Pantomime villain Joey Barton recently received a 12 match ban for his behaviour on the last day of EPL season. The severity of the punishment has been debated at length but what is not in doubt is the recidivist nature of this repeat offender and his apparent refusal to learn from his mistakes.From stubbing a cigarette in the eye of a youth player, attacking team-mates and opponents to serving 77 days in prison for common a sault the QPR midfielder has a litany of misdeeds and he seems intent on adding to them in the future.That being said despite having a record as long as his arm Barton still has a fair way to go to match the exploits of one of the most colourful goalkeepers of modern, football history: Jos Ren Higuita Zapata.The goalkeeping idol impre sed and horrified with equal measure and why he didnt have his problems to speak off the pitch, in the main he was forgiven because he never failed to dazzle and entertain when playing for his country and many clubs. youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0NZCSZZj5Qfeature=related Montrezl Harrell Jersey For many the abiding memory of Colombias Rene El Loco Higuita will be his Scorpion Kick against England in the old Wembley Stadium in 1995. The game was inching along to a 0-0 draw when Jamie Redknapp mishit a shot/cro s from the right hand side. Higuita, maybe bored with the evenings events, needed only to catch the aimle s ball but instead opted to dive forward and clear using the soles of his boots. It was a marvellous footballing moment which left the crowd and TV spectators enthralled and would become Higuitas signature play piece .One that Tobias Harris Jersey he would happily re-enact many more times in the future; mainly for the pre s.Some people say you have to be a little crazy to be a good goalkeeper, Higuita told a journalist years later.For a little crazy (or poco loco) we should read as mad as a bag of ferrets. youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AwnO2cVcbQfeature=relmfu Alike many South American footballers a young Rene grew up in poverty. He was raised by his grandmother in a barrio of Medellin during a time when Colombia was plagued with violence and was fast turning into the worlds number one narco-state.At 19 he made his league debut for Millonarios of Bogota, the historical giants of Colombian league football making 16 appearances and scoring 5 goals (a feat he would regularly go on to replicate).Despite this succe sful first season he opted to return home to Medellin and join his beloved Atletico Nacional who were being funded and largely controlled at the time by the infamous Pablo Escobar.His new team-mates included the likes of Faustino Asprilla, Leonel Alvarez, Andres Escobar and Albeiro Usuriaga, who would all go on to be integral parts of the coming Colombian football renai sance. Under the tutelage of legend Fransisco Choco Maturana , Atletico became the first Colombian team to win the Copa Libertadores when they beat Olympia of Paraguay in one of the most famous of finals.After clawing back a 2-0 deficit the 2ndleague of the final in Bogota was tied 2-2 on aggregate and so moved onto penalties. The shoot-out presented the opportunity for Higuita to become the hero and it was an opportunity he did not waste. By this time Rene was a regular penalty taker so he stepped up to score Colombias third and save five of the oppositions kicks, four of which were in Chris Paul Jersey sudden death. His last sudden death, penalty saves allowed Leonal Alvarez to claim the winner. youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gndIRZQF3iQfeature=related COPA LIBERTADORES FINAL 1989When Choco Maturana took over Colombia for Italia 1990 he used Higuita and his Atletico team-mates as a base of the squad. Combined with Carlos Valderrama and Freddy Rincon they had an impre sive squad of hungry, young players.A 2-0 win against the United Arab Emirates, a 1-0 lo s to Yugoslavia and a 1-1 dramatic, last ditch draw against West Germany saw them qualify for the next round for the first time. Their reward was a last 16 tie with the tournament surprise team Cameroon.Almost as much as the Scorpion kick Rene Higuita is remembered for his mistake against Cameroon and their captain, Roger Milla.To modern day supporters his daredevil antics near the centre circle appear foolhardy and selfish but that is to ignore the benefits of having a goalkeeper who also acted as a sweeper and creative influence upon the team. In addition to this he was an attacking option and a potent threat from Kawhi Leonard Jersey set-pieces. Although his goal scoring record could not match a centre forward (or Jose Luis Chilavert) it puts many a defender or midfielders rate to shame. To have such an all-rounder must have been quite a weapon in your armoury especially as he was an accomplished shot stopper and top level goalkeeper to boot. youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9DisFFUxB0feature=fvwrel HIGUITA FREEKICK VS RIVER PLATEHis national manager (Choco Maturana) was certainly aware of these benefits claiming at the time:(Higuita) gives us something no one else has, and we take full advantage. With Rene as sweeper, we have 11 outfield players. Jan Jongbloed, the Holland keeper in the 1974 World Cup, also operated as a sweeper. With a difference. The Dutchman came out just to boot the ball into the stands. Higuita can do much more.Unfortunately, this time Higuita came unstuck and was robbed of the ball far up the pitch leaving his goal open for Milla to slide home the decisive winner. He was made to look stupid as he scrambled back to his goal, this time his audacity and adventurous spirit resulted in Colombias elimination.Rene vs Roger, Italia 1990Despite their World Cup disappointment Colombia continued to blo som as an international force. Second and fourth places in the 1991 and 1993 Copa Americas were coupled with a first place position in the 1994 World Cup campaign.A 5-0 final game defeat of Argentina, in Buenos Aires was the cherry on the cake. Now everyone had to sit up and take notice of the Cafeteros. Many, including Pele were touting them as favourites for the World Cup in USA.But before this disaster had struck for Higuita struck in the form of Pablo Escobar and his corrosive, influence upon both the Colombian people and its football.The fascinating documentary the two Escobars highlights the relationship between Rene Higuita and the infamous drug king-pin. The Zimbalist Jerome Robinson Jersey brothers excellent piece of work directly correlates Colombias period of succe s with the Narco-lords age of rule and El Loco was right in the middle of this relationship. youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKAevl6hrQk FULL ESPN DOCUMENTARY THE TWO ESCOBARSDuring the early nineties Colombia was actively trying to combat the narco -traffickers and improve its dreadful international reputation.Escobar had been given a pseudo jail sentence by the authorit