Football's True Finishers: The End of an Era for Poachers?

Once upon a time when children played football in the streets and you could stand at a big game; there would be a striker on each team whose job it was, simply, to score goals!

These days, Britain's premier poacher must be Rangers' Kris Boyd.

The Scot has been one of the most prolific goal scorers in Europe in recent seasons. This year, he started a third of all Rangers matches and amazingly amassed 25 goals, including four in cup finals!

Boyd, who has seven goals in 14 caps, is also the Scottish Premier League's all-time number two scorer at just 24 years old.

I have a fondness for Boyd, not just because he is a Rangers player but because he was born in Irvine, probably in the same hospital I was born in 18 months later.

He has also played for my two favorite Scottish clubs, where he has contributed 114 league goals. Boyd made his debut for Kilmarnock in the same game the legendary Ally McCoist was bidding a fond farewell to professional football against Celtic in 2001.

After earning a reputation as a prolific goal scorer, he signed for Rangers in January 2006. That season, he became the first player to be top goal scorer for two clubs in the same season.

He scored 17 goals for Kilmarnock, then an amazing 20 in 17 starts for Rangers!

His Rangers league record reads 77 appearances, 51 goals and many of those appearances have been off the bench.

So why is he sitting on the bench?

Kris Boyd is a goal scorer, nothing less, nothing more!

He doesn't track back much, get out wide, or get many crosses in. He doesn't link up play very well or set up many goals but really, who cares?

The lad scores goals!

This year's European Golden Boot Winner was Christiano Ronaldo, a midfielder!

Football really has changed a lot.

In January 2008, Kris Boyd was offered to many English Premier League clubs only for nearly every manager to turn around and say the same thing... I just don't fancy him as a player.

So my question is what do managers really want? If every team had a Ronaldo then fair enough, but they don't. Three EPL sides were relegated this season because they didn't score enough goals.

I wonder if any of them had a phone call about a certain Mr. Boyd?