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A virtual unknown when his signing was announced, Liverpool fans got
their first glimpse of Titi Camara in the 1999 UEFA Cup final where he
was playing his last game for Olympique Marseille before moving to
Merseyside. As it turned out, it wasn't the best advert possible as
Camara cut a forlorn figure in a hugely disappointing Marseille side
that went down 3-0 to Parma. Fortunately, this had no bearing on the
£2.6 million transfer and he announced his arrival in English football
with a debut goal against Sheffield Wednesday to help Liverpool start
the 1999/00 season with a win.
Camara's flamboyant style and penchant
for the unpredictable immediately made him a favourite with the fans who
were eager for a new hero following the departure of Steve McManaman.
His bond with the Kop faithful was cemented in October 1999 when it
became known that Camara, aware that he was the only fit striker,
insisted on playing in a home game against West Ham despite the tragic
death of his father just hours earlier. Titi scored and promptly fell to
his knees crying, the emotions of the day getting the better of him. If
Camara's relationship with the fans was good, the same cannot be said
of that with his boss Gerard Houllier.
With recurring injuries to both
Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen, Camara found himself getting more games
than Houllier had probably envisaged but with a goal every three games
he seemingly justified his inclusion. It wasn't to be enough. Eager to
secure Champions League football, Houllier signed Emile Heskey and, with
all the strikers fit at the start of the following season, Camara found
himself regularly excluded. Indeed, he did not play a single league
game that season and when a £1.5 million offer from West Ham came in
just before Christmas, Houllier accepted. From then on Camara's career
spiralled downwards and he was eventually released by West Ham having
played just a handful of games. (Paul Grech)
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