Dirk Kuyt: The hero, never the star
Dirk Kuyt was never a very glamorous player, both on and off the field. He didn’t command the spotlight as so many football players do, and from the looks of it, he didn’t want to either. He donated a part of his salary to his foundation’s charitable efforts, which comes as a contrast to the way we see most footballers live their lives through tabloids. There was an unbelievable humility surrounding him, a decorum with which he always carried himself.
The adjective associated with him the most was “hardworking," yet restricting him only to being hardworking is an insult simply because of what all he offered on the pitch. His importance to the side could only be further underlined by the variety of roles he played in his time at Liverpool, from a sole striker to a wingman, to sometimes even coming in and helping out and shielding the defence from the midfield when brought on as a substitute. He scored a lot of important goals for Liverpool. And who can forget the Kuyt final? Liverpool’s last silverware is a League Cup win against Cardiff, and it was down to the brilliance of one Dutchman.
There was an absolutely brilliant hat-trick against Manchester United that might have been all Luis Suarez’s work, but someone had to be there to put the ball in the net, and it was Kuyt, the player who gives his absolutely everything on the pitch. And then there was my personal favorite Kuyt memory. A 102nd-minute penalty against Arsenal in April 2011 which derailed the Gunners’ hopes of a title that season. Just four minutes back, Robin van Persie had given Arsenal the lead via another penalty which was awarded to the visitors as Jay Spearing brought Cesc Fabregas down in the box. But shortly after, a foul from Emmanuel Eboué on Lucas inside the box, meant Liverpool were offered the chance to come back into the game. Dirk Kuyt calmly slotted home the penalty which ended up being the last kick of the game.
It must be considered just how stressful it is to stand in the six-yard-box in the dying embers of the game, but Kuyt displayed his professionalism and reliability as he ensured Liverpool got a point from the game.
It has been estimated that 24 of Kuyt’s 71 goals were game-winners and were scored after the 75th minute including 10 which were scored after the 80th minute. He scored five goals against Everton, which included two game-winners. He also scored 12 goals in 40 Champions League appearances for the Reds, including memorable goals against Inter Milan, AC Milan, Arsenal, Chelsea and Marseille. Quite simply, he was a big-game player for Liverpool, someone who the manager, his team-mates and fans could count on when the team needed him most.
Despite all his gallantry, Kuyt never truly escalated to the level where he was regarded as a “legend” for the club, at least unanimously. Perhaps it was because he didn’t get as many goals. After coming in with the reputation of a “goalscorer” as his three seasons at Feyenoord had yielded an impressive 83 goals in 122 games, the anticipation was high that he would be as prolific. However, he never ended up scoring as much for the Reds. That can be put down to different reasons including his employment in different positions through his time. At a club which has seen the likes of Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, and recently Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard don the famous Red shirt, Kuyt doesn’t usually elicit a mention in the same breath, but all his other qualities have ensured his name is firmly imprinted with one of the most honourable labels there can be - he was, and is, a “cult hero”. Like Manchester United’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Chelsea’s Jimmy Hasselbaink and Arsenal’s Ray Parlour, Dirk Kuyt is fondly remembered by the Kop faithful for his immense contribution he made in the club’s interest.
A quality that endeared him further to the fans was that he looked like he had worked immensely hard to come where he had. It wasn’t necessarily a god-gifted skill and something which he took for granted. He was genuine in everything he did, and even his celebrations were heartening and didn’t seem flashy. He was always more a hero than a star.
There was obviously a decline in form for the man in his last year at the club as the goals and assists dried out. In fairness, he was getting less game-time to make a significant contribution. The 35-year-old has scored 16 goals and grabbed 3 assists, thereby contributing to 19 goals this season for Feyenoord. In the tail-end of his career, he is displaying why he can still be of immense importance to most teams.
Brendan Rodgers, who ironically was the manager who ended up selling the player to Fenerbahce, was infamous for his overuse of the word ‘character’ — a quality he sought from his players. Dirk Kuyt was the personification of this quality. The character he displayed on the pitch, the dirty work, all the running (to and fro), the sheer effort he put in is what encapsulated the 'character' that any player should aspire for. He had the right attitude, he possessed the application and he had the determination to win. There may have been plenty of players with more flair than Kuyt, but you need someone like him who can be the heart of the team.
(Also Read: Thank you, Brendan Rodgers, for this mediocrity – A Liverpool fan’s lament)