Wiltshire is a great shout, he looked like a world beater before the injuries
Smith-Rowe struggling to get back too
Andre Gomez for us, never the same after the injury
Coleman too
Smith-Rowe struggling to get back too
Andre Gomez for us, never the same after the injury
Coleman too
Wilshire looked something special, but injuries obliterated and he just couldn’t build any momentum.
Some greats struggled, remember Robson had a hard time, Whiteside too, Marco Van Basten really struggled to stay fit at the top level too, it’s a fascinating subject. Paul McGrath, Ledley King. Peter Reid had a hard time to.
Some body’s just can’t take it.
…as an aside, my daughter has just come back from holiday in Greece and said Ledley King (and Anton Ferdinand) runs football sessions at the hotel she stayed in.
If I remember rightly the likes of him and McGrath rarely trained, amazing how they could play to the level they did.
Must be so incredibly frustrating to know that you’re one of an incredibly small cohort with the talent to play elite professional football (like a lottery win) but your body can’t take it.
Would have thought both made enough money in their careers not to be jibing in hotels over the summer. Maybe it’s part of some enterpirse or coaching academy they are running!
Rita_Poon
Player Valuation: £100m
In 'Finding Jack Charlton' interviews from the 90's alluded to off field issues for McGrath, he was plagued by a punishing weight he couldn't shake iirc. The ending of an era then, same with Gazza and a few others, the day of the hard boozing partying player were coming to an end and fast. I suppose if you are not doing anything negative in your own time and just focusing on fitness (swimming, physio, massage etc) then grafting in training isn't so important, batistuta famously didn't train because his knees were shot, King similar. Remember seeing summer holiday pics of huddlestone and he'd clearly gone mad at the buffet, it'd take him a couple of months into the season proper to get back down to able weight. It's all discipline, and it's become more pronounced, social media, the other half, immediate family, how you drive, where you holiday, if you walk down the tunnel early, - every fart, eye flicker, forkful of food, insta like, red carpet party, sponsorship deal is scrutinised. The Gana thread on here that has been poured over exhaustibly over the word 'did'.
We've all gotten used to instant news, 24 hour feed, product consumption, every atom of the game, the players, access all the time.
I've not read them but I've caught excerpts from 'the secret footballer', it seems the career at the top or damn-well near it can be quite lonely and a tightrope of temptation and torment. The career isn't what it was, and it's no surprise so many get away from the game as quick and as far as they do once retired.
TLDR? gotta change with the times or end up obsolete.
BainesontoastNEW
Player Valuation: £40m
Abou Diaby was another one Arsenal had. He looked like peak Vieira when fit.
Gilbert..
Player Valuation: £50m
Two from days gone by at Everton. Paul Bracewell and Ian Snodin. It was heartbreaking to see they were not the same players. Was never mentioned. But we all knew.
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