The Maradona myth. Napoli wernt a one man team. Maradona could do wonderful things but without a strong defence he'd have won nowt. Bit like Tom cairney at Fulham... One of the greatest Italian defenders of all time played for Napoli in those two title wins.
Not up to Cruyff's achievements but Di Stefano didn't do too bad. He guided the Argentine clubs Boca Juniors and River Plate to league titles,and won La Liga and the Copa del Rey with Valencia as well as the European Cup Winners' Cup with the side in 1980. He also managed Sporting in the 1974/75 season and Real Madrid between 1982 and 1984. The 1982–83 was catastrophic for Real, they finished second in La Liga and were defeated finalists in the Supercopa de España, Copa de la Liga and Copa del Rey.Madrid were also beaten by Aberdeen, managed by Alex Ferguson, in the European Cup Winners' Cup final. The 1982-83 season for Real shows some clubs idea of catastrophic is different to others.
I wonder if he was judged on being 'too arrogant' in interviews, not divulging his transfer targets or his readiness to wave to the fans, as City managers have been?
Di Dtefano was replaced as manager the season after that "disaster". Though he remained an influential and much loved figure at the Bernebau. Those of us old enough to see the 1960 European Cup Final, the first I believe that we could watch live here due to it being in Glasgow, will always have a special feeling for Di Stefano, Puskas, Del Dol, Gento etc... It was a great thing to see that game, especially as it was such a classic in the days when you only had FA Cup Finals and the odd international. Speaking of great players, look up the scoring record of Puskas and wonder what he would be valued at nowadays. All with one foot as well.
Ain't no one at the club who knew he was. Ain't no one at the club who sees the importance of all that old stuff. Ain't no one at the club who saw the importance of having a promotion or a Cup Finalists parade through the streets. Ain't no one interested in non revenue-creating events or olive-branch gestures to the Council.
Earl Hamner Jnr - creator of one of the all time TV Favourite Families "The Waltons", dead at 92. R.I.P.
Probably should have qualified my first statement by saying the greatest player who had the chance of winning a world cup not to do so. Great as they were, Best and Charles were brilliant individuals whose international team mates did not reach their levels.
That 1974 Netherlands team is arguably the best team never to win the WC, alongside Brazil 1982. If only Best and Charles had been English...
From what I know of John Charles, he and Alf Wood were cut from the same cloth. I never saw John Charles play so I can't say who was the greater.
The Curse of the Early Goal in the final against West Germany. That and their desire to take the piss against the Boche who invaded them in '39.
Not really the curse of the early goal - it was just that they got a penalty in the 1st minute and from then on the Germans were diving every time they got in the box until the ref finally gave one.
Brazil 82 were let down by their Un-Brazillian - like lumbering centre forward - Nelhino?? Something like that. Reminded me of Billy Whitehurst
Not to forget Tom Finney. Shankly would have gone ballistic at his exclusion. Someone once said to Shankly that an England winger was as good as Finney. Shankly replied "Aye, but Tom is 65 now". Shanks always said if he was picking a team it would be Finney and any 10 others.
Puskas is up there. He played in the 1954 final against West Germany and scored despite playing with a hairline fracture of his ankle. They eventually lost. They had beaten West Germany 8-3 earlier in the tournament.
