The Goat speaks out

The Goat is in town plugging his autobiography at the moment and as well as an interview with GMR on Thursday evening, a few tasters have appeared in the press over the course of the past couple of days as well.

The main topics that the press have picked up on are his comments regarding his relationship with managers Kevin Keegan and Joe Royle, and also the confirmation that the relationship between Nicolas Anelka and Robbie Fowler was hardly cordial:

"One particular story was when Robbie Fowler signed. On the day you arrive you have to see everyone like the doctor etc, so invariably you're late on the training field that first day.
But when Robbie turned up on the pitch Anelka wasn't there.
Robbie asked why we hadn't started jogging and warming up but we were waiting on Anelka. We had a golf cart that was used to bring out the cones and markers and he got a ride out on that to drop him off.
That was the first sign that Anelka just wanted to show Fowler that he was the daddy."

On Kevin Keegan:

"I know that if Robbie Fowler had scored he'd have said, `what a great header etc,' but I got none of that. I never got the little praises that, when you're doing well, you look for.
It was strange because I always felt that whatever I did, it wasn't good enough.
We had Ali Bernarbia who was the best player I'd ever played with. Keegan would tell him how brilliant he was but I'd always get negative comments."

Whilst Joe Royle fares somewhat better:

"I had such a difficult time at City in my initial years and Joe was so persistent in picking me. At one time I thought, `don't pick me,' because my confidence was that low.
I can't thank Joe enough".

Goter's best City moments can be found here, and his retirement moment here.