One of my all time favourite players. Got a signed photo of him up in my house, and that free kick against Blackburn in the Les Reed era made the Valley rock. Just a shame we then got relegated. So many great moments such as his free kicks, but my last memory was Berbatov out-pacing him on the day we got relegated!
Youssef Chippo played for Coventry the same time as Hadji and Naybet (think he is Morrocan) played for Spurs for a last pay day.
I thought El Karkouri was a character. His 2 footed lunge on Geoff Horsfield against WBA, which was basically GBH, then proceeding to get up with his hands held up like 'What did i do?' especially sticks out.
Scored the winner against Blackburn on my fortieth birthday, live on Sky, to complete my weekend. Liked him ever since...
Ah! That was the great "False Dawn" of the Les Reed era if I am not mistaken.....we lost 5-1 at Spurs the next game!
No, Curbs was still in charge then - 2004.
Sorry, I thought you meant his famous injury time free-kick against Blackburn at The Valley which gave Uncle Les his only win whilst at the helm.
I thought that was Jay Bothroyd?
Was Talal, I remember being there for that after doing a sickie to get out of work. Shame we got stuffed the next game
Fair enough - I wonder what game I'm thinking of then?
Bothroyd only scored free kicks in cup games for us I think, one belter against Hartlepool and another against Brentford.
El Kak was average at best. Fully committed, but the decision to release someone as good as Chris Perry and play El Karkouri and Hreidarsson together at centre back all season was disastrous.
I think bothroyd scored a free kick against man city when we lost 5-2 at home... Also I remember talals long range effort against sheffield united when we needed to win. I think we drew. Funnily enough I saw some small kids playing street footy in Marrakech, and I called one talal el karkouri. He looked really upset and his mates all pissed themselves. True story.
He used to annoy me - one good free kick and he took every one for the rest of time with us - all wall or wide! When we had Jensen and Konchesky too, who could both take a better one!
Didn't think he was the best defender either to be honest, but we had a lot worse too!
He used to annoy me - one good free kick and he took every one for the rest of time with us - all wall or wide! When we had Jensen and Konchesky too, who could both take a better one!
Jensen and El Karkouri weren't at the club at the same time, and El Karkouri and Konchesky only overlapped by one season, a good deal of which Konch spent on the bench. It's true that he took mostly terrible free kicks, though, with the odd great one mixed in.
I always rated him. Completely mad, but a decent player for us, and one that gave his all. The guy couldn't take a throw-in to save his life, though.
I was a big fan. There was a period over Christmas one time when he scored about four goals in five and I absolutely fell in love with him. I remember in the next home game after his Arsenal free-kick he scored a really flukey one from the half-way line against birmingham. Not the best free kick taker in the world but we didn't really have many alternatives most of the time.
He was a great footballer. His short passing was always very good, and one pass he made from around the halfway line to set up a goal at Man City away is still the best pass I think I've ever seen from a defender...
But as has been mentioned, his downfall was always being unable to keep his eccentricities in check.
People on here saying he was a poor player are obviously just remembering his final season with us, in his first couple of seasons with us he was a rock at the back, very composed for a defender and fully commited. His tackling was always rather erratic though.
He was never a 'poor' or 'pony' player. Yes he had his eccentricities but he offered more as a defender than I think people are giving him credit for.
And it wasn't just 'one' spectacular free kick he scored. How many centre backs have we had in recent years who have scored as many goals as he has in a relatively short period of time. Not many I would think.
Never forget how easily he got done by Berbatov in the game we got relegated from the Prem by Spurs. Skinned at the half way line and never caught up with him. Don't think I've ever seen Berbatov beat anyone for pace since then...
Comments
I thought El Karkouri was a character. His 2 footed lunge on Geoff Horsfield against WBA, which was basically GBH, then proceeding to get up with his hands held up like 'What did i do?' especially sticks out.
El Kak was average at best. Fully committed, but the decision to release someone as good as Chris Perry and play El Karkouri and Hreidarsson together at centre back all season was disastrous.
Also I remember talals long range effort against sheffield united when we needed to win. I think we drew. Funnily enough I saw some small kids playing street footy in Marrakech, and I called one talal el karkouri. He looked really upset and his mates all pissed themselves. True story.
Didn't think he was the best defender either to be honest, but we had a lot worse too!
I always rated him. Completely mad, but a decent player for us, and one that gave his all. The guy couldn't take a throw-in to save his life, though.
But as has been mentioned, his downfall was always being unable to keep his eccentricities in check.
And it wasn't just 'one' spectacular free kick he scored. How many centre backs have we had in recent years who have scored as many goals as he has in a relatively short period of time. Not many I would think.
Oh and him bringing down Andy Johnson at Selhurst and Deano saving the Pen!