picked up a 1953 edition of Soccer Star on Ebay, JC on the front cover, question was asked of him what position he preferred and why, article by a guy called Lee Norris, i know what he preferred to play but to the old and bolds who saw him play, what position would you have liked him to play?
What was John's answer. I only saw him play once, which was in Ivor's testimonial against Revie's full Leeds team. At the age of 37/38, carrying some weight, he made Jack Charlton look like an ornament setting up Ivor for his goal. John was center forward that day. So for me he must have been scary good as a center forward in his prime that where I thinkmi would have preferred him.
I was also there that day on the East Bank behind the goals. I actually played against Charlo on one occasion- we were playing against the Swansea City Youth team that he was managing, and their goalie didn't turn up, so John went in goals. We lost 3-0 I seem to recall !
I watched him play and it didn't matter if he was centre forward or centre half, when the dead ball crosses and corners came in he was there scaring the defence to ****, awsome man.
John's favoured position was centre forward, but as the game was nothing like as fluid in those days and centre forwards didn't track back much to help out the defence, so a lot of people thought that playing JC up front was not getting the best from him as he could be a bit isolated for long periods during the game, and if he played at centre half he could become more involved in the game and move up for corners and set pieces. When he played for Juventus, although JC had the number 9 on his back he practically invented the attacking midfielder role, and 93 goals in 155 games against Italian defenders shows he was pretty good at it In an interview when asked his favourite position JC replied "on the pitch" Jackie Charlton said of John "It wasn't fair, John had it all, a great first touch and it wasn't right that a big man should be that quick and agile, either that or a quick, agile man didn't have the right to be that big! John was the fastest player at the club over the first 10 yards from a standing start, unbelievable for a man of John's size and build, and he could play a bit as well, he had a good shot in either foot, and was the best header of a ball I've ever seen, God knows what he would be worth in todays transfer market"
Michael Parkinson,in one of his many books on football,stated the following; "The best centre forward I ever saw was John Charles". "The best centre half I ever saw was John Charles". He also concluded the book by suggesting that statues be erected outside all football grounds so that players could see what they had to aspire to. I saw him play,and he was equally effective in either positions. When he joined Juventus,they used him as a centre forward at the start of the game. If he scored early on,which he quite often did,he would then go to centre half. In my opinion,there is no-one to touch him,either at centre forward,or centre half. He was simply the best player ever,and we won't see his like again.
It may be an urban myth, as I have no link and haven't been able to find it, but apparently a poll was taken from a hundred top football writers, who voted for their all time best team, best centre forward ever seen, best left winger, best goalkeeper etc. etc. When all the votes were in JC was voted the best centre forward AND the best centre half. As I say this may be an urban myth.....but it wouldn't be a great shock if it was true. I saw him towards the end of his careeer when he was just a shadow of the player he had been, and he still had great presence and charisma
Trevor Brooking in his book "One Hundred Greatest British Footballers" said of John Charles, who was naturally in that list, was he the world's greatest centre half or the world's greatest centre forward? I have to say, that for me, because of this versatility at the highest level, he was easily the best I ever saw.
he could play anywhere from midfield to forward.....you did not argue with the big man, he played where he thought he could do the best for club or country....
Bobby Charlton said that one of the greatest players he ever played with was Duncan Edwards: High praise indeed
It is my era and i have seen Ivor play center forward, center half and iv seen him play out wide, you wont tell me anything about Ivor he was my hero..
What a beautiful and brilliant answer. For anybody who loves the game and loves to play it, it's the only "position".
He was adored in Uventus right up to the day he died. Even the other italian teams thoguht he was the best thing ever. When he died the Turin Fans bought him a wreath, the man who made their bitter rivals the best Italian team of the day. He once had a penalty awarded to him for a foul but he told the referee that the player hadn't touched him. The Ref said it didn't matter he'd made the penalty decision and couldn't change it. So JC took the penalty and delberately kicked the ball away from the goal. Apparently everyone in the crowd incuding the Uve supporters clapped him off the pitch at the end of the game. Could you see Ronaldo doing something like that?
