Known some top top players and even played alongside some greats yet these lads have never had a look in, then you get players like beckford, mears and even the likes of tom cleverley. What have these got that better players haven't??

It's a question that lots of fans have on a daily basis but the manager must see something in them. Nicky Hunt is a prime example. He wasn't the best footballer but he probably trained hard, the stats may have said that his percentage of passes and tackles were high and these are the things that managers and coaches look at.

 

I know an ex Citeh player very well and although he wasn't the most talented he had a great work ethic. When some of the players were going out at night on the piss and playing around he kept his head down and got on with what he was paid for

 

He openly admits that there were more skilful players than him that didn't make and it a lot of it was down to their attitude and activities off the field.

Thought it was megson till he admitted his own short comings!

Physical attributes, skill, the 3 Ds,mental strength and decisions making, big heart or bottle.

Edited July 28, 201412 yr by Mounts Kipper

Known some top top players and even played alongside some greats yet these lads have never had a look in, then you get players like beckford, mears and even the likes of tom cleverley. What have these got that better players haven't??

 

 

Even those these players who you have played with looked like world beaters, in reality they probably aren't even a patch on the likes of Mears, Beckford and Cleverly.

 

There is a difference between looking great when you're playing with a load of fat blokes on a Sunday morning or with your mates in the park and being a professional player.

 

One of my mates brothers has played non league and lower league football all his career (He even played for England C team 5 or 6 times), he's currently at Darlington 1883 I think. - He even played for our Sunday team a couple of years ago and scored about 7 goals in the one game he played, he looked like he should be playing top level football. The skill, control and "time" he has on the ball in incredible.

 

I've asked him a couple of times why he has never played further up the league pyramid, and he says it's fairly simple. He's not good enough. He reckons that when he has trained with even Championship players in the past, he just gets left behind skill wise and they are so much quicker at thinking about the game. He does also put a lot of it down to dedication and mind set, and he openly admits he just doesn't have the desire, as to him it's just a job.

Edited July 28, 201412 yr by CWP

The few ex pros I've played against had some thing in there game, John Thomas was quick over them first few yards, Graham Barrow was as strong as an oak tree, neither were especially skilful or better in many ways than loads of lads I've played with just both had something that one attribute that makes them out as a little bit different, granted both theses lads were never top class just useful lower league players.

 

When I played under 16s games for my local team we somehow managed to get into a league with all the local professional teams nursery teams. Barr Hill (think we're Sunderland) Burtonwood (Bolton) we also played man city and man united nursery teams can't remember what they were called, we had some decent lads playing for us but because these teams had top players in every position we often got battered 5-6-0 and we'd come off the pitch and played some brilliant stuff, a world off difference to playing on the park pitches of a Sunday but was a brilliant experience that season but didn't think it at the time.

Edited July 28, 201412 yr by Mounts Kipper

A long time ago, I used to work for the Football in the Community service at Wanderers, coaching kids football. I was about 18 at the time, pretty decent footballer and in my prime. I had a ball at my feet for 7 or 8 hours a day and it made a huge difference to my touch and awareness etc.

 

Anyway, we got invited to a five a side comp at Man City and played against ex professionals. Not top names, but they'd all played league football. They were probably in their 50's and had definitely seen better days judging by the size of them.

 

We got annihilated. They we so much quicker in everything they did, they read the game better and seemed to know where I was going to put a pass before I did. Sure some of it was experience but some of it you must be born with. That and being physiologically capable of playing with that amount of games and training everyday.

Edited July 28, 201412 yr by kent_white

A long time ago, I used to work for the Football in the Community service at Wanderers, coaching kids football. I was about 18 at the time, pretty decent footballer and in my prime. I had a ball at my feet for 7 or 8 hours a day and it made a huge difference to my touch and awareness etc.

Anyway, we got invited to a five a side comp at Man City and played against ex professionals. Not top names, but they'd all played league football. They were probably in their 50's and had definitely seen better days judging by the size of them.

We got annihilated. They we so much quicker in everything they did, they read the game better and seemed to know where I was going to put a pass before I did. Sure some of it was experience but some of it you must be born with. That and being physiologically capable of playing with that amount of games and training everyday.

I think the last comment is spot on training playing day in day out puts a big strain on the body and I'd also say the mental strength to do that over many years every day is a massive strain and coping with pressure from managers/fans/media is also something to take into account these days.

All about Brain speed IMO.

 

Remember playing against Keiron Donnely in my teens before he signed for Blackpool and eventually lost his way.

 

He'd lost his man and had the ball in the net before anyone even thought about what was happening.

 

Like most things it's all about what goes on upstairs.

When I played for Barcelona in the 80's it was because I let the President bum my wife.

 

Twice.

 

Maradona used to ask 'why de fat bloke play nombre 9'...little did he know.

 

Found out later that he'd bummed her too.

 

The slag.

Wanting it is a huge part of it

 

That's what separated Hughesy (our new development coach from Charlton) and others in our age group at town football level. He was far from the most talented in the group, but only he and one other - Andy Holt, really went on to have decent professional careers. The best player at that age by a mile never made it and that was all to do with not being tough enough mentally or wanting it as a teenager when that progression is really needed. Hughesy was always really driven and focused on football and his Dad was super-pushy too.

 

There are other factors too - gumbo and I also used to play against Gavin Strachan (Gordon's son) and he was poor - couldn't get in his local junior team, but he ended up having a long professional career.....he just so happened to come through at Coventry....under his Dad as Manager. He may have just been a late developer, but if his Dad wasn't who he is he'd never have gotten a shot.

 

I'm sure luck, timing and knowing the right people all contribute but overall physical ability and temperament are the most important things IMO

When I played for Barcelona in the 80's it was because I let the President bum my wife.

 

Twice.

 

Maradona used to ask 'why de fat bloke play nombre 9'...little did he know.

 

Found out later that he'd bummed her too.

 

The slag.

were you on paye?

I played in the same Town team as David Brown who played for Hereford etc. he was a class above. Big, strong, pace and a thunderbolt of a shot. He didn't really make it but you could tell he had something extra than most players.

I played against Owen Coyles son a few times at soccerdome Blackburn, he was signed on with academy and was useless.

I'm on this picture somewhere aged 15, You'll also notice a famous footballer aged 14. He didn't need any luck back then, he had it from

the start natural ability & just liked playing football. Also used to go to our Youth club & nick all the tasty birds on a Friday night then still

rip the oposition to bits on a Saturday morning 

 

I'm on this picture somewhere aged 15, You'll also notice a famous footballer aged 14. He didn't need any luck back then, he had it from

the start natural ability & just liked playing football. Also used to go to our Youth club & nick all the tasty birds on a Friday night then still

rip the oposition to bits on a Saturday morning

 

Not a bad keeper yourselves Leesy.

Edited July 28, 201412 yr by Mounts Kipper

We had a game at work once, we got a ringer in, kid calles Wolf, that played in your sporting lisbon game. No idea werw he is now, but he looked like messi against all the team appart from me.

 

We over-rate the people we play with, and under-rate the top game we watch, its that simple.

We had a game at work once, we got a ringer in, kid calles Wolf, that played in your sporting lisbon game. No idea werw he is now, but he looked like messi against all the team appart from me.

 

We over-rate the people we play with, and under-rate the top game we watch, its that simple.

I was always a cut above at prem 5,s

 

Esp that time I got spat at

I was always a cut above at prem 5,s

 

Esp that time I got spat at

I bet that ended well haha

Not going in to it for money

We had a game at work once, we got a ringer in, kid calles Wolf, that played in your sporting lisbon game. No idea werw he is now, but he looked like messi against all the team appart from me.

 

We over-rate the people we play with, and under-rate the top game we watch, its that simple.

Nathan Wolfe, now at Stockport. Had a year in Spain at the Glenn Hoddle Academy after he'd been released by us and Rochdale.

 

[/Malcolm mode]

Having played with a few pro's and ex-pro's the thing that we take for granted is how often they do the simple things really well, without thinking. They then can think a couple of steps ahead and get their head up

 

The movement is normally streets ahead too

 

As has been said, that bit is in the head

I think a lot of players make it by being just really good athletes and some good luck and this is why sometimes we are puzzled by some of the shit bastards we see playing. I do think sometimes players get lucky and have their best games at the right time and end up at places where they play the game a way which helps them shine and look brilliant.

 

The special players have the gift in their head which just enables them to be one step ahead of the rest and do everything much faster.

90% attitude, 10% fact

I was always a cut above at prem 5,s

 

Esp that time I got spat at

 

You was our sub, though.

Nathan Wolfe, now at Stockport. Had a year in Spain at the Glenn Hoddle Academy after he'd been released by us and Rochdale.

 

[/Malcolm mode]

 

Eye him, everyone were banging on about how good he was, and he would play for england etc.

 

Rochdale makes sense, lad on our teams dad owns them.

 

Just shows the actual difference between then n us.

 

Cleverley is a funny one, he is clearly talented, and if he was at Bolton most this site would be banging the "clev for england" drum.