In many ways he is the forgotten man of English football. At his best he was a very exciting player who had pace, power, the ability to beat people and could score goals. He had a direct style that thrilled the crowd and frightened defenders. The return of Kieron Dyer on Saturday was good news indeed.
The thirty year old came on as a substitute in West Ham’s 3-0 FA Cup win over Barnsley on Saturday and played the last twenty minutes. It was his first appearance since breaking a leg back in August 2007. With further complications after the initial injury the lay off has meant a difficult seventeen months for the player.
After moving to West Ham from Newcastle for £6 million in August 2007, this was just Dyer’s third appearance in a West Ham shirt.
Prior to the game, manager Gianfranco Zola talked about Dyer and his desire to play again. He also talked about the undoubted quality that the player possesses.
“He’s focused and he’s very excited to play. He’s been working well in the last few weeks and we will try to get him back because he’s an important player. I’ve seen him training, he’s trying very hard and he’s got a lot of qualities. I know it’s been a big injury for him and I know it’s frustrating because he’s training, training, training and he would like to play. After such a long time out it would be difficult for him to be involved from the beginning.â€Â
With so many rumours concerning the sale of players from West Ham during the current transfer window this is a rare piece of good news for Zola and the West Ham fans. It is like the arrival of a new signing. After the game team-mate Carlton Cole spoke enthusiastically about Dyer’s return.
“Kieron’s been training brilliantly. He’s such a good player, he reads the game so well for us. He’s going to be a great asset for the club. It’s like a brand new signing for the club. He looked sharp when he came on. I congratulated him after the game. He’s buzzing and I’m happy that he’s back in action.”
This goal for Newcastle against Arsenal from a couple of years ago shows what we have been missing.
httpv://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6U4AhcI0j2Y
Dyer’s career has seen him play for Ipswich, Newcastle and West Ham. He has thirty-three England caps and may well have had many more than that, He has suffered from two problems on the field and one problem off the field.
On the field he has been injury prone and this latest lay off is not the only long spell on the sidelines he has suffered. In the nine years since Dyer moved to Newcastle from Ipswich he has played less than two hundred league games. That is an awful lot of football to have missed.
He has also suffered from the fact that he is such a versatile player. He has been used as a right back, right or left side midfield, central midfield, off the front man and as a second front man. He has done all of those jobs well but it has always been difficult to be clear about what is his best position. Is he a better midfielder than Gerrard? Better right sided player than Beckham? Better off the front man than Rooney?
In all of these positions Kieron Dyer provides a great deal for the side, but has probably suffered as being recognised as a ‘Jack of all trades’.
Off the pitch Dyer has always had the reputation of being a bad lad. He was always one of the players mentioned in the tabloid stories about players partying and scandals involving women and drinking.
His image was hardly helped by this infamous bust-up with team-mate Lee Bowyer at Newcastle.
httpv://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eKHtoYbiVPU
Maybe now, at thirty, Dyer can put all his energy into his football and stay injury free for long enough to show the football watching public what a great player he is and how much they have missed through his injury problems.
If he can reproduce anything like his best form he will be a major asset for the troubled East London club. The fans could be in for a treat and I am really pleased to see him back. Let’s hope that he has another four or five seasons at the top level to show us all what he can do.
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