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The tried to kill Barnes' career. It's Iwelumo's turn!
Iwelumo’s miss is repeated again and again
By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Soccerl Writer Oct 13, 4:07 pm EDT
And what a chance.
Six minutes after entering the game, the ball was crossed to the lanky striker. He found himself two yards in front of an empty goal with Norway’s goalkeeper off his line and not a defender anywhere near.
The Scottish fans raised their arms to celebrate.
All Iwelumo had to do was tap the ball home.
The ball, however, came off his right foot at an angle and floated harmlessly wide of the near post. Then, as the game was about to resume with a goal kick, the big screen at the end of the stadium showed his miss again. And again.
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“I saw the chance (on the screen) about 10 seconds after it happened,” Iwelumo said after the game ended 0-0 and he cost Scotland two points.
Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon suggested that the people showing the replays to the fans must have had a mean streak.
“Whoever’s in charge of the big screen showed Chris’ miss about five times, which was nice of them,” he said sarcastically. “The fans didn’t need to see that again and I’m sure we didn’t. Everybody looked up at the big screen and saw it on a number of occasions.
“He knew he should have scored. Possibly if he was a yard further out then it would have been an easier finish. But it got caught between his feet and he wasn’t able to divert it on target.”
Long after the game was over, Iwelumo’s miss became a big hit on Internet sites, too. Now the 30-year-old player returns to his League Championship club hoping he will get another chance in a Scotland shirt.
“There’s always going to be a talking point when you make your debut and I’m disappointed it was that (miss) rather than scoring the winning goal on the day,” Iwelumo said.
“If we had lost it would have been disastrous, but we got a point. I’ll go away and be my own worst critic. I hope that, when the next squad is announced, my name will be there and I will come and show you I can score goals and enjoy doing so.”
To make things worse for Scotland, manager George Burley’s decision to send Iwelumo onto the field led to an angry reaction from Kris Boyd, his other striker. He left a message with the coach Saturday evening saying he didn’t want to play for him again.
The Rangers striker, five years younger than Iwelumo, has played only 28 minutes in the six games since Burley took over.
“I will not be playing for George Burley again,” he told reporters, “but I hope to be back in a Scotland jersey again one day.”
Scotland’s other striker, James McFadden, also was upset with Burley for being substituted by Iwelumo.
Iwelumo’s goals for Wolverhampton have boosted the English club’s chances of gaining promotion to the Premier League. Burley sent him on against Norway to add some height to his attack, and the coach said he wouldn’t hesitate selecting Iwelumo again.
“Chris Iwelumo showed enough in general play during the 35 minutes he was on the field to suggest he can cope with international football,” he said. “He gave us someone who is very good in the air.”
Iwelumo believes he will bounce back from the blunder.
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” he said. “I am a striker. I like to score goals, but missed a chance. I can’t say more than that. I’ll go away, look at it, analyze it, come back and show you I can score goals.
“In hindsight, I should have swung my left foot at it. On another day, it’s in the net and another story.”
By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Soccerl Writer Oct 13, 4:07 pm EDT
- LONDON (AP)—When Chris Iwelumo ran onto the Hampden Park field for his debut in a Scotland jersey, the score was 0-0, and he had the chance to give his country a World Cup qualifying victory.
And what a chance.
Six minutes after entering the game, the ball was crossed to the lanky striker. He found himself two yards in front of an empty goal with Norway’s goalkeeper off his line and not a defender anywhere near.
The Scottish fans raised their arms to celebrate.
All Iwelumo had to do was tap the ball home.
The ball, however, came off his right foot at an angle and floated harmlessly wide of the near post. Then, as the game was about to resume with a goal kick, the big screen at the end of the stadium showed his miss again. And again.
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“I saw the chance (on the screen) about 10 seconds after it happened,” Iwelumo said after the game ended 0-0 and he cost Scotland two points.
Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon suggested that the people showing the replays to the fans must have had a mean streak.
“Whoever’s in charge of the big screen showed Chris’ miss about five times, which was nice of them,” he said sarcastically. “The fans didn’t need to see that again and I’m sure we didn’t. Everybody looked up at the big screen and saw it on a number of occasions.
“He knew he should have scored. Possibly if he was a yard further out then it would have been an easier finish. But it got caught between his feet and he wasn’t able to divert it on target.”
Long after the game was over, Iwelumo’s miss became a big hit on Internet sites, too. Now the 30-year-old player returns to his League Championship club hoping he will get another chance in a Scotland shirt.
“There’s always going to be a talking point when you make your debut and I’m disappointed it was that (miss) rather than scoring the winning goal on the day,” Iwelumo said.
“If we had lost it would have been disastrous, but we got a point. I’ll go away and be my own worst critic. I hope that, when the next squad is announced, my name will be there and I will come and show you I can score goals and enjoy doing so.”
To make things worse for Scotland, manager George Burley’s decision to send Iwelumo onto the field led to an angry reaction from Kris Boyd, his other striker. He left a message with the coach Saturday evening saying he didn’t want to play for him again.
The Rangers striker, five years younger than Iwelumo, has played only 28 minutes in the six games since Burley took over.
“I will not be playing for George Burley again,” he told reporters, “but I hope to be back in a Scotland jersey again one day.”
Scotland’s other striker, James McFadden, also was upset with Burley for being substituted by Iwelumo.
Iwelumo’s goals for Wolverhampton have boosted the English club’s chances of gaining promotion to the Premier League. Burley sent him on against Norway to add some height to his attack, and the coach said he wouldn’t hesitate selecting Iwelumo again.
“Chris Iwelumo showed enough in general play during the 35 minutes he was on the field to suggest he can cope with international football,” he said. “He gave us someone who is very good in the air.”
Iwelumo believes he will bounce back from the blunder.
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” he said. “I am a striker. I like to score goals, but missed a chance. I can’t say more than that. I’ll go away, look at it, analyze it, come back and show you I can score goals.
“In hindsight, I should have swung my left foot at it. On another day, it’s in the net and another story.”
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