OldNick Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 After watching the Jimmy Greaves thread elsewhere on here, it made we wonder if you take away all the hype of the foreign players has English football I proved technically. Taking into account of the modern day football boots and balls etc, the quality of the pitches I'm not sure that the game is any better. It may be nostalgia but in the early 80s Saints played superb football and we only had Golac. If you watch football ere runs of the 70s the skill on those pitches and with heavy leather balls was pretty decent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 (edited) A great deal better I would say. Far less long ball sides, no plastic pitches. Would vinny Jones be a prem regular now? Or Benali? MLT was an absolute star by living off McDonald's far more than he could today. Edited 24 May, 2015 by Batman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorne Malvo Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 MLT was an absolute star by living off McDonald's far more than he could today. So technically MLT wouldn't be as good if he was playing top flight football today? Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 So technically MLT wouldn't be as good if he was playing top flight football today? Interesting. Not with the diet he admittedly had, no As he would play against better players most weeks. Tactics today are better rather than 442, get it to the big man and all that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifeintheslowlane Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 (edited) I think you're overstating the weight of footballs in the '70s. We were playing with plastic coated leather balls in the early '70s that didn't pick up water on heavy grounds. The state of pitches were the major factor before the '80s and The Dell was typical of many top flight pitches...poor drainage and reserve team games didn't give the groundsman a chance of preparing a good surface to play on. Having said that the quality/entertainment provided by Saints throughout my life has always been good. There's always a tingle of expectation when you take your seat for a Saints game. I don't think it matters if today's football is technically better...not an issue for me. Edited 24 May, 2015 by lifeintheslowlane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golac's Iron Gonads Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 It's hard to say really, I watched Saints in the early 80s and there was great technical skill on the field, any number of our goals of the month would show that, but it's so much faster now and that makes it far more difficult to show technical skill, yet we still see it. I do wonder how good technically some one like Giggs would be viewed now had he began his career 10 years earlier, or how would John Robertson fair in this day and age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redslo Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 After watching the Jimmy Greaves thread elsewhere on here, it made we wonder if you take away all the hype of the foreign players has English football I proved technically. Taking into account of the modern day football boots and balls etc, the quality of the pitches I'm not sure that the game is any better. It may be nostalgia but in the early 80s Saints played superb football and we only had Golac. If you watch football ere runs of the 70s the skill on those pitches and with heavy leather balls was pretty decent From my perspective the game is technically much better because it is in HD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissyboy31 Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 From my perspective the game is technically much better because it is in HD. Imagine how good George Best would have been if he hadn't had to put up with those grainy black and white pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Mikey Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 The top players have always been top players and many could forge a career in today's game - with some lifestyle adjustments! What's happened now is that lower level of players are much better than before. You not only have to be in the best percentage in England to play in the top league, you have to be in the best percentage in the world. This is why our youngsters are struggling to get through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissyboy31 Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 The top players have always been top players and many could forge a career in today's game - with some lifestyle adjustments! What's happened now is that lower level of players are much better than before. You not only have to be in the best percentage in England to play in the top league, you have to be in the best percentage in the world. This is why our youngsters are struggling to get through. I sort of agree with this but the speed and athleticism of the game is on a different planet to 30 years ago. That said, good players now don't have to put up with being booted into row z throughout their entire careers, like Greaves and Best had to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 The best way to find out play Fifa 15 according to my son you can have legends in your team so you can have Pele playing with Klinsman and Dean Hammond:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadoldgit Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 The game is certainly quicker now and in the good old days you could kill time and see a game out in the last 20 minutes - now so many goals are scored in time added. When I played you were told to pass to players in space. Now it doesn't matter how many players you have around you you are expected to receive the ball and do something with it. I am sure players from the old Div 1 could have adapted to the game nowdays. There still hasn't been an English defender better than Bobby More since the 60s in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pecho Lobo Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 Never mind twenty or thirty years ago, for me the Premier League was and is of a noticeably higher standard when we got promoted three years ago than it had been when we were relegated in 2005. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Charlie Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 Never mind twenty or thirty years ago, for me the Premier League was and is of a noticeably higher standard when we got promoted three years ago than it had been when we were relegated in 2005. Plus our side now is miles better individually than our 2003 side under Strachan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadoldgit Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 Another difference for me is the lack of characters in the game now. Most of the players seem really boring. Back in the 60s and 70s every club had it stand out characters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Le God Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 (edited) After watching the Jimmy Greaves thread elsewhere on here, it made we wonder if you take away all the hype of the foreign players has English football I proved technically. Taking into account of the modern day football boots and balls etc, the quality of the pitches I'm not sure that the game is any better. It may be nostalgia but in the early 80s Saints played superb football and we only had Golac. If you watch football ere runs of the 70s the skill on those pitches and with heavy leather balls was pretty decent Footballers of today are getting thousands of hours of professional technical coaching from the age of 8 (sometimes younger) upwards. In the 1970's and 1980's they were joining professional clubs at 16 after school and the coaching they received wasn't close to the level they now get. They also had a drinking and smoking culture, had poorer diets, played on terrible pitches and didn't have the high level of competition for places from international players from all round the world in their squads. You are looking back with rose tinted glasses, the footballers of today are technically more gifted. Southampton's 2nd place team of 1983/84 had only a handful of home British Isles internationals, Saints now have circa 20 current/recent internationals/under 21 internationals in their squad. I think if the two sides met on a modern pitch with a modern football the team of 2014/15 would win. Edited 24 May, 2015 by Matthew Le God Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorne Malvo Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 They also had a drinking and smoking culture, played on terrible pitches and didn't have the high level of competition for places from international players from all round the world in their squads. So today, if hese gifted players from the bygone era would have the same conditions to train etc as of today you don't think they would be as technically sound? Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadoldgit Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 I would agree that players of today are technically better and fitter but players like Greaves, Osgood, Marsh, Best etc would be playing Premiership football today if younger because they would have the coaching and training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Le God Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 (edited) So today, if hese gifted players from the bygone era would have the same conditions to train etc as of today you don't think they would be as technically sound? Interesting. At no point did I say that. If the like of Greaves or Best been born in for example 1995 and had better diets, no smoking or alcohol and been trained in a modern academy from the age of 8 then I think they'd have been better than they were. They were still very good players, but would have been even better in the modern footballers environment. Edited 24 May, 2015 by Matthew Le God Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorne Malvo Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 At no point did I say that. You are looking back with rose tinted glasses, the footballers of today are technically more gifted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperMikey Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 Another difference for me is the lack of characters in the game now. Most of the players seem really boring. Back in the 60s and 70s every club had it stand out characters. That's because footballers now have to be in peak physical condition - they're athletes really. Difficult to keep yourself in shape if you're out on the p!ss til 5am several times a week like some were in the 60's and 70's. I have to admit hearing some stories from my Dad about meeting and drinking with various Saints players in pubs all over town when he used to go in the 80's was quite funny. Wilshere and Sczeszny get hauled over the coals for having a sneaky fag now - I dread to think what would happen to the likes of George Best nowadays with his behaviour.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Le God Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 You are looking back with rose tinted glasses, the footballers of today are technically more gifted. I did say that yes, but that isn't the same as saying if old footballers had the same conditions as the current footballers do they wouldn't be as good or better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Charlie Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 We had players in the 90s who played every week for us who now wouldn't get a sniff of PL football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 We had players in the 90s who played every week for us who now wouldn't get a sniff of PL football. But some would. MLT would still get in a host of current PL teams IMO scary to think how good he be with todays diet and fitness regime. Also as a club we are totally different today, with a very different set of aims, going for a different quality of player to the sort we were looking to recruit in the 90s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simo Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 Different balls Different pitches Different training method's Different boots Different sports science advances .....etc Cant really compare the two imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintBobby Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 Interesting that injuries seem to have gone up and up. I guess this is due to the increased speed of the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suewhistle Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 .. or seeing the Jim Steele thread, that they played through injury... I think the football is undoubtedly better, but good players are good players within their own environment, and we all adapt accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecuk268 Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 The "skillful" players are much more protected by referees today. George Best was kicked all over the place but was still outstanding even on pitches that were like ploughed fields. Goalkeepers were fair game for big hairy centre-forwards, sometimes the keeper would end up in the back of the net with the ball. Many of the old hard men (Tommy Smith, Larry Lloyd, John McGrath) would have a job staying on the pitch today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 But some would. MLT would still get in a host of current PL teams IMO scary to think how good he be with todays diet and fitness regime. Also as a club we are totally different today, with a very different set of aims, going for a different quality of player to the sort we were looking to recruit in the 90s. some would. but we are on about the standard of the whole league really top top players would thrive no matter what. but in general, we had some gash that kept us up year after year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Charlie Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 But some would. MLT would still get in a host of current PL teams IMO scary to think how good he be with todays diet and fitness regime. Also as a club we are totally different today, with a very different set of aims, going for a different quality of player to the sort we were looking to recruit in the 90s. Of course MLT would and possibly a handful of others but even the likes of Dodd or Benali wouldn't get a look in for any PL side in todays era, the pace of the game has moved on and the requirements are different. Not just for Saints, for anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughieslastminutegoal Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 After watching the Jimmy Greaves thread elsewhere on here, it made we wonder if you take away all the hype of the foreign players has English football I proved technically. Taking into account of the modern day football boots and balls etc, the quality of the pitches I'm not sure that the game is any better. It may be nostalgia but in the early 80s Saints played superb football and we only had Golac. If you watch football ere runs of the 70s the skill on those pitches and with heavy leather balls was pretty decent The Saints FA Cup semi final v Crystal Palace thread the other week is a good example of how absolutely awful the football could be, although at the time you get absorbed in what is in front of you, it's your team. But you can't compare eras absolutely, only relatively, i.e. Saints 1960s football could, for its time, be fantastic - big Ron's salmon leaps, Terry Paine on his jinking runs on the wing, but you just couldn't play like that today. A 1930's Bugatti wouldn't compare with a 2015 Maserati, engineering designs being what they are now, but it was a great car at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Durman Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 Yes, Yes, Yes, everyday Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissyboy31 Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 But some would. MLT would still get in a host of current PL teams IMO scary to think how good he be with todays diet and fitness regime. Also as a club we are totally different today, with a very different set of aims, going for a different quality of player to the sort we were looking to recruit in the 90s. He might have decided it wasn't for him and gone back to Guernsey like Carl did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissyboy31 Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 Of course MLT would and possibly a handful of others but even the likes of Dodd or Benali wouldn't get a look in for any PL side in todays era, the pace of the game has moved on and the requirements are different. Not just for Saints, for anyone. I think Dodd would have but Benali wouldn't have got more than the odd game, let alone 300 odd!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadoldgit Posted 24 May, 2015 Share Posted 24 May, 2015 The "skillful" players are much more protected by referees today. George Best was kicked all over the place but was still outstanding even on pitches that were like ploughed fields. Goalkeepers were fair game for big hairy centre-forwards, sometimes the keeper would end up in the back of the net with the ball. Many of the old hard men (Tommy Smith, Larry Lloyd, John McGrath) would have a job staying on the pitch today. Indeed. I don't understand why players roll around on the floor nowadays. Back in the 60s and 70s you can understand it but mostly they got up brushed themselves down and tried to get their own back when they could. Players like Best did get kicked to pieces but he could mix it too when he wanted too. I have no doubt that the quality players of that era would be quality players today with the coaching and dietary help the players get nowadays. Just go back and look at the Brazilian side of the 1970 World Cup. The Dutch team, the Italians from that era. Even England were quality in the 70s. All that on several pints a day - just imagine what they could do now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derry Posted 25 May, 2015 Share Posted 25 May, 2015 More importantly for me, how good is the coaching that players are allegedly exposed to for over twenty years after joining a club. JWP for example, dead ball excepted, can't shoot, tackle or beat a man. How can that be after eleven years coaching. For me the most improved player over the last four years is Fonte. I wonder how much of that is the man's own intelligence and the effort he has made to improve himself and survive in the Premier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 25 May, 2015 Share Posted 25 May, 2015 More importantly for me, how good is the coaching that players are allegedly exposed to for over twenty years after joining a club. JWP for example, dead ball excepted, can't shoot, tackle or beat a man. How can that be after eleven years coaching. For me the most improved player over the last four years is Fonte. I wonder how much of that is the man's own intelligence and the effort he has made to improve himself and survive in the Premier. Pretty impressive I'd have thought, given how often we churn out players and improve players such as Morgan, Clyne etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derry Posted 25 May, 2015 Share Posted 25 May, 2015 Pretty impressive I'd have thought, given how often we churn out players and improve players such as Morgan, Clyne etc. Is it the coaching or is it the intelligent talented footballers response to playing at a higher level with and against better players. The poorer players never seem to improve. The great players of past years would still be the great players if they were playing today, especially with the non contact. Just British players, Greaves, Best, Charlton, Law, Marsh etc would have thrived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Duckhunter Posted 25 May, 2015 Share Posted 25 May, 2015 Is it the coaching or is it the intelligent talented footballers response to playing at a higher level with and against better players. The poorer players never seem to improve. The great players of past years would still be the great players if they were playing today, especially with the non contact. Just British players, Greaves, Best, Charlton, Law, Marsh etc would have thrived. Bestie would be unplayable on today's pitches under today's rules , provided he maintained today's lifestyle and fitness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohio Saint Posted 25 May, 2015 Share Posted 25 May, 2015 Bestie would be unplayable on today's pitches under today's rules , provided he maintained today's lifestyle and fitness. He couldn't even maintain the lifestyle and fitness needed back then! The poor guy would need a brain transplant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cambsaint Posted 25 May, 2015 Share Posted 25 May, 2015 I think the best footballers of any age all had the same degree of inborn skills, and if brought up in today's era would have been very good players. Some of the hard men may have become rugby players now they can make a good living from the game. It's like comparing the old Grand Prix cars which weren't as fast as a modern sports saloon, but they were the best of the day. Players like Best, Gascoigne and MLT all had skills that most other players could only dream of, and would still be superstars providing they kept fit. It's obvious to me that superstar sportsmen and women all have some kind of inbuilt ability that others don't. Cricket is probably the only game today that you can directly compare abilities as bowling speeds and balls haven't changed so the hand/eye co-ordination is still the same. Even with modern fitness and coaching the ablilities of the great West Indian fast bowlers have never been equalled or bettered, and you know for certain that the greats of yesterday would have been great today, and I am confident that it applies to all sports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now