Steve Ogrizovic, Coventry City’s veteran goalkeeper
will be given a tear jerking farewell by the fans at tomorrow’s last
home match of the season against Sheffield Wednesday.
The club’s manager Gordon Strachan appears to be a
sentimental softie for his gesture in selecting the 42 year old for
his last game of football at Highfield Road.
But he is taking no risks. The club’s Premier League safety is assured and he knows that the
42-year-old will not let down the club.
He explained:
“We are not making a fool of him or anything like
that. He is remarkably fit and when he deputised for Magnus Hedman
against Arsenal and Liverpool recently, he was our best player.
"I hope the supporters give him a big send off
because he has been the best servant this club has had – ever.”
It will be Ogrizovic’s 601st match for the
club with whom he has been a firm favourite for 16 years.
When he hangs up his boots after next weekend’s
final match of the season at Watford he will take charge of the soccer
academy’s under-17 squad.
He said:
“I can’t see myself ever leaving this club.
"I have enjoyed every moment and although there will
not be a tear in the eye tomorrow, it will probably hit me when the
season is over and I realise I shall no longer be playing at all
those great stadiums.
"When I was 32 I hoped I could reach 35. If anyone had
said I would be playing at this level in the year 2000 I would have
laughed at them.”
Ironically Oggy’s only goal was scored against
Sheffield Wednesday in 1986-87 and their goalkeeper that day was
Martin Hodge.
He will be at Highfield Road tomorrow in his capacity
as Wednesday’ goalkeeper coach.
Coventry’s youth team faces a mountain in the second
leg of the FA Youth Cup Final, after losing the first leg by 3-1 in
front of 10,280 fans at Highfield Road last night
At 3-0 down through second half goals from Jerome
Thomas, Graham Barrett and Steve Sidwell the destiny of the cup looked
assured, but with 5 minutes left Gary McSheffrey narrowed the margin.
Richard Money, the director of coaching at the soccer
academy said:
“I have told them that Gary’s goal has opened up a
chance for them to go to Highbury next Friday and complete the
job."
It is Coventry’s second successive appearance in the
cup final; they lost to West Ham United last year by aggregate score
of 9-0.
