Another footie thread

If any of the players mentioned already had been born 20 years ago and showed the same dedication, determination and flair that they had, then they would be Premiership standard for sure.
Some of the very skilful players from years ago, eg Rodney Marsh, Duncan Mackenzie, Eddie Gray, would be even better than they were.

Norman Hunter would be less of a chopper and would have perfected the arm grappling of today. "Hunter break your arms" rather than bites-yer-legs.
 
Voyager EMH said:
If any of the players mentioned already had been born 20 years ago and showed the same dedication, determination and flair that they had, then they would be Premiership standard for sure.
Some of the very skilful players from years ago, eg Rodney Marsh, Duncan Mackenzie, Eddie Gray, would be even better than they were.

Norman Hunter would be less of a chopper and would have perfected the arm grappling of today. "Hunter break your arms" rather than bites-yer-legs.
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That’s the issue though, those very skillful passionate players probably weren’t “coached” from the ages of 8 or 9 and in todays modern era they may of had their natural ability coached out of them or even worse, played on their gadgets and not played outside as much.
 
Hobbit said:
There are current players who don’t look great when a new manager comes in with a style that doesn’t suit their strengths. Equally, imagine if Best had the protection from referees afforded to players nowadays…
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Yep, but would of Best succumbed to the media scrutiny and wages.

I’d like to think he would of fitted in any era.👍🏻
 
PaulMdj said:
Yep, but would of Best succumbed to the media scrutiny and wages.

I’d like to think he would of fitted in any era.👍🏻
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Technically I think he would still fit. As for media scrutiny and wages, he was already suffering that. He made the front page more than the back page almost every week.
 
I wonder how many goal keepers from the 80’s and further back would have coped with the demands put on keepers today to be sweepers and ball players. Grobelar probably would have fancied it but most of them I think not.
 
Hobbit said:
Technically I think he would still fit. As for media scrutiny and wages, he was already suffering that. He made the front page more than the back page almost every week.
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In this era though the Club would of stepped in and would that of helped or hindered, the drinking culture of the 80’s & 90’s he’d of loved, nowadays, I’m not sure it’d be accepted.

As I said, ability, one of the greatest ever.

This thread got me thinking about the best XI I saw in person.

Southall

Ashley Cole
Bobby Moore
Hansen
Gary Stevens

Dalglish
Bryan Robson
Peter Reid
Gasgoine

Rooney
Best
 
PaulMdj said:
In this era though the Club would of stepped in and would that of helped or hindered, the drinking culture of the 80’s & 90’s he’d of loved, nowadays, I’m not sure it’d be accepted.

As I said, ability, one of the greatest ever.

This thread got me thinking about the best XI I saw in person.

Southall

Ashley Cole
Bobby Moore
Hansen
Gary Stevens

Dalglish
Bryan Robson
Peter Reid
Gasgoine

Rooney
Best
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Clemence

John Craggs
Moore
Hansen
Terry Cooper or Kevin Beattie, probably Beattie

Dalgliesh
Bryan Robson
Souness
Gazza

Lineker
Rooney

I found up front a lot harder to choose. Beardsley with Lineker was a formidable pairing. Imagine how well Charlton would have done with a better partner - he never seemed to gel with anyone. I never really saw much of Greaves but his record is way better than just about everyone, he just didn’t seem to get on with Ramsey.
 
Hobbit said:
Clemence

John Craggs
Moore
Hansen
Terry Cooper or Kevin Beattie, probably Beattie

Dalgliesh
Bryan Robson
Souness
Gazza

Lineker
Rooney

I found up front a lot harder to choose. Beardsley with Lineker was a formidable pairing. Imagine how well Charlton would have done with a better partner - he never seemed to gel with anyone. I never really saw much of Greaves but his record is way better than just about everyone, he just didn’t seem to get on with Ramsey.
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I found most positions dificult if I’m honest, up front, Rush, Keegan, Henry, Shearer.

Keepers, Shilton, Clemence, Jennings.

I never got to see Greaves, Chivers and Gilzean are my earliest memories of Spurs, Latchford and his 30 goals.

I guess I feel lucky that I was taken from the early 70’s until last month.
 
PaulMdj said:
In this era though the Club would of stepped in and would that of helped or hindered, the drinking culture of the 80’s & 90’s he’d of loved, nowadays, I’m not sure it’d be accepted.

As I said, ability, one of the greatest ever.

This thread got me thinking about the best XI I saw in person.

Southall

Ashley Cole
Bobby Moore
Hansen
Gary Stevens

Dalglish
Bryan Robson
Peter Reid
Gasgoine

Rooney
Best
Click to expand...
What a great shout of a post the net you’ve seen live. For me it would include some non prem/efl but it’d be 🤔

Southall

Ashley Cole
Paolo Maldini
Fabio Cannavaro
Kyle Walker

Paul Gascoigne
Andrea Pirlo
Patrick Viera

Thierry Henry
Wayne Rooney
Peter Beardsley
 
Shilton

Viv Anderson
Jack Charlton
Gordon McQueen
Terry Cooper

Keegan
Bremner
Giles
Eddie Gray

Lineker
Duncan McKenzie

So many other great players from 1970-76 that I never got to see in the flesh, but would have replaced a few of these.
Played in the same school team as GL from 1972-77 so there! :LOL:
 
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Not in my best XI but although he got many rave reviews I think he was beyond brilliant… Dennis Bergkamp. For me, he was another Peter Beardsley in terms of style but a lot stronger & technically better.

And as my mind wandered I got thinking about players that burned brightly but disappeared just as quickly. Obviously many of these will be unknown outside of the club they played for.

One that always springs to mind is Stephen Bell at Middlesbrough. Bell was a quick, tricky winger that often had the crowd roaring when he got the ball. He debuted at 16 against Southampton in the old First Division. Somewhere along the way his career went off the rails, and he had brief spells at Darlington then Whitby Town. A flaw in his character? Who know, but there were lots of whisperings of wild partying. sadly, Bell died age 36. A massive, unfulfilled talent.
 
Hobbit said:
Not in my best XI but although he got many rave reviews I think he was beyond brilliant… Dennis Bergkamp. For me, he was another Peter Beardsley in terms of style but a lot stronger & technically better.

And as my mind wandered I got thinking about players that burned brightly but disappeared just as quickly. Obviously many of these will be unknown outside of the club they played for.

One that always springs to mind is Stephen Bell at Middlesbrough. Bell was a quick, tricky winger that often had the crowd roaring when he got the ball. He debuted at 16 against Southampton in the old First Division. Somewhere along the way his career went off the rails, and he had brief spells at Darlington then Whitby Town. A flaw in his character? Who know, but there were lots of whisperings of wild partying. sadly, Bell died age 36. A massive, unfulfilled talent.
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Similar, but not with the tragic ending, there was obviously a lot of excitement at Everton when we had a Youth player called Wayne Rooney, however, there was an even bigger fuss around his younger brother John who was believed to be even better!

John was released from Everton in 2002 and made over 500 appearances at lower levels as a bit of a journeyman, playing for Clubs like Macclesfield, Barnsley, Bury, Wrexham etc, even played in the US.
Now managing Macclesfield.

It sort of goes back to the point about timing, social pressures etc,
 
PaulMdj said:
That’s the issue though, those very skillful passionate players probably weren’t “coached” from the ages of 8 or 9 and in todays modern era they may of had their natural ability coached out of them or even worse, played on their gadgets and not played outside as much.
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Natural ability being coached out of young players is a complete myth.
 
WorldHandicapSystem said:
Natural ability being coached out of young players is a complete myth.
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No it’s not, they can retain the natural ability, what is stiffled is their freedom to express it.

Seen kids from age 9 upwards being given rigid instructions by adults in how to set up, were to pass, were to stand, etc etc.

Some of these coaches have took the fun out of kids football.
 
Good players from days past would still be good players today if they had the same conditioning as today’s players. But if you took a player from decades ago and dropped them into the modern game they would be gassed in no time. Some might cope but the vast majority wouldn’t.

Players like Keane would struggle because the game has changed. His ‘talents’ would no longer be as effective. Viera would probably suit the modern game.
 
PaulMdj said:
No it’s not, they can retain the natural ability, what is stiffled is their freedom to express it.

Seen kids from age 9 upwards being given rigid instructions by adults in how to set up, were to pass, were to stand, etc etc.

Some of these coaches have took the fun out of kids football.
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Some do, but that has been the case forever. It’s not a new problem.
 
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