That 1966 World Cup winning team

[simplyared]

Hearing the news of Jackie Charltons passing drew my attention to the England team of 1966 that won the biggest prize of all on home soil.I was 14 at the time and followed the whole tournament.
To be honest looking at the team player for player I didn't believe we had the quality to achieve what we did.
If I were to single out players I would put a question mark on, would be our own Nobby Stiles, George Cohen, Martin Peters, Roger Hunt.
Obviously looking at the team's performance on the day they were all good enough. However individually some not quite imo.
A fantastic achievement nontheless.
Interesting to hear other caf members views on this!

 

[red woppit]

Hearing the news of Jackie Charltons passing drew my attention to the England team of 1966 that won the biggest prize of all on home soil.I was 14 at the time and followed the whole tournament.
To be honest looking at the team player for player I didn't believe we had the quality to achieve what we did.
If I were to single out players I would put a question mark on, would be our own Nobby Stiles, George Cohen, Martin Peters, Roger Hunt.
Obviously looking at the team's performance on the day they were all good enough. However individually some not quite imo.
A fantastic achievement nontheless.
Interesting to hear other caf members views on this!

Good post.
I was 13 at the time, and if I remember right, Jimmy Greaves was the 'star' striker, but got injured early on, and couldn't get back in, due to Hunt's 'work rate'. Nobby was the 'destroyer' in midfield, never a terrific footballer, but was the sort of player you needed in a team. I think it shows that Ramsay's teams were built on hard work, Hunt, Ball, Stiles would all work their socks off, while Bobby Charlton, Peters, Moore were more creative. Individually, yes they probably wouldn't have all got in, but what he got was a very good all round team, which didn't give many goals away.

 

[BigDunc9]

I don't think Jack Charlton was even meant to start. I believe Brian Labone was first choice but he decided not to play in the world cup so he could get married instead.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

I don't think Jack Charlton was even meant to start. I believe Brian Labone was first choice but he decided not to play in the world cup so he could get married instead.

BBC 2 just showing documentary on the 66 team/squad and just mentioned that Jack (curious as to why Alf picked him so late in his career) asked Alf "why now?"

Alf apparently said "I don't always pick the best players Jack" (meaning he picked the ones that made his system work).

Another funny story (repeated by Alan Balls son and someone else) was Alf took Nobby and Alan Ball to a park and made them watch a mate of his throw a stick for his dog.

Alf said "see how that dog just gets the stick and gives it to the owner? I want you to do that ... get the ball and give it Bobby".

Interesting to hear the players acknowledge that Alf basically had 4/5 true world class players and he picked players around them to make their best attributes work.

 

[Canuckred64]

I don't think Jack Charlton was even meant to start. I believe Brian Labone was first choice but he decided not to play in the world cup so he could get married instead.

Peter Swan would have started at Centre Half if not for the betting scandal 18 months or so before the World Cup. Swan had made 19 straight starts at CH and was one of the first players Ramsey put on the team sheet.

 

[Needham]

I don't think Jack Charlton was even meant to start. I believe Brian Labone was first choice but he decided not to play in the world cup so he could get married instead.

Wonder if Labone regretted it. Ironically, died aged 66.