Category Archives: Eredivisie

Jordy Clasie: Is the Feyenoord skipper a worthy successor to Schneiderlin?

  By O-Posts Team | July 14, 2024 - 18:45 | , , , , , , , ,
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As you may have read in my last few articles, the majority which have been to discuss whether the next Eredivisie starlet was ready for the Premier League and today is another.

But this is different, this one has legs as Southampton have already contacted Feyenoord for their star’s services, which is why I am seeking to discuss if this young kid from Holland is ready to replace the departed Morgan Schneiderlin.

First, let’s have a look at who Jordy Clasie is and his rise to stardom in Rotterdam.

 

Club career

Clasie grew up in Haarlem, a small town not so far away from Amsterdam.

He was given his first football boots by Willem Van Hanegem, a former Dutch international himself who was a friend of his father.

At 9 years of age, he was discovered by Feyenoord and accepted the offer to join their youth system.

It was not smooth sailing for the young Jordy at the start as constant travelling via trains was taking its toll, plus he was getting criticized on a regular basis by then head of youth development: Henk Van Stee, who would regularly call him too small and urge him to leave the club.

But then he left for Shakhtar Donetsk and his successor, Stanley Brard, did have confidence in Clasie, who knows what would have happened if he didn’t.

Clasie was loaned out to Excelsior in 2010 making his debut vs Feyenoord of all clubs a week later and had his first competitive goal ever scoring away at NEC in Nijmegen. After a successful loan period, he returned to Feyenoord and started most of the preseason before making his official debut against, coincidentally, Excelsior.

He quickly grew to be a fan favorite and scored his first goal for Feyenoord against Groningen. Clasie finished the season only missing one game and ended up winning the Young Player of the Season award, which was given to him by his old friend Willem Van Hanegem.

And guess who was the manager who gave him his breakthrough? Ronald Koeman, the current Southampton manager.

Things moved quickly for Clasie the next season, where he was given the number 6 and was made reserve captain behind Stefan De Vrij amidst rumors of interest from major clubs like AC Milan, Roma, Juventus, and Tottenham Hotspur. However, Clasie rejected these clubs to stay a few more seasons at his beloved Feyenoord.

He is currently Feyenoord’s captain, but the club’s failure to win any trophies has surely shortened Clasie’s patience with his beloved side and their ambitions.

 

International career

Clasie was first called up to the “Jong Oranje”, or the Dutch U-21s, in December 2010.

He also was called up for the 2013 U-21 Euro Championship in Israel, where he was used mainly as a substitute.

On the 1st of August 2012, he was picked by Louis Van Gaal for the Dutch side for the friendly vs Belgium. He wouldn’t wait long to grab his first cap, which he managed to do so on the 7th of September 2012 vs Turkey at the Amsterdam Arena.

He was then picked for the World Cup two years later and was praised for his performance in the third-place play-off vs Brazil, which Holland won comfortably 3-0.

 

Strengths and Weaknesses

Well, Jordy Clasie is your typical 21st-century defensive midfielder. He is small in stature, just like Javier Mascherano or Nigel De jong, but because of his fine tackling ability this does not work against him.

He is a very sound passer of the ball, but likes to keep the game simple and does not look for a 50 yard pass or a through ball. He is also not attack-minded as his low goalscoring rate proves and is very assured and calm when the ball is at his feet.

 

Is he the ideal target for Southampton?

In my opinion? Yes.

Here are the reasons why:

  1. Clasie is at his best when he has a talented 10 in front of him, who he can give the ball to after winning it. He has not had this at Feyenoord, but I think with a player like Dusan Tadic in front of him this would prove beneficial for both player.
  1. The confidence factor, which has been witnessed with Ronald Koeman- the man who gave Clasie his big break. Because of this, Clasie will know that at Southampton he has a manager who has the utmost confidence in him and that can help the player immensely.

Of course there are things that could go wrong as he could struggle with the pace of the Premier League as Feyenoord at a very slow tempo or he could up short physically, but I do not see this happening.

In conclusion, to all Southampton fans: this could be a signing to be excited about.

 

Written by Jamie De Geir

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Pione Sisto: Danish wonderkid linked with the likes of Arsenal and Barca close to Ajax move

  By O-Posts Team | July 10, 2024 - 16:30 | , , , , , , , , ,
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Pione Sisto’s performances during the Under-21 Euros in June have opened for a move to Ajax, according to Danish press. The 20-year-old’s talent is undeniable, and a move to a bigger club such as Ajax this summer seems likely.

In fact, Midtjylland FC, his club in Denmark, expects him to be their biggest ever sale. Considering that Midtjylland over the years have developed players such as Simon Kjær and Winston Reid and sold them to bigger European clubs, there is no doubt Sisto’s talent is incredible.

 

QUICK FACTS:

Name: Pione Sisto
Date of birth: 04.02.2024 – Age: 20
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Club: Midtjylland FC

 

Key strengths

Sisto is considered an incredible talent, much due to his exquisite pace and unpredictable dribbling. In the Danish Superliga he takes on opposing defenders with ease whether it is one, two or three defenders coming at him.

Key to any young player’s development is not being afraid of failure, and Sisto has that ability in abundance. He loves to try new skills and tricks, and more often than not he is successful.

He also has a fierce shot on him and can score from distance as well as good vision and passing abilities to set up his teammates for goal scoring opportunities.

 

Stats

At the age of 17, Sisto got his first team debut for Midtjylland. During his first season, 2012/13, he appeared in a fair amount of games before becoming a first team regular the following season. In 2014/15 he helped Midtjylland to their first ever league title in Denmark.

His end product is also good, notching up 17 goals in 65 matches from his midfield position for his club. His performances did not go unnoticed and he was called up for Denmark’s Under-21s in December 2014.

He made three appearances in the Under-21 Euros in June, scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 win over Czech Republic.

 

Interested clubs

As mentioned, Ajax are closely monitoring the 20-year-old and seem to be the club most likely to sign him this summer. Ajax have previously nurtured the talent of another Danish attacking midfielder, Christian Eriksen, who Sisto have been likened to by Denmark national coach Morten Olsen.

The transfer fee for the rapid midfielder is expected to be around €5 million, making him Midtjylland’s most expensive sale ever.

Sisto has also been linked with a move to major sides in the continent such as Arsenal, Manchester City, Barcelona and Juventus.

 

Written by Lars H. Thomesen

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Jasper Cillessen: Is he an ideal successor to the possibly departing De Gea?

  By O-Posts Team | July 7, 2024 - 19:10 | , , , , , , ,
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Well, for the people who have followed my articles on O-Posts (if so, thank you), you will know I have had an article on Anwar El Ghazi and whether he was ready for the step up and another concerning the Sergio Ramos to Man United rumors. This article is a mix of those two.

Because today I will be looking to see if Jasper Cillessen, Ajax’s number one keeper, is a suitable replacement for the rumoured to be departing David De Gea.

But first let’s have a look at his career thus far.

Career thus far

Cillessen was born and raised in Nijmegen and was later scouted and signed by NEC Nijmegen’s own football club at the age of 12.

He made his debut in 2010 and impressively won the man of the match award in that match vs Heerenveen. He stayed between the sticks from that match onwards and also ended up winning Gelderse Player of the Year (Gelderland is a big part of Holland).

At the start of the 2011/12 season, Cillessen left for Ajax for an estimated fee of 3 million Euros — something which now can be seen as a very good piece of business by the Amsterdammers.

For the first few seasons, he was a backup keeper behind Kenneth Vermeer and it was not until the 2013/14 season, where Vermeer went through a very bad spell, that Cillessen became the club’s first-choice keeper.

That summer he was also first-choice keeper of Louis Van Gaal’s Holland side that reached the semi-finals of the World Cup tournament in Brazil and where he was remembered for that iconic moment when Van Gaal replaced him right before the penalty shootout against Costa Rica for Tim Krul.

Strengths

Before I proceed, a big thank you to Rowdy Sibrandi and Rowan Nahar — two people who have helped me with this and the Anwar El Ghazi article.

Just as with my Anwar El Ghazi piece I spoke with a few of my friends, who are Ajax season ticket holders, to see what they thought of Cillessen and his strengths and weak points.

And on this occasion, they were more positive remarks about Cillessen than the views in regards to El Ghazi.

From what I have heard and seen, Cillessen’s main strength is that he is very calm on the ball and a reliable outlet to pass back to as a last-man defender. He also has very strong reflexes and is excellent in dealing with crosses.

 

Weaknesses

The main weakness, which has been well-documented, is that Jasper Cillessen has NEVER saved a penalty. Hence, the reason Louis Van Gaal substituted him in ‘’that’’ quarter final vs Costa Rica.

This weakness may have also been noticeable in the semi-final shootout vs Argentina, where 2 penalty’s were saveable in my opinion.

He also is quite inconsistent with his kicking, but that’s only a concern when he takes goal kicks not when the ball is in play as previously mentioned.

Ready for United?

Yes, I do foresee a David De Gea-esque start if he were to be thrown into the line up straight away but with Victor Valdes there I do not see this happening.

But the question for me is: Is this a smart step for Jasper Cillessen himself?

With Victor Valdes and Man Utd, it would be very hard to break through into the first team and a long spell on the bench could be disastrous for Cillessen’s development.

Is Cillessen ready for the Premier League and a step up from the Eredivisie? Yes. Are Man United ready for Cillessen? No.

 

Written by Jamie De Geir

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Anwar El Ghazi: Is the Ajax starlet ready for a move to the likes of Chelsea and Bayern?

  By O-Posts Team | June 27, 2024 - 19:33 | , , , , , , , ,
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There is a talent walking around Amsterdam. His name is Anwar El Ghazi, who is of Moroccan origin and he is being linked with some big European clubs. But the question is: is he ready?

But before I tell you my verdict on whether this talent is ready for the next step, let’s take a trip down the career path of Anwar El Ghazi.

 

Youth career

El Ghazi’s career did not start in Amsterdam. It started at the amateur club BVV Barendrecht in the South of Holland, so contrary to belief he is not a born Amsterdammer like I am sure many were within the Ajax youth system.

He even played for Feyenoord as his first professional club for two years before being let go by the club. A decision they now surely regret.

Unlike many others who get relinquished, El Ghazi did not give up on football but signed for another amateur club called Spartaan ’20. It did not take long until he was found by one of the smaller clubs in Rotterdam: Sparta Rotterdam. He played there until 2013 when he left for Ajax.

 

Breakthrough season

El Ghazi forced his way into the lineup as he was supposed to play another season with the A1, Ajax’s under-18 squad, but he finished as top scorer in the preseason for Ajax scoring 8 goals in 150 minutes; an impressive scoring rate.

He made his official debut in the Johan Cruyff Schaal, the Dutch version of the Charity Shield. From there, it did not take long for him to grab his first competitive goal for Ajax. That goal came in the second round of the Eredivise vs AZ, where he rasped a shot into the back of the net from outside the box.

He also scored his first goal in Europe this season, and what a place to score it. Albeit just a consolation goal, El Ghazi scored it in the Camp Nou where Ajax lost 3-1.

Although they would not admit it with them being friends and all, but this season was a battle between El Ghazi and Ricardo Kishna (another winger who has broken through this season) to showcase which talent is more primed for the big money move this summer or in the near future; El Ghazi finished the season winning Ajax’s Young Player of the Season.

 

His talents

El Ghazi is a tall, strong, and pacey winger who will always run at defenders. He is skillful as well, even though he showboats at times, which angers his opponents.

 

Pros

El Ghazi is an exciting player who will always try to make things happen.

As mentioned above, El Ghazi has pace, strength, and skill in abundance, which makes him very hard to stop when given too much space to run at you.

He is also a good finisher and good in the air, which something you do not see very often in a winger.

Another thing which makes El Ghazi so dangerous is his shot from outside the box, which he showed against AZ first of all and has also shown quite a few times since.

 

Cons

I have spoken to a few Ajax season ticket holders to see what they thought were the downsides to El Ghazi. One thing that we all agreed on is something that many wingers have when breaking through, and that is being selfish.

El Ghazi has his moments when a pass would have been a much better option than the dribble or the shot, but this is something which can be cured. Just ask a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.

Another thing is that El Ghazi is very inconsistent. If he’s in the mood, he can be unstoppable which goes for Ricardo Kishna on the opposite wing as well, but there are many games were both just fade out and it is something which again can and, I think, will be improved by both wingers.

 

Stats

Let’s have a look at El Ghazi’s stats, shall we?

The main stat, of course, is that overall this season El Ghazi notched up 10 goals and 8 assists in 40 appearances, which were all in the Eredivisie except for that one goal vs Barca.

He had an average of 2.1 shots per game, which shows that he is not afraid to pull the trigger.

His pass percentage finished on a 74.6, which is okay but for a team that relies on possession such as Ajax he will have to improve on that aspect.

He had 1 key pass per game, which again shows, with the passing accuracy and vision needed at Ajax, that this should actually be more.

A positive was that he had a 0.4 offside rating per match which is a good statistic to have as a winger, although we do know that El Ghazi does not play on the last man and that Ajax build up play is very patient. However, this is still a positive stat for El Ghazi.

 

Is he ready for the step up?

Rumours are that Chelsea scout Piet De Visser came to watch El Ghazi at the Toulon festival in France, but left disappointed. I shared this notion with him as I too was left disappointed with El Ghazi’s performance in the tournament.

But all the Ajax season ticket holders and I agree that El Ghazi is not ready yet.

He has not shown the promise Luis Suarez or Christian Eriksen displayed before leaving, and I think a transfer now would be VERY harmful to his development and could easily see El Ghazi become another Royston Drenthe, or Ibrahim Affelay.

So final verdict: If El Ghazi is smart, he will stick with Ajax for a few more seasons as the Ajax staff and Frank De Boer are the best people to turn this talented winger into a world class player in a few years.

 

Written by Jamie De Geir

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Football Quiz: Can you name the football clubs with the most top division titles in each country?

  By O-Posts Team | May 27, 2024 - 19:03 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Created by Sporcle

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Football Tip: How to Avoid Being a Sports Widow

  By O-Posts Team | May 17, 2024 - 19:49 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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When you dread seeing the leaves fall from the trees because it signals the start of football season, or cringe when the first crocus pops its head out of the soils because it means baseball is just around the corner, you may be a sports widow.

Sports widows are women who feel that their life and their needs take a backseat to their husband’s interest in sporting events. Rather than mourning the loss of your husband’s company during the sports season, why not join him in his interest and share some special together time?

 

If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em

While you’ve probably found ways to entertain yourself while your husband watched sports in the past, you may not have considered joining him in his enthusiasm. Even if you find sports mind-numbingly boring, there are ways to focus on other aspects of the festivities and draw your own enjoyment from the event.

This year, inform your husband that rather than complaining about his obsession with sports, you’d like to join him in his love of the game. Just stand back when you make your announcement in case he passes out from shock.

 

Dress the Part

Before the start of the season, go shopping. Buy yourself some new duds to wear while you watch the game. Team-oriented apparel is mandatory to put you in the proper frame of mind. If you’ve never worn a t-shirt with your team’s name emblazoned on it, you may be surprised how doing so can raise your enthusiasm level.

Check out the official team sites for apparel, or visit your local big box store. Grab a baseball cap and situate it atop a jaunty ponytail, or buy an oversized football jersey and wear it with a sexy pair of leggings or tights.

 

Block Out Your Schedule

In order to be able to enjoy game day, you may need to plan ahead. Clear your schedule, and ensure that there’s nothing else tugging at your attention while you settle in for quality time with your family. It’s hard to immerse yourself in the moment when the sink is full of dishes, you have laundry to do or you can’t quit thinking about how you need to balance your checkbook.

Get your work done ahead of time and free yourself to really watch the game with your attention on it.

 

Learn the Rules of the Game

While you don’t have to be an aficionado, you may want to gain a rudimentary understanding of the rules of the game. Visit a website, or pick up a book that breaks the game down into simple, understandable terms.

Better yet, ask your husband to explain the finer points of the action to you as the game goes along when he doesn’t mind.

 

Enjoy the Extras

Even if you find that you really can’t immerse yourself in the sports action, you can still enjoy a special day with your family and friends. Focus your attention on creating special dishes for the game. Make a cheese ball, spicy bean dip, a football-shaped meatloaf or any other recipe you choose for everyone to enjoy while the game is on. Women’s magazines and recipe websites abound with game-time treats.

Decorate the room where you’ll watch the game. Blow up balloons, and hang streamers in the team colors to surprise your family. They’ll be thrilled at your show of team spirit.

Even when sports aren’t your favorite activity, it’s still possible to turn any athletic event into valued family time, rather than isolating yourself from the action. Once you put forth the effort, you may be surprised at the results and actually find yourself looking forward to game day.

 

Written by Amie Taylor

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Memphis Depay: Is the Dutch winger the right signing for Manchester United?

  By O-Posts Team | May 9, 2024 - 20:35 | , , , , , , ,
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After countless rumors, so-called “exclusives”, turnarounds, Memphis Depay has finally signed for Manchester United. In the course of one month, the young Dutch winger went from “close to signing for PSG”, to “very close to signing for Liverpool” to “officially a Manchester United player”.

This whole battle wasn’t very surprising. Memphis Depay was easily the best player in the Eredivisie this season and the whole world already got the chance to watch him showcase his talent at the 2014 World Cup, coached by…Louis van Gaal.

Ever since Depay started playing for PSV, he’s been touted as a future world class star. His talent is undeniable; his workrate even less. The young winger is a stubborn, hard working smart young man: he knows what he wants. In that sense, he’s way closer to Cristiano Ronaldo than to Lionel Messi.

From the very beginning of this season, it was obvious Depay wouldn’t stay another year at PSV. This was his last chance to win the Eredivisie with PSV, and boy did he take that chance. Top scorer (as a winger), best player, most free kicks scored… Memphis Depay simply shined. Nonetheless, he has his flaws. He can be too egoistic or naïve.

Let’s just say Depay’s game against Doordrecht a couple of months back sums up his season, his talents and his flaws. With the game at 1-1, PSV were awarded a penalty. The stakes were high: PSV couldn’t afford to lose or draw this game against a weaker opponent, with Ajax so close on their backs. Memphis Depay took the responsibility to take it and attempted a panenka…that miserably failed. But a couple of minutes later, he scored an absolute beauty of a goal to give PSV the lead and consequently the win.

Louis van Gaal knows what he’s buying. In van Gaal’s unofficial biography by Hugo Borst, the Dutch manager was described as Depay’s “second father”. Their relationship is good, and the manner in which van Gaal decided to buy Depay and succeeded in doing so in less than two days says enough about Depay’s real intentions from the very start: Liverpool or PSG were never real options.

The obvious question is: where on earth will Depay fit in next season? Considering Britain’s most expensive player ever, Angel Di Maria, is barely getting a game as a winger this season due to Ashley Young’s (temporary) excellent form, why would the Dutchman get more game time?

It’s a tough question and only van Gaal knows exactly what he wants to do. In my opinion, somebody will get sold (maybe Young) or loaned out (definitely Januzaj). But more importantly, Depay won’t play every single game. As I said before, he is smart. And he knows he’s young and talented, but not yet experienced enough.

Going from the Eredivisie to the Premier League, especially to Manchester United, is a huge step up. Everything is different. The intensity just isn’t the same. Depay’s first season will never be easy — he’ll have to adapt very quickly to everything, even though the fact van Gaal, Blind and van Persie are there will definitely help him.

For me, it’ll be a good season for Depay if he manages to get involved in most games as a starter or a sub, especially towards the end of the season. Let’s not forget he is very young and he has not been bought to win the league next season — he’s been bought to win the league for Manchester United in two, three or four years. Depay will need patience from the Manchester United fans, something they aren’t really well known for.

As a Dutchman, I am delighted with this move. Memphis Depay is the future of the Dutch national team and in the coming years. I have no doubt he will be our new Arjen Robben.

 

Written by Yannick Bloem

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Football Entertainment: Soccer Saturday Bingo

  By O-Posts Team | April 3, 2024 - 02:29 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Soccer Saturday is a football institution in the UK and Ireland and has been ever since its inception in 1992. Broadcast on Sky Sports, the premise of the program is simple in that there is a host and four studio guests that review the Saturday afternoon football matches that play as they happen. There are also roving reporters at many of the other matches around the country and these are visited throughout the afternoon.

While the premise would make the program sound boring, the fact that it has been on air for 22 years is down to the on screen chemistry of the host, Jeff Stelling, and the studio guests makes the program watchable each and every week. The studio guests are currently former Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier, former Arsenal defender Paul Merson, ex Liverpool assistant manager Phil Thompson and Celtic and Arsenal striker Charlie Nicholas.

As a result of the on screen chemistry between the five in the Soccer Saturday studio as well as their familiarity with each other as well as the passion of these football men appearing while watching the matches we are often treated to a display of football analysis that is usually reserved for time spent in the pub with your mates, except on prime time TV!

The nature of the program, as well as the occasion faux pas from the studio guests, has led to many spin offs for people to join in at home. The most famous of this is the Soccer Saturday drinking game where shots of beer or Jagermeister are to be drunk at times of different things happening during the program.

However, for those of us that do not want to spend our Saturday afternoon’s getting heavily drunk we have come up with a bingo version of the game that allows you to play the same game without being unable to function for Saturday evening!

To play, just print off this bingo card from Butlers Bingo or write down the below situations and hand them out to all of the people playing the game. The winner is the first person to get all of their situations to appear on screen.

  • A goal is scored
  • A sending off
  • Half time
  • Chris Kamara is talking
  • Paul Merson uses stupid rhyming slang (i.e.”he’s hit the beans on toast”!)
  • Swindon Town appear on the vidiprinter
  • Dundee appear on the vidiprinter
  • Phil Thompson says ‘Stevie Gerrard’
  • Jeff makes an ‘A Trialist’ joke
  • Your team scores two goals
  • Jeff calls Kenny Deucher ‘The Good Doctor’
  • Hartlepool score a goal
  • A pundit shouts off camera
  • LeTiss is mentioned in connection with a takeaway
  • Chris Kamara says “it’s unbelievable Jeff”
  • Jeff mentions “dancing in the streets of TNS
  • Jeff says “its Doom and Gloom at…”
  • The team ‘Keith’ is referred to as just being one guy
  • Brighton & Hove, or Daggers & Redbridge are jokingly referred to as two different teams playing the same oppo
  • When Arbroath striker Kevin Webster scores and Stelling says “ohh, Sally will be pleased”
  • Something bad happens to Craig Bellamy (injury, og, booked, arrested for assault etc.)
  • Northampton Town appear on the vidiprinter.
  • Jeff sings “I feel good” when James Brown scores for Hartlepool

These are just a taste of the situations that occur during Soccer Saturday, and feel free to add more of your own making to spice up for your Soccer Saturday bingo session! Once you’ve played this, jump online to play free games at any bingo site. You can win big and use it to spice up your Soccer Saturday fun!

Would you prefer to just play football instead of sitting at home? So basically you want to be a professional footballer? Click here!

 

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Football: What does it mean and how us fans shape our lives around it

  By O-Posts Team | February 12, 2024 - 21:53 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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There comes a time where we must all grow up. Young boys stop playing with little action figures and move on to games consoles, young girls stop wearing their mothers make-up and start wearing their own. We all go to secondary school, reach an age where an interest in the opposite sex grows and we watch more shows created for an older fanbase, as opposed to the kid’s TV we used to enjoy.

We can change our minds so easily when we grow up. We outgrow almost everything from our childhood, be it a show, a board game or an obsession with our favourite teddy or toy that never left our side. Even hobbies find their way of slowly drifting from our routines and finding their place in our memories, never to be forgotten.

One thing that seldom changes, however, is relationships. Some even grow stronger. Childhood friends become school friends, school friends become work friends, maybe even partners. Having an affinity with something rarely changes, and it’s the same with football.

Football can shape the childhood of children so easily. We watch and become transfixed by one player, one team or just the sport in general. For children in football mad families, it is inevitable that they will watch football from early. As a young boy in an Arsenal mad family there was no other team I was ever going to watch, and when I did watch I was hooked by Thierry Henry.

He was my first idol, the first player I fell in love with. And even today, the sight of Thierry Henry or the mere mention of his name buckles me up and takes me down the greatest evocative road I’ve ever journeyed on. Reliving the moments that lit up my childhood, experiencing those moments again. Just fantastic.

To this day, as an 18-year old, I will admit that if it come down to going on a date with a beautiful female or going to watch the Arsenal, I’d pick Arsenal. She may be upset by that so I’d invite her along. If she says no then that’s her problem, not mine. However strong that may sound, football has played a part in my life so huge that living without it would be fairly difficult. It’s an escape, and the same for many other people.

People shape their lives around football. Socially and professionally, everything is built around football. Unfortunately though, not for me, professionally speaking. I work when most Arsenal games are on, and as an 18-year old I’m sadly unable to dictate when I work.

Money comes first when you’re building for a future. Needs must. But it’s not the same for others. People book days off from work to go to games. Even if they’re just going to watch it down the pub with some friends, football comes first.

It’s a strange connection, as people who don’t love football are unable to comprehend the feeling felt by fans when a goal is scored, a pass is misplaced or the ball is controlled. All these footballers are really are just normal people who can kick a ball better than the rest of us, but it’s not as simple as that.

As kids we idolise these men and treat them as superheroes and when we grow up we just sit back and watch in awe. They become parts of our lives and on the back of interviews and performances we end up feeling like we know them.

It even influences the way we use social media, particularly on Twitter. Many people you’ll find on there use it solely to air views and discuss football. There’s something about mixing social media and watching football that results in a narcissistic belief that our views are superior to others. Opinions in the world vary, but on social media the passion we hold for our clubs exudes into 140 characters and any objection comes across as disparagement. So, naturally, we bite back.

Peronally speaking as a reserved individual, football provides a platform for conversation. With not many interests other than the beautiful game finding a middle ground is difficult, and relating to people is rare. With all this in mind, football is the most important thing in my life and it’s played a huge part in the development of me as a person. It’s taught me many different emotions and even a few swear words along the way. Like millions of my fellow humans, I don’t know where I’d be without football.

Football elicits emotion that is not comparable to anything in life. Loyalty to your club is not a choice, it is an obligation; something that is very much permanent; like a birthmark, or a mole - something we cannot remove from ourselves. No matter how frustrating we may consider our connection with a football club to be, there is no doubt that however illogical perserverance through frustration sounds, it would sound even more illogical to contemplate removing your loyalty.

So loving football isn’t necessarily a choice, it’s a requirement. And it’s fun to be part of a community that’s so widespread yet united as one. It’s a wonderful feeling. And that’s why football will always come first.

 

Written by Ryan Goodenough

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Personal Feature: Three top players I wish I had seen in their prime

  By O-Posts Team | January 23, 2024 - 23:32 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Football has long played a huge part in the lives of many people, and football players have left many memories for those who have witnessed their talents. Memories that can be passed on and kept alive for future generations.

Having been born in 1995, I’d perhaps be considered part of the last generation to have witnessed the greatest players from 2000 onwards, and I would consider myself fortunate enough to be at the age where I am able to pass on some wonderful memories. There’s nothing like football to make you feel old.

Being a kid and growing up learning about football is a truly mesmerising experience. Your eyes open to a world full of professionals who have mastered their craft, transfixed by skill, technique and innate ability combined with the rewards for hard work. Past or present, some footballers have lit up the world more than any player of their generation can dream of. It’s due to the learning of football that I’m writing this.

I have learnt a lot from other people, books, videos, documentaries, and because of that learning I am familiar with some of the greatest players to ever play without ever being alive to see them at their best.

So, as to not digress any further, here are players that I wish I had seen play

 

3 - PELE

Probably the greatest goalscorer of all the time, the Brazilian scored over 1000 goals for Santos and grabbed 77 goals in his 92 games for his country. Pretty impressive. He is also the only player to ever win the World Cup three times.

During his international career, he helped create Brazil’s synonymy with the beautiful game, taking them to a new level alongside some great teammates. He could dribble at pace, score goals, had skill and a great mind, as proven with his famous ‘runaround move’ around the Uruguayan ‘keeper in the 1970 World Cup.

Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele was given the nickname “O Rei do Futebol” (the King of Football) and will go down as perhaps the greatest Brazilian footballer ever.

 

2 - EUSEBIO

Alongside Pele, The Black Panther as he was known, took goalscoring to a new level, and the pair were perhaps the Ronaldo and Messi of their time. Two players above everyone else, scoring goals for fun. With so much power and athleticism he became an unstoppable force in Benfica’s quest to dominate Europe, and was a similar feature in Portugal’s National Team too.

After his recent passing, many players who have had the pleasure of facing him spoke fondly. A gentleman in the game, a player who was almost impossible to stop, one of the best ever - many things were said, and all positive. Born in Mozambique, he was signed by Benfica after rejecting a trial from their rivals, Sporting. They missed out on one of the greatest players ever.

He had pace, a powerful shot, strength and many other attributes that propelled him to excellence. Admittedly, I’m not the most knowledgable when it comes to Eusebio, but he’s a player that I’ve enjoyed watching back. If only I could’ve seen him first hand.

 

1 - GARRINCHA

“When he was out there, the pitch was a circus ring, the ball a tamed animal, the match a party invitation. Garrincha nurtured his pet, the ball, and together they created such mischief that people almost died laughing. He jumped over it, it gambolled around him, hid itself away, skipped off and made him run after it. And on the way, his opponents ran into each other.”

Eduardo Galeano, a Uruguayan writer, puts it perfectly. Garrincha played football to entertain; to enjoy himself; for the fun of it. He was not worried about the money, the occassion or the opposition: he would take on any right-back in the world, and beat him. He cared only for football and women.

Give him the ball and he would provide many people with pure joy. While Pele may stand as the greatest Brazilian player ever, Garrincha will always be the most adored. His Botafogo and Brazil team-mate Amarildo, who replaced Pele in the 1962 World Cup after his injury, states that Garrincha is the only player who is loved by every one. Fans of rivals love him like the fans of Botafogo; he belonged to Brazil.

With a turbulent lifestyle and bent legs, Garrincha’s talent was outstanding. However, that turbulent lifestyle ultimately cost him. After retiring from football, he was no longer able to sweat out the alcohol he was drinking and it took its toll, leading to his death. It’s his incredible story that drew my interest in him. Learning of his life and watching old clips of him has been great fun, although it would have been more fun to have seen him live.

Taking on a defender then turning back to take him on again is something not done in today’s era, but done all the time by Garrincha. He was an entertainer, rightly nicknamed Alegria do Povo and undoubtedly a joy to watch. Just a shame I never had the opportunity.

 

Some other names:

Personally speaking, I couldn’t simply pick just 3. That would be far too difficult, but after much deliberation I decided I had to.

However there were some others in the running:
Marco van Basten, a player I fell in love with during Dennis Bergkamp’s testimonial. You could see the class with every touch of the ball, even flicking it over the head of one defender (Steve Bould if I remember correctly) and unleashing a sweet left-foot volley which was saved by Mart Poom.

As an Arsenal fan there are many players I wish I’d have had the pleasure of watching. Liam Brady, Charlie George, Paul Davis and Bob Wilson to name a few, and as a follower of the Brazilian National Team Socrates and Zico spring to mind as well. Puskas is another who has intrigued me. Many great players have graced football pitches over the years, and many have left memories in the minds of fans. Memories to be cherished and passed on.

Divulging into the history of the sport is a pleasure for many young fans, and maybe in 30 years time another teenager will be sitting there wishing they could’ve witnessed the brilliance of Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho or whoever, but one thing’s for certain - players come and go, but great players remain.

Thank you for reading.

 

Written by Ryan Goodenough

Follow Ryan on Twitter - SidelineArsenal

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