04/19/24
April 08, 2006
1966 And All That: Forty years on, and a look at England's World Cup winning side and where they are now. If the past is another country, where they do things differently, then the contrast couldn't be greater with today's multi-million pound transfer fees and salaries. Possibly for nostalgia buffs only, but interesting nonetheless.
Great post, Owlhouse. I vaguely remember watching the final, aged 4, with my usually placid dad leaping around like a crazed person. I fear, Squealy, that with Sven at the reins, we'll all be waiting a while longer. Player for player, we're probably a match for even the mighty Brazil, but unless 3 things happen, we're toast. 1) Becks has to play on the right side of midfield and forget the delusions of grandeur - stick to what he's best at; 2) Lamps and Gerrard have to learn to gel and 3) The formation has to be 4-5-1. Although quite who could play the holding role (not that this will ever happen with the Svenster) is open to debate. Sigh...
posted by niall at 10:18 PM on April 08, 2006
Very cool post indeed. This is before my time, but I've heard o many stories about it I feel like everyone's ten feet tall. It's excellent to see these guys talk about their perspective on being the best in the world at what they did, and how it changed their lives afterward. Thanks, Owlhouse.
posted by chicobangs at 01:12 AM on April 09, 2006
That wasn't a goal. The ball never crossed the line.
posted by newhdplayer at 11:55 AM on April 09, 2006
Obviously a Scotsman! Warning: Unsupported sociological hypothesis ahead. The wider significance of 1966 is that it marks (along with the Profumo Affair, The Beatles etc) a shift in modern British history. Before, you had post-war rationing, the maximum wage, Winston Churchill. Everything seemed to be in black and white. Even the official World Cup film. Afterwards, it's Carnaby Street, the three day week, Thatcherism. And Brazil in full colour in 1970. Just a thought.
posted by owlhouse at 08:50 PM on April 09, 2006
I'm not much for soccer, but I found it a compelling piece; the contrast between the hard-as-nails pros of yesteryear with the moder players who can quit school as teenagers and, outside of football, never work a day in the life is quite dramatic in and of itself; it's also a pleasant change to see a piece that isn't the mindless, little-Englander, hyper-patriotism. Nice post.
posted by rodgerd at 10:40 PM on April 09, 2006
Great post. It is a shame that some players refused being interviewed without remuneration, but I suppose that's the way of the world.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 11:47 AM on April 10, 2006
Texan: I can kind of understand the pay-for-interview mantality considering how little most of these guys got out of football money-wise.
posted by rodgerd at 05:31 PM on April 10, 2006
Thanks. I wouldn't have seen that otherwise. Shame I wasn't old enough to appreciate it at the time. Maybe this time.