BigSoccer's Players of the Season: 1968-69

These are the top 30 best-rated BL players according to Kicker for 1968-69:

01) BECKENBAUER, Franz Bayern Sweeper 33 1.58
02) VOGTS, Hans-Hubert M’Gladbach Stopper 34 1.65
03) GROSS, Volkmar Hertha BSC Goalkeeper 17 1.71
04) NETZER, Günter 1. FC Köln Attacking Midfield 27 1.74
05) FICHTEL, Klaus FC Schalke 04 Sweeper 29 1.79
06) PERUSIC, Zeljko 1860 München Stopper/Defensive Midfield21 1.90
07) MANGLITZ, Manfred Duisburg Goalkeeper 33 1.94
08) RYNIO, Jürgen Nürnberg Goalkeeper 25 1.96
08) WOLTER, Horst Braunschweig Goalkeeper 26 1.96
10) HEINZE, Gerhard Stuttgart Goalkeeper 33 1.97
10) WIMMER, Rudolf Offenbach Goalkeeper 33 1.97
12) FRAYDL, Gernot Hertha BSC Goalkeeper 18 2.00
13) MAIER, Josef Bayern Goalkeeper 34 2.03
13) NIGBUR, Norbert FC Schalke 04 Goalkeeper 31 2.03
15) KUNTER, Peter Frankfurt Goalkeeper 20 2.05
16) NUBER, Hermann Offenbach Sweeper 34 2.06
16) PATZKE, Bernd 1860 München Left Back 31 2.06
18) RADENKOVIC, Petar 1860 München Goalkeeper 30 2.07
18) SCHOLZ, Werner Aachen Goalkeeper 30 2.07
20) KAACK, Peter Braunschweig Stopper 26 2.08
21) WITT, Uwe Hertha BSC Stopper 34 2.09
21) KOPPENHÖFER, Herward Kaiserslautern Right Back 33 2.09
23) HEIDEMANN, Hartmut Duisburg Right Back 19 2.11
24) HELD, Sigfried Dortmund Center Forward 33 2.12
24) ZACZYK, Klaus Nürnberg Right Midfield 34 2.12
26) BLEIDICK, Hartwig M’Gladbach Left Back 34 2.15
26) FRIEDRICH, Jürgen Kaiserslautern Central Midfield 34 2.15
28) DANNER, Volker M’Gladbach Goalkeeper 25 2.16
28) BREUER, Christian Hannover Sweeper 32 2.16
28) HÖTTGES, Horst-Dieter Bremen Left Back 31 2.16

And based on those grades, this would be the "Team of the Season":

Gross - Koppenhöfer, Beckenbauer, Vogts, Patzke - Perusic, Zaczyk, Netzer, Friedrich - Wimmer, Held

However, the actual "Team of the Season" was this (with numbers of appearances in the "Team of the Day"):

1968-69

------Volkert 5--------Held 6-------G Müller 7------Libuda 5

-----------------Netzer 10----------------------Zaczyk 6

-----Bella 6-------Patzke 7-------Beckenbauer 11-----Koppenhöfer 5

----------------------------------Manglitz 5

 

Do you reckon I changed my Köln representative to Netzer?

 

To do you a favor and as gratitude for your ideas and explanations (and highlight the predictable nonsense on this board to place Riva and Tostao breezily ahead) I've taken a look again in The Times and Sunday Times archive from around this time. I assure you this is a representative selection:

Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler

European Cup final, The Times (Geoffrey Green): "There was only one team in it as the wonderfully composed Italian defence blotted out the Ajax attack, depending too heavily on one man, Cruyff, while at the other end Rivera and Sormani tormented the Dutch defence and opened the way for three goals by Prati."

(now, connect this to the other dots - as mentioned he provided the pass for winning the penalty in the final)

Geoffrey Green: "Meanwhile, the Dutch have yet to be convinced, like others in the world, that England are in fact the global champions in terms of skill. No one will doubt our spirit and temperament. The skill, important though it may be in football, is only a part of the game. Others have yet to learn that while we still search for perfection of the grammar of the game. The Netherlands at this moment have a talented side for all the fact that they have virtually failed to reach Mexico. Perhaps, in spite of their skill, they lack those two other important ingredients - spirit and temperament.
There are two new Dutch internationals, Treytel, a 20-year-old goalkeeper and Krol, the Ajax full back. They employ a mobile 4-3-3 line-up. But, if there is one man above all who will challenge Ramsey's company tomorrow night it is Cruyff, also of Ajax, master of ball manipulation and destruction. In the passage of time he has taken Liverpool apart at the seams in the European Cup and not Liverpool alone. Only three months ago, the great Brazillian club Santos of Pele and company offered a reputed sum of £200.000 for his services. That shows the mark of the man. Meanwhile, England must face him tomorrow."

Green: "But truly, the England attack was but a shadow of the flower that blossomed at Wembley against Scotland last May. There seemed a desperate effort to establish a relationship from midfield into that vital area inside the opposition penalty box.
But this, too, could also be said of the Dutch for all their clever footwork in approach. The whole match seemed too overweighted with thought and complicated pattern; a largely unproductive chess match until stalemate was broken luckily at the end: a game of possession without penetration.
When Bell decided the affair, he did so with what would have been the sort of full toss or long hop that gets a vital wicket at cricket. Earlier, on the stroke of half time, Bell certainly had Treitel beaten with a header on to the crossbar from Hurst's cross. A quarter of an hour after half time. Bell also had the first real chance of the match after Peters had centred from the left.
When the Nctherlands began to turn the screw some quarter of an hour from the finish, there was Van Dijk shooting straight at Bonetti when he might have put the Dutch ahead. The talented Cruyff once beat four men in a dazzling run also to shoot at the England goalkeeper. Thus England were able to snatch their win on a still but cold night.
[...]
England once more were a solid side, skilfully woven together at the back, living on quick breaks from midfield with back runners rather than any individual flair. It was a companionship of spirit and animation without beauty. That was left to the great natural talent of Cruyff, a beautiful plaver on the ball, with a lyrical grace about him. Two or three times he left Jackie Charlton like a statue and he held the ball in a possessive predatory way with an elusive air of authority."

Green: "Sadly, not all the best and most entertaining players will be there, already left behind in the shadows with sides who are unable to come up to scratch in the intense scramble of the qualifying competition.
There will be no Eusebio. for instance, top scorer in the 1966 World Cup with nine goals when Portugal reached the semi-final round; no George Best, of Northern Ireland Bremner, of Scotland. Amancio, of Spain, Cruyff, of the Netherlands, or Rattin the gifted but fiery Argentine. The high-scoring Lubanski will also be missing should Poland be eliminated next weekend, and even that talented pair, Bene and Albert if Hungary lose to Czechoslovakia in midweek. All these represent forward strikers or creative providers whose absence will be a loss.
Yet there is always the other side of the coin. England will again have their communal teamwork, temperament and depth of reserve power to offer, with men like Moore, Bobby Charlton (we hope), Ball, Lee and Peters at the heart of the effort. It is felt that, as holders, Moore and his men will be the most feared combination when the ball is set in motion on May 31."

"In Amsterdam two months ago, Netherlands showed themselves to be a creative side who lacked the one vital requisite of finishing. Venturing a long distance guess, I would nominate them to reach the concluding stages of the 1974 World Cup in West Germany. At present they are a young team - average age around 21-and still developing, with outstanding players in Cruyff (for whom Santos of Brazil have bid in the open market) and Rijnders, the midfield creator. What they need at present is more steel in their soul."

"Perhaps they had a point since apart from Moore and Jones and a few movements from Bobby Charlton, the whole thing was anonymous from an England standpoint. They seemed merely to burn the night away while the Dutch, intent on not losing, moved in their well-oiled groove with some fine touches from Cruyff, Van Dijk and Jansen. A night of plenty of twists, but of the sort that, in the end, seemed merely straight and narrow and going nowhere. A match in which anything was never more than half finished. How difficult it is to get anything, let alone everything."

"Bertie Mee, Arsenal's manager, yesterday made a sudden dash to Holland to watch Ajax of Armsterdam play an Easter match against Eindhoven. His was a wise decision. Surely there was more to learn from a man like Cruyff and a side like Ajax, who last season reached the final of the European Cup, than could have been gleaned at Highbury where Arsenal were all but dragged down to Crystal Palace's own sad standards."

Green: "Of these Rijnders showed himself a sensitive and articulate creator while Cruyff again emphasized his rich skills as a dangerous ball player and striker- in the mould of a George Best both in balance and flowing hair style-a player several clubs in Italy and Brazil have coveted."
"Yet a skillful, elegant side full of creative touches, splendidly fluid when on the move, revolving around the swift, delicate touches of Cruyff and the penetration of Keizer and the liquid support of Reynders from midfield, they look to have the technical class and most of the ideas."

Green again: "The Dutchmen have matured since then and are now one of the more talented sides on the Continent, personified perhaps by the long-haired Cruyff, who is very much a 1970 football model, rich and highly publicized in the foreign glossy magazines."


Brian Glanville, Sunday Times November 1969: "It was also, however, a match in which Johan Cruyff occasionally did things beyond the powers of any England forward, and a week in which Luigi Riva scored three fine goals for Italy against Wales, in Rome, so emphasising England's chief deficiency, a goal-scorer of genius. Few countries have one, and of those, Holland, with Cruyff, and Yugoslavia, with Dzajic, are not going to Mexico. Brazil, who are, must wait to see whether Tostao recovers from his serious eye injury, in time to play: Pele, while still capable of wonders, isn't quite the force that he was."

Glanville again: "Ajax have Johan Cruyff, one of the world's best forwards, slender but eruptive, not to mention Keizer, that subtle left winger and the powerful Yugoslav. Vasovic, who has a habit of breaking out of defence to score."

Glanville, for the last time (April 1970): "The craft of Cruyff - Writer Brian Glanville and artist Paul Trevillion reveal some of the secrets of the greatest centre-forward in Europe
One sure mark of the outstanding footballer is his ability to play well when things are going against his team. By this criterion, Johan Cruyff, whose Ajax side were beaten 3-0 by Arsenal in the Fairs Cup last week, is a very fine player indeed. With Ajax , foolishly cautious, reduced for most of the game to a token attack of two or three men, Cruyff nevertheless played with steady commitment, fire and enterprise, on a muddy pitch which was anything but ideal for a player of his flimsy build. Cruyff was my choice in the annual poll organised by France Football for the European Footballer of the Year —though it was Rivera who won. Twenty-two years old, long-haired, thin as a lath, direct and outspoken, he confirmed the impression he made when he played for Holland against England at Wembley this season: that he is one of the world's most exciting players. Certainly he has his critics. "He plays for himself," murmured one Dutch journalist at Highbury darkly."

Hope you find this interesting and thanks for all those Florian Albert videos.

 

Thanks - the bolded things (by me, within the text I quoted in the spoiler section) certainly stand out I think. The comments relating to the Netherlands-England game tally with what I've seen of it too, as he did go on some elusive and skilful runs with the ball.

 

Pelé vs Rivera

For the #10 jersey, this one has been braincracking.
Going through the checklist:
-Pelé was probably player of the year since Santos was the big winner. He beats Toninho to the NT.
Rivera does not get the approval of DBS Calcio. And he probably gets the Ballon votes based on the previous season. He was arguably the best player of his team.
-For the NT, Pelé enjoyed a monopoly position.
Rivera is not always present.
-Pelé does not get much exposure on the big stage. He gets his share of luck in the Intercontinental cup. Griezmann did not get awarded for his fortune @WC18. But something can be said about making your own luck.
Rivera has a "bracist" in the EC1 final. For the rest there isn't much shine either.
-Domestically, Pelé wins all. It is not in the real Serie A.
Rivera's Milan places third. DBS reflects this achievement quite well, awarding the defense slightly more than the offense.
-Watching footage, I can't say that one player was better than the other. I am only certain that Milan played at a higher level than Santos. Their level of organization is better. Hardly any space is given away at the back and they are quick in transition.

All in all, Rivera played on a higher stage but Pelé had a perfect season.
Representation wise, Pelé should edge it. He has the caps, although the WCQ was a formality. Against England he did show conviction. It might have to do with Pelé's vanity ("I am still Pelé"), as a legend is supposed to play like one, in front of the world.

For the podium and the XI, I'd place both players below Kuna. So giving Rivera the #8 jersey is not an option. Milan should be well represented with 2 in the XI and arguably the most clutch players of their season.

XI
1 Cudicini
2 Fraser
3 Cooper
4 Gallego
5 Meléndez
6 Murdoch
7 Best
8 Kuna
9 Cruijff
10 Pelé
11 Prati

 

Interesting article about Rivera in El Mundo Deportivo (December 31, 1969).
For those who do not understand Spanish: Rivera received a lot of criticism from the Italian press, making him guilty of Milan's domestic campaign. Riva, "spoiled child" of the Italian press. However it stands out that 14 of the 26 polled by France Football to choose the Ballon d'Or chose Rivera, for 10 they did for Riva.

 

Marca (December 31, 1969), sorry.

 

Here's it by position:

Goalkeepers:
03) GROSS, Volkmar Hertha BSC Goalkeeper 17 1.71
07) MANGLITZ, Manfred Duisburg Goalkeeper 33 1.94
08) RYNIO, Jürgen Nürnberg Goalkeeper 25 1.96
08) WOLTER, Horst Braunschweig Goalkeeper 26 1.96
10) HEINZE, Gerhard Stuttgart Goalkeeper 33 1.97
10) WIMMER, Rudolf Offenbach Goalkeeper 33 1.97
12) FRAYDL, Gernot Hertha BSC Goalkeeper 18 2.00
13) MAIER, Josef Bayern Goalkeeper 34 2.03
13) NIGBUR, Norbert FC Schalke 04 Goalkeeper 31 2.03
15) KUNTER, Peter Frankfurt Goalkeeper 20 2.05
18) RADENKOVIC, Petar 1860 München Goalkeeper 30 2.07
18) SCHOLZ, Werner Aachen Goalkeeper 30 2.07
40) HEYERES, Paul 1. FC Köln Goalkeeper 21 2.24
43) GÜNTHER, Klaus Dortmund Goalkeeper 24 2.25
49) SCHNARR, Wolfgang Kaiserslautern Goalkeeper 26 2.31

Sweepers:
01) BECKENBAUER, Franz Bayern Sweeper 33 1.58
05) FICHTEL, Klaus FC Schalke 04 Sweeper 29 1.79
16) NUBER, Hermann Offenbach Sweeper 34 2.06
28) BREUER, Christian Hannover Sweeper 32 2.16
36) HUBERTS, Wilhelm Frankfurt Sweeper 33 2.22
36) SCHULZ, Willi Hamburg Sweeper 27 2.22
40) MOLL, Jürgen Braunschweig Sweeper 17 2.24
45) WENAUER, Ferdinand Nürnberg Sweeper 34 2.26
49) POLYWKA, Michael Braunschweig Right Midfield/Sweeper 29 2.31

Stoppers:
02) VOGTS, Hans-Hubert M’Gladbach Stopper 34 1.65
06) PERUSIC, Zeljko 1860 München Stopper/Defensive Midfield21 1.90
20) KAACK, Peter Braunschweig Stopper 26 2.08
21) WITT, Uwe Hertha BSC Stopper 34 2.09
31) SCHMIDT, Walter Braunschweig Left Back/Stopper 25 2.17
34) HOFFMANN, Theodor Stuttgart Stopper 31 2.19
40) MÜLLER, Ludwig Nürnberg Stopper 29 2.24
43) WEBER, Wolfgang 1. FC Köln Stopper 28 2.25

Left Backs:
16) PATZKE, Bernd 1860 München Left Back 31 2.06
26) BLEIDICK, Hartwig M’Gladbach Left Back 34 2.15
28) HÖTTGES, Horst-Dieter Bremen Left Back 31 2.16
31) SCHMIDT, Walter Braunschweig Left Back/Stopper 25 2.17
32) BELLA, Michael Duisburg Left Back 34 2.18

Right Backs:
21) KOPPENHÖFER, Herward Kaiserslautern Right Back 33 2.09
23) HEIDEMANN, Hartmut Duisburg Right Back 19 2.11

Midfielders:
04) NETZER, Günter M'Gladbach Attacking Midfield 27 1.74
06) PERUSIC, Zeljko 1860 München Stopper/Defensive Midfield21 1.90
24) ZACZYK, Klaus Nürnberg Right Midfield 34 2.12
26) FRIEDRICH, Jürgen Kaiserslautern Central Midfield 34 2.15
36) NEUSER, Gerhard FC Schalke 04 Central Midfield 27 2.22
39) GRESS, Gilbert Stuttgart Right Midfield 31 2.23
45) ENTENMANN, Willi Stuttgart Central Midfield 27 2.26
48) HOFFMANN, Erwin Aachen Defensive Midfield 30 2.30
49) POLYWKA, Michael Braunschweig Right Midfield/Sweeper 29 2.31

Strikers:
24) HELD, Sigfried Dortmund Center Forward 33 2.12
35) WIMMER, Herbert M’Gladbach Right Wing 34 2.21
47) SKOBLAR, Josip Hannover Center Forward 26 2.27

Further information: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/kicker-grades-1963-to-1989.2039567/

 

"Wilfried!"
Billy stays on the pitch.

 

This came out in Mundo Deportivo on January 3, 1970. It would be interesting to have more data. Maybe someone can contribute. I understand that Yacich is Dzajic.

 

https://adtplus.arcanum.hu/hu/view/NemzetiSport_1970_01/?pg=6&layout=s

 

This is exactly what I mean and part of what has annoyed me: how should this even be open for contemplation.

In the league they had the worst defensive record of any of their 1965 - 1973 years, with also the 2nd worst goal difference of these years (behind 1965-66). In the European Cup they conceded 11 goals in 10 (with two conceded after JC14 was kicked out in the 2nd leg of the semis), a pattern that also holds for the other matches (this link also shows the 'narrow' assists). Vasovic compensated for these leaks with 'only' 5 goals and at least 1 assist (possibly up til 5). I don't care about press ratings, this is ground for legitimate doubt.

Now, it can be said in later years the defense did have more protection, but basically they were there (and recognized as one of Europe's best teams) because of the attack, not defense. An attack that had consistently done their damage against the English, Spanish, German champs and Benfica (this season also played twice against English champs ManCity) but was sadly half-injured in the final (even then: Milan only conceded 4 goals all season as the home playing team in all competitions, and they were formally the home playing side in the final as well).

Ajax were perfectly fine in the handful matches Vasovic missed, for this season at least. Meanwhile, the points they lost because of Keizer and Cruijff (four dropped points) their absence account for the three points they lacked to pip Feyenoord for the title (they lost one game against Feyenoord with Keizer suspended). That's once again obvious to see.

Good luck with it but I won't vote in this cartel thread.

 

Tom, it looks like this thread has gotten stuck a bit. Does it seem appropriate if I suggest that you open the voting period to maintain motivation?

 

To add to this, thanks to the work of schwuppe and Puck on the previous thread, here is a reference to the 1969 team from FUWO:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4qKrP-2yZQnNU9QVGkxQlpraW8
It's in the second issue of 1973, with an article obviously relating to the 1972 voting (evidently most people that year placed Cruyff as right side attacker of the front 3, and some people as left side attacker, so as to choose him and Muller in the same selection). But the 1969 team is shown, along with the 1970 one too (which can help in combination for the next thread - 1969/70).

So the differences being that in that poll, Moore ended up getting into the team in central defence, with Beckenbauer instead of the other Bobby (Charlton) in midfield, plus Kindvall getting in the team rather than Muller.

 

Before I making my vote final, I'd like to nominate:
-Gert Bals, Ajax goalkeeper
-Karol Dobiaš, Spartak Trnava right back

The above players showed good skill in both legs of the EC1 semis.

 

68-69 23 select

Bene

Best

Bjerregaard

Tommy Callaghan

Cooper

Cruijff

Cudicini

Doug Fraser

Eusebio

Gallego

Ignacio Prieto

Karl Johan Johannessen

Karol Jokl

Overath

Papaioannou

Pelé

Prati

Kuna

Meléndez

Moncur

Murdoch

Rivera

Velázquez


XI
1 Cudicini

2 Fraser

3 Cooper

4 Gallego

5 Meléndez

6 Murdoch

7 Best

8 Kuna

9 Cruijff

10 Pelé

11 Prati


There are no changes in the above. The podium has taken quite some time.
I thought that no Milan player has stood out specifically overall. So Prati and Rivera were eventually dropped. Pelé has also been in contention but with footage I have concluded that his resumé states unchallenged. With a bit of luck, Santos beat Internazionale and were only marginally better than Peñarol. The WCQ was of CONCACAF level.
For this season, I place Ajax, Milan, Spartak Trnava and Celtic a tier above Boca, Santos, Nacional and Peñarol.


Podium

1 Kuna
As mentioned earlier, Kuna ticks all the boxes. He beats Cruijff based on footage of their direct confrontations and on the WCQ.

2 Cruijff
Cruijff wins zero trophies, doesn't qualify for the WC but he puts Ajax on the world map. It is all about to become fireproof.

3 Murdoch
Celtic wins the domestic treble and dominates EC1 winners Milan, with Murdoch as player of the year. Unfortunately for him, the Scotland team hardly featured it's best players.

 

Since we are pretty much at that stage now, I'll post my list in the finalised format too (even though I said it would always appear after Tom officially asked for it!):

Amancio (Real Madrid, Spain)
Asparuhov, Georgi (Levski Sofia, Bulgaria)
Beckenbauer, Franz (Bayern Munich, W.Germany)
Bene, Ferenc (Ujpest, Hungary)
Best, George (Manchester United, Northern Ireland)
Carlos Alberto Torres (Santos, Brazil)
Chumpitaz, Hector (Universitario, Peru)
Cruyff, Johan (Ajax, Netherlands)
Deyna, Kazimierz (Legia Warsaw, Poland)
Dzajic, Dragan (Red Star Belgrade, Yugoslavia)
Greaves, Jimmy (Tottenham Hotspur)
Lubanski, Wlodzimierz (Gornik Zabrze, Poland)
Melendez, Julio (Boca Juniors)
Moore, Bobby (West Ham United, England)
Muller, Gerd (Bayern Munich, W.Germany)
Netzer, Gunter (Borussia Monchengladbach, W.Germany)
Pele (Santos, Brazil)
Prati, Pierino (AC Milan, Italy)
Riva, Luigi (Cagliari, Italy)
Rivera, Gianni (AC Milan, Italy)
Tostao (Cruzeiro, Brazil)
Van Hanegem, Wim (Feyenoord, Netherlands)
Zoff, Dino (Napoli, Italy)

 

Good list I'll wait a bit for Tom to say. I hope this interesting thread goes ahead. I am very interested in continuing to participate in it.

 

Sorry for the delay - I will vote asap if it isn't too late.

 

FUWO European Magazine Poll for the Year 1969 (Issue 1970#2)
https://imgur.com/gallery/YlODrBO

The 4 questions are:
1) Based on the results in 1969, how would your top 10 European NTs look like?
2) Which European NT improved the most in the past year?
3) How would your European XI with the best players from each countries look like (4-2-4)?
4) Which NTs have the best chance to reach the WC semi final in Mexico?

I looked at which magazines included players from their own country (BRD player by DDR marked with *)


Surprising for me is how Dzajic is popular overall, but left out by the magazine from Zagreb. Possible that they are not so fond of players from Belgrad, however he was included by them in 1968.

Another interesting vote is how Gazzetta dello Sport have Rivera ahead of Mazzola in their league ranking and ofc Milan won the EC this season - yet they included Mazzola in their European XI.

 

Nice work with that again. Without wanting to get ahead of the schedule or be off-topic, I think it's worth mentioning/asking whether you might have access to another resource beyond what Puck (and subsequently I and others) has seen - namely the 1969/70 Buchan poll? Gregoriak has posted some stuff I'll try to dig out for upcoming English league seasons too I remember, but I think as far as the Buchan polls go, Puck had found and posted top 10 results for the 1960s ending in 68/69 and I assume it continued.

It is just a fan poll and can be influenced by endeavour for fans to vote for their own players and suchlike even I suppose, but it's useful to see for each year and of course you find the honourable mentions outside top 10 too in effect. Maybe the discussion thread is a good place to post it if before Tom opens the new thread, but I'm not expecting you to do that, but just thinking ahead about a useful resource to see for us all.