BARCA COPY KILLIE STYLE

Last updated : 15 September 2005 By Brian Murray
Killie's outstanding form at the start of the season has clearly won many admirers, not only at home but clearly overseas as well. Barcelona head coach Frank Rijkaard must have been a early visitor to Il Ciocca or the Glasgow University Science Park to study guru Jim Jefferies' methods.

He is fortunate to have the style and ability in his Barcelona squad to be able to imitate so closely the free-flowing, attacking nature of the (almost)all-conquering Killie side. Watching the Spanish side's 2-0 victory on Sunday, Rijkaard had clearly learned well from the Master. Leading the line in the Kris Boyd role, Samuel Eto'o was a constant threat while Guti rampaged up and down the right flank, thought only a seond-rate copy of Danny Invincibile. Deco had a fine match, pulling the strings as effectively as Allan Johnston while Barca are very lucky indeed to have someone of the quality of the cartoon-faced Ronaldhino to even try to emulate the kind of job that is second nature to Stevie Naismith.


It is in defence that Rijkaard struggles to match Killie, with Carles Puyol trying too hard to emulate David Lilley's hairstyle and not his commanding presence. Perhaps Puyol can be forgiven as he has had less chance to study Lilley due to his injury.

The way both sides are performing at the moment though, next season's Champion League Final could be a corker!!!

Could I have some cashew nuts this time, love?