Johnny Ertl's English adventure

The heartbreak of missing out on selection for your national team just weeks before your country hosts the European Championships would be a terminal blow for many players’ careers.

“When you get the chance to play for your country, it’s the best feeling, it makes you so proud.

“I had been in the squad until six weeks before the championships and then the manager dropped me because I had a great season at Austria Vienna but then all of a sudden our manager left. For the last few games of the season we got a new manager who was now manager of Austria and he didn’t let me play the last few games.

“It was hugely disappointing. It was always a big dream to play in the European Championships.”

Lesser players would have let the disappointment haunt them, but not Johannes Ertl. Instead, he turned it into a positive by taking the opportunity to realise his dream of playing in England.

“The thing is, if I had been in the squad for the European Championships then there would have been no possibility to go to England and Crystal Palace so one door closes and another one opens.”

“One of my goals was always to move to a different country and my main goal was always England. Football is booming here in my opinion, you can see the big stadiums and crowds, like we played against Derby and there’s 30,000 people coming to watch, that is unbelievable.”

Ertl was out of contract at Vienna and had been dropped from the national side, but the call he took from his agent was to prove the turning point in his career.

“My agent called me and he asked whether I would be interested in Crystal Palace and some other clubs in England, to which I replied, listen if there’s a flight in two hours I will jump on the plane and I am off to England.”

After spending four days at the training ground running through drills and exercises with Mick Jones and Keith Curle, Johnny received the news that he would be offered a contract.

“I was really proud of it. I had achieved one of my main goals to play in England and the Championship is a great league, it’s so big it’s unbelievable.”

It wasn’t just his ability on the field that was being scrutinised by Neil Warnock however. The Austrian’s personality also came under the microscope but this was never going to be a problem for such a grounded, amiable and ever so slightly eccentric character.

“Everyone was watching my performance but also how I fit personally in the team, it was very important that you were the right character aswell because when you come from abroad you’ve got to adapt to the football, the game itself and of course to the mentality because I think in my opinion if you come from abroad and you’re not imitating the mentality of the club where you play you don’t feel really comfortable.”

Though, despite this, settling into his new environment proved more of a challenge for a man, for which this was his first time living abroad.

“All of a sudden you are here and there is a different system and mentality and at the beginning you’ve got to cope with it. You can’t call your friends and go out for a drink, you are completely alone.”

Just as difficult was the task of adapting to English football as the differences between England and Austria became more and more apparent.

“It took me a while to be honest, to adapt to British Football because compared to Austria football it is far bigger here. Winning is everything and the passion for the game is huge and I think the biggest thing is the intensity of the game.

“It also took me a while I think because I was physically below the rest of the players. It was a huge difference, the physical game, between the Austrian League and the Championship. So I worked loads of times by myself in the gym and on the training ground on Sunday just to show them that a player from abroad wants to play.”

Another way in which this intensity manifested itself was the sheer level of commitment on the training field and the Austrian can remember one particular incident that still brings a smile to his face.

“Once I can remember Darren Ambrose coming up to me and saying ‘Johnny, Curlie’s (Keith Curle) just banned tackles above knee height, how did they tackle before?’ and I just said don’t worry you will get used to it.

“So it was a big, big challenge but I was always up for this challenge, it made me stronger both as a person and a player.”

Two years on and the self-proclaimed Austrian ambassador is revelling in his new life in England. He has become a popular figure amongst Palace fans thanks to his passionate, hard working performances and selfless versatility in the face of what has been a testing season for Crystal Palace.

Going into administration and all the uncertainty that brings would be enough to unsettle most players but Ertl is able to look at the situation from a better perspective than most after his first club in Austria, Sturm Graz went into administration in 2006.

“It was a nightmare compared to here in England.

“This administration we are going through now is relatively easy-going in my opinion in comparison to my first administration. I didn’t see some money and stuff like that and was really, really poor. But here there was just a delay and the club mentioned it to players and that’s alright, so everyone can sort themselves out with their mortgage and everything”

While not as bad off-the-field, Ertl admits that the points deduction was harder to swallow and required the team to change their mentality.

“All of a sudden we got off the plane at Newcastle and all the lads receive text messages from the missus, agencies or whatever saying ‘The club is in administration and you are 21st’ and it becomes a psychological thing because when your pushing for promotion, you’re going onto the pitch with a different feeling.

“We had some great games and played some good football at Selhurst but then we conceded at crucial moments all because we are down there in the relegation zone. It would have been different if we were pushing for promotion but that’s football, so it’s now just about your nerves and your ability to keep calm.”

“But I am convinced we are staying up because of the characters in our team and the strong bond we have.”

The character of the squad has shone through this season as no matter what has been thrown at them; Ertl insists that the players have still managed to enjoy it.

“Loads of things have happened in this season; we’ve sold players and lost a manager and everything but it has been a great season, very enjoyable. So many things have been thrown at us but all of the lads have really enjoyed the season so far.”

The cup run was particularly special for the midfielder as his personal high this season came at Selhurst Park where he opened the scoring in the first-leg against Premier League giants Aston Villa.


“The Aston Villa home game was very special, it was just electric because when you’re coming out at Selhurst Park you can see the Holmesdale crowd on the right hand side and when you can see it is packed full it’s the best feeling as a football player.”

But while he will remember the day for the rest of his career, there is one part of the game he will regret for some time. Was it a mistake for a goal, perhaps a missed opportunity? No, with a sly grin creeping across his face, he reveals that it was in fact his rather ‘un-cool’ goal celebration that he most regrets.

“I was so disappointed because I think my goal celebration was really bad. I scored the goal and the lads were jumping on my back and I’m thinking I’ve got to do something; sliding on my knees to the supporters or something cool but in the heat of the moment I completely forgot about everything.”

But this game held even greater significance for Ertl as it was one of the first opportunities for people back home in Austria to see him play in England.

“They broadcasted the game in Austria and many places in the world. I received some text messages from home after the game saying ‘Johnny we are now Crystal Palace supporters’.”

Now Palace enjoy a growing Austrian fanbase and ‘Johnny’ has been overwhelmed by the dedication and support he has received from his compatriots.



“A huge Palace supporter from Austria texted me three weeks ago and he said ‘its really tough times for Crystal Palace, I’ve got to come to London’ and he flew over for the QPR game.

“Then straight after that game he booked another flight to Sheffield Wednesday and I think that’s great so the last time I got him a shirt and showed him the training ground and he was so proud to meet the likes of Danny Butterfield, Clint Hill and Paddy McCarthy.”

Like many others, Ertl’s contract expires in the summer and when asked whether he would like to stay, his answer is an unequivocal “Yes!”

“My main focus is to stay here if there is a possibility because it is a great club and I really feel comfortable. London is a good place for me with music all over the place and also I am not far from Austria to see my family.”

However like Sean Derry, Clint Hill, Danny Butterfield and Matt Lawrence there remains no-one to talk to with regard to securing a new deal with the club. This isn’t something that is worrying Ertl very much though as he looks at the situation with his usual sense of perspective.

“That’s just the way it is, I just want to stay in this league and then after the 2nd May we can start thinking about these things.”

It is this strength of character that Crystal Palace have been lucky to have during such a turbulent chapter in the club’s history and that will stood them in good stead for what was one of the most nerve-wracking 90 minutes in the clubs history at Hillsborough on Sunday.

Exclusive interview with Neil Danns

I recently caught up with influential Palace midfielder Neil Danns who spoke about his return from injuries, his love of music and why Victor Moses can be one of the best.

Who is your all time hero?

One of my all time heroes is John Barnes, because growing up as a young black boy John Barnes was one of the few men of colour at Liverpool, who i supported as a kid so he sort of inspired to be a footballer as a kid

What was your perception of the club before you signed, and has that changed since you’ve been here?

My perception of the club was good as I knew it had spent some time in the Premiership and produced alot of good talent such as Routledge, Fitz Hall etc, and I think everyone in the game knows who Simon Jordan is , so to be honest before I came I had good views on Palace.

After you arrived at Selhurst Park you were plagued by injuries for a long time. Did this make it difficult to settle into the dressing room and the area as a whole?

Yes I found it difficult to settle at first because of my injuries, because I wasn’t able to bond with the players on the pitch and training ground because I was injured so I felt a bit embarrassed that I had got a bad injury so soon after I signed so kept myself to myself.

You seem to have put your injury problems behind you now and your performances have been inspirational, are the Palace fans seeing the best of you now?

Yeah I think they are starting to see the best of me, I am always looking to improve though so there is still more to come and i would like to have a few more goals this year but I’m confident they will come

What do you make of the Palace fans?

I think the palace fans have been brilliant for me personally because i can understand some were frustrated with my injury at first, but they haven’t held it against me and have been brilliant with me since I’ve been back playing so I have nothing but positive comments for them on a personal note.

Who do you most admire in the Palace squad and why?

In terms of talent probably Victor Moses because the boy is seriously gifted and he can go as far as he wants if he works hard enough.

What effect have the off-field financial problems made to the spirit in the dressing room? Has there been much discussion over it on the training ground?

To be honest we can’t effect what happens off the pitch so we just stay focused on what we can affect and that’s on the pitch, course we chat now and again but that’s just human, anyone in any job would do so if there employers were constantly in the papers for financial reasons.

Has it brought the group closer?

We are a close knit group and any negatives always bring us closer so that’s how we turn negatives into positives in those situations.

You played under David Gold at Birmingham, how does he compare to
Simon Jordan, in the way he runs the club?

To be honest you don’t really see much of what goes on in the running of the club and behind the scenes, we just see the football side of things so I couldn’t comment

The side this season seems to have a lot of potential to do good things, what would be a realistic expectation for this season?

I think realistically we could be outsiders for the playoffs, and considering, if we achieved this we will have surprised a few.

What do you make of the “everybody Danns now” song that fans sing for you? Would you like it to be played after you score like they used to with the old announcer?
I love any song that is sung for me, that chant is good because it gets people bouncing so I like it alot ha ha.

Will you get to spend much time with your family at home over Christmas or does football kind of overtake it?

Football overtakes the holidays but I’m lucky enough to have my kids and partner with me up here so that’s good but I wont get to see the rest of my family and friends until after Christmas, we will be training on Christmas day

Coming from a musical family was football or music your first love?

Music was at first I was an avid Michael Jackson fan as a kid I could do all the moves, but once I started playing football on the playground that was it football took over.

What have your musical influences been?

My influences in music came from my mum and dad, I grew up in a house where music was always playing, in the house or the car, so I was hooked from early on.

What is your favourite album?

My favourite album is probably the black and white album by Michael Jackson, it has some classics on there, and that was when I was fully into Michael Jackson as a kid, certain songs on that album remind me of certain times in my childhood, good memories ha ha.

First ever record bought?

First record ever bought think it was Gloria Estafan ha ha don’t ask me why, my dad liked her so, I was a sheep and followed I think I was only about 7 or something lol.

Did working on your music help you through your injuries?

Music has always been something that helps me relax, so yeah you could probably say it did get me thru some of my dark times during my injury definitely.

Do you see music as your career route after your football career?

I see it as one of many routes I want to take, I am very ambitious and want to achieve many things in life as you only live once but I will give music a right good go along with other media and business ventures

Visit Neil at http://dannzy.com/ and you can follow him on his official twitter

Sears recalled by Hammers

Neil Warnock has revealed that striker Freddie Sears will return be recalled by West Ham in January. He said: "West Ham have asked for him to go back in January,"

"They have one or two problems up front and he is their player at the end of the day.

"He'll be with us for the next two games but it's likely he'll go back after that."

All I can say is they must have some severe problems if their relying on Freddie then they've got bigger problems than I thought possible. This season he has shown nothing to support his massive reputation he had when he arrived at Selhurst Park.

He has pace and his movement can be good but he can't finish his breakfast and his distribution is mostly poor. The gulf in ability between him and Victor Moses just goes to show the difference between a highly rated youngster and someone very very special.

Kop chase Vic to recue Rafa?

Under-fire Kop boss Rafa Benitez is set to turn to young Victor Moses in the hope of saving Liverpool's so far disastrous season.

He faces a tough battle though as a host of clubs both at home and abroad including Tottenham, Arsenal, Hoffenheim and Barcelona all chasing the signature of our boy.

But while these sides decide wether to take a risk on the starlet, Liverpool are looking to jump to the head of the queue with a £5m offer.

Palace 1-1 Barnsley

Not only was the game on but it also contained one of the most sensational goals ever witnessed at Selhurst. Moses saved a point for the Palace with an unbelievable 18-yard overhead kick straight into the top corner of the net.

It was a good job he did aswell as his more experienced colleagues queued up to miss guilt-edge chances; probably the most guilty being Darren Ambrose who boasted a third minute penalty miss.

Claude Davis, Clint Hill and Alan Lee also missed chances and we were made to pay when Barnsley scored with their first real opportunity as is the way with visiting sides at Selhurst now.

Luckily Moses rescued a point shortly after the break and secured a very good result in the circumstances although admittedly it could have been much better against a Barnsley side who came with a bemusing game plan to shut up shop and stifle our midfield.


His moment of brilliance will once again set Premier League tongues wagging as the January transfer window edges closer and closer. Neil Warnock was certainly reiterating the fact we are selling the player in his post match press conference:"What can you say that I've not said before? I look at the top of the Premiership and think there must be something wrong if they do not come down (to look at him).

"He's finally clicked because he is doing the mucky bits of football now. He's doing the hard graft and you cannot get anywhere without doing that.

"He is now tackling back. He will remember me in years to come when I am asking him for tickets. I would pay money to watch Victor at the moment."

But we can't dwell on the fact we will lose Victor we must instead enjoy him while we have him and savour moments like this as a few years down the line when he's starting for England, you can say you watched him when he started.

Will the game be on

Normally on a Friday i would be previewing all the team news for the upcoming game. This week however after the freezing conditions that have swept across the south-east the debate is all about whether the game will be postponed.

The weather men claim predict that there will be a high of 2 degrees in South London tomorrow and i some how believe that our, lets face it state of the art, tarpaulin sheet won't be much of a defence against the frost.

Warnock may be quietly hoping for a postponement as a virus that has struck down five members of the squad including the influential pairing of Darren Ambrose and Neil Danns who were worryingly the worst affected by the illness and didn't train for most of the week.

One person with fingers and toes crossed that the game is on will be Simon Jordan. It is rumoured that he has this week received a winding up order by Her majesty's Revenue and Customs due to the club falling behind on payments and a home game being called off with the loss of revenue that entails would be desperately untimely.

Kalou handed trial

No not that Kalou, we've handed a trial to his older and slighlty past it brother, Bonaventure who has even less of an idea of where the goal is than Salomon.

Neil Warnock confirmed that the 31-year-old will play a few reserve games as he runs the rule over the Ivorian: "He is training with us and he will probably play a couple of reserve games." said Warnock.