Rozhenal is ready to be Prince Albert

Aug 5 2007 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

Rozehnal started his career as a striker

IF David Rozehnal looks like a centre-half who can play a bit, it is probably because he hasn’t always been a centre-half.

And for the same reason, Rozehnal can hopefully read Premiership forwards better than most defenders.

“I was a striker when I started in the game,” he reveals. “I only ever dreamed of playing football, and my dreams came true – but not in the way I thought they would.”

So when he watched agape as the AC Milan side of the late 80s swept all before them, Rozehnal’s idol wasn’t Baresi or Maldini.

“My heroes were always Gullit and Van Basten,” he says. “Maradona, of course, and Zidane too . . . technical footballers who could score or create goals.

“I think of myself as a defender who can play football. I have good skill.”

But Rozehnal realises he hasn’t been brought to Tyneside to provide “sexy football”.

“My job is to stop goals, not to score them.”

Not a true centre-half