[Uncle Rico]

Re: 2015 Squad Numbers : Fri Dec 05, 2014 1:40 pm  

latchfordbob wrote:

Why is anybody bothered about what numbers players have. They'll play the same if they have 6, 29, 450 or the letter H on their back.

Bob, whilst I might agree with your sentiment about shirt numbers, it wouldn't matter to me personally, I'm not so sure that it applies to everyone even professional players.

Numbers rightly or wrongly, do have significance beyond simple playing positions especially the key ones IMO. For example, when there was a debate about Ratchford at FB the consensus seemed to be that TS first choice at FB was Russell as he had the No 1 shirt although admittedly it didn't seem to bother Ratchford the year before when he displaced Hodgson.

Apart from affording rank, for example your in the first 11, 13, 17 etc players can be superstitious about numbers and often a certain number is allocated to the team's star performer which might be a confidence boost or a burden although this usually applies more to football, United's 7 being a prime example.

All in all it probably as simple as it should be

Re: 2015 Squad Numbers : Fri Dec 05, 2014 1:53 pm  

I can assure you that it does mean something to the players. They want to be seen as first choice in their position.

Re: 2015 Squad Numbers : Fri Dec 05, 2014 2:02 pm  

mark_m wrote:

I can assure you that it does mean something to the players. They want to be seen as first choice in their position.

I don't know the answer to this btw, but how many times a season do you see a team play 1-13? If you're outside the 13, you're going to get a chance to play and if you do well enough, you'll keep your place. Players don't play any different because they have a different number on their back

.

Uncle Rico wrote:

latchfordbob wrote:

Why is anybody bothered about what numbers players have. They'll play the same if they have 6, 29, 450 or the letter H on their back.

Bob, whilst I might agree with your sentiment about shirt numbers, it wouldn't matter to me personally, I'm not so sure that it applies to everyone even professional players.

Numbers rightly or wrongly, do have significance beyond simple playing positions especially the key ones IMO. For example, when there was a debate about Ratchford at FB the consensus seemed to be that TS first choice at FB was Russell as he had the No 1 shirt although admittedly it didn't seem to bother Ratchford the year before when he displaced Hodgson.

Apart from affording rank, for example your in the first 11, 13, 17 etc players can be superstitious about numbers and often a certain number is allocated to the team's star performer which might be a confidence boost or a burden although this usually applies more to football, United's 7 being a prime example.

All in all it probably as simple as it should be

Players can be superstitious but it shouldn't make a difference to performance. Especially at professional levels.

United's no 7 is one of the biggest myths in the game.

[Uncle Rico]

Re: 2015 Squad Numbers : Fri Dec 05, 2014 2:24 pm  

latchfordbob wrote:

I don't know the answer to this btw, but how many times a season do you see a team play 1-13? If you're outside the 13, you're going to get a chance to play and if you do well enough, you'll keep your place. Players don't play any different because they have a different number on their back

.Players can be superstitious but it shouldn't make a difference to performance. Especially at professional levels.

United's no 7 is one of the biggest myths in the game.

I think the word that you were looking for is legend it certainly isn't a myth

Re: 2015 Squad Numbers : Fri Dec 05, 2014 2:34 pm  

I guess it's a confidence boost for the guys saying if everyone is fit and on form the first 17 are the guys we see as the best.

For the younsters just getting the first team number is a huge confidence boost.

Re: 2015 Squad Numbers : Fri Dec 05, 2014 2:46 pm  

Uncle Rico wrote:

I think the word that you were looking for is legend it certainly isn't a myth

legend? Owen? Valencia? Phelan? Kanchelskis? Wallace? Blackmore? and they're just the last 6 I found

United's marketing bods have combined brain cells to invent the legend of the No 7 based on two of our greatest players predominately wearing it, along with another player who sometimes wore it.

Wire Yed wrote:

I guess it's a confidence boost for the guys saying if everyone is fit and on form the first 17 are the guys we see as the best.

Based on that logic, it's not much of a confidence boost for Asotasi or Higham.

Re: 2015 Squad Numbers : Fri Dec 05, 2014 3:35 pm  

Higham is a seasoned pro, he'll be both aware is time is limited and that Clark is more deserving of the 9 shirt.
Asotasi should be thankful we don't have American football sized squad numbers.

[Uncle Rico]

Re: 2015 Squad Numbers : Fri Dec 05, 2014 3:36 pm  

latchfordbob wrote:

legend? Owen? Valencia? Phelan? Kanchelskis? Wallace? Blackmore? and they're just the last 6 I found

United's marketing bods have combined brain cells to invent the legend of the No 7 based on two of our greatest players predominately wearing it, along with another player who sometimes wore it.

Based on that logic, it's not much of a confidence boost for Asotasi or Higham.

And for completeness and a sense of fairness in your argument, when were squad numbers introduced in Football? I'm sure Russell Bearsdmore also wore a 7 now and again, but, I don't think that supports your argument, it's just the way it was back in the 'old' days.

More recently Valencia couldn't handle the 7 shirt apparently so gave it up for a 25

Oh and these two greatest players you speak of and for a bit of counter balance to your Wallace/Kancheskis/Phelan/Blackmore misdirection, I'll throw in a few half decent 7's for you to chew over, Best, Cantona, Beckham, Robson, Ronaldo......I'm not sure if the current shirt owner Di Maria is all that, we will have to wait and see

On matters Wire why would Higham for example be worried about 14 he's worn it before and it's not an unusual number for hooking duties especially when we are lucky enough to have two first grade specialists rather than a half back or LF that must fill in at '9' now and again. May be Higham might have been concerned if the 9/14 shirt had gone to A N Other and he'd been allocated a random number in the 20's.

Talking of confidence boosts if GOB is in pole position to be our first choice '6' (I'm not saying he is or isn't that's a different argument), but, what a confidence boost it would be for TS to him to tell him that based on the end of season performances he's earned the right to wear the jersey, you're my '6' Gaz step up etc etc? In your world that would matter and I'd have to beg to differ.

Re: 2015 Squad Numbers : Fri Dec 05, 2014 3:53 pm  

Wire Yed wrote:

Higham is a seasoned pro, he'll be both aware is time is limited and that Clark is more deserving of the 9 shirt.
Asotasi should be thankful we don't have American football sized squad numbers.

That's my point. Higham will play the same next season if he's wearing 9. 14 or 243.

Uncle Rico wrote:

And for completeness and a sense of fairness in your argument, when were squad numbers introduced in Football? I'm sure Russell Bearsdmore also wore a 7 now and again, but, I don't think that supports your argument, it's just the way it was back in the 'old' days.

More recently Valencia couldn't handle the 7 shirt apparently so gave it up for a 25

Oh and these two greatest players you speak of and for a bit of counter balance to your Wallace/Kancheskis/Phelan/Blackmore misdirection, I'll throw in a few half decent 7's for you to chew over, Best, Cantona, Beckham, Robson, Ronaldo......I'm not sure if the current shirt owner Di Maria is all that, we will have to wait and see

On matters Wire why would Higham for example be worried about 14 he's worn it before and it's not an unusual number for hooking duties especially when we are lucky enough to have two first grade specialists rather than a half back or LF that must fill in at '9' now and again. May be Higham might have been concerned if the 9/14 shirt had gone to A N Other and he'd been allocated a random number in the 20's.

Talking of confidence boosts if GOB is in pole position to be our first choice '6' (I'm not saying he is or isn't that's a different argument), but, what a confidence boost it would be for TS to him to tell him that based on the end of season performances he's earned the right to wear the jersey, you're my '6' Gaz step up etc etc? In your world that would matter and I'd have to beg to differ.

Blimey, I forgot about Ronaldo. My two were Cantona and Robson with Best wearing 11 probably as much as 7. I've even seen that he wore 8 on occasions as well. But who was to know that Ronaldo would go on to do what he has done. He was a direct replacement for Beckham and took his number. It's all a bit of coincidence anyway. Best would have worn it if he was playing on the right that day. I'm not sure why Robson wore it, probably because McIlroy was wearing 4 and Greenhoff 8. Cantona would have got it because all the other numbers around were taken by players who'd been at clubs for a few years and Robson was playing less of a part.

If a professional player needs to be given the right number for confidence, I doubt he'd make it in the first place. If TS wanted to boost his confidence, he could say to him now, Gaz, you're my number one choice for stand off next season. When it came to the first game of the season, he'd play the same with 20 as he would with 6.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: 2015 Squad Numbers : Fri Dec 05, 2014 4:54 pm  

i always picture robson wearing 12