This is a great find. That someone cut those scenes from a mere friendly game is remarkable. Kudos. What this shows is Beckenbauer's ability to act as a playmaker of his team - as a defender. Beckenbauer seems like the de-facto midfield general (despite the presence of Overath), spraying his passes, steering his team and his teammates, pulling the strings.
On this board some past World Soccer journalist called Eric Batty is taken very seriously and seen as an authoritative reference for whatever reason (esp. by comme: here, here, here and here as just four examples). Someone posted on his blog a good write up about him and his (awkward) choices: http://beyondthelastman.com/2013/01...xis-football-in-a-smooth-and-cultured-groove/ And also has his annual choices for a world XI team 1960-1969. In case the pictures disappear, this are his annual choices. http://beyondthelastman.com/2013/04/29/eric-battys-world-xis-the-sixties/ 1960: Grosics; Bergmark, Nilton Santos; Verges, Santamaria, Zanetic; Pele, Puskas; Julinho, Di Stefano, Gento 1961: Grosics; Bergmark, Nilton Santos; Blanchflower, Germano, Bonga Bonga; Pele, Puskas; Kubala, Di Stefano, Gento 1962: Fraydl; Djalma Santos, Jusufi; Zito, Germano, Masopust; Pele, Puskas; Garrincha, Di Stefano, Gento 1963: Yashin; Djalma Santos, Jusufi; Coluna, Maldini, Baxter; Pelé, Puskas; Kopa, Di Stefano, Suarez 1964: Yashin; Burgnich, Facchetti; Popluhar; Coluna, Masopust; Pele, Law; Jose Augusto, Di Stefano, Suarez 1965: Costa Pereira; Djalma Santos, Facchetti; Coluna, Germano, Orlando; Mazzola, Pele; Jose Augusto, Eusebio, Suarez 1966: Yashin; Shalamanov, Facchetti; Goncalvez, Beckenbauer, Coluna; Pele, Farkas; Yakimov, Bene, Corso 1967: Yashin; Coluna, Facchetti; Beckenbauer, Popluhar, Meszoly; Mazzola, Yakimov; Bene, Hurst, Farkas 1968: Zoff; Jusufi, Facchetti; Beckenbauer, Popluhar, Moore; Peters, Hurst; Bene, Mazzola, Lubanski 1969: Banks; Schnellinger, Facchetti; Peters, Beckenbauer, Moore; Bene, Dzajic; Hurst, G. Müller, Lubanski
Sounds like history repeats itself, but this time 'Eric Battys' use the Internet to express their opinion.
Where was BEST? At least 68 and 69 team, no? 67-69: even nearly passed his best, Pele was still much better than Hurst, Lubanski or even both combined LOL
He was at least clear about his 'biases', criteria, frame of reference and views. I like that, instead of hiding it in some veil of 'objective' writing. Which usually happens. And he reasoned his decisions. You can find a sample of it here (someone uploaded it) http://soccernostalgia.blogspot.com So everyone can assess (cross-compare) whether his reasoning made sense. Whether 'player X' indeed drifted out of games in a given year or tournament. Instead of taking it at face value, just because a 'World Soccer' monument said it. The way he did it is much better than taking the higher 'professor ground'. But that's me. As 'defence' of what he did.
Also have to say that to some extent his opinions follow the picture I have of the average traditionalist minded, old-fashioned and anachronistic English football journalist or football fan. Save for an odd love for France, his other prejudices aren't surprising. Maradona was despised by traditionalist minded guys, for his behaviour. Long before that handball. Cruijff too (for rejecting conventions) and it is no surprise that except for 1969 the English representative of the Ballon d'Or never voted for him. It was the equally traditionalist Daily Telegraph who was the fiercest critic of both. Also on this board (English) posters tend to factor in the gentleman factor in their judgements for rating players, managers etc. Hungary is indeed a favourite pastime of many English (journalists) with an historical awareness, see also the various drafts on this board. Loving Hungary, which is fully justified, is a common found trait among those. West-Germany and Bayern Munich topping the ladder also fits in my personal idea of an 'Anglo-German axis' in the football world, of a mutual 'love' and support between football officials and the serious press (save for those tabloids). Ofc no surprise given the similarities in playing style.
I just want to clarify that I don't count him as that authoratative a reference, merely that in that era we are forced to an extent to clutch at something, anything, if we want information. I think I've said before how strange some of his choices were and I think we need to take a lot of them with a big pinch of salt. Just very difficult to get information for that era hence why much of the stuff you have uncovered has been so valuable.
Someone wrote an University Thesis about Eric Batty... http://epublications.uef.fi/pub/URN_NBN_fi_joy-20090086/URN_NBN_fi_joy-20090086.pdf His style, content etcetera. What an idea.
Merely curious but wonder how you assess his World Cup reviews. How accurate/reasonable was it? For example, in 1970 he claimed that Uwe Seeler was a better player and greater performer at the tournament as Pele. In 1989 he repeated this statement. Maybe it is my fault but that seems inaccurate to me, by any standards. And ddi his views find some resonance? I mean, maybe his assesments were shared around that time while 'modern' eyes look different at the subject matter.
Now also the 70s, 80s and early 90s choices of the Batty dude are copied and posted by the blog. http://beyondthelastman.com/2013/11/07/eric-battys-world-xis-the-seventies/ http://beyondthelastman.com/2014/03/10/eric-battys-world-xis-the-eighties-and-nineties/
1963: Yashin - Armfield, Schnellinger - Trapattoni, Maldini, Masopust - Livera, Greaves, Eusebio, Law, Charlton 1965: Yashin - Schnellinger, Facchetti - Voronin, Germano, Baxter - Metreveli, Suarez, Eusebio, Law, Charlton
I found this in the Mundo Deportivo on March 20, 1974. I suppose it will refer to ideal 1973 teams, but I couldn't be sure. In addition, in this same thread another Goal XI of 1973 was published (possibly referring to 1972). Can anyone clarify this mess or have more information about this information?
I saw his lists before and i don’t take Eric Batty serious. For the whole of the 1970’s only 1 time Ruud Krol. None of the times keizer but instead lubanski
This is the Goal magazine of Prague, not of the UK. That is the difference. Both refer to the year 1973.
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