How Much Talent Does it Take to be an Elite Footballer?

[wiseone]

I always laugh when amateur beer belly fans describe a Super Eagles player as a “wastepipe” or “junk”. Even the worst player on a Premier League team would look like prime Messi when playing against amateurs. Watch this Rondos training drill by the England team. That is Kyle Walker (one of the best RBs in the world) in the middle. Yet he was made to look pedestrian in the drill. The speed at which the players moved the ball was utterly spell binding.

[wiseone]

[Kabalega]

It depends on the agent’s talent.

[wiseone]

Kabalega, nowadays even a player represented by Jorge Mendes cannot make it to the top unless he is very talented and/or athletic.

[Kabalega]

Kabalega, nowadays even a player represented by Jorge Mendes cannot make it to the top unless he is very talented and/or athletic.

FYI, CR7 dumped Mendes for a reason.

[wiseone]

2 reasons actually: because Mendes advised him not to do that interview with Piers Morgan, and Mendes tried to explain the difficulties of convincing Europe’s top teams to break their wage structure to sign a legendary but ageing striker pushing 40yo and coming to the end of his career.

FYI, CR7 dumped Mendes for a reason.

[balo]

I always laugh when amateur beer belly fans describe a Super Eagles player as a “wastepipe” or “junk”. Even the worst player on a Premier League team would look like prime Messi when playing against amateurs. Watch this Rondos training drill by the England team. That is Kyle Walker (one of the best RBs in the world) in the middle. Yet he was made to look pedestrian in the drill. The speed at which the players moved the ball was utterly spell binding.

Awon "dagbalaamu" dede.

No mind them. Walker na senior citizen and those boys should be advised accordingly.

[balo]

Obviously not much talent is required these days. Or maybe we are plucking today's players way too early from their mothers.

[wiseone]

[Bigpokey24]

only those who have never played the game would come up with such a thread

[wiseone]

[Orion]

Michael Owen is talking a lot of nonsense there. After football, this once great baller turned into a bitter gambling addict. So, I'm not surprised he is belittling the talent of current players.

You still need great football skills, but now you also need to be athletic and professional (on and off the pitch) to keep up with the pace and high demands of the top leagues.

[wiseone]

I agree with you. A player like Matt Le Tissier from the 1990s (brilliant technique, no work rate or speed) would not make it in today's game. Nowadays, not only do players need to have technique, but they need to combine it with the ability to execute at speed and be supremely fit.

Michael Owen is talking a lot of nonsense there. After football, this once great baller turned into a bitter gambling addict. So, I'm not surprised he is belittling the talent of current players.

You still need great football skills, but now you also need to be athletic and professional (on and off the pitch) to keep up with the pace and high demands of the top leagues.

[mate]

I keep having this very discussion with American friends especially. They think raw athleticism is the answer. Usain Bolt would be a GREAT footballer...he tried somewhat late and didn't make the cut.

Footballers have to be marathoners, full stop. As well as thinkers with great ball skills. Otherwise great athleticism is for naught.

For me, a top footballer minimally has:

1) Endurance.
2) Reasonable pace.
3) Great balls skills, especially passing.
4) High game and team IQ.
5) The psychology to stay focused and disciplined ALL game.
6) A ruthless ego to commit to winning...but enough humbleness to stick to the game plan.

Per what some of you inferred, an amateur with great skills, but fatally lacking in other areas, can make a Walker or Modric look bad in drills. Maybe even in a pick up. Maybe if in a real match...but Walker and Modric will kill them overall in the match, where their liabilities produce catastrophic breakdowns.

And by the way, so many great raw athletes sometimes glaringly lack 1 or more needed attributes. What good is it having an NFL running back who will wind or can't master nice passing? It's not like big countries cannot field a team of tall, powerful, fast, and muscular athletes...it just doesn't work.

Football is its own craft with its own skillsets. I agree it is NOT EASY at all to be a successful pro. Bottom line for me: the pros are consistent in their play, possessing a minimal of the aforementioned attributes.

[felarey]

Didn't Bryan Robson write in a book that you shouldn't waste your time juggling cos you're a football player not a circus clown.
He also said something like go right ahead and drink that stout kid if you wanna bulk up. Shows what Sir Alex had to clean up with those guys. Can't imagine having a good touch/balance without knowing how to juggle. But I remember growing up, some guys could hit 200+ easily, the best guy didn't like to play football. They say players in the EPL cover 10-13km per game, midfielders doing the most.

[joao]

For me, a top footballer minimally has:

1) Endurance.
2) Reasonable pace.
3) Great balls skills, especially passing.
4) High game and team IQ.
5) The psychology to stay focused and disciplined ALL game.
6) A ruthless ego to commit to winning...but enough humbleness to stick to the game plan.

Per what some of you inferred, an amateur with great skills, but fatally lacking in other areas, can make a Walker or Modric look bad in drills. Maybe even in a pick up. Maybe if in a real match...but Walker and Modric will kill them overall in the match, where their liabilities produce catastrophic breakdowns.

Football is its own craft with its own skillsets. I agree it is NOT EASY at all to be a successful pro. Bottom line for me: the pros are consistent in their play, possessing a minimal of the aforementioned attributes.

Thanks mate , your six-point requisites for a top footballer are quite apt.
I've always informed herein that numbers four and five are what most African players
and teams lack and which are keeping them from being 'world class'. The two players
you mentioned Modric and Walker cannot the described as ball jugglers, but they are
major contributors to the trophies lifted by their clubs.
Most importantly, having talents alone cannot lead to trophies if they cannot be a cohesive
disciplined bunch with focus on working together for the same agenda - see today's Brazil.

[mate]

For me, a top footballer minimally has:

1) Endurance.
2) Reasonable pace.
3) Great balls skills, especially passing.
4) High game and team IQ.
5) The psychology to stay focused and disciplined ALL game.
6) A ruthless ego to commit to winning...but enough humbleness to stick to the game plan.

Per what some of you inferred, an amateur with great skills, but fatally lacking in other areas, can make a Walker or Modric look bad in drills. Maybe even in a pick up. Maybe if in a real match...but Walker and Modric will kill them overall in the match, where their liabilities produce catastrophic breakdowns.

Football is its own craft with its own skillsets. I agree it is NOT EASY at all to be a successful pro. Bottom line for me: the pros are consistent in their play, possessing a minimal of the aforementioned attributes.

Thanks mate , your six-point requisites for a top footballer are quite apt.
I've always informed herein that numbers four and five are what most African players
and teams lack and which are keeping them from being 'world class'. The two players
you mentioned Modric and Walker cannot the described as ball jugglers, but they are
major contributors to the trophies lifted by their clubs.
Most importantly, having talents alone cannot lead to trophies if they cannot be a cohesive
disciplined bunch with focus on working together for the same agenda - see today's Brazil.

I might be overthinking it. But points 4 and 5 seem to be anchored in having many players in top leagues. I'm thinking Spain and Germany, for me the best Euro nations so far. But to a slightly lesser degree, France and Portugal, who all can surge.

Their players are in the best leagues against the best talent. Developing their style and unity. Practicing effectively as a team, learning the discipline and focus at top clubs.

It's hard even for Brazil now to compete with this.

[wiseone]

[furiously frank]

One of the best thread on CE. Thanks

[wiseone]

Wickedness.

Michael Owen is talking a lot of nonsense there. After football, this once great baller turned into a bitter gambling addict. So, I'm not surprised he is belittling the talent of current players.

You still need great football skills, but now you also need to be athletic and professional (on and off the pitch) to keep up with the pace and high demands of the top leagues.

[bamenda boy]

Michael Owen is talking a lot of nonsense there. After football, this once great baller turned into a bitter gambling addict. So, I'm not surprised he is belittling the talent of current players.

You still need great football skills, but now you also need to be athletic and professional (on and off the pitch) to keep up with the pace and high demands of the top leagues.

I find it interesting that you believe your opinion is better than someone who has lived the experience. To the point of calling an experts opinion, " nonsense".

[wiseone]

[wiseone]