Roberto Baggio a man after my own heart

[theRedHorse]

Baggio is just saying the things that are quoted, right?

 

He didn't write the rest of the article did he?

 

So the stuff about Momo etc is just the writer taking a few quotes from Baggio and stretching them into his own agenda?

[RSM]

Basically yes. The Baggio comments are the qoutes. The rest of the article is just guff.

[TheHitman]

Theres no denying that youth scouts are looking at physique and athleticism and sadly this can be the determining factors if a player makes the grade. However its not a new concept i remember watching the World cup in the 80's and early 90's as a kid and remember the commentators remarking what a tall athletic team the Germans were.

 

Also for every Guardiola that played in an era there was Eusebio, John Charles, Duncan Edwards from previous generations players who were revered for their athleticism and power. Kevin Keegan won the Ballon D'or twice in the late 70's and from what i saw of him he wasn't a really skillful player and every fan i spoke to always comments on his determination workrate and effort rarely his skill.

 

I love Baggio though class player

[Hermes]

I think he's right. When you have Rafa salivating over Dirk Kuyt what else is there to say?

[Moschops II]

Baggio might have a point about elite-level international football, but as someone who started watching English league football in the very late 70s, the idea there's less skill around now than there was then and in the 80s is absolutely fucking demented.

[Cardie]

Theres no denying that youth scouts are looking at physique and athleticism and sadly this can be the determining factors if a player makes the grade.

 

It's one of the main factors Wenger looks at.

[Hermes]

It's one of the main factors Wenger looks at.

 

Yes, but allied to being able to control the ball, see a pass and deliver it. There are not many players at Arsenal who are just athletes.

[Cardie]

But as the man who would be a world superstar if only Luton had recognised his talent says, without that pace and athleticism they'd be shit.

[chorlton]

Best internet game ever, thank you roberto.

 

Magical Kicks

 

Awesome, but i always prefered the one that looked like an old c64 game.

 

SUPER WEB SOCCER

[Stu Monty]

He's wrong. Physical aspects of the game are important now because they players are out getting pissed and think steak and chips is nutrition, so they can all, mostly, put in far more work that they used to.

 

Take a look at the goals and highlights every week from the premiership and tell me that there were 25 yarders going in all over the country forty years ago. There weren't. To skin a man is harder now, yet it still happens, and to score is much harder due to the athleticism of the goalkeepers.

 

"The spirit of football" - wouldn't that be one town kicking the shit out of another town in some mad rugby/football/riot mash-up. That is the origin of the game.

[Zippy]

As has been said football is evolving and the best players tend to possess great technical ability and athleticism. As a result managers are understandably keen to harness those players who combine the two.

 

Wenger is probably the best example of a manager who focusses specifically on signing good footballers who are also great athletes:

 

Former England coach Don Howe, who managed the club in the mid-1980s and is now a scout for Wenger, said: "For Arsene, it is technique over everything. He wants to know what a player’s touch, control and vision is like. Without that, they can forget it — it is his No.1 quality.

 

"If a player meets that criterion, the manager might ask about his size, weight and pace, but even then he has exacting standards."

 

Obviously we already have Gerrard and have signed Torres - two players who are great examples of players who combine excellent technique and athleticism.

[Section_31]

The last world cup was the worst I've ever seen for quality and passion. Plus there are no real 'stars' of the likes of Zidane's calibre doing the rounds now.

[WaltonRed]

Baggio knows fuck all, as does the original poster.

[Xabi D]

As has been said football is evolving and the best players tend to possess great technical ability and athleticism. As a result managers are understandably keen to harness those players who combine the two.

 

Wenger is probably the best example of a manager who focusses specifically on signing good footballers who are also great athletes:

 

Former England coach Don Howe, who managed the club in the mid-1980s and is now a scout for Wenger, said: "For Arsene, it is technique over everything. He wants to know what a player’s touch, control and vision is like. Without that, they can forget it — it is his No.1 quality.

 

"If a player meets that criterion, the manager might ask about his size, weight and pace, but even then he has exacting standards."

 

Obviously we already have Gerrard and have signed Torres - two players who are great examples of players who combine excellent technique and athleticism.

 

Hmmm explains why he selects Adebayor over Van Persie.

[ReddOrDedd]

Absolute nonsense.

 

Like any evolutionary subject, football players will continue to get fitter, stronger, faster and so on. Realistically, if you put the 'great' players of the 60s on the same pitch with the best players nowadays they'd look like a bunch of dads. That's not an insult to their abilities, just a fact.

 

The game evolves, and so it should. What exactly is Baggio complaining about? The fact that players are too fit? Too strong? Too able?

 

Don't make me laugh, Roberto, we're watching the best football there has ever been, and lucky old us...

[Kevin D]

Agreed with the Baggio. I cannot watch English football because it's horrible , very few teams have proper footballers now and though I admire the physical Chelsea side.

 

I'd like to throw in the death of number 10s into the equation because just 5 years ago the likes of Rivaldo , Aimar ,Djaminha , Zidane , Scholes and Valeron were considered must haves, instrumentals but now players of their ilk are obsolete.

 

I'd also struggle to name players who , in their prime , measure up to any of these players , vision , touch, awareness and flair. Kaka's probably the only one and football is poorer for it.

[WaltonRed]

Agreed with the Baggio. I cannot watch English football because it's horrible , very few teams have proper footballers now and though I admire the physical Chelsea side.

 

I'd like to throw in the death of number 10s into the equation because just 5 years ago the likes of Rivaldo , Aimar ,Djaminha , Zidane , Scholes and Valeron were considered must haves, instrumentals but now players of their ilk are obsolete.

 

I'd also struggle to name players who , in their prime , measure up to any of these players , vision , touch, awareness and flair. Kaka's probably the only one and football is poorer for it.

 

Go and watch old tapes of Spanish and Italian football if English football bothers you so much.

 

Scholes has never been a number 10, Djalminha was a nut job who no one would thank you for even in his prime, Valeron? Hardly a legend of the game.

[silverlining]

It is an interesting debate, but this bit is rot:

 

"I am unconvinced that either Ronaldo or Henry would have been world-class in the slower, and more technical/tactical oriented 1980s."

 

Henry would have ruled just as hard in the 80s, deffo.

[silverlining]

It's one of the main factors Wenger looks at.

 

Is it fuck.

 

Hleb and Rosicky look like they were brought up eating stewed cardboard.

 

Technique is what he looks at first and foremost.

[silverlining]

 

ONe of the reasons I admire players like Peter Crouch; becuase he's a proper footballer. he has touch, technique and he has vision. But because he doesn't, you know, run dead dead fast and that, he gets no credit. But he's a better footballer imo than almost anyone at our club.

 

 

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

I'm quite sure that it was players just like Peter Crouch (better footballer than almost anyone at Liverpool) that he was thinking of.

 

Fucking hell, that is fucking priceless.

[aws]

It's happening to most sports as training methods, nutritional analysis etc improve.

 

Look at tennis - Rod Laver probably the best player of all time would be blown off the courts today by somebody like Roddick.

 

Look at rugby - the players are so big, fast and powerful there's hardly any room for finesse and skill apart from the occasional genius like Shane Williams.

 

It's evolution and the only real answers are to reduce the level of contact allowed (and ruin the game) or to increase the playing space available by playing with ten men or on larger pitches.

[silverlining]

It's happening to most sports as training methods, nutritional analysis etc improve.

 

Look at tennis - Rod Laver probably the best player of all time would be blown off the courts today by somebody like Roddick.

 

Look at rugby - the players are so big, fast and powerful there's hardly any room for finesse and skill apart from the occasional genius like Shane Williams.

 

It's evolution and the only real answers are to reduce the level of contact allowed (and ruin the game) or to increase the playing space available by playing with ten men or on larger pitches.

 

Two poor comparisons.

 

Tennis has changed radically, yeah, but it's at least 50% due to equipment: improved racket technology, new surfaces and balls that move quicker in the air

 

Rugby players used to do it as a fucking hobby in between real jobs and drinking 25 pints of lager after each game. Brian Moore was a fucking solicitor.

[aws]

Two poor comparisons.

 

Tennis has changed radically, yeah, but it's at least 50% due to equipment: improved racket technology, new surfaces and balls that move quicker in the air

 

Rugby players used to do it as a fucking hobby in between real jobs and drinking 25 pints of lager after each game. Brian Moore was a fucking solicitor.

 

So you're saying tennis and rugby players aren't bigger,faster and more powerful and that both sports aren't more based on power than they were 20 years ago?

 

Brian Moore was qualified as a solicitor but if you think he actually practised as one during most of his rugby career you're mistaken.

[mattyq]

It's a load of bollocks.

I remember the turgid shite on offer in the 80s - the Lutons and Brightons.

Players are a lot fitter now but also more skillfull IMO

[navbasi]

Baggio is one of my all time favourite players a total gentleman on and off the pitch. Football has changed but so would any other industry that has had billions of pounds pumped into it.

 

I just feel sorry for the next generation of supporters who will not know any different. I've tried explaining to my 14 year old nephew what it was like standing on the Kop and he just looks at me like... "Why would you want to stand?......"