Post Match Leicester City 1 Real Madrid 2

[fitz]

When you think of the advances in the facilities, coaching and science in the game today, you could argue that the likes of Charlton, Best, Greaves would be even better than the current crop of stars if they had the same support.

True. Given the standard of utter shite that have managed to survive a number of seasons in the Prem it is laughable that anyone could suggest those players wouldn't.

 

[Chuck T Masala]

So many of the great players from yesteryear developed their skills playing soccer in the street, using roads, walls and kerbs as part of the facilities available. They ate whatever food their parents could afford, none of it would be very healthy because we didnt do healthy until much later.. Some even had 'proper jobs' as well as playing first division football. Training would be stamina based with plenty of practice games. Smoking and drinking was not unusual. These were such different times, the game was a game, not a multiinational business. The terraces were filled with the working class man. You can't compare the players, teams or the game with today's top flight football. Its almost science, with better health and well-being care in the Prem and top Championship clubs than existed in NHS in the 40's 50's and 60's, and its certainly more than a game with the moeney involved now.

Players are of their time, if they were great in 1966, that's it, that was their time.

The only thing I would add is the newsreels and films that we see of the stars of yesteryear seem to show a little more humility and humanity than w see from some of the today's 'stars'.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Filthy Rich]

Players are of their time, if they were great in 1966, that's it, that was their time.

Very succinct. You've managed to say in a single sentence exactly what I wanted to say (not very successfully) in several paragraphs.

 

[David Gwilliam]

Yes, and if Matthews were playing today he wouldn't get anywhere near a Championship team, never mind the Premier League. I never saw him play but have watched football live since 1957. If you think players of that era could compete with those of today you are very sadly deluded. To say they were pedestrian is an understatement.

That's the point I wanted to make. Physically, all athletes and sports people are fitter and bigger than their counterparts of 50 years ago so their performances are naturally better and faster. Sir Stan was undoubtedly one of the best talents of his generation but I'd rather watch Ronaldo now than Matthews back then. Yes it's all hypothetical. We can look back in time with affection and nostalgia but, thankfully, human beings will always strive to be better, stronger, faster and more skilled.

The point you are making is the exact opposite of the Jesse Owens fallacy which suggests I did not explain it properly. The fallacy is to think that because Jesse Owens times in 1936 are slower than todays sprinters then Jesse Owens would not be a great sprinter today - can I emphasize the idea is that is a fallacy. Someone with Owens genetic gifts would be so much faster today.

You said that Matthews would not make the Championship today. I believe that if Stanley Matthews was twenty five in 2011 a player who could cross the ball like Beckham was arguably the fastest player in the country and whose balance was in the literal sense of the word incredible would be a great player today and that if Lionel Messi had been twenty five in 1957 he would have been a great player then.

 

[Filthy Rich]

The point you are making is the exact opposite of the Jesse Owens fallacy which suggests I did not explain it properly. The fallacy is to think that because Jesse Owens times in 1936 are slower than todays sprinters then Jesse Owens would not be a great sprinter today - can I emphasize the idea is that is a fallacy. Someone with Owens genetic gifts would be so much faster today.

Well I'm gonna completely disagree. I don't think it's a fallacy at all. I repeat and maintain that physically, all athletes and sports people are fitter and bigger than their counterparts of 50 years ago so their performances are naturally better and faster.

 

[Mike - True Blue Tinter]

Well you are disagreeing because you are talking about time shifting one person 50 years forwards, rather than taking the genes and the sportsman being born in today's era with today's nutrition, sports science and coaching methods.

 

[bocadillo]

Well I'm gonna completely disagree. I don't think it's a fallacy at all. I repeat and maintain that physically, all athletes and sports people are fitter and bigger than their counterparts of 50 years ago so their performances are naturally better and faster.

You need to read what David wrote, not what you think he wrote.

 

[Filthy Rich]

You need to read what David wrote, not what you think he wrote.

I did. Three times. And have again. See no reason to change what I wrote. I think we are getting hung up about the word 'fallacy' here.

 

[bocadillo]

I did. Three times. And have again. See no reason to change what I wrote. I think we are getting hung up about the word 'fallacy' here.

I doubt it.

 

[Filthy Rich]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14363378.stm

14 photos, with commentary. Nice to see all the publicity work is raising our profile.

 

[spenno]

Just stumbled upon a photo gallery of the day from the club's official photographer, Neil Plumb. Thought I'd share.

View gallery on Neil Plumb's website