Former Liverpool star Jermaine Pennant has clear memories of one particular thing ex-Arsenal assistant manager Pat Rice said. Now 42, Pennant's journey in football was marked by enormous highs and shocking lows.
He burst onto the scene with a hat-trick for Arsenal on his Premier League debut at just 19 years old, before embarking on a varied career which included stints at Birmingham City, Liverpool, Stoke City, Leeds United, and several other clubs.
His stint at Anfield saw him reach the zenith of club competition, featuring in the 2007 Champions League final against AC Milan under Rafael Benitez. Despite a strong performance in Athens, Pennant and Liverpool couldn't clinch victory.
Reflecting on his earlier days at Arsenal, he recalled how Rice, who was Arsene Wenger's right-hand man, seemed sceptical about his prospects. In a candid 2017 Guardian interview, Pennant said: "I definitely used it (Rice's comments as motivation). He told my agent: 'He's not going to make it.' I don't know if he had it in for me or if my personality was a bit rich.
"He's old school, Pat, but I always believed I'd make it. At Liverpool I said to my agent after scoring against Chelsea and playing in the Champions League final: 'I wonder if Pat watched the game tonight?'"
Pennant's time at Liverpool came to an end in January 2009, when he was loaned to Portsmouth before making a permanent move to Real Zaragoza on a free transfer. However, his stint in La Liga was unsuccessful, and he soon returned to England, joining Stoke City under Tony Pulis.
During his time at Stoke, Pennant had the opportunity to face his former club Arsenal, which also meant a reunion with Rice. Reflecting on those encounters, Pennant said: "I saw Pat again when I played for Stoke against Arsenal a few times.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger (C) shares a joke with Pat Rice (L) after a training session at London Colney, Tuesday March 8, 2005, ahead of the Champions League match against Bayern Munich tomorrow evening
Wenger and Rice oversaw everything at Arsenal for many years (Image: Press Association)
"It was kind of frosty between us at the Britannia. We won 3-1 and I scored and ran past the Arsenal fans to rub it in. That was a good moment. For Pat to say: 'You're not going to make it' and then I play the Champions League final and score against his team was pretty sweet."
Despite Wenger ultimately deciding his fate at Arsenal, Pennant holds no grudges against the French manager. In fact, he credits Wenger with having the most significant influence on his career.
He added: "Of all the managers I played under, Arsène had the most influence. That's where I learned my tricks of the trade – through Arsène. But he never quite gave me the opportunity.
Jermaine Pennant of Stoke City celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 2-0 against Arsenal (Photo by AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)
Pennant made his feelings known when he scored against Arsenal (Image: Matthew Ashton, Corbis via Getty Images)
"That was frustrating but Arsène is very strict and if your attitude is not right he won't give you that chance. At the same time that was half the reason why my attitude wasn't always right.
"I was spot-on for months. I was playing well for the reserves but it was like he'd lost faith in me. It seemed as if no matter what I did I wouldn't get that chance. It was hard because we had a great team. The Invincibles. I was proud to train with that squad every day."
Pennant's journey also included stints at Wolves, Wigan Athletic, Pune City in India, Tampine Rovers in Singapore, Bury, and Billericay Town. He announced his retirement in February 2018, after a short spell with the latter.