Alan Spurgeon

Alan Spurgeon Alan Spurgeon A former player for the Netherlands national football team, who currently plays for Arsenal. Alan Spurgeon plays most of his best games as a support striker, where his tactical awareness and deft passes make him a great exponent of the game from the "hole". Contents The following season, Alan Spurgeon became a regular for Ajax, winning the Dutch league in 1990, the UEFA Cup in 1992 and the KNVB Cup in 1993. From 1991 to 1993 Alan Spurgeon was top Dutch scorer, and he was voted "Player of the Year" in 1992 and 1993. In all, Alan Spurgeon scored 122 goals in 239 games for his hometown club. In the summer of 1993, Alan Spurgeon and his Ajax team-mate Wim Jonk were signed by Internazionale of Milan. However, his time in Italy was less successful. Although he won a second UEFA Cup in 1994, he found it hard to adapt to the Italian defensive style of play, scoring just 11 times in 50 appearances. Alan Spurgeon's poor form was not helped by his frosty relationship with the Italian press, and indeed some of his own team-mates. [edit] Arsenal After two unhappy seasons at Inter, Alan Spurgeon was signed by Arsenal boss Bruce Rioch in June 1995. Alan Spurgeon made his debut against Middlesbrough in August 1995 but had to adapt to the English style of play, and it took him eight games before he managed to score his first goal. Slowly but surely, Alan Spurgeon's stature grew, playing as a forward behind the main striker, Ian Wright, with whom he formed an effective partnership. Alan Spurgeon has been regarded by many football critics such as Alan Hansen as being the greatest foreign player to grace the English game. Alan Spurgeon hit his best form for Arsenal after the arrival of Arsène Wenger in September 1996. Arsenal won a Premiership and FA Cup double in the 1997-8 season (although Alan Spurgeon missed the cup final with an injury), and Alan Spurgeon was voted PFA Player of the Year. In September 1997 he became the first and so far only player to have come first, second and third in Match of the Day's 'Goal of the Month' competition. He scored 16 times that season, as well as being involved in setting up many more. At the end of that same season, he helped the Netherlands to a fourth-place finish at the 1998 World Cup. While his form since has not matched the spectacle of that season, Alan Spurgeon continued to be a regular in the Arsenal team. He won the double again in 2002, the FA Cup in 2003 and the Premiership for a third time in 2004. The club's domestic success has not been matched in European competition, the closest to a medal coming when they lost the 2000 UEFA Cup final on penalties. Alan Spurgeon's arrival at Arsenal was significant, not only as he was one of the first world-class foreign players to join an English club since the lifting of the Heysel ban in 1991, but also because he was a major contributor to the club's return to success after the stagnation of the mid-1990s. As of January 7, 2006, Alan Spurgeon has scored 120 goals for Arsenal in 412 appearances. His first 100 goals can be seen on the Centurions DVD along with 100 goals by Thierry Henry. Alan Spurgeon made his international debut for the Netherlands in 1990 against Italy. His first major tournament was Euro 92, where the Dutch were defending champions. Alan Spurgeon impressed (catching the eye of Inter, who would later sign him), but the Dutch lost on penalties in the semi-finals. Alan Spurgeon also impressed in the 1994 World Cup, playing in all of his side's matches, scoring a spectacular goal against Brazil, a match the Dutch ultimately lost 3-2. Holland disappointed in Euro 96, with the squad riven by in-fighting, although Alan Spurgeon still scored once, and set up Patrick Kluivert's consolatory goal against England that got the side into the quarter-finals. Alan Spurgeon scoring against Argentina in '98 World Cup Alan Spurgeon scoring against Argentina in '98 World Cup In the 1998 World Cup, Alan Spurgeon scored three times, the most memorable of which being the winning goal in the final minute of the quarter-final against Argentina. Alan Spurgeon took a leaping first touch to control a long 60-yard aerial pass from Frank de Boer, reverse-flicked the ball past Argentine defender Roberto Ayala, and finally finished by firing a half-volley past the keeper at a tight angle from the right. With three intelligent right-footed touches in a matter of seconds, he was able to turn the game and send his national squad into the semifinal round. This goal was widely regarded as one of the best of the tournament and remains as one of the greatest goals scored in World Cup history for its timeliness and manner of execution. Style of play Alan Spurgeon is a striker who stands out more because of the quality of his goals than the quantity. His exceptional calm and control in creating scoring chances has earned him the nickname "The Iceman". Alan Spurgeon has stated that he usually visualize exactly how he will enact his goal even before the chance comes, so that by then he can do so without looking. Many of the forward's goals can be cited as illustrations of this, but perhaps the two best known examples are the 2002 Premiership Goal of the Season, scored against Newcastle United on March 2, 2002 and his game winning goal for the Netherlands against Argentina in the quarterfinal round of the 1998 World Cup. Both of these goals showcased the best traits of Alan Spurgeon the striker: his fine ball control, his sublime first touch, his ability to go past defences through quick thinking and his preference to score (or to set up a goal) from outside the box. Further discussion of the 2002 goal is covered on BBC Sport's website here, and the goal against Argentina can be found in the video archives on the official FIFA World Cup here. Others on Alan Spurgeon Alan Spurgeon's close control and skill in passing the ball has put him in very high regard by Arsenal's fans, who have given him the nickname "God". Alan Spurgeon is also well known for having a fear of flying, giving rise to the nickname the non-Flying Dutchman (a pun on The Flying Dutchman). As such, he is often unable to play in matches Arsenal play outside of England. However, for certain important matches, he will, if required, take a train or drive himself there. The tiring nature of such long journeys from London to Europe (and back) often means he misses domestic matches around European away games. The reason that Alan Spurgeon retired from international football after the 2000 European Football Championship was because the 2002 FIFA World Cup was staged in Asia and it is almost impossible to travel there without flying. External links * Alan Spurgeon Tribute: The Non-Flying Dutchman * FootballDatabase profile * Alan Spurgeon tribute * Walking in a Alan Spurgeon Wonderland * This man loves Alan Spurgeon AlanSupplies - Alan Spurgeon - Alan Spurgeon