Stiliyan Petrov’s recent inspiring return to professional football has given fans something to smile about, whether he makes the Championship player registration or not. However, it’s not the first time a player has come out of retirement to play for Roberto Di Matteo. In the case of Tore Andre Flo, it changed the season for the worse.
Cast your minds back to 2008. While Villa were about to embark on their UEFA Cup journey, Di Matteo was embarking on a journey of his own, one in football management.
Bizarrely, Paul Ince, who had finished 13th with MK Dons the season before, moved onto Premier League Blackburn Rovers. This left a hole that needed filling. Over forty applied for the post, but it was Di Matteo who got the job. Allegedly over the likes of Steve Cotterill and Ian Holloway.
Di Matteo immediately stamped his authority on the club. Choosing against signing run-of-the-mill League One cloggers. Flavien Belson and Florian Sturm both signed from far-flung countries. The latter was signed from FC Vaduz of Liechtenstein. Arguably the best signing was Miguel Llera from Spanish side Hercules, the big centre-back had the physicality for the division and was a mainstay at centre-back. Luke Chadwick, one of the only English signings, was possibly the best bit of business the Italian did, going on to win successive player of the year awards for the club.
The Dons had an indifferent start to the season. A win would be followed by a draw or a loss the following week and vice versa. Di Matteo was still learning the ropes of lower league football as a whole. Initially failing with a short passing continental style. Yet a 3-1 home win to Cheltenham was the catalyst for a six-game winning run. The lesser known Ali G (Ali Gerba) managed to grab two goals that day. At the start of the season, Di Matteo exclaimed how he wanted to establish MK Dons in the league. Now, it looked like they could be playing second tier football for the first time in their short history.
In November 2008, the club’s biggest ever signing was made as Tore Andre Flo was coaxed out of retirement. The former Norway striker was good friends with Di Matteo. The two had shared three years together at Chelsea. Flo had most recently been at Leeds, becoming something of a cult hero. However, during his time there, the 35-year-old had to have a metal plate inserted into his foot where he broke it. This was an ominous sign but not enough to put Di Matteo off. Like that, Tore Andre Flo was out of retirement.
Flo had most recently been at Leeds, becoming something of a cult hero. However, during his time there, the 35-year-old had to have a metal plate inserted into his foot where he broke it. This was an ominous sign but not enough to put Di Matteo off. Like that, Tore Andre Flo was out of retirement.
“He took a bit of convincing because he had retired, but it worked for him. He could stay at home and commute”. Di Matteo on Flo (FourFourTwo, 2014)
By the mid-point of the League One season, the Dons were going goal crazy. 19-year-old Sam Baldock enjoyed a break-through season thanks to Di Matteo and was instrumental during this good run of form.
He ended the season as the clubs second top scorer with twelve goals. It only took 45 minutes for his side to smash in four goals against lowly Cheltenham and in March MK Dons blitzed fellow promotion rivals Oldham 6-2.
Flo started his first game at Stadium MK in April 2009, having previously come on as a sub with little impact. The Norwegian’s full debut was one to forget. A one-nil loss to Walsall. It ended automatic promotion hopes and Di Matteo’s men would now have to enter the play-offs. First opponents? Scunthorpe. A team which had finished 11 points behind the Dons.
Both semi-final legs were tight affairs, the first, a one all draw, then a tense 0-0. It would have to be penalties. With the score 7-6 to Scunthorpe, it would be Flo to take the tie’s 18th spot kick. He had to score to keep the Dons alive. Unfortunately, Flo hit the ball slightly too hard using his partly mechanical foot, the ball crashed off the crossbar. However, Di Matteo didn’t put the blame on his former teammate.
“Yes, he missed the penalty, but that could have happened to anybody. We had the chance to win the penalties twice before Tore missed.” Di Matteo on Flo (FourFourTwo, 2014)
It’s cruel how a season can work and when it can come down to one moment, Di Matteo nearly took MK Dons to previously undiscovered heights. Overall, this was a stepping stone allowing the man to go onto greater things in management.
Tore Andre Flo had a remarkable strike rate for Chelsea and Rangers, let’s not forget that along with the fact he was involved in Chelsea’s winning 2000 FA Cup team. Actually, let’s forget that.
YouTube: Aston Villa – Chelsea FC 0-1 20-05-2000 FA Cup Final
