Next Game

Wrexham v Blackburn

Saturday, 06 July 2013, 15:00

Friendly Match

Kazim-Richards' bitter-sweet win

Arsenal fan Colin Kazim-Richards will be cheering on his boyhood team when they aim to bounce back from defeat to Blackburn at the weekend.

Last Updated: 18/02/13 at 09:11 Post Comment   

Colin Kazim-Richards: Mixed emotions after winner at Emirates

Colin Kazim-Richards: Mixed emotions after winner at Emirates

Kazim-Richards, 26, netted a scrappy effort on 72 minutes at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, which was about Championship Rovers only shot on target, but enough to inflict a first FA Cup defeat by lower league opposition on beleaguered Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

The on-loan Galatasaray forward grew up in Leytonstone, east London, to a Turkish Cypriot mother and father from the Caribbean, and was on Arsenal's books as a youngster before starting his career at Bury.

Spells playing for Brighton - bought as part of a competition from then league sponsors Coca-Cola - and Sheffield United, Galatasaray, Toulouse and Olympiacos followed before his latest loan move to Ewood Park.

Kazim-Richards, though, will always be a Gunner.

"I was here as a schoolboy, so my connections are to Arsenal, I am an Arsenal fan. I love Arsenal," he said.

"I will be supporting them against Bayern Munich. I will have my Arsenal top on, and I will be there in front of the TV, but you know this is work.

"This is what I get paid to do and it's nice for the Blackburn fans, to give back because they have had a rough time, everybody knows what's gone on so it is nice for them to be able to celebrate."

Kazim-Richards admits it was a surreal experience to take on his boyhood club.

"I used to train under the Clock End (at Highbury) on the indoor pitches, so for me to get the goal is amazing. You dream of stuff like this and for it to come true," said Kazim-Richards, who dedicated the goal to his brother Rodney - who passed away as an infant from Edwards Syndrome.

"My dad was in the crowd, he comes to every game so for him to see it was great. My mum was there too, so for them it was a nice day."

Rovers have been handed a quarter-final tie away at Millwall.

However, there will be little time to dream of Wembley as Michael Appleton's squad must prepare themselves for Tuesday night's trip to fellow promotion chasers Hull.

"We have to take this into Tuesday's game, because coming to places like this, no disrespect, is much better than going to certain places in the Championship," Kazim-Richards said.

"These are the players you want to play against and test yourself against the best."

The defeat to Blackburn has again brought Wenger's position under scrutiny, with the Gunners facing up to possibly an eighth campaign without silverware.

Rovers manager Appleton, however, insists the French coach deserves continued respect.

"The work Arsene Wenger has put in at Arsenal is nothing short of sensational," said Appleton, in charge of his third club this season having taken over at Ewood Park in January.

"He has a philosophy about producing certain types of players and bringing certain types of players in and I would certainly pay to watch them every week.

"I admire the way they play, it's a style that hopefully, one day, I can field a group of players that can play that way."

Appleton intends to keep his players grounded.

"It is about getting the players down very quickly," he said.

"We want them to be confident going into the remainder of the campaign, but we want them fully focused."

Football365 Facebook Fan Page

The Football365 fan page is a great place to meet like minded people, have football related discussions and make new friends.

Related News

Sky Bet

    • Retrieving latest Sky Bet odds

Most Commented

Readers' Comments

W

hat's a Bebe??

godsaveourkeane
Bebe seeking Sporting switch

W

hips, harness and saddlery ? This IS an Onion article.

v. profane
Bale set to trademark logo

I

want to trademark the word football .

herculezbotak
Bale set to trademark logo

Footer 365

European U21 Championship: Thiago treble secures glory for Spain against Italy

Spain captain Thiago Alcantara hit a hat-trick to help his side secure U21 Euro glory with a 4-2 victory over Italy.

Jermaine Pennant agrees new one-year deal with Stoke City

Jermaine Pennant has put pen to paper on a new one-year contract with Stoke City to end speculation he was to leave.

Excitement high ahead of fixtures day

For those eagerly anticipating the new football season, the excitement is set to intensify on Wednesday morning.

Mail Box

Twas The Worst Game I Ever Did See...

In this Mailbox it's England v Algeria in 2010 that is seen as the nadir, but there's potential for worse, surely. Plus, one man says we should praise Rooney's honesty...

Why Doesn't Suarez Request A Transfer?

The morning mailbox ponders Luis Suarez's current predicament, cool footballers, the Lion City Cup, Spurs' transfer policy, Kanu's absence and lots more...

© 2013 British Sky Broadcasting Ltd. All Rights Reserved