I checked him out (Sljivo) in the newly available OPTA tool and he had a high number of passes: 207 in 270 minutes (0.76 passes per minute; comparison: Falcao of Brazil had 0.68 passes per minute). Vladimir Petrovic was number 2 in Yugoslavia team with 157 passes (and also lower pass accuracy). Gudelj number 3 with 144 passes but with a higher accuracy (but he was their libero). Explains a bit why he is the highest ranked Yugoslavian non-defensive player in the Castrol ranking. It seems that it was a player who made a lot of passes. Just wanted to let you know this because for me it was also an obscure player (I knew his name and fame though because he played in Belgian league for a while). When you posted this reply the OPTA tool was not available yet. comme Will you post your final list and changes? Also your brief thoughts/considerations about those changes maybe?
Do we know what his stamina stats were like? Seems that was a plus for him according to this: http://pcsd.forumfree.it/?t=59178023 He was a Bosnian player then... The link mentions that he was good on the ball too - there are no stats to measure accuracy of first touch etc though I guess and I was a bit confused about where the dribbling stats are - there was no 'successful dribbles' so I guess they are in the 'duels' stats but not specified/identified individually. Successful dribbles is not a stat I completely understand anyway - where does a dribble start and end - can a player go past 3 players and get tackled by the 4th and it's 3 succesful dribbles or zero?
OPTA does not track stamina of course although a stat like 'recoveries' is of course related to that (also related to usage of space). A dribble past three opponents counts as 3 successful dribbles I think. http://www.optasportspro.com/es/acerca-de/blog-optapro/posts/2012/optapro's-event-definitions.aspx Anyhow, I now see the database posted by schwuppe and concerning the 1982WC I don't see anyone else with a pass per minute of 0.75. Looks like this player made a huge amount of passes, relatively speaking.
Matter of fact, OPTA still lacks of pretty much some good criteria .. - Shooting: they mention shots acuracy (=shots on goal/# shots) and #shots off target, but they missed the GOAL succesful rate (= goals/#of shots on goal) - or unless Comme and Schwuppe missed out? - Passing: there are a lot of types like meaningful passes (with vision) against some laying off passes, or just passing around (like many Barca players now) since their team mates are there@@@ no real threat nor visionary ... - Dribbles" they listed out a "duel" but duel for what? they missed a Meaningful or smart move dribble ; like a player may dribble passed an opponent but ended up in the corner kick zone (Denilson, or Walcott? ) is more stupid than he just "turned it around" and passing to another team mate in better zone? Or they called a "unsuccessful duel" - not clear! As a player might lost the ball for he tried to passed opponent into a dangerous zone (chancing with risk) = more acceptable than a player just holding the ball and running around ... his own zone ...
This was my final list. Conti dropped to 2*, Littbarski up to 3*. Tigana, Tardelli and Bossis to 2*. Belloumi dropped out. Mainly based on the thoughts of others in here. Belloumi's stats were very poor as well, so that influenced that decision. Goalkeepers Dino Zoff (Italy) 7 games, 0 goals *** Rinat Dasaev (USSR)5 games, 0 goals *** Thomas N’Kono (Cameroon) 3 games, 0 goals ** Peter Shilton (England) 5 games, 0 goals * Fullbacks Claudio Gentile (Italy) 6 games, 0 goals *** Junior (Brazil) 5 games, 1 goal ** Antonio Cabrini (Italy) 7 games, 1 goal ** Eric Gerets (Belgium) 3 games, 0 goals ** Leandro (Brazil) 5 games, 0 goals * Mick Mills (England) 5 games, 0 goals * Manfred Kaltz (West Germany) 7 games, 0 goals Central defenders Gaetano Scirea (Italy) 7 games, 0 goals *** Fulvio Collovati (Italy) 7 games, 0 goals ** Karlheinz Forster (West Germany) 6 games, 0 goals ** Maxime Bossis (France) 6 games, 1 goal ** Marius Tresor (France) 7 games, 1 goal * Uli Stielike (West Germany) 7 games, 0 goals * Daniel Passarella (Argentina) 5 games. 2 goals * Luizinho (Brazil) 5 games, 0 goals Central midfielders Paulo Roberto Falcao (Brazil) 5 games, 3 goals *** Marco Tardelli (Italy) 7 games, 2 goals ** Jean Tigana (France) 5 games, 0 goals ** Toninho Cerezo (Brazil) 4 games. 0 goals * Osvaldo Ardiles (Argentina) 5 games, 1 goal * Paul Breitner (West Germany) 7 games, 1 goal * Attacking midfielders Alain Giresse (France) *** 6 games, 3 goals Socrates (Brazil) 5 games, 2 goals ** Giancarlo Antognoni (Italy) 6 games. 0 goals * Michel Platini (France) 6 games, 3 goals * Wingers Pierre Littbarski (West Germany) 7 games, 2 goals *** Bruno Conti (Italy) 7 games, 1 goal ** Eder (Brazil) 5 games, 2 goals * Gregorz Lato (Poland) 7 games, 1 goal * Forwards Zico (Brazil) 5 games, 4 goals *** Zbigniew Boniek(Poland) 6 games, 4 goals *** Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany) 7 games, 5 goals ** Strikers Paolo Rossi (Italy) 7 games, 6 goals *** Gerry Armstrong (Northern Ireland) 5 games, 3 goals *
You did not include Kaltz in your earlier list too? I guess he had good stats? He has a high Castrol ranking anyway but not mentioned in all star teams.
I think this post is less funny and with less disguise as some of your others . Got to admit I did find the ones about Zidane failing against Betis etc, and moreso the one crediting Messi for Spain's success right at the end of a seemingly Messi-praising essay a bit amusing .
Very good list Comme ... However I think you are a bit harsh on Junior - he could well be very close to 3* , or Eder should be 2* .... unless you think I am biased toward Brazilians ... .. and the inclusion of Armstrong is a bit surprised .. but reasonable
In addition, El Grafico also mentioned what was the opinion of some of the most renowned figures in the sport: Eusebio: "Out of a 10, I'd give a 5 in terms of quality." Vialcheslav Kolodsov (Vice President of FIFA): "I was disappointed with the lack of stars, perhaps absorbed due to the collective team-performances. I'd give it 6 points out of 10." Georg Schmidt (Austria's manager): "5 points. Disappointed that not even one great star appeared." Jackie Charlton: "6 points out of 10." Helenio Herrera: "6 points." That was being said halfway through the tournament.
By the end of the World Cup, some famous people were asked who the best player was: Beckenbauer: "Zico, Rummenigge, Maradona, Falcao and Stielike, each one in their own moment." Puskas: "No one. The teams collectively were greater than the individuals." Just Fontaine: "Giresse" Di Stefano: "I can't choose one. But the best must come out of this list: Tigana, Junior, Littbarski, Amoros and Passarella." Facchetti: "Passarella" Pedro Escartin (Ex Spanish referee): "Socrates" Gino Bacchi (Tutto Sport): "Falcao" Peter Brandenberg (Kicker magazine): "Rossi" Yoshiyuki Arai (The Mainichi Newspaper in Japan): "Rummenigge" Muley Hassan (Crown Prince of Morocco): "Maradona"
In Revista Placar shortly after the World Cup, there is the same discussion about the absence of a great player in the world... Unfortunately I don't achieving find the election of ''best team'';
It's always a shock when we see people different view on Football. 10 great names had 10 different views of who is the best there = so FUNNY
It seems that some changed their opinion too. Like mentioned earlier in this thread, I'm sure that Beckenbauer highlighted Giresse after the end of second group stage. Also Di Stefano changed his list a bit.
they are "human" after all ... That's why I would not solely trust in any particular point of view , nor any "rating system" there is (out there) - it's either carrrying some agenda behind or being "biased" to one's view
I think Cruyff was in error. Italy steamrolled Germany in that match, it could easily have been 5-1 if Cabrini nails his pk and Italy does not begin the celebrations early with Tardelli's ecstasy.
According to these highlights by the respected 'gr8footy' the first couple of opportunities arrived for the West Germans (the word 'chances' is maybe a too strong word), before the penalty kick was given. Just watch the first 70 seconds. Those main events came before the first goal of the game (first goal at 4:30).
you sure want an Eder (2goals+1ass) over Rummenigge (5goals) and Littbarski (2goals+5ass)? (i know you like him) I would swap Cerezo to eitehr Giresse or Tigana
Somebody loves Brazil and that team even more than you James! I'm inclined to agree with your choices (Littbarski moreso than Rummenigge although Karl-Heinz's goals do make a case too; certainly I'd favour a French mid over Cerezo for an all-star team I think). But those choices are reasonable by giles I think as they all had a good/very good WC. He basically chose the great parts of the Brazil side and then added other players to compensate for the Brazil 'weaknesses' I think!