BOBBY IS PERFECT AS A SUPER-SUB
GREAT to see Bobby Zamora back in business with Brighton after 12 years away. My old mate scored a wonderful chip against Leeds and followed it up with a sharp finish against Bristol City.
Whenever I’m asked ‘Who is the best player you played with?’, I always have to say Bob. I’ve said many times that he’s Brighton’s greatest ever striker.
When I played with him and we won League Two and League One, he was so far ahead of the game it was untrue.
People seem to think that 4-5-1 was invented by Jose Mourinho, but we were playing it way back in the early 2000s... and the only reason it worked was because of Bobby. His strength, his work-rate – I’ve never seen anyone cover so much ground. I’ve known a lot of players who ran the channels and put themselves about but never put the ball in the net. Bobby did that and scored a hatful of goals.
He left us to join Spurs, a move that probably came too soon. He was a young guy up against experienced pros like Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe and he couldn’t dislodge them. But his record since is right up there.
Bobby always said he wanted to finish his career at Brighton and, at 34, it was the perfect time to come back. He’s earned good money in his career and he can enjoy this time now.
If Brighton were relying on him to be the main striker, I don’t think it would work. But he knows – and the fans know – that his role is an impact sub. Nobody is on Chris Hughton’s back to give him a start.
He’s there for an injection of pure quality and that’s exactly what he’s provided. That finish at Leeds was clearly the result of spending so many years playing with better players. If that was a younger lad, he’d have smashed it at the keeper.
His return has galvanised the club after a really poor season last year. With Bobby’s quality and that feel-good factor, he’s looking like a great signing.