The changing nature of football

[The Widow's Son 399]

Watched a good few Euro games this week interspersed with a good few old Rangers videos.  My, the game has changed.  Much more passing of the ball and much less physical these days.  Don't recall as much shirt-pulling at corner kicks either in the old days.  Every team had hard men who were not dirty and would not try to take a fellow pro's livelihood away but took nonsense either.  Bobby Shearer comes to mind for older bears (like me) and Tam Forsyth and Davie Hay for bears of a younger vintage.   Not so much opportunity for the ball players today.   

[ForeverAndEver 71,457]

Some of the best players in the world a ball players. Messi, Iniesta - has been one of the best, not so much now- Windass and Modric etc.

[Colin Traive 22,741]

Biggest single change (and not for the better) is this "gives the referee a decision to make" when a player takes a tumble at the slightest contact. Used to joke that Nakamura fell over if you bumped the telly on your way to the fridge but it's got even worse. 

Used to be that players who dived around were called jessies or big lassies or poofs (sorry in advance but that's how it was back then).

Passing the ball to death can be boring as fuck even if it takes skill and our greatest European goal (against Dortmund - 22 passes?) was built on that. As ever, the answer lies somewhere in the middle probably

[Inigo 32,526]

It's boring now. 90% of games are shit unless you have a vested interest in one of the teams playing. It's a cynical game played by cheats and jessies that's hyper athletic, over coached and lacks characters, variety and idiosyncrasies in players. You get far more carbon copy footballers now.

It's homogenized, basically. Less regional character to teams than there used to be such that you'd struggle to tell a team from Brazil from one from Russia now in terms of style.

Basically a game that's been crapified by the amount of money at stake. All the best players being hoarded by a few teams doesn't help. Used to be that the top players were spread about all over the shop, rather than it being the same old elite few that have all of the best players and dominate year in, year fucking out.

[Gman36 3,455]

11 minutes ago, ForeverAndEver said:

Some of the best players in the world a ball players. Messi, Iniesta - has been one of the best, not so much now- Windass and Modric etc.

Messi, iniesta, Windass, modric.... Some of the best of the modern era. 

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,647]

The game is basically a tattooed poofs game nowadays, saft and pampered shites, national service wid dae them good!

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

1 hour ago, Inigo said:

It's boring now. 90% of games are shit unless you have a vested interest in one of the teams playing. It's a cynical game played by cheats and jessies that's hyper athletic, over coached and lacks characters, variety and idiosyncrasies in players. You get far more carbon copy footballers now.

It's homogenized, basically. Less regional character to teams than there used to be such that you'd struggle to tell a team from Brazil from one from Russia now in terms of style.

Basically a game that's been crapified by the amount of money at stake. All the best players being hoarded by a few teams doesn't help. Used to be that the top players were spread about all over the shop, rather than it being the same old elite few that have all of the best players and dominate year in, year fucking out.

?? pretty much ends the thread. 

Great post mate. ?

[Spliffy 643]

1 hour ago, Inigo said:

It's boring now. 90% of games are shit unless you have a vested interest in one of the teams playing. It's a cynical game played by cheats and jessies that's hyper athletic, over coached and lacks characters, variety and idiosyncrasies in players. You get far more carbon copy footballers now.

It's homogenized, basically. Less regional character to teams than there used to be such that you'd struggle to tell a team from Brazil from one from Russia now in terms of style.

Basically a game that's been crapified by the amount of money at stake. All the best players being hoarded by a few teams doesn't help. Used to be that the top players were spread about all over the shop, rather than it being the same old elite few that have all of the best players and dominate year in, year fucking out.

Spot on.

[They Gnu 11,553]

1 hour ago, Inigo said:

It's boring now. 90% of games are shit unless you have a vested interest in one of the teams playing. It's a cynical game played by cheats and jessies that's hyper athletic, over coached and lacks characters, variety and idiosyncrasies in players. You get far more carbon copy footballers now.

It's homogenized, basically. Less regional character to teams than there used to be such that you'd struggle to tell a team from Brazil from one from Russia now in terms of style.

Basically a game that's been crapified by the amount of money at stake. All the best players being hoarded by a few teams doesn't help. Used to be that the top players were spread about all over the shop, rather than it being the same old elite few that have all of the best players and dominate year in, year fucking out.

I read Socernomics (think it was called) and it was saying coaches aspire to Italian flair, German Industry, Brazilian skill etc so ultimately everyone plays the same way

[Don Bear 4]

1 hour ago, BLUEDIGNITY said:

The game is basically a tattooed poofs game nowadays, saft and pampered shites, national service wid dae them good!

Lol!

[Vanoli 4,625]

The standard on the ball in the PSG Madrid game last week was probably the best ive ever seen. Unfathomable levels of talent on the one pitch.

If theres anything in the decline of 'ball players' claim, its more to do with the fact that the standard of athleticism has absolutely sky rocketed; to the point where you could probably rest assured that any world class player nowadays would be streets ahead of the very best players from even the 1980's or 90's. 

[Inigo 32,526]

13 minutes ago, Vanoli said:

The standard on the ball in the PSG Madrid game last week was probably the best ive ever seen. Unfathomable levels of talent on the one pitch.

If theres anything in the decline of 'ball players' claim, its more to do with the fact that the standard of athleticism has absolutely sky rocketed; to the point where you could probably rest assured that any world class player nowadays would be streets ahead of the very best players from even the 1980's or 90's. 

They would, but only because of the athleticism. There were more genuinely skillful and intelligent footballers in the past, probably because they concentrated less on athleticism and more on knowing what to do with a football.

I hope things go back that way in the future. I long for misshapen, slow, unfit players that could bamboozle a defender without a thought. In my era it would have been the likes of Michael Laudrup, Hagi, Prosinecki, Stoichkov, Scifo, Matthaus, Cooper, Le Tissier, Romario and, of course, Maradona. You don't get so many of their kind these days.

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,647]

10 minutes ago, Inigo said:

They would, but only because of the athleticism. There were more genuinely skillful and intelligent footballers in the past, probably because they concentrated less on athleticism and more on knowing what to do with a football.

I hope things go back that way in the future. I long for misshapen, slow, unfit players that could bamboozle a defender without a thought. In my era it would have been the likes of Michael Laudrup, Hagi, Prosinecki, Stoichkov, Scifo, Matthaus, Cooper, Le Tissier, Romario and, of course, Maradona. You don't get so many of their kind these days.

Spot on, most of them apart from about a dozen or so great players are thick overpaid fuckers who are athletic and would keep running if a brick wall didn't stop them!

[Jack The Flipper 5,936]

2 hours ago, Inigo said:

It's boring now. 90% of games are shit unless you have a vested interest in one of the teams playing. It's a cynical game played by cheats and jessies that's hyper athletic, over coached and lacks characters, variety and idiosyncrasies in players. You get far more carbon copy footballers now.

It's homogenized, basically. Less regional character to teams than there used to be such that you'd struggle to tell a team from Brazil from one from Russia now in terms of style.

Basically a game that's been crapified by the amount of money at stake. All the best players being hoarded by a few teams doesn't help. Used to be that the top players were spread about all over the shop, rather than it being the same old elite few that have all of the best players and dominate year in, year fucking out.

Great post, very true

[With Heart and Hand 8,949]

2 hours ago, Colin Traive said:

Biggest single change (and not for the better) is this "gives the referee a decision to make" when a player takes a tumble at the slightest contact. Used to joke that Nakamura fell over if you bumped the telly on your way to the fridge but it's got even worse. 

Used to be that players who dived around were called jessies or big lassies or poofs (sorry in advance but that's how it was back then).

Passing the ball to death can be boring as fuck even if it takes skill and our greatest European goal (against Dortmund - 22 passes?) was built on that. As ever, the answer lies somewhere in the middle probably

I hate diving. Ruins the game and ruins discussions of games, how many times have there been fantastic games and at the end all thats discussed is a refereeing decision

Its also not how id like to see my team play or win, wouldnt want any of our players diving or feigning injury 

 

unless is against the taigs, would love to see a last minute winner in the closing minutes with a dodgy penalty in the next old firm. Would make the taigs tears extra tasty 

[With Heart and Hand 8,949]

2 hours ago, Inigo said:

It's boring now. 90% of games are shit unless you have a vested interest in one of the teams playing. 

I agree, which is why i watch almost no other games apart from ours. Wouldnt even really call myself a football fan really, im shit at reading games for the most part, and half the time i dont even know what position a player acutally plays in, but i love going to Rangers games and watching us on telly.

Dont know why i dont really like watching other games but i suppose its like you say, i have no vested interest in any other teams, id rather watch Rangers vs Montrose in the Ramsdens than watch a CL final because i couldnt give a shit who wins the cl final.

[Malvern 11,329]

8 hours ago, Gman36 said:

Messi, iniesta, Windass, modric.... Some of the best of the modern era. 

I wouldn't put Windass in that list.

[big blue Fin 3,724]

8 hours ago, Colin Traive said:

Used to be that players who dived around were called jessies or big lassies or poofs (sorry in advance but that's how it was back then).

What do you mean back then? I still call a diving bastard a big girls blouse, until the rum and coke take effect then It's ya big poofy bahsturt!!!!

 

[A.T.G 10,773]

18 minutes ago, Malvern said:

I wouldn't put Windass in that list.

 

[Smile 26,600]

Scottish football as bad as I can remember now the quality is just not there now.

[Blue Avenger 22,567]

The biggest change I've seen, that there is much less singing of TBB. I call it appeasement creep. It needs to fucking end. 

Loud and fucking proud!

On the lesser subject of football, I say it has moved on for the better. Players are much fitter and athletic but that is in line with sport in general. Wether it's tennis,  rugby, swimming, athletics, you name it. I do see a dearth of home grown talent, but that's not down to the way the game is now played as in systems and formations or athleticism. New fitness regimes would only make a talented player better.

Watching City, PSG, Bayern and their like in full attacking mode is a joy to behold as are the individual skills on display.

I rember the 9IAR years and many of the games at Ibrox would bore the tits aff a bull, as we were that good, we hardly got out of first gear  as teams sat in and needed the oppo to get the first goal to step it up and get the juices flowing. I felt we needed to give the oppo a goal of a start to make a game of it.

What there is a dearth of in the modern game is personalities, like all have had the bypass. For us Cummings breaks the mould, but accross the UK in general, all boring bastards.

[Big Al 55 9,248]

Yep back to the good old days...when I saw a good footballer my first thought was how do I put him out of the game.

I know that's not what op was alluding to, with Tam Forsyths of the world, fair and hard, but it's what our game had become. It's partly the reason we were/are bereft of talent for generations...it was taught from grass roots...from parents baying for the blood of the talented youngster from the sidelines...to professional level in the 80s and 90s...are we worse off than that? The cynical defending of the Italians in the 90s...the brutal defending of the rest on the 00s?

So @Inigo great post, but my tuppence worth added...after night out in town 

[Arrowtown Pie 133]

3 hours ago, Malvern said:

I wouldn't put Windass in that list.

Well, not third in the list anyhow.

[SuperLeeMcCulloch 2,330]

10 hours ago, Inigo said:

They would, but only because of the athleticism. There were more genuinely skillful and intelligent footballers in the past, probably because they concentrated less on athleticism and more on knowing what to do with a football.

I hope things go back that way in the future. I long for misshapen, slow, unfit players that could bamboozle a defender without a thought. In my era it would have been the likes of Michael Laudrup, Hagi, Prosinecki, Stoichkov, Scifo, Matthaus, Cooper, Le Tissier, Romario and, of course, Maradona. You don't get so many of their kind these days.

There would probably be more if so many good players didnt suddenly become benchwarmers for a couple of year because theyve got a ridiculous contract, the top teams basically have 2 first team squads to pick from.

[hampden86 83]

In the 50's 60's 70's 80''s scouts and coaches used to look for footballers and try to turn them into athletes.

Now they look for athletes and try to turn them into fooballers. 

Example..

£50m for Bakayoko of Chelsea? He is hopeless