Paul Izzo did not think he would ever experience Steven Taylor’s free-kick antics first hand.
The 23-year-old grew up watching the Newcastle United club legend comically put off Premier League goalkeepers by making a nuisance of himself.
But little did the Adelaide-born gloveman know he would one day be on the receiving end of Taylor’s mischief in the Hyundai A-League.
One notable example, as shown in the fan camera footage below, shows Taylor mirroring the movements of then-Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic in a 2013 Premier League encounter.
A Newcastle United fan, Izzo remembers watching it unfold.
“I was thinking, this is quality… imagine if that was me, what would I do?” Izzo told www.aleague.com.au.
“Never in a million years did I think it would actually happen to me!”
Watch Steve Taylor’s hilarious free-kick antics against Stoke City below!
“He’s just being a menace. He’s trying to get in the way and trying to get in your head.
“He’s having a bit of banter with you as well as trying to put you off.
“He’s telling you the players are going to go this way, don’t even worry, just leave this part of the goal unguarded.
“It is difficult when you’re trying to line the wall up.
“I said to him at the first free kick, I’ve seen you do this before mate!”
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Adelaide and Izzo managed to withstand Taylor’s cunning tricks and escape Wellington with a 3-1 victory.
That result was the perfect response to a morale-sapping 2-0 loss at home to Perth Glory the previous weekend.
Now, Izzo is targeting a big performance at home to Brisbane Roar in Friday night’s Round 6 encounter.
“We’re preparing for an extremely tough match when they come down here on Friday night,” he said.
“They have got players who are hitting really impressive form like [Adam] Taggart.
“It’s huge for us to get two on the trot to creep up the table and creep away from the rest as well.”