Footballer's or Athlete's...?

[Oscar Lomax]

Are today's footballer's just highly tuned athlete's ???. We have guy's in the Hibs team who are fit as fiddle's, eat well and do the right thing's off the park (apart from the odd one) but basically are boring on the park, cant beat a man or pick a pass using skill or natural ability. It's like watching player's that have learned the game from a manual, all theory and no practial.
I would love another Chic Charnley (in his youth) or Russell Latapy to come along, both of whom were not athletes, liked a fag and a beer but most off all, were footballers. Entertainer's. Match winners.
It's not just at Hibs these guys are lacking, it's throughout the Scottish game. So called footballer's now have an athlete's approach bred in to them. There is no doubt that the introduction off sports and dietery science has beniffited sportsmen but where is the natural ability gone? It's like watching eleven cloned player's !

[Future17]

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Are today's footballer's just highly tuned athlete's ???. We have guy's in the Hibs team who are fit as fiddle's, eat well and do the right thing's off the park (apart from the odd one) but basically are boring on the park, cant beat a man or pick a pass using skill or natural ability. It's like watching player's that have learned the game from a manual, all theory and no practial.
I would love another Chic Charnley (in his youth) or Russell Latapy to come along, both of whom were not athletes, liked a fag and a beer but most off all, were footballers. Entertainer's. Match winners.
It's not just at Hibs these guys are lacking, it's throughout the Scottish game. So called footballer's now have an athlete's approach bred in to them. There is no doubt that the introduction off sports and dietery science has beniffited sportsmen but where is the natural ability gone? It's like watching eleven cloned player's !

With the exception of Zemmama in the current Hibs team, you may have a point.

My understanding of Scottish football is that the guys who make a living from it at basic SPL level and below are the guys who developed fastest physically when growing up, have a decent (but not exceptional) level of football ability and have a good level of fitness.

I know plenty of players who have more genuine football ability than a lot of the players playing the SPL but for various reasons didn't make it.

[Perspective]

The best players in the world are the ones who combine true ability with athleticism.

You can't be gifted nowadays and ignore the physical side. Guys like Messi and Ronaldo are phenomenal athletes as well as gifted on the ball.

[sahib]

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Are today's footballer's just highly tuned athlete's ???. We have guy's in the Hibs team who are fit as fiddle's, eat well and do the right thing's off the park (apart from the odd one) but basically are boring on the park, cant beat a man or pick a pass using skill or natural ability. It's like watching player's that have learned the game from a manual, all theory and no practial.
I would love another Chic Charnley (in his youth) or Russell Latapy to come along, both of whom were not athletes, liked a fag and a beer but most off all, were footballers. Entertainer's. Match winners.
It's not just at Hibs these guys are lacking, it's throughout the Scottish game. So called footballer's now have an athlete's approach bred in to them. There is no doubt that the introduction off sports and dietery science has beniffited sportsmen but where is the natural ability gone? It's like watching eleven cloned player's !

Is "Adonis" the perfect shape for a footballer? Does over-developement of the upper body - or lower for that matter- destroy balance and flexibility?
I once heard an old english manager describe the then England team as looking like " a bunch of decent half-milers" rather than footballers. Are we developing teams the shape of decent shot putters now?
Look at what Arsenal did to Marinello.

[Perspective]

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Is "Adonis" the perfect shape for a footballer? Does over-developement of the upper body - or lower for that matter- destroy balance and flexibility?
I once heard an old english manager describe the then England team as looking like " a bunch of decent half-milers" rather than footballers. Are we developing teams the shape of decent shot putters now?
Look at what Arsenal did to Marinello.

I think the trendy for bulky, muscle-laden footballers has passed. If you look at Arsenal or the Dutch team in particular, it's all about having a strong core, flexibility and a mix of explosive pace and stamina.

[Zimmy]

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Is "Adonis" the perfect shape for a footballer? Does over-developement of the upper body - or lower for that matter- destroy balance and flexibility?
I once heard an old english manager describe the then England team as looking like " a bunch of decent half-milers" rather than footballers. Are we developing teams the shape of decent shot putters now?
Look at what Arsenal did to Marinello.

I think it was more the London nightclubs that "did" for young Peter.

[CB_NO3]

Even the smallest football players are all machines these days, I seen Ashley Young take his top off after a game last week and he was ripped, and he is quite a small guy on the pitch compared to most. Guys like Ronaldo and Drogba are so strong its unreal, you see when Ronaldo runs with the ball, people just bounce off him because he is that strong. In the SPL there is alot of strength but not alot of pace, you see players in the premiership breaking that fast they can get to the other side of the park in about 5 seconds.