Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Fri May 17, 2013 11:10 pm  

Thought Beckham was OK, but clearly never great. He didn't have pace, but he was hardly a master dribbler, or a player of magical movement, was he? His final ball from out wide was always excellent, clearly, but there have been many players who've had more to their game than that throughout their career. As he's grown older he's matured his passing and positional play in midfield, but he's clearly been grossly overrated by so many people, particularly England fans, some of whom probably still believe he should still be in the team as captain.

With regards to his career, I like that he left England, it shown great courage to leave when you were the country's/world's most popular player. However, the move to LA will always be sniggered at. I know he was in a crud position in Madrid at the time, but surely that will be his biggest career regret? He still had something to offer in Europe and he gave up on himself a couple of years too early IMO.

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Fri May 17, 2013 11:39 pm  

He was a one-trick pony really wasn't he. Best and Waddle are right with their summaries of his overall talent. Most over-hyped footballer of his generation.

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Fri May 17, 2013 11:47 pm  

McClennan wrote:

He was a one-trick pony really wasn't he. Best and Waddle are right with their summaries of his overall talent. Most over-hyped footballer of his generation.

I think it's a little harsh considering he did develop some areas of his game. He also possessed a decent enough attitude on the pitch. However, for someone of his shooting ability, I don't recall him being a consistent threat from open play, particularly when he played centrally.

He probably takes the most hyped crown just because he was hyped that much by idiots (and still is hyped that much by idiots). I wouldn't say Beckham was as much of a one trick pony as Michael Owen, but he'll clearly be remembered for what he achieved off the field rather than on it. His career highlight remains a goal in a qualifier in a game England should have won easily. As great a moment as it was, it was hardly the stuff of legend, was it?

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Sat May 18, 2013 5:43 am  

Roddy B wrote:

However, the move to LA will always be sniggered at. I know he was in a crud position in Madrid at the time, but surely that will be his biggest career regret? He still had something to offer in Europe and he gave up on himself a couple of years too early IMO.

If he got to do Katie Holmes then I think the LA move was totally worth it.

If they were just all in it for the photo ops then maybe it was worth it, maybe not. As a career regret, it just shows he has had a magnificent career.

I think Best and Waddle's assessment of Beckham is closer than the media fawning of him, but a little harsh too.

One thing I will say in Beckham's defence, if I was given a choice of having Beckham's career or George Best's, I'd choose Beckham's every time. Beckham won more than Best, he achieved more personally than Best, he LIVED better than Best did. Best may have had dribbling skill that Beckham could only dream about, but Beckham's management of his career was done with even more artistry than Best could do on the pitch.

And Chris Waddle? Chris ****ing Waddle??? Joey Barton's probably got more room to talk than that geordie div.

Personally I think the media reaction to Beckham retiring is ridiculous and he's not worth it. I give his retirement a shrug of the shoulders and that's it.

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Sat May 18, 2013 7:38 am  

To be fair to Beckham, most of the over hype is from people not actually involved in football or that interested in football. Whilst waiting to see the dentist yesterday I watched a few minutes of a telly tribute programme in which people seriously suggested he should be made England manager for the World Cup. It made waiting for the dentist more enjoyable.

Clearly not a truly great player, although his performance against Greece must go down as one of the best by an England player.

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Sat May 18, 2013 11:17 am  

Cibaman wrote:

Clearly not a truly great player, although his performance against Greece must go down as one of the best by an England player.

Didn't he have five or six free kick attempts that sailed over before he connected with one?

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Sat May 18, 2013 12:50 pm  

McClennan wrote:

Didn't he have five or six free kick attempts that sailed over before he connected with one?

yes he did, but he played well other than that tbf

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Sat May 18, 2013 2:19 pm  

I was pretty leathered that day. It was Saints at the Pies in the playoffs and that was on beforehand lol. We got thrashed too IIRC lol.

All this praise has got me thinking just how little we've had to cheer as England fans, in terms of individual players. If I was doing an all-time England there's only a handful of players I could say are certs e.g. Gazza, Cole, Robson, Lineker, Shearer. After that it gets a bit tough through inconsistency.

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Sat May 18, 2013 6:54 pm  

McClennan wrote:

I was pretty leathered that day. It was Saints at the Pies in the playoffs and that was on beforehand lol. We got thrashed too IIRC lol.

All this praise has got me thinking just how little we've had to cheer as England fans, in terms of individual players. If I was doing an all-time England there's only a handful of players I could say are certs e.g. Gazza, Cole, Robson, Lineker, Shearer. After that it gets a bit tough through inconsistency.

Moore
Banks
Charlton
Wilson
Greaves
Shilton
Keegan?
Brooking?
Ball, Peters, Hurst (if only for '66)

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Sat May 18, 2013 8:29 pm  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1jyeGHDORQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1jyeGHDORQ