Off Topic Who do you think the best player of all time is?

I always considered it to be a natural physical advantage that he had over other players which allowed him to make the most of his talent. In the same way that some players' strength, height, leap, low centre of gravity are cited as contributing to their ability. Just a bit more unusual.

 

I'm with you on the different environments producing players of different types. I've heard or read a lot of different theories on this theme. The funny bounce off English cobblestones helped refine Stanley Matthew's close control. The Dutch think about space differently because they've only got limited amounts of it. As well producing players with great dribbling ability in close spaces, the favelas produce their natural antithesis- defensive midfielders like Dunga or Gilberto Silva. There is something romantic in that.

Although people probably don't like to admit it, there is a lot of romance and mythologising around football. That's part of its charm, that it lends itself to that. @Robertson mentioned Eduardo Galeano. I like Galeano, but his descriptions of players (and events) tend to be very florid, adding to that mythology around them. He's coming at it from a literary point of view, rather than just giving a stark account. My interest in history leads me to read a lot about the history of football. Even in historical accounts of things, great players are built up and put on a sort of pedestal. This leads me down the path of believing that some of these players from long before I was born must have been so good it was beyond comprehension. When I watch what little footage there is available of them, I feel a bit disappointed because they are clearly good players but not the supernatural beings that these accounts have made them out to be.

Having said that, I do like this video of Matthias Sindelar, one of those players that, in my mind, exists on some other plane (possibly due to the circumstances surrounding his death).

I see what you're saying about modern attitudes. Thinking of the kids I know, they've all got goals and various targets in the garden. I had to go out in the road with a ball. They are very influenced by what they see on YouTube. And although there are plenty of very good current players, there aren't any that I love watching as much as I did players of 15-20 years ago. Having said all that, I did see something the other day that said Phil Foden perfected his touch by kicking a small ball against a wall. Next time I'm round my mates house kicking a ball in the garden with his son, I'll maybe tell him that.

 

Loved that video Norton, thanks for posting.
I remember watching Charlie Cooke, who arguably had the best close control of a football in his era. He reckoned he trained with a tennis ball to develop and maintain his skills.

 

Brilliant mate. The wall should be advocated much more. I said to a head of academy a few years ago you should build some walls off the pitches and just use them 10 mins each day as part of player warm ups.

 

Bobby Kerr was

Bobby Kerr was a case in point, he was compared to Garrincha in his pre Hunter days.

 

Prior to the leg breaks? I hadn't realised it was Norman who broke his leg.

 

Yep right in front of the main stand at Roker….Hunter saw him coming and left his foot in knowing Kerr’s youthful exuberance would try for a ball he shouldn’t have and the rest is histroy as they say
Mind Bobby had the last laugh in 73.
Bobby rented a house opposite us in Stockton years after he retired and when this subject was raised he just shrugged his shoulders and said that’s football, he didn’t hold any malice against Hunter.

 

It was, although Bobby had broken his leg earlier in his career at reserve or youth team level, the second break (Norman) reputably caused him to lose some of his ability including his banana shots , and jinking running style, a speciality in his early games which had people comparing him to Garrincha.

 

Unbelievable

 

George Best. Pele said he was the best ever and he was a good judge of a player.

 

Remember him scoring against Liverpool with a swerving banana shot at Roker Park , Lawrence in goal that day I think but totally helpless such was the bend of the ball .

 

Yes he was brilliant at set pieces, Kerr was probably the most exciting introduction in my memory span, can yo remember his headed goal against the Mags at Roker Park, he leapt above two 6 foot plus central defenders and planted it past a rooted keeper. Unbelievable.he really was .

 

Didn't he also say the same about Maradona, Cruyff, di Stefano, Garrincha, Beckenbauer, Trappatoni, Zidane and quite a few others?

Must have been a nightmare getting a decision out of Pele.

 

Off the top of my head .
And not on playing merit but my favourites.
Gary Speed. Knew him. Very nice lad. Forgive him for Leeds and newcatshïte. Would of had him in a Sunderland shirt in a heartbeat.

Niall Quinn.
Best days of my life supporting Sunderland when he was here. Top bloke.

Tony Norman.
Best goalkeeper we've ever had imo.
Nice bloke, ex neighbour and bought me a beer

Jimmy Thorpe.
My avatar pic.
Sadly lost his life after a game against Chelsea (scum).
Ok , a better goalie than Tony Norman .


A mention to Brian Clough. Should of been our manager after an outstanding playing career.


Bob Paisley.
We really need to learn from our past mistakes.

Fook arl them foreign fannies prancing about

 

Thing about that is, as an opponent, you would just want to kick him… But he was so quick you’d miss!!

Utterly superb

 

Weren’t a Belmont lad were you? Tony signed my pot in 1990 when I broke my leg! His son went to primary school out the back of my grandma’s house

 

No, a lot further back and a lot further away mate. He grew up over the fields from me in North Wales

Gary Speed lived in the next street and Kevin Ratcliffe lived round the corner from him

 

Ah. Small, but not that small a world!!