Atlantica - 01.09.2000, Page 56

54 A T L A N T I C A
working hard every day. You take it for granted when you are fit. When you get
injured you realise what football means to you.”
Eidur Smári hasn’t felt a twinge in his ankle in over a year and a half, and he’s
ready to prove himself in the Premiership, because even he knows that scoring 22
goals for a first division team doesn’t guarantee success at the highest level in the
game.
“I have a good self-belief. I know I have the qualities to compete with the best.
Now I just have to see what I can do. But it will be tough, because they have so
many good strikers. But I’m only 21 (turning 22 in September) and I have a few
years to prove myself. I’m just looking forward to getting started.”
FROM FATHER TO SON
Noticing his quiet confidence, one realises that it’s just a matter of time before
Eidur Smári fulfils the promise that was nearly taken away by one vicious tackle.
But as much as he loves the game of football, he’s mature enough to understand
the burdens of the sport, and not get lost in the excess trappings that often accom-
pany professional athletes.
“People outside of football think it’s all about driving a fancy car and living in a
big house. They don’t realise that this is my work. It’s mentally very hard, espe-
cially when you get injured or when everything goes against you. There’s a lot of
pressure from fans and the media, and you put pressure on yourself. When it’s
going good, my life is going good. When things go bad, it affects me. So it’s not
always as good as it looks from the outside.”
Yet even with the pressure of big-money contracts and the ever-present critics,
both in the media and in the stands, it’s still a family game to Eidur Smári.
“The sport has such a history, especially in England. Saturday afternoon for
people is going to the match. It’s passed from generation to generation. You
always hear things like, ‘I’m an Arsenal fan like my dad’. It seems as though the
father passes it down to the son and daughter.”
With Eidur Smári’s own son jumping in puddles, and booting the ball back and
forth against the house, it’s obvious that this little chap will also grow up with a
football by his side, and will become one of Chelsea’s most ardent supporters.
Edward Weinman is a staff writer.
FOOTBALL PRODIGY
Score goals and the fans will notice.
Eidur Smári makes time for one of
his many supporters.
"You take it
for granted
when you
are fit.
When you get
injured you
realise what
football
means
to you."
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