James Daly: 'Andre Moritz already a cult hero'

James Daly's Crystal Palace column for the Croydon Advertiser

PALACE have had their fair share of cult heroes since I started supporting them. Eric Young with his crazy headband, Aki Riihilahti with his general craziness, even Dean Austin was a crowd favourite for a bit. And now it seems the Eagles have acquired another terrace fave in the shape of Andre Moritz.

The Brazilian joined at the end of the transfer window and, despite not getting many starts, has become popular with the fans – particularly for his three goals in the last three games.

He has bags of talent and has already showcased that with some excellent skills in the centre of the park – as well as a brilliant assist for Wilf Zaha against Burnley with an inch-perfect pass.

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On the FYP podcast recently Kevin Day compared him to Attilio Lombardo when the Italian played for Palace in 1998 – almost a bit too good.

This makes me remember the Bald Eagle with wistful glee, swanning about the Selhurst pitch, bald as a coot, without a care in the world. He really was class, but the way Moritz playfully knocks the ball about does bear some resemblance to the Italian, who I met once at the Palace training ground when I was about 14, intending to get a photo and a signed shirt. Instead I got a lecture on stationery. The conversation went like this:

Me (handing Lombardo a pen): Attilio, could you sign this please and could I have a photo please?

Poses for photo my mum takes

Attilio: Pen no work.

Me: Huh?

Attilio: Pen, it no work. You need pen work.

Me: Oh. Right. Erm…

I get home to find a photo on my camera of a bemused Lombardo holding a pen in my face. And no signed shirt.

Oh well!