I'm sure he was thrilled to flee from his country and get a 2 year ban for it. How did they help him with his RM career? Also it's harder to stand out among greats than to be the best among mediocrity. And Barcelona reached their best form without Messi? Also I thought this isn't about if they are better or not, but if they are still able to win.
you missed the point we discussed here , Krokko claimed: quality of today era is better than last era? My answer is yes and NO, depends on which era we compared them to. Now let's just go back last 10 years, 96-06 era were FULL of great players in quality from attack to defense and also GK. This present era (now) is MUCH WEAKER. - Attack: Ronaldo, Zidane, Rivaldo, Figo, Roanldinho, Kaka, Nedved, Henry, Nistelrooy, Sheva, Bergkamp, Raul Del piero, Totti , Beckham, Giggs ... > (in quantity and somewhat quality) Messi, CR7 Xavi Iniesta, Robben Ribbery Ozil V Persie Rooney Falcao Silva .. - Defense: Thuram, Blanc, Nesta Maldini Carlos Cafu Zanetti Canavaro Ferrara ... > Thiago silva, Ramos, Kompany Chielini, Pique Pepe .... - GK: Buffon, Kahn, Barthez, Toldo, V DSaar, Rustu, Casillas, Cech, Seaman, Lehman, Dida ... > Julio Cesar, de Guia, Neuer ... old cech older Cassillas NOTHING to do with Nostalgia, but FACT and TRUTH
and I hate people are blinded with some clear facts THIS PRESENT weaker era: Besides ONLY SPAIN NT are up in quality, most NT are suffering this last 6 years: France, Brazil Argentina, England ... are clearly WEAKER than last decade
Ok, I hadn't seen, I thought it was the beginning a new discussion. On the list of players is totally unfair and inequitable put a group of players from 1996- 2006 and compared with 2009-2013. This is not a good argument to say that years ago football was superior. There is no truth. Compare groups of players to define the quality of an era is wrong, but it will be fair and just if we compare with 2009-2019.
That is just one example, as easier to see ,.. since people will recognized easier ...(with famous names ...) Plus I gave another example in ealier about the most big NT were suffering in quality compared to their previous ones .... (bar Spain NT of course)
Why wait? Last WC10, copa11 and Euro12 showed that ... unless you say this ERA STARTS by next year 2014? LOL
The WC defines a generation's achievements for NTs. For example, if Argentina wins it next year, you cannot say this generation is weaker than during 96 -06.
So if Argentina loses to Germany, and I presume that makes Germany better and Argentina worse quality wise, overall quality also drops?
You guys ... It was NOT depending on 1 or 2 teams form to say the whole era is weak, but the average form of them (TOP20) over at least 6 to 8years ... 1- Even Argentina will win Wc2014, it Would NOT make them a "great era" when they were horrible in WC10 and Copa11. 2- Germany are the same or a bit better shape now with more young talents. I was talking about Brazil, Argentina, France, England, Netherland , Paraguay, Romania, Bulgaria , Turkey ... all are down from last decade
Barca were winning against PSG with Messi on the field they technically lost 2-1 when he was off it how much more proof do you need?
but I dont think anyone is arguing Barca have a better squad/team than PSG but if your remove Pele from Brazil 1962, what happened? they still won the world cup? what does that mean? it dosnt take away from Pele's greatness does it? it just means he played in a really good brazilian team
I seem to recall other players joining PSG Thiago Silva for one who was outstanding against Barcelona
Football is infinitely faster, tactically sophisticated and diversified today compared to the 1990s or 1980s. The best players today are eclectic and no team with ambition can afford unidimensional players, like the old sweepers (not liberi!) or the fox in box kind of player. Besides that, talent is more appreciated by today's coaches. Check how Roberto Baggio - arguably Italy's bet player ever - was constantly put aside by managers/NT coaches of his era. He could hav enlightened the mostly very dour game of that decade, but coaches prefered muscles to technique, that was the Zeitgeist unfortunately.
The 60s were mostly dominated by teams like Rocco's Milan an Herrera's Inter: sides that suffocated individual brilliance. England's WC winning team was very average indeed, and Helmut Schön's revolution in Germany became visible only in the 70s. The total football in the 70s was probably the most important era in the sports history. A tiny country with less than 15m inhabitants suddenly became a superpower in world's #1 sport. This was the product of visionary ideas, high education level and a conviction that football is a game, not a war with other methods. But still most countries were tactically very unsophisticated. Take the Swedish NT that took a glorious 5th place in the 1974 WC. It was an enjoyable team with lots of talent, but the coach, Georg "Åby" Ericsson, was a man with very little - almost none! - tactical knowledge. Åby was a kind of bon vivant, he played the piano and was likeable in any way, but today a man with his lack of preparation couldn't coach a team in the Swedish 2nd division.
That is not what I said right? This opinion has no base. Among mediocrity it is hard to stand out too and get noticed for what you do. Also, Puskas was a finisher who was rarely involved in set-up of attacks. In that department he stood out yes, above his team-mates. But others provided him.
I disagree wholeheartedly. The 90s was infinitely better with more depth at both the offensive and defensive ends. To say that Falcao is better than a Weah is very untrue. Weah excelled at the best league of the world at that time with great resistance - and on top of that also many other leagues had quality players around.
How was that revolutionary? It was still an athletic running league in the 1970s. Still very close to the English way of playing. A club team like Monchengladbach stood out exactly because it deviated to a great extent from the dominant patterns. I really can't stand how revisionism has applied 'total football' to Germany including a Glanville who has written ten-thousand times that Beckenbauer and not Cruijff is the inventor of total football.
Of course you would omit his performance against Real Madrid in 2011 when he single handedly brought Barcelona to the finals of the CL. Or how about more recently when his heroic efforts bailed Barcelona out of being knocked out of the champions league by AC Milan?....yeah no such luck. Do you even watch football? Hater. Hows this for a conundrum hes playing for a country where his own countrymen don't like him, yeah Messi's situation is perfect, born with a growth disorder and all. You're a hater.
German football was mostly about hard work, hard men and hard tackles until the 60s. With Helmut Schön the "Kraft durch Freude"-thing was transformed into the mot attractive football in in Europe (after the best Dutch teams). After the 1972 Euro victory, European press was overwhelmingly enthusiastic and many consider that team one of vey few that can compete with the Spanish side 2008-2012. Bundesliga matches were often a perfect combination of technique and intensity, and it was incredibly offensive. Ronnie Hellström was often a radio pundit in Swedish radio when he wasn't on duty in 'Lautern and his approval of the German game was wholehearted.
It was still like that in the 1970s, save for a few exceptions. Hellstrom praising his own employer isn't strange. I like the Kraft durch Freude thing of your post. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_Through_Joy
In 1972, three German players topped the Ballon d'Or 1. Franz Beckenbauer West Germany Bayern Munich 81 10 4 1 6 - 21 2. Gerd Müller West Germany Bayern Munich 79 7 4 6 5 - 22 Günter Netzer West Germany Borussia M’Gladbach 79 5 7 6 4 - 22 For some reason, one might think. Hellström didn't praise 'Lautern, he praised a way of thinking football. I remember him saying several times during Swedish league games: "This is so boring that nobody iwould pay to watch it in Germany".