BlueinBosnia wrote:Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:Evenmydoghatesunited wrote:Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:
Look, I think parents of any kids are in charge of bringing their kids up right. Unfortunately in reality life isn't as sweet as that. And vast majority of top professional footballers come from working class or below background. Soft arse middle class kids simply don't have the kind of hunger needed to make it in professional football. They are sent to Academy and we DO have chance to make difference and help these kids not only as footballers but as persons as well. In fact I do think it's our duty somewhat.
I vast happy to see some Academy rejects of ours go to States after they were released to play university football and get proper education.
I'm concerned to read that you think middle class kids have soft arses.
I've no experience of judging the softness of arses of kids, middle-class or t'otherwise, but I will say I fluppin well can't stand daft sweeping all encompassing statements.
Right, well name 10 top professional footballers with middle class background. I'll match that with 50 from working class background.
Pretty much every white player to play for Brazil pre-1980, for a start
David James
Jamie Redknapp
The Laudrup brothers
I don't think it's about lacking 'hunger', I think it's about different priorities placed on them by both the school and their peers, and the fact that middle-class children are often made aware of career and further educational opportunities available to them. Are you seriously saying that lawyers and politicians don't have 'hunger'? I know this is a vast over-statement, and equally as irrelevant as yours, but you don't see too many of them coming from working-class backgrounds. Plus, selective schools (both private and grammar) seem to place more of an emphasis on rugby and cricket than on football. Are you saying rugby union (which is undoubtedly over-represented by players from middle-class backgrounds) is for "soft arses who lack hunger"?
Can't believe I missed this at the time.
Brazil has always had lads straight from the streets. I mean fucking hell, Pele was working in fucking shoe factory at the age of 7. And look at that list otherwise, Laudrup's and Redknapp were sons of professional footballers. The bloodlines were strong there and attitude were brought by their fathers. I'll give you James who legit sounds like he has middle class background. If we stick to English footballers I can think of Graeme Le Saux, Martin Keown and Owen Hargreaves. After that I'm struggling. And that's out of hundreds and hundreds of top English footballers in my time.
And by hunger I mean that one eyed drive to make it as professional footballer and help your family in process. It's not the kind of surficial toughness needed in middle class sports like rugby. And that is absolute no offence to rugby players. It's that "either it's football or I'm in dole line for the rest of my life" feeling that will drive the best of the best in arguably biggest sport in the world. In fact, for most of them being on dole would be luxury. It's either that or your family will not eat.
Look, I take a one look at my little son already running eagerly after football and can already pass and shoot at the age of two (how can he already have left leg for just standing on even at that age, I don't know.... just like I always had). We are by definition middle class family (despite both my wife and me having working class backgrounds... that's Nordic countries for you) with Academic education and top 10% income. He will never have any pressure to "make it in football". Maybe he will learn to love the game, maybe he will even show great drive and deteremination but he will never have the pressure needed. And that pressure creates the hunger. He will always, ALWAYS, have fallback options.
