Dashing Czech Berger exploded onto the scene at Anfield in a flurry ofgoals after joining from Borussia Dortmund following a hugelysuccessful Euro 96, in which he scored in the final as his countrynarrowly lost out to Germany. An injury delayed his Liverpool debut,but such was the anticipation surrounding his first Liverpoolappearance that over 12,000 turned out to watch him play for thereserves against Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
He scored of course, with a trademark left foot piledriver fromthe edge of the box, but that was nothing compared to what he deliveredat Filbert Street a few weeks later.
Coming on as a half time substitute, Paddy single handedly won the gamewith two goals of such stunning power that Foxes keeper Kasey Kellersaid they were the hardest shots he'd ever faced. Two more followed inhis first full start - against Chelsea at Anfield - before anothersublime finish against My-Pa in the Cup Winners Cup capped off aremarkable couple of weeks and earned him a place in the heart of everyKopite.
It appeared that the Reds had a very special talent on their hands, butthen things started to go wrong as Roy Evans didn't seem to know how tobest utilise the skills of the explosive Czech. Berger was in and outof the side, usually vying with Stan Collymore for a place in the sidealongside Robbie Fowler.
When Evans switched back to a 4-4-2 system it seemed logical thatBerger would find a home on the left side of midfield. However, Roy hadother ideas, continually shunning the talented Czech in favour of theworkmanlike, right footed, and totally out of his depth OyvindLeonhardsen.
The more the fans chanted for Paddy the more stubborn Roy's resolve toignore him became, and at the end of the 1997/98 season it appearedthat Berger's days at Anfield were numbered. Benfica and Roma bothshowed a strong interest in signing him and it was only the lateintervention of Peter Robinson that kept him at Anfield. Robinson urgedPaddy to give it another go, telling him that the managerial situationat the club was about to change and the new man wanted him to stay.
That man of course was Gerard Houllier, who was most definitely aBerger fan. Paddy began the 98/99 season on the left of a four manmidfield, but his display on the opening day of the season was patchy,and rumour has it that Roy Evans wanted to leave him out of thefollowing game against Newcastle (in favour of Jason McAteer), butHoullier was having none of it.
The Frenchman got his way, Paddy scored at St James' Park (in a gamewhere Michael Owen bagged a hat-trick) and never looked back. Evansleft a couple of months later and for the next couple of years Bergerwas one of the first names on the teamsheet. He was usually good forabout ten goals a season, and at least as many assists.
He scored some unbelievable goals down the years, the best of which wasprobably his 35 yard free-kick at Old Trafford in the 1999-2000 season.He also added a defensive awareness to his undoubted attacking talentand his work rate was usually second to none.
Sadly, injuries were to blight his later years at the club and hemissed much of the 2001 treble winning season with a knee injury,although he did return for the run and played a part in Michael Owen'sFA Cup final winner against Arsenal in Cardiff.
The next two seasons followed a similar pattern as each time he lookedto have regained full fitness he was struck down with knee trouble,meaning the popular Czech made more appearances in Dr RichardSteadman's surgery in Colarado than he did for the Reds' first team.
He showed an exemplary attitude in the reserves however, setting a goodexample to the younger players in the squad and continuing to burst thenet with those trademark left foot thunderbolts.
Patrik departed Anfield under the Bosman ruling at the end of the2002/03 season to join Portsmouth, and after two seasons on the SouthCoast earned a move to Aston Villa, where he spent three more yearsbefore leaving to return to his homeland with Sparta Prague.
He left Villa Park under a cloud, having been released from hiscontract early after incurring the wrath of boss Martin O'Neill. Hiscrime? Publicly telling Vila captain Gareth Barry that he should joinLiverpool. What a guy!
Patrik can be found on twitter, givehim a follow @patrikberger73
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