Whatever happened to the traditional, old-school, classic footballer? I completely understand that it’s 2017, and people change with time, but I really wish footballers would stop changing. People all too often blame the bright yellow boots, or the ridiculous changing room dabs, but for me it’s simply their on-field displays that are essentially the most disappointing. In most cases it honestly isn’t anyone’s fault, but maybe that’s being too generous.
Take a look at Manchester United for example. Once feared, often loathed, but ALWAYS respected, but the same can no longer be said of the current Red Devils side. Not so long ago, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand and countless others were the true bastions of both Manchester United and English football. Their current central midfielder now has an emoji of his own face splayed across the advertising boards…
And although Zlatan is a living legend, his antics are…nah actually never mind, I can’t slag that man off, he’s a true hero. Don’t get me wrong, the entertainment value is certainly still there, and as a Liverpool fan, I’m much more worried when Paul Pogba lines up a thirty-yarder than when Michael Carrick does, but football just ain’t what it used to be. Even Marouane Fellaini is a laughing stock amongst his own fans, but to be fair there’s simply no defending that afro.
Arsenal now…oh dear, where to start? Arsene Wenger gets enough headlines these days, so let’s focus on the unquestionable lowering of standards of his players down the years. The Invincibles, that’s what football should be about, the beautiful game played beautifully. There still is beauty in the current side, but it comes in the form of the gorgeous Olivier Giroud, who I believe is a top, top forward, but he’s no Thierry Henry is he?
John Terry. Another Chelsea legend about to go, joining the great Frank Lampard as the last survivors of an incredible era of Premier League football. Unfortunately Chelsea have been pretty good of late, and so it’s pretty difficult to drag them down with all these other jokers.
Sadly a brief mention for Liverpool was inevitable in this scathing of modern day football. I for one still can’t believe Steven Gerrard isn’t here to save the day for us this time around like he used to, and I also can’t believe that Jordan Henderson is the man tasked with filling his boots. No disrespect to Hendo, because nobody could ever do what Stevie did for Liverpool, but again it just isn’t the same. Even up top the club now rely on largely incapable forwards, a position that has always been filled by the best of the best. Rush, Dalglish, Fowler, Owen, Torres, Suarez…Origi…here come the waterworks!
And as for modern day goalkeepers, WOW. Claudio Bravo, I’m looking at you here. Leave the kicking for the kickers and you can focus on catching, that’s as simple as it needs to be.
Off the field it’s the Tweeting that really bugs me. Don’t get me started on the Tweeting. What doth it profit a man, if he gains all the riches in the world, but tweets “Not the result we wanted but we go again next week” after drawing 2-2 with Sunderland? You’ve literally just let your club and your fans down, literally five minutes ago, and now you’ve let yourself only gone and let yourself down as well with that ridiculously unnecessary tweet.
Mighty Morgan and human-wall Huth epitomised the traditional, no-nonsense stuff that eventually proved pivotal in their remarkable title win, and hopefully demonstrate my point that some modern day footballers just really suck at what they do. Do better guys, please.