Zander Diamond ready to sparkle at Anfield as Oldham engagement rekindles his passion for football

Stewart Fisher

Sports Writer

Friday 6 January 2012

ZANDER DIAMOND is still working out the permutations.

Zander Diamond is enjoying life in England

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Stewart Fisher

Luis Suarez is definitely out, so that is only Andy Carroll, Craig Bellamy and possibly Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard he has to worry about.

The 26-year-old was on the wrong end of no shortage of cup upsets during his time with Aberdeen, but such setbacks will be rendered irrelevant if the centre-half can shackle Liverpool's strikers and knock the Anfield side out of the FA Cup on their own patch tonight.

Diamond has been a virtual ever-present this season for Paul Dickov's Oldham Athletic, and although they currently reside in mid-table in npower League One, strange things have been known to happen in England's premier cup competition. "Whether it is Carroll or Bellamy up front or whether Dirk Kuyt comes into it, it is the kind of thing that dreams are made of and after six months in English football it could hardly have gone any better for me," he told Herald Sport. "I have played against Bellamy, when I scored at Celtic Park to put Aberdeen 2-0 up. We got beat 3-2 that day and he scored the winner and, of course, I have played against Charlie Adam as well. That is what you have to remember, I have played against big players in the European competition and against the Old Firm. So it is another challenge but it is certainly not going to faze me."Diamond is a boyhood Liverpool fan who has already done the tour, taking in the famous 'This is Anfield' sign and the Kop, but going there on competitive business will be something else entirely. The player admits he stagnated in his last two seasons in Scotland, but the change of surroundings has clearly reinvigorated him. He is happy in Manchester, living in an apartment which overlooks Manchester City's Etihad Stadium, and is already well on the way to triggering a year's extension at Oldham which kicks in after 30 appearances. He even marked a happy first six months in Lancashire with his first goal for the club, a late winner in a 3-2 win against Notts County on Hogmanay. "My goal ratio has always been not too bad for a centre-half," said Diamond. "My dad was down for the New Year and it was good for him to see me score – although I think I might have burst my pal's coupon." Much of the credit for the player's rebirth goes to Dickov, the former Leicester City player and Scotland internationalist who is in his first managerial job. When injury concerns put paid to a potential move to Hearts, Oldham didn't hesitate. "Paul is top drawer," said Diamond. "The way he was as a player, that is pretty much the way he is as a manager, his will to win is phenomenal. He gave me a chance to come down and he has given me responsibility. I captain the team when our regular captain is injured."It is well documented I didn't have the best time in the last two years up at Aberdeen," he added. "When Jimmy Calderwood left the club, a part of me kind of died as well. I was looking to move on and my heart just wasn't really in it any more."Having come down as an unknown package in England, it is great just to test yourself against different opposition and go to different stadiums. I knew Aberdeen all my life so to come down here and get a different view on things is brilliant. My contract is up for renewal and I have said to the manager that and I would sign right away if they wanted me to stay." We might not be quite at Scotland recall stage just yet, but Diamond knows few things build your profile quite like a big cup result at Anfield. "I am older and have a bit of experience now, sometimes when you are younger you can waste so much energy thinking about it before you even reach the stadium," he said. "You have got to believe that you can nick a goal and keep it tight at the back. The whole town is going to enjoy it and we have to show the fans that we are worthy of wearing the jersey."

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Zander Diamond ready to sparkle at Anfield as Oldham engagement rekindles his passion for football

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