George Best

Merlin5 · 1 Jul 2012 at 01:46

I remember many years ago, George Best actually had a half hour weekly tv series teaching his football skills. Can't remember much more about it, I think it was probably an ITV series. I was never really into football but I did enjoy watching that show. I wonder if anyone else here is old enough to remember it. He was the man that everyone revered as having exceptional talent. Like the irish equivalent of Pele. So just a quick couple of questions really. I was just wondering, how did his skill compare to the technical players of today like Messi and others? Was he as good, or maybe better? Every sport these days is far more technical because of sports science, increased fitness and increased knowledge. Generalising further then, were footballers in the 1970's perhaps less skilled by comparison?

Some good skill footage of him here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4vmmddFvEE

pingwing · 1 Jul 2012 at 01:59

I stand by the one thing I learnt living in Belfast was Best would have punched you if you called him Irish, he was British by birth and death, only played for NI and would have had you on the floor for saying otherwise (mostly for being a drunk).

Was a tiny bit insulted to see his picture up in the corner of an "Irish" pub (though they had a Pakki Boner picture next to him which sort of canceled it out).

Anyway in reality for the era he played in, few had his talent (Robin Friday was his best comparison of the day and he just wanted the no pressure games at Reading in the 3rd division) but even less could get away with his arrogance (personality). His best line was "what did you do with all the money you earned?" "drink, drugs and hookers" was basically his reply. On the one hand a NI hero (they have murals to him) on the other, was a wasted talent by 30 and no parents should burry their son at 50. Amazing footballer, waste of a person who comes with it.

Merlin5 · 1 Jul 2012 at 02:10

Since posting this thread, I found a post on the Man Utd forum where someone wrote:

"Messi is, without a doubt one of the best players we will ever see and will go on to be mentioned in the same sentences as pele etc. BUT as many have pointed out, the likes of messi and Ronaldo etc play such a different game to that which Best played, you have to say that Best is the better player. Best played on diabolical pitches (by todays standards) with heavy, awkward boots and had people like Chelsea's 'Chopper Harris' smashing into him at every availible oppertunity. Don't get me wrong messi is a strong player but he couldn't have been the player he is today playing in those conditions. That's what makes best the player he was, he had very little protection and still tore teams apart single handedly. Quite simply Best is the best player of all time. FACT!"

Merlin5 · 1 Jul 2012 at 02:16

pingwing said:
I stand by the one thing I learnt living in Belfast was Best would have punched you if you called him Irish, he was British by birth and death, only played for NI and would have had you on the floor for saying otherwise (mostly for being a drunk).

Heh.

But he had a very strong NI accent, so anyone could be forgiven for thinking he was irish.

Purdy · 1 Jul 2012 at 02:36

Merlin5 said:
Since posting this thread, I found a post on the Man Utd forum where someone wrote:

"Messi is, without a doubt one of the best players we will ever see and will go on to be mentioned in the same sentences as pele etc. BUT as many have pointed out, the likes of messi and Ronaldo etc play such a different game to that which Best played, you have to say that Best is the better player. Best played on diabolical pitches (by todays standards) with heavy, awkward boots and had people like Chelsea's 'Chopper Harris' smashing into him at every availible oppertunity. Don't get me wrong messi is a strong player but he couldn't have been the player he is today playing in those conditions. That's what makes best the player he was, he had very little protection and still tore teams apart single handedly. Quite simply Best is the best player of all time. FACT!"

So basically no one can ever be as good unless they take a kicking while playing and wear **** boots?
Football was no where near as advance back then, watched the 66 WC final the other day and god was it awful, Messi could've ran rings round them all day long and probably ssingle handedly win.

Trusty · 1 Jul 2012 at 03:16

It's so difficult to compare, you could say that if Besty had been brought in the modern era of football, he could be up there too. Better training, training everyday with better players, better balls, better pitches, better boots, better coaching.. its all just come so far from back in the day. Best was incredible though, you can tell he had a great footballing brain.

placeholder · 1 Jul 2012 at 09:08

Best was an incredible player. I don't really like comparing players from different eras because it was almost a different game but i really believe that Best stands up there with the greatest, however in time i think we will come to realise just how good Messi and Ronaldo are today.

To give an example of Best, when he was young he went to watch, i think it was the great Hungary team of the time, and saw a player in the warm up who was able to put so much spin on the ball that he could kick it away from his body and it would spin back to him. Best decided he had to learn to do this too but he had to go one better so he learned to do it with his left foot! How many of todays players even bother to practice with their weaker foot?

There is also a goal he scores on a hellish pitch where he goes clean through except for the last defender who basically throws his body at Best in an attempt to cut him in half - there is no modern player who wouldn't go down for the obvious foul (rightly so) but Best rode the tackle rounded the keeper and scored.

Just YouTube Best and i defy you to not be mesmerised by his skills. As I say, my favourite player. Plus he enjoyed himself off the pitch too, his list of women is the only thing more impressive than his list of goals!!

Loki · 1 Jul 2012 at 09:24

You can't compare players from different era's it just doesn't work. Although they both played 'Football' It was a different game then to now. When Messi was 14 he was at Barcelona's academy with sports psychologists. When George Best was 14 his Dad made him play in a slipper on his left foot so he could improve his right foot.

Loki · 1 Jul 2012 at 09:26

placeholder said:
There is also a goal he scores on a hellish pitch where he goes clean through except for the last defender who basically throws his body at Best in an attempt to cut him in half - there is no modern player who wouldn't go down for the obvious foul (rightly so) but Best rode the tackle rounded the keeper and scored.

Although I wasn't born when he scored that goal, I think it was Northampton away and he scored six on a spud field. Pretty good footage if it's the same goal

semi-pro waster · 1 Jul 2012 at 09:46

pingwing said:
His best line was "what did you do with all the money you earned?" "drink, drugs and hookers" was basically his reply.

Close - "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." was what is typically attributed to him.

Purdy said:
So basically no one can ever be as good unless they take a kicking while playing and wear **** boots?
Football was no where near as advance back then, watched the 66 WC final the other day and god was it awful, Messi could've ran rings round them all day long and probably ssingle handedly win.

Not quite, it's pointing out that players these days get a lot more protection than they used to and that's perfectly legitimate to note - e.g. if Neymar tried his pedaladas on someone like Chopper Harris they'd just have gone straight through him.

Messi probably wouldn't have been running rings round them though, not least because the growth hormone treatment wouldn't have been available to him at that point in time. Beloved though it is of many sports fans it's not really fair to compare wildly different eras - at the risk of sounding facile you play against the competition of the time and if you can beat them all then you're probably the greatest of your era, to be the greatest of all time is purely subjective.

placeholder · 1 Jul 2012 at 09:50

Loki said:
Although I wasn't born when he scored that goal, I think it was Northampton away and he scored six on a spud field. Pretty good footage if it's the same goal

The one I'm thinking of was Chelsea possibly but the 6 against Northampton are a pretty good example! Banned for the 6 weeks previous and Busby under massive pressure not to recall him as the team were doing well. Busby brought him back and he set the United scoring record. He didn't actually know that the all-time record was, i think, 7. After he got the 6th goal he played the last 20 mins at full back because he felt sorry for their keeper!

placeholder · 1 Jul 2012 at 09:54

semi-pro waster said:
Close - "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." was what is typically attributed to him.

Not quite, it's pointing out that players these days get a lot more protection than they used to and that's perfectly legitimate to note - e.g. if Neymar tried his pedaladas on someone like Chopper Harris they'd just have gone straight through him.

Messi probably wouldn't have been running rings round them though, not least because the growth hormone treatment wouldn't have been available to him at that point in time. Beloved though it is of many sports fans it's not really fair to compare wildly different eras - at the risk of sounding facile you play against the competition of the time and if you can beat them all then you're probably the greatest of your era, to be the greatest of all time is purely subjective.

Pretty much this. I think great players would be great players in any era but its hugely unfair to compare. I think that Messi and Ronaldo are under appreciated because they are current. There haven't been many players in history who were not no.9s but scored the volume of goals they have but coupled with the skills that these two have shown in the last 3/4 years. Best is probably a good example of a similar type of player actually.