BigSoccer's Players of the Season: 1967-68

My team:
Pantelic; Carlos Alberto, Beckenbauer, Moore, Facchetti; Gerson, Charlton; Best, Pele, Eusebio, Dzajic

Top 3:
1. Best
2. Charlton
3. Dzajic

 

Tom, I follow the threads with attention and I tried to make my list of 23, but it was quite difficult to me for the cases of the split seasons here. I prefer to vote when I'm more sure of each of my elections so as not to influence the results of those who are more secure.

By the way, it seems somewhat easier to vote for the ideal team and the top 3.

 

Can this also be explained in some way? Without glancing over the obvious individual weaknesses (e.g. Pele outscored by his team mates).

Note here Best actually won his BdO with an ultra low percentage.

 

Finalists

BEST, George (Northern Ireland & Manchester United)
CHARLTON, Bobby (England & Manchester United)
DZAJIC, Dragan (Yugoslavia & Red Star Belgrade)

Team of the Season

GK: ZOFF, Dino (Italy & Napoli)
CB: FIGUEROA, Elías (Chile & Peñarol)
CB: MOORE, Bobby (England & West Ham United)
RB: CARLOS ALBERTO (Brazil & Santos)
LB: SCHNELLINGER, Karl-Heinz (Germany & AC Milan)
CM: BECKENBAUER, Franz (Germany & Bayern Munich)
CM: CHARLTON, Bobby (England & Manchester United)
RW: BEST, George (Northern Ireland & Manchester United)
LW: DZAJIC, Dragan (Yugoslavia & Red Star Belgrade)
FW: RIVERA, Gianni (Italy & AC Milan)
FW: EUSÉBIO (Portugal & Benfica)

Looks like an all-time team.

I'm not sure about the centre-backs. I hesitated between Figueroa and Shesternyov. I think Figueroa had already achieved a very good status in Uruguay in 1967 and 1968, but I'm not so sure if his performances were constant between the 2 intermediate semesters.

I had Fazlagic very much in mind for the right-back spot, but I think Carlos Alberto reaches his best level more or less at that point.

Choosing between Rivera and Tostao has also been difficult for me.

 

I already made that list weeks ago, so I'm not sure if I remember all the details. The inclusion of Pele is based on his all-around reputation, and also because there was a spot available in the centre where there wasn't an obvious candidate.

As I mentioned, the Brazilian tour was a high profile event during this time, and while Pele didn't play, it was obvious he was still the main guy in Brazil, so that's why he's in. Not sure what you mean about being outscored by teammates, Santos or NT or what? Santos' league numbers don't really matter, because that was somewhere in the bottom of priorities for them. They were a sideshow, a travelling carnival where Pele was the attraction, and the other guys were there to make up the numbers.

 

Yes, of course @TomStevens. I had it prepared but could not post it earlier. Well, anyway, here it is :

------------------Zoff-------------------
C.Alberto------Beckenbauer------Facchetti
----------Osim-----------Moore-----------
----------Charlton---------Pelé------
---Best----------Tostao---------Dzajic

or

Beckenbauer-Moore
Charlton-Osim-Tostao and Pelé at the cf position but you can see why I prefer the first template.


1. Pelé
2. George Best
3. Dragan Dzajic
4. Robert Charlton
5. Franz Beckenbauer


Banks would be my #1 bis. Well, at least he's my gk #2. As for Pantelic (who is my #1 in '67), I think that he shown his limitations in those high-profiled games. Zoff : benefits of the beginner's luck.
This is a fact (told by himself and wich is objectively a 'true fact') for manys now that Rivera had his best season here, one year before his ballon d'or but... I think that his NT career with dots would have influenced myself, and work against his favor.
Also, I imagine that I would have been impressed by he rise of Tostao (and the duo that he constituted with Pelé) whilst I would have judged that Eusebio was a bit stagnant (in spite of his goals, against Juve... this Juve...). Tostao and Pelé can really make the plays and score. Eusébio was still young enough but so was Tostao, who was even way younger ofc (5 years younger). Also, then, we know that the Portuguese forward's game never really evolved in spite of this number 10 printed on the back of his shirt.
He could make plays in the last meters though, that's for sure. But in my view, it is more thanks to his explosivity, that he still has, for the moment. Yeah, I can be influenced a bit by the following of his career for a little part of my choice ('little', I believe, yet) .

 

Really, what did Beckenbauer do this season (in whatever substantial form or shape) to merit a number five spot? It's like Modric being there for this current one (who had NT wise still a good game against Spain for example). The Iniesta of the 1970s.

I have a bit of the same with Pele (you had him not in top 10 in 1967 and now a big jump to number one? What's the massive difference?). Despite both selecting in my 23.

 

Yeah.

Played for national team.

 

Which ones?
I can change my LB to Schnellinger if that changes anything.

 

Then I will leave it as it is.
The only thing that could change it is the feedback from Germany, requested weeks ago.

 

Just a short remark/ note/ precision : the Eusebio v Tostao discussion occured several times. For me, it was a triangle with Riva.

 

Exactly, there are 9 players tied to 3 votes, from the 21st to the 29th position. Only 3 fit in the top 23. My opinion is this: Zoff is in 7 lists of the ideal XI, Moore, in 5, Schnellinger in 2 and the others 6 in none. The easiest and logical thing is to put Zoff, Moore and Schnellinger in the top 23. The other 6 will remain as honorable mentions.

 

I wrote about Prieto, Figueroa andFouilloux among chileans, already.

For Peru, the players peaking in this period were Perico Leon and Baylon (Alianza), Chumpitaz and Chale (Universitario). Close to them, De la Torre and Gallardo (Cristal), Mifflin, Cubillas.

 

Dzajic: to be honest I don't know how he did outside the Euro - this involves a bit of guesswork and is based on him winning Eastern Europe Best player in a landslide, being features in all kind of XI, his high BD playment.... He also won Yugoslavian Athlete of the Year, which was the first time for a football player.
Gerson: mentioned as player of the year by JdS and the only "lock" for the NT alongside Pelé; apparently (one of) best player in both Rio state editions; featuring in different XI.

 

Seen it in Buchan. I'll to post the game report if I find it.

I thought about it in the meantime and I have to agree with this.
CAT 1st and Facchetti 2nd

I will include Shesternev.

Interesting, I will look into it, however I doubt there is enough space to include him.

 

Very helpful post, thanks.

Not much to add - only this:
Facchetti was actually rated ahead of Schnellinger until the 27th matchday. Milan won the title at that point - I don't know if Inter/Facchetti really had anything to play for after that, given how ICFC spots were decided randomly. Might have rested for the Euros.

 

My List:

Albert
Amancio
Ball
Beckenbauer
Best
Carlos Alberto
Charlton
Cruijff
Domenghini
Dzajic
Eusebio
Facchetti
Figueroa
Gerson
Jairzinho
Lubanski
Mazzola
Netzer
Pele
Rivera
Shesternyov
Streltsov
Tostao

 

Thanks, I also would like to see this for the others not explained by you already.

 

Going back to Lubanski and Player of the Year in Poland, I did notice on Deyna's Wikipedia page (maybe the Polish one I think though if I remember correctly, translated by copying the address into a Google search and clicking translate page) that he was awarded a Player of the Season award for 1968/69 (relevant to the new thread of course not this one).

I have a feeling that is a different award to the one English Wikipedia states Lubanski won in 1967 and 1970 with no award being given in between. Just like there are different awards in the Netherlands as Puck has told us.