What football career would you rather have...?

[PeteManic]

1. Explode on the scene as a teenage sensation, setting records and winning trophies before settling into your mid-20s with a bumper 6 year mega bucks contract and then tailing off as you hit 29 and never recovering. Some love you for what you did, some see you as keeping back much needed new blood. You still remember the good times over the odd pint before breakfast.

2. Mature later in your footballing life. Starting slow due to injuries or the wrong club before becoming a vital cog in a title winning team in your late 20s. Lauded by the critics and earning accolades from your peers. Retire on your 40th birthday and certainty for management at the highest level.

3. An average career for an average player. Never the star but always in the squad. Getting a few minutes at the end of title winning games and cup finals. Loved by teammates and, after scoring in the 93rd minute in the Kop end, you become a cult hero. Never have to work another day in your life. Retire and never heard of again.

 

[unplayable]

It's not exactly a difficult choice, is it?
Obviously option 2.

 

[SilentWitness]

If I have enough money to live on for the rest of my life I'm picking 3. I've still won titles, I have a decent bank balance and I can retire in peace with my family. I'd struggle to deal with the pressure and abuse while I was playing so when I'm not playing and I'm just trying to get on with life I'd rather not have wankers on twitter judging my every move.

 

[Deery]

Think it’s obviously number 2 isn’t it

 

[PeteManic]

Everybody thinks it's number 2 but with number 1 you earn much more money with your mega contract. And you get to enjoy the money by not playing so much towards the end of your career?

 

[Deery]

So who is this Gareth Bale, David Silva and Juan Mata?

 

[Riz]

So

1. Rooney
2. RVP (kind of but ignoring the longevity)
3. O’Shea

I’d go for RVP with the added bonus of the longevity mentioned in the OP.

 

[Grylte]

1 sounds like Rooney, i'd pick that.

 

[El-Manos]

So

1. Rooney
2. RVP (kind of but ignoring the longevity)
3. O’Shea

I’d go for RVP with the added bonus of the longevity mentioned in the OP.

Ya 2 reminded me of RVP, so I’ll take that option.

 

[duffer]

So who is this Gareth Bale, David Silva and Juan Mata?

Mata's done far more than the description in 3.

 

[Deery]

Mata's done far more than the description in 3.

Not lately

 

[duffer]

Not lately

We're talking about their careers. He's won the Champions League, FA Cup, Europa League, World Cup and European Championship.

"An average career for an average player" my arse!

 

[SilentWitness]

You lot have a meltdown when you don't see a Sancho tweet in the transfer thread. No way are you coping with the pressures of careers 1 or 2.

 

[RedTiger]

Obviously no2 from your options.

I've thought about this many times late at night and my fantasy career would be like this:

Start at 16 with Bournemouth and help them win a cup, move to United at 18 and win everything for 12 years then get my testimonial and move to Dortmund for 2 years and win bundesliga.

At 32 move to AC Milan and win scudetto over 2 years.

At 34 move to Marseilles and win Ligue 1.

At 36 move to Boca and win the libertadores.

At 38 move to Al Ayly and win the African CL.

At 40 move to Mohammedans SC and win the Asian CL.

At 42 retire and become youth team manager at United.

 

[Yagami]

We're talking about their careers. He's won the Champions League, FA Cup, Europa League, World Cup and European Championship.

"An average career for an average player" my arse!

Why aren't you counting the league cup and community shield, you elitist?

 

[ti vu]

Not making choice (I wish I can become a professional footballer and all but I couldn't. Beggar can't be chooser). Just want to point out, #2 sound like Pirlo than anyone else.

 

[Rozay]

I’ll take the R9 option please.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Give me the Ramos one. CL, WC, EC, League.

 

[Chipper]

Probably 1.

3 doesn't sound like he gets as much glory as the others and I wouldn't want to be a manager like number 2 presumably goes on to do. I want to chill and enjoy my millions.

 

[nyanza]

3rd choice goalie in a big team.

 

[Theafonis]

Probably 1. Retire with the money and disappear.

1. James Rodriguez
2. Vardy but can’t see Vardy as a manager. So Scott Parker might be a better fit.
3. Demba Ba (and many other journeymen).

 

[Theafonis]

3rd choice goalie in a big team.

Pinto

 

[Ronaldo's ego]

No.3 is Ole with a few tweaks

 

[OleBoiii]

Option 3 is easily the worst. No one in their right mind would pick that.

Option 1 = you have great career and end up in the history books.
Option 2 = you have good career and only the fans will remember you. But you get to be a manager, which is a pretty great.

Option 1 slightly edges it for me. If "management at the highest level" means managing a top 5 club in the world, then I go for Option 2.

 

[Fortitude]

Obviously no2 from your options.

I've thought about this many times late at night and my fantasy career would be like this:

Start at 16 with Bournemouth and help them win a cup, move to United at 18 and win everything for 12 years then get my testimonial and move to Dortmund for 2 years and win bundesliga.

At 32 move to AC Milan and win scudetto over 2 years.

At 34 move to Marseilles and win Ligue 1.

At 36 move to Boca and win the libertadores.

At 38 move to Al Ayly and win the African CL.

At 40 move to Mohammedans SC and win the Asian CL.

At 42 retire and become youth team manager at United.

so you literally win everything around the entire globe and then retire a god?

At least you've made yourself an all-time legend in your fantasy. Job's a good 'un.

 

[stubie]

A Denis Irwin career, off the pitch as well as on!

 

[Vidyoyo]

E)boue

 

[Dirty Schwein]

Number 1 hundred percent.

 

[Zlatattack]

Number 1 minus the alcohol problems (Muslim innit).

Id stretch it out and spend my rubbish years making money in the USA, Middle East, China, AC Milan and finally Derby County.

 

[giorno]

The one where i win the world cup

 

[giorno]

Not making choice (I wish I can become a professional footballer and all but I couldn't. Beggar can't be chooser). Just want to point out, #2 sound like Pirlo than anyone else.

What? Pirlo was a teenage sensation who became a key player for the dominant team in europe in his early to mid 20s, winning a world cup and 2 CL before fading and then having a late career revival in his 30s

 

[Mogget]

You lot have a meltdown when you don't see a Sancho tweet in the transfer thread. No way are you coping with the pressures of careers 1 or 2.

 

[SAFMUTD]

Why is option 3 even a choice? may as well add being a complete failure and retiring at 22 as option 4.

 

[Bondi77]

None of the above.
I would settle for being known as the GOAT.

 

[Bastian]

option #4

Play amateur level football until you're 23 then get picked up by a League One team, a year on get picked up by a Championship team, get promoted and bought by a top 6 side where you are established in the first XI into your thirties, when you decide you want to try a new challenge.

 

[VeevaVee]

2. That's how you go down as a great.
1 would be very fun though.

 

[Revan]

Number 1. Both the money and being great, plus retiring in my early thirties, what is there to not like. It is essentially Rooney/Ronaldinho/Luis Ronaldo.

 

[Skills]

1 sounds more fun.

 

[Skills]

Number 1. Both the money and being great, plus retiring in my early thirties, what is there to not like. It is essentially Rooney/Ronaldinho/Luis Ronaldo.

Yeah exactly. What's the point of being richer and more famous when you're older and wrinklier.

 

[ReallyUSA]

Number one. I got shit to do.