We all know them, an artist or band who have a one-hit wonder then trade off it for the rest of time. From Lou Bega and his mambo number five, or Scatman John, one tune does not make you a legend.
But that my friends is exactly what Marco Negri has tried, a man who took money off Rangers for years without anything in return, living like Bros following a barnstorming six months.
For years, he simply couldn’t be bothered to pull on the famous light blue, now after his career is over he wants some love, well not from me. To get a little you have to give a little, Marco simply put downed tools, for that I can’t forget.
Negri was signed by Walter Smith in the summer of 1997 from Italian side Perugia, for a fee of around 3.5 million, he was seen as the like for like replacement for the ageing and injury prone Ally McCoist.
Rangers were looking to seal the record-breaking tenth title in a row, felt the burden could no longer rest solely on the shoulders of the club’s record striker, Smith and chief scout Ewan Chester believed Negri was the perfect upgrade, an added bonus was Rangers would not need to alter their style of play in order to accommodate Negri.
His first six months in Scotland were about as good as I’ve ever seen from a forward, it was quite incredible, scoring 19 times in his first 10 league games, including all 5 goals in 5-1 win over Dundee United. Some of his goals were top drawer, lobs, chips and instinctive finishes, Negri had the lot.
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His goals were met with a level of excitement and joy that would make Kris Boyd’s goal celebrations seem like that of a South American, who had just scored in a big derby match. Negri did not do smiles, razors or trips to the barber’s, that was all fine as long as he kept on scoring, we loved our moody blue.
It’s hard to explain just how good he was, people were thinking Super Ally who ?, then just like Gina Gs pop career it was over as quick as it had begun.
We were told it was a squash injury inflicted by team-mate Sergio Porrini, I like many others have my doubts, anyone who watched Porrini knows how slow he was to move or just how much he struggled to find a team-mate with a pass, let alone hit one with a racket.
After that Negri netted a grand total of 3 league goals in the second half of the campaign, a far cry from the 30 he had struck before the turn of the year.
When the campaign ended in disaster and disappointment I certainly don’t recall any great blame lying at the feet of Negri, this was a team that had aged and was well past his peak.
It is his actions in the years and seasons after Walter Smith had departed, with Dick Advocaat taking charge that make me so angry.
Negri was accused on many occasions by the Dutchman of not giving his all in training, looking after himself in a manner befitting a professional footballer or even being bothered if he played or not. This despite being offered a clean slate by Advocaat, a manager who always felt Rangers lacked a natural goalscorer in his spell at the club
Negri would only play for the club 3 more times after his first season, to put this in perspective Seb Rozental played more, and he had knees that even Daniel Prodan would turn down.
Quite simply he took, sorry stole a wage for years before being offloaded to Bologna in 2001, by that time the most fans were happy to see the back of a player deemed a bag egg.
In his autobiography Negri has offered plenty of excuses up as to why but in Scotland there is a famous phrase, excuses are like arseholes, everyone has one.
After his retirement, he suddenly proclaimed love for all things Rangers, these days he turns out regularly for the light blues in charity matches, while I understand it is all for a good cause something does not sit right with me.
He was given an opportunity of a lifetime, throwing it away and any goodwill I may have held towards him.
In my book he will always be a mercenary, no sands of time will erase that for me.
Tell me if you agree or not. Happy to hear your views.
Steven Harrigan
@steven_harrigan @rangersnewsuk