassell’s account of his days growing up at Villa are so compelling. He is concise and level minded about his playing days; the fans he entertained, the friends he made, the managers he worked tirelessly to convince.
This was Villa in the early 2000s. They were the perpetual UEFA Cup team that always had the potential to go a step further but never did. Indeed, a series of different managers at the club eventually led to Vassell’s exit. It had to happen — you can’t convince everyone you’re the right man, especially in that crucial striker’s role. The frustrating thing is it came after that Euros exit.
Vassell admits that he would have liked to have scored more in his playing career. Maybe he wasn’t a prolific Thierry Henry or Ruud van Nistelrooy. But he was effective and worked hard to follow the manager’s instructions. You get the sense, when reading The Road to Persia, that Vassell maybe sacrificed personal achievement for the success of the team. He never kicked off, he wasn’t a physical fighter. But he was a worker.
At the crux of his career, when he was told to push on, to become a better player, Euro 2004 happened. Vassell replaced Rooney in the quarter-final against Portugal after England’s young messiah broke his metatarsal. Vassell didn’t even want to take a penalty in the shoot-out and was called upon when it went to sudden death.
We all remember those awful two minutes. Goalkeeper Ricardo whipping his gloves off, saving Vassell’s meek spot kick off a sandy penalty spot and then burying home the winner himself. It was galling for England fans but imagine what it was like for the player in the middle of the centre-circle; the quiet one in the side.
Vassell admits he never dreamed of playing for England and he barely got a kick for the Three Lions again. Indeed, he was fairly swiftly sold by Aston Villa too, with Manchester City coming calling 12 months later.
But he is not bitter about this. In fact, Vassell has found solace looking back at a commendable top-flight career to which The Road to Persia does justice.
This is a book about realising dreams and then growing past them. He knew he'd left his boyhood self behind when scoring twice against Villa in a Manchester City shirt on his first game back in front of the Holte End. He was booed that day.
Later in his career Vassell experienced the highs and lows of football in a foreign country and enjoyed a twilight stint at Leicester, helping the Foxes lay the groundwork for their eventual Premier League success.
The Road to Persia is exactly what a footballer’s autobiography should be. A retrospective, thoughtful and open account of a career. Not a bitter rant. And a heartwarming tale at that.
The Road to Persia, by Darius Vassell, Inama Group, £15
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Does he still have his online blog I wonder? It was always a good read and not what you'd expect from a footballer.
Oh and he was a cracking player too.
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Good man Darius.
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daley, vassell, agbonlahor = we really used to produce youngsters with blistering pace and skill; what has happened to our once top level recruitment academy?
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Walters?
But maybe they were outliers (4 in 25 years) rather than a steady conveyor belt of Speedy Gonzaleses.
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B-lose have done a good job of snapping up the recent ones (Gray, Redmond).
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I always liked him, it was clear he was a massive Villa fan and never wanted to leave.
The fans that booed him were fucking twats.
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I watched him miss that penalty for England whilst I was managing a betting shop in Alum Rock right opposite the barbers where he used to get his hair cut. If I remember right, I think he drove a Lambourghini.
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I was in the stadium and as soon as I saw him walking up to take the penalty I knew he was going to miss. Typical Villa luck. To be honest, I was just glad the game was over. The tension around the whole stadium was like nothing I'd ever witnessed, helped by the fact the crowd were split 50/50 and there was no segregation, not a hint of trouble but the noise was endless throughout.
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Walters?
But maybe they were outliers (4 in 25 years) rather than a steady conveyor belt of Speedy Gonzaleses.
Never got to see much of Walters, but yes another cracking player. Just as one players' career with us was coming to an end, another popped up in their place, unfortunately we have nothing in line to replace the declining Gabby
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B-lose have done a good job of snapping up the recent ones (Gray, Redmond).
Bugger!
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Coventry swooped for Dan Sturridge from us when he was a nipper. He was only 11 mind.
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I was in the stadium and as soon as I saw him walking up to take the penalty I knew he was going to miss. Typical Villa luck. To be honest, I was just glad the game was over. The tension around the whole stadium was like nothing I'd ever witnessed, helped by the fact the crowd were split 50/50 and there was no segregation, not a hint of trouble but the noise was endless throughout.
By my calculations, Aston Villa players taking (shoot-out) penalties for England have a score-miss record of 1-2. Platt in 1990 did the business (although I have vague memories of the German keeper getting gloves on it, but only deflecting it in) whereas Southgate (1996) and Vassell (2004) missed. Ashley Young was a Man Utd player when he missed against Italy in 2012. And David Platt was an Arsenal Player when he scored (twice, against Spain and Germany) in 1996.
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Should be a good read.
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Expect a review from you in the book thread in due course, Darren!
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I was in the stadium and as soon as I saw him walking up to take the penalty I knew he was going to miss. Typical Villa luck. To be honest, I was just glad the game was over. The tension around the whole stadium was like nothing I'd ever witnessed, helped by the fact the crowd were split 50/50 and there was no segregation, not a hint of trouble but the noise was endless throughout.
By my calculations, Aston Villa players taking (shoot-out) penalties for England have a score-miss record of 1-2. Platt in 1990 did the business (although I have vague memories of the German keeper getting gloves on it, but only deflecting it in) whereas Southgate (1996) and Vassell (2004) missed. Ashley Young was a Man Utd player when he missed against Italy in 2012. And David Platt was an Arsenal Player when he scored (twice, against Spain and Germany) in 1996.
Not just England. Mellberg missed in the same tournament as Vass and Vlaar in last world cup.
I might get the book actually. Always like Vassell here as he didn't live that far from me just off Penns Lane so always used to see him going to training.
Just another who stayed a bit too long and went stale but he was a very effective player for us for a few season with his pace unsettling defenders. Despite what the review says his partnership with Angel was easily the best of all the strikers he combined with.
Is there a chapter in it when he describes treating a toe injury he had with a drill?!
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is it not available on Amazon yet ?
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You can only purchase the book through Darius's own publishing company here: http://inamagroup.com
Postage is a bit pricey, but I'll happily pay it to support one of our own like Dazzler. Good luck to him.
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Through work a couple of years ago I met him and spent some time in his company.
Anyone can be on their 'best behaviour' for a couple of hours but he struck me as a genuinely nice bloke. Very much a Villa fan and knowledgeable about the squad at that time and the situation in the league (next few games etc.)
For part of the time we were at Acorns and it looked like the staff knew him because of visits made rather than just recognising him.
Hopefully an interesting read. Good luck to him.
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"Is there a chapter in it when he describes treating a toe injury he had with a drill?!"
Yes, but only a little bit :)
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Always liked him as a genuine one of our own , I never remember him not trying his best, sometimes it just wasn't good enough but like Walters, Daley and Gabby in his prime Darius was a player who got fans on their feet . Sounds like a good read which I might just buy.