When the second link down on a footballer’s Google search is a clip of a missed open goal, you could be forgiven for thinking such mishaps summed up their career.
But it seems YouTube has handed Ronny Rosenthal a bit of a raw deal.
His hilarious execution of the crossbar challenge at Villa Park in 1992 does make great viewing and today the Israeli looks back and has a good laugh at it.
But it barely tells the story of a striker who became an instant cult hero – and league champion – at Anfield when he joined towards the tail end of the 1989-90 season.
Where’s the footage of the hat-trick on his full debut at Charlton Athletic? The last-minute Merseyside derby winner? The celebratory title-winning scenes that acted as a climax to the unexpected impact he made while still on loan from Standard Liege?
Rosenthal was the perfect back-up striker at the time of the Reds’ last title success, which teeters on the brink of an unwanted 20th anniversary in the coming season.
He knew he was always going to be the understudy in a forward line that boasted leading lights like Ian Rush, Peter Beardsley and John Barnes.
But as his incredible full debut at Selhurst Park proved, and the subsequent goals he hit to help Kenny Dalglish’s side regain the First Division crown from Arsenal, his importance to the squad couldn’t be downplayed.
Such a ‘super-sub’ that David Fairclough got jealous.
It might seem to be stretching it to question what Liverpool would give now to be able to call on a similar impact striker from the bench.
But those who lament the points dropped last year when Fernando Torres was missing should be craving someone in the Rosenthal mould.
And what sums him up better than any fluffed sitter is the time when, still awaiting his first start of the 1990-91 season as Christmas crept ever closer, he came in to the side when Beardsley was out injured and scored twice in a 3-2 win over Southampton.
And Rosenthal’s assessment of the Liverpool of today can’t help but notice the lack of such automatic and reliable back-up.
“I just don’t think Liverpool’s squad was deep enough last year,” said Rosenthal, who returned to Liverpool from his London base for last week’s Masters tournament at the ECHO Arena.
“They did have the numbers but did they have the quality? As an 11, they could have won the league, but you need players who come off the bench and win you games.
“I’m sure Rafael Benitez knows he needs these type of players because that is part of the reason they did not win the league.
“A lot of Liverpool games were very close and very tight and you sometimes need someone who can make a difference.
“That’s why you need the same quality sat on the bench as you have on the pitch. So if a quality player comes off after 60 minutes, you don’t notice the quality of the team going down in the last half hour of a game.”
Rosenthal’s most remarkable ‘super-sub’ show came when he moved on to Spurs, hitting a hat-trick after coming off the bench in an FA Cup tie at Southampton – it inspired a fightback from 2-0 down.
All of which says a lot about his attitude, his refusal to sulk and let his game decline despite a lack of first team opportunities.
And it perhaps explains his reflection on the embarrassing moment for which he will always be remembered.
“I’m glad I did it,” said Rosenthal, clearly forgetting the fact that Graeme Souness was waiting for him in the dressing room after the 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa in the first season of the Premier League.
“It puts me on the map and it’s just one of those things that happens. Every player has one funny thing that happens to them and that was mine.
“I’m not sure anyone saw the funny side at the time. Jan Molby turned away when I rounded the keeper and went to celebrate with the fans.
“Then he heard a strange noise, saw no-one in the Liverpool end was celebrating and the game was still going on.
“Even when we came off the pitch he couldn’t understand what had happened and when he found out he was a bit shocked.”
When Rosenthal made his permanent £1.1million switch from Standard Liege, little could he have known that instead of jumping on an unstoppable juggernaut of success, he was actually about to see that particular journey come to a shuddering halt.
But he’s in no doubt that if Liverpool can finally mark the 20th anniversary of their last title win with their 20th next season, they will look back on the start of their decline in the early 90s as wistfully as he looks back on his Holte End horror.
“If you had told me 20 years ago that it would have been Liverpool’s last title I would have said it was impossible,” adds Rosenthal, now aged 45.
“But then other clubs have advanced and Liverpool didn’t.
“You could see for a long time that Liverpool weren’t going to win the league again and it just carried on.
“But in the last two or three years they have got better and better but next season will be a big test for them. They have to get better again.”
And if they do, at least Rosenthal won’t have to log on to YouTube to cheer himself up.
But it seems YouTube has handed Ronny Rosenthal a bit of a raw deal.
His hilarious execution of the crossbar challenge at Villa Park in 1992 does make great viewing and today the Israeli looks back and has a good laugh at it.
But it barely tells the story of a striker who became an instant cult hero – and league champion – at Anfield when he joined towards the tail end of the 1989-90 season.
Where’s the footage of the hat-trick on his full debut at Charlton Athletic? The last-minute Merseyside derby winner? The celebratory title-winning scenes that acted as a climax to the unexpected impact he made while still on loan from Standard Liege?
Rosenthal was the perfect back-up striker at the time of the Reds’ last title success, which teeters on the brink of an unwanted 20th anniversary in the coming season.
He knew he was always going to be the understudy in a forward line that boasted leading lights like Ian Rush, Peter Beardsley and John Barnes.
But as his incredible full debut at Selhurst Park proved, and the subsequent goals he hit to help Kenny Dalglish’s side regain the First Division crown from Arsenal, his importance to the squad couldn’t be downplayed.
Such a ‘super-sub’ that David Fairclough got jealous.
It might seem to be stretching it to question what Liverpool would give now to be able to call on a similar impact striker from the bench.
But those who lament the points dropped last year when Fernando Torres was missing should be craving someone in the Rosenthal mould.
And what sums him up better than any fluffed sitter is the time when, still awaiting his first start of the 1990-91 season as Christmas crept ever closer, he came in to the side when Beardsley was out injured and scored twice in a 3-2 win over Southampton.
And Rosenthal’s assessment of the Liverpool of today can’t help but notice the lack of such automatic and reliable back-up.
“I just don’t think Liverpool’s squad was deep enough last year,” said Rosenthal, who returned to Liverpool from his London base for last week’s Masters tournament at the ECHO Arena.
“They did have the numbers but did they have the quality? As an 11, they could have won the league, but you need players who come off the bench and win you games.
“I’m sure Rafael Benitez knows he needs these type of players because that is part of the reason they did not win the league.
“A lot of Liverpool games were very close and very tight and you sometimes need someone who can make a difference.
“That’s why you need the same quality sat on the bench as you have on the pitch. So if a quality player comes off after 60 minutes, you don’t notice the quality of the team going down in the last half hour of a game.”
Rosenthal’s most remarkable ‘super-sub’ show came when he moved on to Spurs, hitting a hat-trick after coming off the bench in an FA Cup tie at Southampton – it inspired a fightback from 2-0 down.
All of which says a lot about his attitude, his refusal to sulk and let his game decline despite a lack of first team opportunities.
And it perhaps explains his reflection on the embarrassing moment for which he will always be remembered.
“I’m glad I did it,” said Rosenthal, clearly forgetting the fact that Graeme Souness was waiting for him in the dressing room after the 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa in the first season of the Premier League.
“It puts me on the map and it’s just one of those things that happens. Every player has one funny thing that happens to them and that was mine.
“I’m not sure anyone saw the funny side at the time. Jan Molby turned away when I rounded the keeper and went to celebrate with the fans.
“Then he heard a strange noise, saw no-one in the Liverpool end was celebrating and the game was still going on.
“Even when we came off the pitch he couldn’t understand what had happened and when he found out he was a bit shocked.”
When Rosenthal made his permanent £1.1million switch from Standard Liege, little could he have known that instead of jumping on an unstoppable juggernaut of success, he was actually about to see that particular journey come to a shuddering halt.
But he’s in no doubt that if Liverpool can finally mark the 20th anniversary of their last title win with their 20th next season, they will look back on the start of their decline in the early 90s as wistfully as he looks back on his Holte End horror.
“If you had told me 20 years ago that it would have been Liverpool’s last title I would have said it was impossible,” adds Rosenthal, now aged 45.
“But then other clubs have advanced and Liverpool didn’t.
“You could see for a long time that Liverpool weren’t going to win the league again and it just carried on.
“But in the last two or three years they have got better and better but next season will be a big test for them. They have to get better again.”
And if they do, at least Rosenthal won’t have to log on to YouTube to cheer himself up.
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