Tomlin - GREAT Business

Yes there are people whose have all their stars aligning physically and mentally.I agree. There are the overwhelming rest who do not. Tomlin will never be a top level player because physically he cannot meet the demands. That is not a condemnation of his mindset but a reality for many. No condemnation of mindset he reached his top level ... He still achieved and has done great things

In the case of say there's a young man who has been released from the game ... How did he practice? How much? How was he coached? What was his body shape?

Grealish was not given that skill. Twat maybe but he did not leap out of the womb with skill. It is the result of thousands of hours of deliberate practice.

One of the greatest free kick takers I have seen will almost certainly never play pro football - He is Dutch kiddie, trapped in a body that will not meet the demands of football (he is obese)r ... His knuckleball is better than Pirlos, Ronaldos, its a phenom .. He is doing great things via his intense deliberate practice of that specific skill. Freestylers have skill levels above pros many simply cannot meet physically the demands of football e.g.John Farnworth is a stick insect but does magic tricks (literally) with a ball. People through hard work have a level, a great one still but a level.

In the MSL Rooney is again doing great things. Seriously watch him, he is on a different planet to the MSL, but physically he is no longer up to the EPL, that is now his level. No amount of he has to work harder would save him from being barrel shaped. Tomlin dropping down a division or two? Almost certainly would look class and find enough game speed to show his undoubted skills.

 

One thing which I've yet to see mentioned is a 'critical period'. I'm sure it's been studied before but it could well be that a big and immovable chunk of our skill or balance or whatever is developed in the first 3/6/10 years (choose as appropriate). This isn't just in football, it can be in certain types of intellect, developing dense muscle, etc, whereby if you develop the skill early on then you're more likely to keep it or further it later in life. It could explain these JET/Tomlin types where they were outstanding up to the teenage years, at which point they relied too much on their flair and skill and didn't do the leg work which makes a 'complete' player.

My dad worked out a lot as a teenager, and despite having done no exercise for nigh on 25 years he is still muscular and lean. I did naff all as a teenager except play football, I'm working my bollocks off now and I'm about half as muscular as my dad . A similar concept could be applied to some footballers v others no?

I think I've explained that awfully but it's Monday morning and you get my drift.

 

I think you're saying that some people are born and go on to develop which accommodates certain criteria of life skills, be it, the right thickness of fingers to play guitar or piano, or to have the physicality to climb vertical walls etc...(think I'm on the same pills as you)! Although skills need to be learnt, certain elements gives one a head start...

 

on the other hand, you have the inclination to do something, physical attributes to accomplish it and do it but somewhat lazily / leisurely … but as you get older.. like more than say 50? you suddenly put heart and sole in and do it very well ! which is sort of my case... but the handicap is it is much harder as the body / sub conscious begins to say … hey that is very f******* dangerous, and starts to play mind games … but mind over matter and you do it!

 

Arsene Wenger insists if a player does not have a good technique by 13/14 he will never be a player. FA's across the world look at pre 12 as being the best time to build technique.

That technical base feeds later skill creation.

Skill creation is also significantly neural. The highly skilled work the hardest physically but also mentally to acquire that skill. These players create growth mindsets that allow them to train relentlessly in the pursuit of attaining that skill. Messi and Ronaldo were looked upon as prodigies, when studied its clear they trained more than anybody else … Messi to a level that was incredible as a four and five year old. Ronaldo physically is freakish, more slow and fast twitch fibres … All his planets align physically and mentally = Superstar.

Muscle creation, and its fitness work in similar manners, but body shape and dna are significant drivers. No amount of training will turn Jet and Tomlin into Gebrselassie or Bolt or a Messi or Ronaldo. Their physical limitation can be the driver of their skill … They do more at early age to make up for what they have not got and never will have.

 

I have a lot of respect for people who make the most of their ability - Alistair Cook is one who springs to mind

 

watched the last 2 innings brilliant, pity it was not 151 and out! but came good in the end

 

I went to Chew Valley School in the 1970s and there were a few of my classmates who had the ‘gift’
One of them was particularly skilful - always first for selection - and we remained friends into our adulthood.
I only made average at best - despite trying my very hardest.
Just before I made the move up here to Swindon, I invited him to play in a 5-a-side (I had continued to play since school). Not only was he rubbish, but he was blowing out of his @rse after 20 mins and had to give up. I ran rings around him - and he didn’t like it because he remembered me as a hard-working but crap player.
I guess where I’m going with this is that if you are blessed with the ‘gift’ you need to work to retain it, or it will rot and fail you.

 

I do believe that some are born with the gift...but of course, to push that gift as far as world class, you need to work extremely hard at it.

 

Read his book starting out. not bad. puts it all down to work instead of nature.

 

Keegan was another who wrung every ounce out of his self confessed limited ability.

 

Comparing Keegan's physique to that of someone like Billy Bremner, playing in an era where a half-time *** was still commonplace is quite something - Mighty Mouse was a professional ahead of his time.

 

George Best was a natural....apart from alcohol he had football buried deep in his blood......"A wasted genius"