Could You Perform?

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JohnnyG said:
Have you played or trained with professionals & seen the difference between very good amateurs & people who are good enough to make a living out of the game?:)
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Nope, but as I said, I'm not talking about making a living, I'm talking about a one off game at the absolute best a person could be. And I'm not talking about people in general either, I'm just talking about me. Cocky or not, I believe on my best day ever I wouldn't look too out of place in a professional match.
 
Best I managed was local/town level with 2 different teams. Both teams won league titles during my time there, but the last 2 years we came runners-up.

Apparently, a Lincoln City scout came to watch me and one of my team-mates once. He obviously didn't like what he saw!

My best assets, probably speed and my ability to win headers despite being the "shortest man on the park" as my manager put it. I reckon I could reach Crouch's waist.
 
Davey_Pitch said:
Nope, but as I said, I'm not talking about making a living, I'm talking about a one off game at the absolute best a person could be. And I'm not talking about people in general either, I'm just talking about me. Cocky or not, I believe on my best day ever I wouldn't look too out of place in a professional match.
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I suppose technically you're correct as the question was 'do you reckon you
could perform to a good level', you probably could. But even at your best you'd probably stick out like a sore thumb, the gulf is that great:)
 
My assets are right wing crosses.. somehow they always go exactly where I want every time.. can't do it any time if I think about it or from standing.. I've tried to practice them and failed miserably..
Put me in a game running down the right wing and I'll get a perfect cross to the striker every time essentially accidentally. All other long air passes fail miserably :p

Not very good at everything else, except I'm pretty strong on the ball and hard to tackle. Can do some of the old tricks to get past people (and some zlatan-esque stuff.. working on the flick flack :cool: )

But I'd probably collapse after ~50 mins and not be able to walk at national level.

Shame I'm intensel inconsistent and unfit.

Can do some amazing shots from close to half way line now and then in a game and they go in top corner... other times it's a corner flag side of the moon jobby :o
 
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Not a chance of playing to anything like someone who trains day in day out.

What i do is give more effort though, as i dont think a lot of our players do.

My attributes are:

Pace.
Tackling.
Finishing.
Getting the ball under.
 
JohnnyG said:
I suppose technically you're correct as the question was 'do you reckon you
could perform to a good level', you probably could. But even at your best you'd probably stick out like a sore thumb, the gulf is that great:)
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Like a lot of things it depends on circumstances. Put me in goal for England against Jamaica and you'd never know I wasn't a professional, I'd have very little to do bar communicating with the defence and dealing with a few crosses (2 of my strongest assets). Put me in goal against Brazil and I'd probably look like the Ali Dia of the goalkeeping world.

I do still believe though that in general it would be easier for a keeper from the lower levels to pass for someone of a higher standard, simply because of what it entails, and the fact that unless the keeper makes an obvious error, most goals are put down to good finishing instead of poor goalkeeping.

Edit: I'd just like to point out that in no way am I saying I'm good enough to be a pro, far from it. I do believe though that in the right cirumstances I woud be able to play well, even if just for one game :)
 
Never ever. Not eligible for England you see. ;)

I'm a great dribbler and have a mean left footed shot but I'm totally unfit and not that fast. Mind you, sheringham managed without pace and he did alright.
 
Hmm, probably not. i'm a good forward and winger. Have clocked 10.8 in the 100 meters and can finish pretty well. Averaged just over 1.5 goals per game at uni, played with a few ex Reading and QPR players from the old 2nd division and didn't think they were better than me, but international level is another step. My brothers mate used to captain N. Ireland u18s and he was definitely better than me. so, as much as i'd like to say yes, the answer is definitely NO!!! :D
 
I played against Lee Hughes in prison. No, I wasn't an inmate :p

Many wouldn't consider him a top professional, but he really was a player compared to the rest of us.. I've always considered myself a pretty decent player. I've got a good first touch, good movement, good close control at pace, a good fast footballing mind which lets me pick passes out quickly, ability to read the game etc, but he had the lot. One example, he received the ball on his chest, thigh, then trapped it on the ground before spreading a pinpoint pass across the entire width of the pitch with his left foot. Considering that was his weak foot, it says a lot. He didn't even stop to think. It just seemed like he just knew the guy was there.

Everytime he struck the ball at goal too, he struck it far truer than anyone I've seen kick a ball. Its clear that training every day does put them at a far higher level than most would appreciate.

He played on our side for a small amount of the game too, I played him through on goal with, what I am not ashamed to say, was a superb ball :p He appreciated that and came up to me and thanked me for it, before slotting home the penalty that I should have taken :p So it shows that players like me can show flashes of what they are used to at the highest level, but nowhere near the consistency that they do. His fitness levels were also incredible. To watch him on TV, you wouldn't think he was the paciest player. On the pitch, hes that one yard quicker than you purely on instinct, then he's so fit that if he gets in front of you you are not getting past him. Strength, he had the lot.

So thats just my insight of it.

I reckon if I'd have managed to actually go on trials to Stockport County and Manchester City like I was invited to, I would have had a good go at it. However, I'm a cripple and I'm not afraid to admit this, so I never would have made it to that level because of fitness issues...

People that say they could do a better job than professionals though make me laugh, because it simple isn't true.
 
my main strength was my perception, i was able to read a situation before it happened meaning i could be in the best position possible. i wasnt the fastest defender but i was able to be where i needed to be in time :D

other strength would be my strength. big hard legal challenges and not being knocked off the ball was a damn good thing.

used to have a strong right foot, when warming up my goalkeeper wouldnt like me shooting at him :D
 
In my early 20s i reckon i would have been fit enough,but skill wise,not even close.These days I could do a good impression of Jan Molby (him these days too ) without the touch or passing ability :(
 
Actually,thinking back,i played with Paul Bracewell a few times at school/mucking about and tho he was very good,he wasn't 'omfg look at him' good - still had a pretty good pro career all the same (if a little tainted :p )
 
obv i aint noway near as good as a pro but i am a decent player and used to play every sunday when i was younger

i reckon i could fill a gap in the england squad at the highest level as many people could!! just pass the ball to a fellow team mate when you get it :D

im best at controling the ball in the air
 
Footballers aren't as fit as you think. Some of them are, especially at international level. I have trained next to Chelsea's training ground in Cobham and the amount of crap they come out with to sit out of training is unbelievable, I honestly believe I could give most of them a run for their money fitness wise. Look at the reasons for some of the England team missing training sessions, christ almighty, you've got tight backs, tight hamstrings, slight niggle, its a wonder how they are paid so much money and get so 'fit' if they are always missing training sessions for stupid reasons like that
 
Baker said:
Footballers aren't as fit as you think. Some of them are, especially at international level. I have trained next to Chelsea's training ground in Cobham and the amount of crap they come out with to sit out of training is unbelievable, I honestly believe I could give most of them a run for their money fitness wise. Look at the reasons for some of the England team missing training sessions, christ almighty, you've got tight backs, tight hamstrings, slight niggle, its a wonder how they are paid so much money and get so 'fit' if they are always missing training sessions for stupid reasons like that
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You don't think training properly with a niggle and turning it into a proper strain would be a stupid thing?
 
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