Quote:
Originally Posted by Serenity Now
I strongly believe that the basic technical skills of top-level footballers have declined in recent decades. Back in the day, kids didn't have televisions and games consoles to keep them inside and they were largely left to play outside on their own: no sprawling suburbs to keep them apart, little traffic to get in the way, and no parents terrified to let their children out of their sight. This meant endless unsupervised games on the streets, in the courtyards, in the parks: the perfect way to develop fundamental skills, particularly close ball control, and improvisation.
And without the huge wealth and success that top players enjoy today almost as a right, often before they've even kicked a ball in anger, footballers were also willing to work a lot harder to progress as players. For instance, as a teenager, Charlton would practise in the park for something like ten hours a day! At United, he'd spend an hour plus a day just kicking a ball against the wall with his left foot; he even did training sessions with a slipper on his right foot to force himself to use his left! Charlton, admittedly, was somewhat exceptional even then, but you hear these kinds of stories all the time. There are still players who'll put in a lot of extra work, Ronaldo and Beckham spring readily to mind at United, but today they're noted for it; back then it was expected.
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Yeah, agreed. I wonder if it's something that is starting to noticeably affect Brazil in particular.
Perhaps increases the importance of a genuinely high-quality coaching structure at youth level. They don't coach themselves like they did.