Quality players of the past who just wouldn't fit today. | Vital Football

Quality players of the past who just wouldn't fit today.

chris who

chris who

Vital Champions League
There are many Gillingham that I can think of that just would not fit into todays game without a big transformation of style.I don't really want a list simply one or two players who you saw play who would simply have no place because of their style of play.Or possibly there was another reason .Who would you love to see one last time but know in your heart they simply couldn't be the same player under current rules or modern managers?
There are some very obvious ones but the player I would like to throw into the mix is a fantastic legend who is fairly recent.
Paul Smith every much as feared by our opponents as anyone .But the game has changed so much in the last few years. I wonder if in the modern game Paul would be too restricted. For me he main quality was his tackling the vast numbers of incredible tackles are still engraved in my mind .I definitely wonder if these would be allowed.
Who would be the one you would pick out?
 
Smithy mastered the art of nicking the ball without touching the opponent.
He’d often slide in from the side, wrap his foot around the ball and come away with it.
I never quite figured out how he did it so regularly.
A quality midfielder with virtually no pace.
He’d walk into this team as a central midfielder. Dempsey would do his leg work, as Hess did.
 
shotshy said:
Smithy mastered the art of nicking the ball without touching the opponent.
He’d often slide in from the side, wrap his foot around the ball and come away with it.
I never quite figured out how he did it so regularly.
A quality midfielder with virtually no pace.
He’d walk into this team as a central midfielder. Dempsey would do his leg work, as Hess did.
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Yes but he often did when the opponent was already past him .I believe many of those tackles would no be against the present interpretation of the rules.Totally agree that someone as good a Smugger in front of the current back line would be amazing.
 
Big Bill Barnsole, the bruising 6'10" Arsenal centre half would struggle to compete today. A few pints of Watneys before a match and a brace of Woodbines with his halftime cuppa would no longer be acceptable preparation for the modern game. In his day, no one got past him (not with all their limbs anyway!) Different times.
 
Boom boom boom let me hear you say Leo! All elbows and barges. Eaves was always being penalised by refs and so is Oliver and Akinde. What chance would Leo have but would love to see him in our team
 
PhilK66 said:
Rugby tackling Hess.
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Do you think the rules or interpretations have changed that much on that sort of behaviour since then?
Hess played it hard but with a touch of humour often got away with quite a lot .I think he would today as well.
 
timnolongerinbrisban said:
Terry Cochrane & David Shearer - mainly because the pubs are currently shut!
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I was going to say exactly the same!

Those boys could certainly play, both on and off the field. Pretty sure their off field exploits today would mean they were constantly plastered all over social media for multiple reasons.
 
I shit you not 58, I did sometimes have a crafty puff at halftime when I played.
I remember one winger who I played with who used to have a few cans before kickoff.
He was like a bullitt down the wing and much better if he'd had a few.
 
shotshy said:
Smithy mastered the art of nicking the ball without touching the opponent.
He’d often slide in from the side, wrap his foot around the ball and come away with it.
I never quite figured out how he did it so regularly.
A quality midfielder with virtually no pace.
He’d walk into this team as a central midfielder. Dempsey would do his leg work, as Hess did.
Click to expand...


Agree with that. I`d say that Smith is someone we`d love to have in our current team. The man could pivot on a sixpence and find a team-mate with a short slick pass. Created lots of space that way, he owned the centre-circle.
 
I must admit, I used to shout "shovel foot" every time Smudger made a pass up front...
 
shotshy said:
I shit you not 58, I did sometimes have a crafty puff at halftime when I played.
I remember one winger who I played with who used to have a few cans before kickoff.
He was like a bullitt down the wing and much better if he'd had a few.
Click to expand...

Shotty, you are describing every single local league player from the 80’s back.

Or did you actually play for Gills? 🤔
 
Going back a bit one right back we had, Roy 'Chopper' Proverbs. His initial encounter with the opposition winger would most likely get him sent off today. Dennis Hunt the other full back was not that gentle either.
 
The striker who scores goals but doesn't contribute much else has really gone out of fashion in the last 10 years. That's what finished off Michael Owen's career. I'm not sure how someone like Cody McDonald would fit into a League One team now, good though he was.
 
It might sound like heresy, but I'd fear for Super Bob Taylor.

For all his ridiculous ability striking the ball, close control and similar, he had very little pace, and I don't think he was ever fully fit for us. In today's game I think he would just be marshalled out wide fairly easily. Would probably still do a job as a target man, but not the ridiculous goal machine he was.
 
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