My memory of Kinkadze like some others starts with that Tottenham debut. He was a signing on a different level from what we were used too. His touch was sublime, his speed and acceleration were exceptional and everything looked so effortless. You did not need to be a genius to see we had signed a player of tremendous ability.
That first season was the true Kinkladze and in most home games especially, he did some truly memorable things, often coming close to some extraordinary goals, beyond those that he actually scored. Although a great player afterwards, whatever anyone says, his speed and dribbling were at another level at this time and his fitness levels were good also.
I remember watching first team training from behind the fence at Platt Lane as some of us used to do back in the day. It may have been pre- season for following year. They were doing shuttle runs and Geo decided not to do any, instead lying down at the side. Alan Ball watched on and let him get away with it. The general feeling you got was that the other players and staff were in awe of him and he could get away with anything he wanted. Saw him out quite a few times in the nightclubs with Nicky Summerbee and although he never looked really drunk, his lifestyle and levels of commitment meant for me he never reached those first season levels again. The club at the time was a lot less professional and if someone like Pep had got hold of the young Kinkladze, God only knows what he could have achieved.
I really do not buy any of the comments made doubting his ability. These people clearly do not properly understand the game. He was a true genius, playing for us in the wrong era and someone who had the ability to play in any of our modern era teams.
Cheers to Kinky and of course the King! Let's celebrate our legends, including those who played in the good and bad times of our underrated history
