Could you have been a professional footballer ?

[lysglimt]

Let's ignore the obvious - the talent. What I am more interested in is this - if you had the footballing talent to be a professional football at a very high level -how many of you are considering yourself mentally strong enough to have made it ?

Personally - I couldn't. I don't think I would be mentally strong enough to avoid being affected by abuse from away fans - or possibly worse, abuse from your own fans, criticism on places like this or reviews in the media afterwards. Not to mention the hairdryer from Sir Alex - I remember some player saying a while back that there were players who never really recovered after one of those.

It would get to me - so for me it's no. I could not! How about the rest of you ?

 

[JustAFan]

Nope,too short, too slow, and grew up in the USofA during the 70's, no hope at all for me.

But if I had the talent and training, sure I could.

 

[Zen86]

If I was better I could

 

[Sylar]

I would thrive on the abuse tbh. I always do things like people are against me and im trying to prove them wrong. At times its a good thing, others it means I sometimes take things too seriously.

Recently ive chilled more but I would have enjoyed it. I think I would still be driving my ford fiesta rofl. I dont think I would have had an agent though. Or I would have hired a family member like my brother or dad to do it.

 

[acnumber9]

Has anybody joked about 'if I had the talent yet'? If not I'd like to say I could if I'd been a lot more talented.

 

[antohan]

I would be in complete awe of the man throughout the hairdryer. But some managers would sure get on my tits. It must be difficult to keep your professionalism and brush off the fact you are playing for a knobend.

 

[.Phil1968]

I couldn't handle the abuse of away fans, probably foot someone to the throat a la Cantona.

 

[Jimy_Hills_Chin]

I couldn't.

I was offered trials when I was 10, for what was then a Premier League side, but I was too shy to go. I think that that was a pretty good indicator.

 

[duffer]

I was told by a doctor when I was about 12 that I would never be a professional atlete because of a knee condition called Osgood Schlatters.

I've since found out that there are loads of pro athletes who had the same thing.

 

[Rowem]

Mentality is why I got nowhere even close! Not to say I had the talent, I probably didn't either.

In training and in kickabouts with mates I was very good and ultra competitive, but when it was an official match with club or school team then I lacked confidence, panicked, crumbled under pressure and failed to assert myself at all.

I was offered trials when I was 10, for what was then a Premier League side, but I was too shy to go. I think that that was a pretty good indicator.

Similar. I had the opportunity to go to a summer training camp thing which had professional coaches and links to professional clubs. A few guys from my school got in the door at clubs through that, I think. I was far too shy.

 

[BAMSOLA]

I was told by a doctor when I was about 12 that I would never be a professional atlete because of a knee condition called Osgood Schlatters.

I've since found out that there are loads of pro athletes who had the same thing.

The fact that you took his word for it and stopped trying says it all really.

Winners never quit and quitters never win. HTH.

 

[adexkola]

I don't buy the talent stuff. If you put in the right practice from a young age, you can make it happen.

 

[Relevated]

Not confident enough in my own ability so I'd never make it

 

[Baxter]

I was told by a doctor when I was about 12 that I would never be a professional atlete because of a knee condition called Osgood Schlatters.

I've since found out that there are loads of pro athletes who had the same thing.

Paul Scholes for one.

I'm OK. Way too slow though.

 

[I'm always right]

I like to think I had the talent and I've played at a high semi-pro level, but I also went to school with Phil Jageilka and so I think even as early as 16 yrs old I realised I just didn't have that kind of mentality.

 

[Eboue]

The fact that you took his word for it and stopped trying says it all really.

Winners never quit and quitters never win. HTH.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/loved-ones-recall-local-mans-cowardly-battle-with,772/

 

[Tomuś]

Perhaps could have been. Having been 14 at the time, I was approached by some middle-aged man who allegedly had some connections with FC Metz. Refused, partially due to being a bit shy guy at the time and partially cause I had to go back to Poland.

 

[Hectic]

Yes, I would have fired Sir Alex the minute I arrived as a player, man-handling him off the premises if necessary, then I would have become player manager overnight and basically just done whatever the feck I wanted until major success materialized.

 

[swooshboy]

I don't think talent is the key factor.

Attitude and determination are much more important - and have a far higher correlation to someone making it than just talent.

Neville said that he always knew he wasn't the most talented in the Academy, so he resolved to outwork everyone.

I remember Rooney saying that all he did when he was younger was play football. When people say to him - thats what they did too, he said that if his friends were going to the cinema, he would play football instead and keep practicing.

There are numerous stories of talented players who have never made the most of their talent, but what separates the best is their desire and hunger to be the best - and their willingness to work until they are. Ronaldo is perhaps the best example of this.

 

[NoLogo]

Little to no talent. No discipline. Extremely injury prone. Way too much love for drugs and parties. I'm fairly sure I would never have made it as a professional footballer.

I was really fast though when I was younger, but that's about it, hardly enough to become a pro footballer.

 

[Sixpence]

I couldn't.

I was offered trials when I was 10, for what was then a Premier League side, but I was too shy to go. I think that that was a pretty good indicator.

Same here. I had trials for Wolves when I was 14 but I didn't know anyone there and was basically too shy to go again. It felt like everyone else knew each other. I wish I'd have stuck at it looking back, when I see some of the pros that have made it in the lower leagues.

 

[Joemo]

I'm too clever to be a footballer. I tried eating loads of Vagisil but it didn't done not work enough.

 

[lunchforthesky]

I played in the same team as Cameron Jerome as a kid and was comfortably more skilled than he was. But like all kids I never really considered that becoming a professional footballer might be something you need to work really hard to achieve, or that it was a possibility.

If I had my current mindset with my ability as a child I'm certain I could have made it at at least a League 2 or better level.

 

[SirAF]

I don't buy the talent stuff. If you put in the right practice from a young age, you can make it happen.

Agreed. Maybe not a brilliant CM or Striker, but surley at least a half decent centre back or fullback.

 

[thegregster]

Yes, I would have fired Sir Alex the minute I arrived as a player, man-handling him off the premises if necessary, then I would have become player manager overnight and basically just done whatever the feck I wanted until major success materialized.

The old John Terry strategy.

 

[Bread]

I was utter shite when I was younger. I mean utter utter shite but always tried hard, I'd have never in a million years made it as a pro but do wonder if I had had a bit more dedication I could have been a lot better, just over he past few years when I have understood the game a lot more and played regularly the level of improvement has made me wonder but I am sure everyone thinks that.

 

[Gio]

I don't think talent is the key factor.

Attitude and determination are much more important - and have a far higher correlation to someone making it than just talent.

Neville said that he always knew he wasn't the most talented in the Academy, so he resolved to outwork everyone.

I remember Rooney saying that all he did when he was younger was play football. When people say to him - thats what they did too, he said that if his friends were going to the cinema, he would play football instead and keep practicing.

There are numerous stories of talented players who have never made the most of their talent, but what separates the best is their desire and hunger to be the best - and their willingness to work until they are. Ronaldo is perhaps the best example of this.

True, but there are many more stories of hard-working lads who gave it their best but didn't have the combination of athleticism, brain and technical ability, either through lack of talent or lack of proper coaching. Sometimes we can lose sight of just how much talent is required to make it as a professional given the unparalleled level of competition.

 

[lunchforthesky]

I was utter shite when I was younger. I mean utter utter shite but always tried hard, I'd have never in a million years made it as a pro but do wonder if I had had a bit more dedication I could have been a lot better, just over he past few years when I have understood the game a lot more and played regularly the level of improvement has made me wonder but I am sure everyone thinks that.

There's a lot to it imo.

Imagine if you were an 11/12 year old who actually worked on fitness for example, or worked over and over for hours on your set pieces/heading/passing/weak foot etc.. like you would if you could go back with what you know as an adult.

 

[jim]

Similar. I had the opportunity to go to a summer training camp thing which had professional coaches and links to professional clubs. A few guys from my school got in the door at clubs through that, I think. I was far too shy.

I did one of those, and it almost destroyed my love of football. The warm-up alone nearly killed me, and it was a vile atmosphere of people goading each other and hurling abuse every time someone made the tiniest mistake. I was alright, but nowhere near the best players, and I just wasn't used to playing in such an aggressive environment - certainly not from my own teammates.

I wouldn't say I regret having gone, but it certainly wasn't a positive experience.

 

[I'm always right]

True, but there are many more stories of hard-working lads who gave it their best but didn't have the combination of athleticism, brain and technical ability, either through lack of talent or lack of proper coaching. Sometimes we can lose sight of just how much talent is required to make it as a professional given the unparalleled level of competition.

You need some talent for sure and in some areas of the pitch you can get away with just being fitter/faster than the guy you're up against.

But many less talented players do make it through sheer hard work and determination.

 

[Bread]

There's a lot to it imo.

Imagine if you were an 11/12 year old who actually worked on fitness for example, or worked over and over for hours on your set pieces/heading/passing/weak foot etc.. like you would if you could go back with what you know as an adult.

Yer exactly. I was on the route in windsurfing (representing the north west) to what leads to national and olympic teams. Didn't put the work in at that level and was shit after rinsing it for 18 months on the level below. Would not be that lazy now.

 

[Maagge]

I'm always dead serious when there is a coach about, putting in a shift and trying to improve. And I do love my football practice, so playing close to every day probably wouldn't bother me. I've never been one for practicing and trying to improve alone though, which isn't ideal. And I really enjoy partying and gettting pissed. That would be hard to cut down on. I don't know if I could take fans yelling at me, I've always been pretty good at ignoring angry teammates and coaches and just trying to take in what point they were trying to get across. But a big group of fans is something different.
I might have had a shot had I spent all the hours I've spent in front of the computer on the pitch instead.

 

[Gio]

You need some talent for sure and in some areas of the pitch you can get away with just being fitter/faster than the guy you're up against.

But many less talented players do make it through sheer hard work and determination.

Certainly, but I think the base level of talent to make it as a pro is well beyond most of the "coulda been a contender" stories we hear about.

 

[17Larsson]

I like to think I had the talent to make it to the lower leagues if I was coached properly. Dedication wise (staying off the drink, eating properly, training hard etc.) would have been no problem but abuse from home fans or playing alongside a Roy Keane type character and I'm pretty sure I would have crumbled fast

 

[bosnian_red]

I'd probably be a Berba type player to be honest. Always been more talented than most other kids around me but never really put in all that much effort. I think I'd be fine with dealing with the criticism and all that stuff, but giving your all in training every day is where I would fall short imo. During games I try hard obviously, but I'd feck around basically every practice.

 

[iczster]

I'm ashamed to say I could have. Turned down an apprenticeship with Oldham Athletic. I don't have many regrets in life but that's definitely one.

 

[Minkaro]

• My ability is mediocre at best
• I was seriously underweight until a couple of years ago (about 8 stone at the age of 18)
• I was a complete wimp as a child so I'd back away from every challenge, even if it was just the ref walking past
• I'm very quiet, even on the pitch I don't particularly like raising my voice. In a game where it tends to help to shout things, that's not very useful.
• It took me a while to mature (still nowhere near), as a young teenager I was more interested in playing Pokemon on the Gameboy than doing any sort of exercise. Now I'm wiser, and more interested in playing Football Manager than doing any sort of exercise.

I'm going to hazard a guess at no.

 

[I'm always right]

• My ability is mediocre at best
• I was seriously underweight until a couple of years ago (about 8 stone at the age of 18)
• I was a complete wimp as a child so I'd back away from every challenge, even if it was just the ref walking past
• I'm very quiet, even on the pitch I don't particularly like raising my voice. In a game where it tends to help to shout things, that's not very useful.
• It took me a while to mature (still nowhere near), as a young teenager I was more interested in playing Pokemon on the Gameboy than doing any sort of exercise. Now I'm wiser, and more interested in playing Football Manager than doing any sort of exercise.

I'm going to hazard a guess at no.

Good CV. Sold yourself.

 

[Genius Me!]

My cousin really believes he could have been. But he's a bit of a cnut with too many anger issues and doesn't like authority. He never would have made it for that reason alone, he would have been like ravel Morrison and the clubs would have given up on him.

Me? Hmmmm I'd like to think I could handle it now, I've got the mentality that if I had the talent I'd be able to succeed. But I don't have the talent, and I didn't have this mentality when I was young so nope I was never destine for football stardom.

But it frustrates me because I do have good vision, and if I was trained as a kid then maybe I would have been a lot better than I am. Oh well I guess we'll never know!

 

[adexkola]

What is talent? What seperated Messi and Bramble when they were infants?