Liverpool hero Bruce Grobbelaar has defended his actions from the penalty shootout of the 1984 European Cup, wherein he carried out his well-known ‘spaghetti legs’.
With the 1984 remaining 1-1 after extra-time between Liverpool and Roma, Grobbelaar knew that he wanted to step up for his crew in the event that they have been to finish a treble that season, having already received the league title and League Cup.
The Zimbabwean goalkeeper’s job turned all of the harder when his team-mate, Steve Nicol, stepped up first within the shootout and missed. With the Reds at an obstacle, Grobbelaar remembers what supervisor Joe Fagan stated to him earlier than the penalties began.
Liverpool helped out by Bruce Grobbelaar and his ‘spaghetti legs’
“[Assistant] Ronnie Moran’s phrases to me have been, ‘Don’t change your self as an individual, by no means emulate anyone else as a goalkeeper. Be your self’. We actually ought to have received that European Cup remaining in additional time, however couldn’t take our probabilities,” Grobbelaar tells FourFourTwo.
“Simply earlier than the penalties, [boss] Joe Fagan stated, ‘Pay attention, we shouldn’t be on this place, no one will blame you’. As I walked away, he instructed me to attempt to put them off. I picked out two gamers – Italy stars Bruno Conti and Francesco Graziani.
“Folks stated it was unsporting, however my logic was if a global participant can’t hit the goal from 12 yards, it’s not my fault.”
Each Conti and Graziani missed within the shootout, with Grobbelaar’s ‘spaghetti legs’ placing the Italian duo off. After Nicol had missed first, the Reds now had the benefit, with fith taker Alan Kennedy figuring out {that a} aim would hand Liverpool their fourth European Cup.
The left-back duly dispatched his spot kick, serving to Liverpool beat Roma in their very own stadium.
However whereas Grobbelar confronted some accusations of unsporting behaviour after his antics within the shootout, FourFourTwo believes that he had each proper to do what he did and delay his opponents.
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