Michael Owen on modern footballers


You have to have all that as an absolute minimum. The technique and understanding of tactics is at level beyond what Owen played at. Not surprising when you see how much teams in pretty much all levels spend on them. The comment above about players touchers is laughable. Stick a random game on from the 80s or 90s.
Aye, there's definitely some rose tinted gleggs when reminiscing about the past, but the game now has become almost robotic. More focus on athletic ability and game management than pure football imho. That may be due to the death of 4 4 2 as a formation and the emphasis that put on traditional strikers, which made for a more exciting spectacle, again, imho.
 
Awful pundit but I always like hearing Owen speak about his career or other footballers. Very honest and loved his mentality that he thought he was the best striker in the world in his prime

Compleyely driven and full self beliefe as a playet. Said he never ever doubted he'd make it to the top. He's honest enough to say when he won the Ballon D'or he wasn't the best player in the world. Mentions 'true greats' like Ronaldo and Zidane being around at the time who were definitely better.

Haaland gets a mention re stats and he says Brazilian Ronaldo and Henry would've done that in this City side, in this era, no problem at all.
 
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Says back in the day footballers were more pure footballers and you had to have real skill, craft and ability. Says now it's all about being an athlete. Youve got to big, strong, cover x amount of yards etc. "Now, if you can a bit further than everyone else and can basically pass it from A to B you're going to have a decent career in the Premier league". He references players like Le Tissier, saying he was incredibly gifted but would probably not get a game due to his physical make up these days.

It's decent interview actually. The bit above starts around 27.30 when he's asked him winning the Ballon D'or.

He’s right like, I kind of wonder if someone like, Hoddle would get a game in England now.
 
He's seen as a bit of a joke figure due to his punditry but he was for a time a genuine world class talent. Was absolute lightning in his pomp and as sharp as anybody I've seen in the 18 yard box. Isn't he the last British player to win the world footballer of the year?
 
He’s right like, I kind of wonder if someone like, Hoddle would get a game in England now.

Yup. Speaking of Hoddle, he reckons he was a great manager and if he'd managed the next crop (Gerrard etc) we'd have won the WC (resents Beckham for his kick out against Argentina too as he reckons we'd have gone close that tournament too).
 
He is correct. Some of these so called footballers now couldn’t trap a bag of cement. Just fitness bullies.
Maybe fitness has improved more than skill, but skill has also improved a lot. Pele's miss from the halfway line makes it onto his career highlights - if someone scored from there in the championship these days hardly anybody would bat an eyelid. I also saw a gazza video on YouTube the other day - all his touches from the 1990 semi final - the standard was terrible and his long passing genuinely wasn't as good as O'nein's :lol: I suppose that is over 30 years ago now.. "Crap 90s football" channel on Twitter is also a good reminder of how much the standard has improved.
 
Yup. Speaking of Hoddle, he reckons he was a great manager and if he'd managed the next crop (Gerrard etc) we'd have won the WC (resents Beckham for his kick out against Argentina too as he reckons we'd have gone close that tournament too).
I do think he should have kept his own council on matters outside of football, and maybe he would have done well at euro 2000 instead we got keegan and the rest is history.
 
Maybe fitness has improved more than skill, but skill has also improved a lot. Pele's miss from the halfway line makes it onto his career highlights - if someone scored from there in the championship these days hardly anybody would bat an eyelid. I also saw a gazza video on YouTube the other day - all his touches from the 1990 semi final - the standard was terrible and his long passing genuinely wasn't as good as O'nein's :lol: I suppose that is over 30 years ago now.. "Crap 90s football" channel on Twitter is also a good reminder of how much the standard has improved.

People were more impressed that he had the presence of mind to attempt to score from the half way line.
 
People were more impressed that he had the presence of mind to attempt to score from the half way line.
Then 27 ish years later Beckham actually did it, and it was absolutely massive. And in the 27 ish years since then football's come on leaps and bounds again, to the point where you'd almost expect even a championship footballer to be able to hit an empty net from the halfway line.
 
Aye, there's definitely some rose tinted gleggs when reminiscing about the past, but the game now has become almost robotic. More focus on athletic ability and game management than pure football imho. That may be due to the death of 4 4 2 as a formation and the emphasis that put on traditional strikers, which made for a more exciting spectacle, again, imho.
Yep I agree. The possession football that’s in right now can be bloody awful to watch when it’s not working.
 
He’s bang on.

Look at the recruitment of clubs. Are you ;

Big , black and strong seems to be the type of player they are looking for.
Even down the leagues.
 
Not sure it’s a new thing …. Sir Bobby once said to me “I’ll always pick a good bigg’in over a good small’un”
 
Can't say I agree at all. I saw an old episode of MoTD the other day: it was from 98 and was Arsenal Vs Spurs. Both sides long ball and the standard is awful. Watched highlights of Arsenal Vs Mags Cup final from the same season. It looks like an exhibition match.
Man City would absolutely destroy any of them.

As for suggesting technique is lower, that's just nonsense. Look at the side Sunderland had in 96-97 and compare it to now. Even watch the 98-99 team and we were much more long ball then we like to remember. Nowadays, top players have to be quality dribblers even when they play in goal.

I just can't agree with Owen at all. Yes, players have to be fitter now. Someone like Le Tissier openly admits to eating McDonalds everyday but put his skill into someone like Onien and he would be an England regular now.
 
I would probably agree tbh. Look how many huge stars you had in the 90s who were genuinely fantastic players to watch. Mainly in other European leagues admittedly.

Far less common these days
Aye but that’s because the standard has increased. It’s more to do with modern defenders being better than most strikers/midfielders from the 90’s etc.
 
Can't say I agree at all. I saw an old episode of MoTD the other day: it was from 98 and was Arsenal Vs Spurs. Both sides long ball and the standard is awful. Watched highlights of Arsenal Vs Mags Cup final from the same season. It looks like an exhibition match.
Man City would absolutely destroy any of them.

As for suggesting technique is lower, that's just nonsense. Look at the side Sunderland had in 96-97 and compare it to now. Even watch the 98-99 team and we were much more long ball then we like to remember. Nowadays, top players have to be quality dribblers even when they play in goal.

I just can't agree with Owen at all. Yes, players have to be fitter now. Someone like Le Tissier openly admits to eating McDonalds everyday but put his skill into someone like Onien and he would be an England regular now.
Maybe not the best example but the Liverpool 4 Newcastle 3 game was on sky the other week and it was surprising just how poor the standard was, a lot of hoofing the ball forward in that game.
 
Then 27 ish years later Beckham actually did it, and it was absolutely massive. And in the 27 ish years since then football's come on leaps and bounds again, to the point where you'd almost expect even a championship footballer to be able to hit an empty net from the halfway line.

Yep. But Pele was innovative in thinking of trying it in the first place. That's the difference.
He’s bang on.

Look at the recruitment of clubs. Are you ;

Big , black and strong seems to be the type of player they are looking for.
Even down the leagues.
Gilly lad, just tells it straight.
 
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