Lack of definitions is a huge problem!
In the context of soccer, when one says:
- “Culture”
- “Creativity”
- “Possession”
- “Attacking Style”
- “Development”
- “World Class”
- “Great Coach”
- “Great Player”
- etc ..
Those things can all mean wildly different things, unless you have a proper reference.
And that reference must be based on the best – the gold standard. Why?
Because that is the target!
The less you understand the gold standard(s) of the game, the more lost you are.
And while consistently watching FCB, Champion’s League, or International Tournaments is essential, it does not mean one understands.
You can’t just be a spectator.
“World Class” is the most overused term in soccer. Bar none. It seems every single player in the top leagues is “World Class.” When in reality that term should be reserved the genius’ of the sport – Xavi, Scholes, Messi, Ronaldo, etc etc.
We’ll have to work on that for sure.
I would certainly classify a whole lot of players as world class.
You will also have to define what is “the best” or “the gold standard” of the game. I’m sure there will be disagreements in that area. Do you look at who is currently successful? Or who has been successful over a long stretch of time? Or maybe what has been proven to work generation after generation? Is it more important to look at success at the Club or International level? All of the above? If so then what about where these different organizations or coaches who are successful are at odds in their approach and philosophy? Definitely a topic and discussion that could really take off in all sorts of directions.
That’s right Dave. Notice I have ‘best’ in italics. 🙂
There’s a ton of work to do!
Of course the plus side is, the variation in opinion is far smaller when discussing ‘the best’ versus anything else.
Creativity. So many people think of creativity about how well a person can dribble by a defender. How many “moves” they have. I like a more broader definition! I have seen a center mid beat two players with a glance of his eyes….both defenders reacted with 10 yard movements. Creative runs can be the difference though. Too many players are taught rigid systems and exactly where they need to be in all situations. While this is needed, the player that can at the right times move off the ball in unpredictable manners can create the best chances.
“Creative runs can be the difference though.” I would say IS the difference. One of the biggest symptoms we see here in the USA is static positioning.
Yep, there’s way more to creativity than the masses realize.
It’s obvious they don’t realize this, however. Certainly not the magnitude!
The rhetoric is all about “technical skills”.
Oh how lost the horde is …
Here’s a fun exercise. Rank current players like Ronaldo, Messi, Robinho, Neymar, Iniesta, Ozil, from most to least creative. Most would probably have it something like this: Ronaldo – Neymar – Robinho – Ozil – Iniesta – Messi. I’ve even heard people say things like “Messi’s just fast. He doesn’t really have any ‘moves'”.
For me, it’d be Messi – Neymar – Iniesta – Ozil – Robinho – Ronaldo.
There’ll all about a step and a half behind what this guy used to be though, at least in the creativity dep’t: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E97zHKmnl6A.
I would suggest it is Ronaldo that is “just fast.” The guy is a freak and almost beat an Olympic sprinter in a straight-up race (and his running technique for straight runs is horrible by the way so if he had proper tech he’d prob win the race!).
You are right – Ronaldinho destroys all those guys for “creativity.”
agreed watching all those that you listed, Messi is by far the most creative in my opinion, then Neymar, (I think CR7 is the best in the world btw) but his movement is not creative and free flowing, doesnt mean its not excellent, Ronaldo to me someone who studied up and mastered all his little flicks and tricks, everything he does is calculated and executed accordingly, Messi has no calculation with anything, thats the genius of him, everything seems frantic off the cusp and completely disorients defenders teams and coaching, which style is for you is the question, I love Creativity because I cant do it the same hence its term, Calculated moves and such anyone can learn but only those willing to put in the time can truly be masters of it,
I think you’re dead on SDW! As Dave C. is asking, who measures what can be tricky. But maybe to hard for soccer as no one answer fits all. I look at creativity, vision, culture and so on . . . as more a vision, an ideal that has differing intrepretations. Each work in their own way. Just like how Pep and Mo can be polar opposites in personality but be great coaches. Or Ronaldo, Messi and Ronaldinho being “creative” but play differently.
Creativity is as much off the ball play as it is on the ball, though the average parent is clueless to this. Most don’t see the simple run that creates the opportunities for the goal. I agree that’s it not the obvious things like step-overs, etc, its the subtle small things. It has everything to do with having an above average soccer brain and the ability to slow the game down mentally.
And the average coach, and the average writer, and the average everyone.
Well … to be fair they know of this stuff in theory, but they lack in vision, feel, and interpretation for what’s going on in scope or magnitude.
“You can’t just be a spectator”
After reading this post, I started to think some of my journey toward soccer enlightenment (not close to being there yet), and remembered what I consider my first “real” step.
Summer 1999, trying to figure out how to improve our high school men’s soccer team that next fall…what formation, shape, style, etc. France had just won the World Cup in 1998, so I decided I should really try to understand what they were trying to do…thought that would be a good idea!! Up to that time I was more a “fan” watcher of soccer, not looking at it analytically. However, I had all WC 1998 games on VHS (that is right…tape), and decided to re-watch the matches.
I came from a background of playing and coaching that EVERYONE played a 4-4-2 (sweeper / stopper)….perhaps also a 3-5-2 (stlil a sweeper….stopper just turned into a def CM role). I remember really watching France’s opening match and wondering: why / and how where their outside backs (Thuram and Lizarazu) in the attacking third so often, how did they have 3 center midfielders, only one forward??? I had never, NEVER seen (or perhaps realized) a flat-back four defense (NOTE: I played sweeper through college). Ultimately, I ended up watching each of their 7 matches multiple, multiple times. Dissecting each player / position, their movement, how they got forward, defended, their movement off the ball (the best I could tell from the camera angles), etc. And to talk about World Class, that was also my first exposure to Zidane (after he came back from his red card in the first match if I remember), Henry, and Trezeguet among others.
Of course there is more to this story…but that was my first step of trying to really understand this beautiful game. And fortunately, now there are communities like this one to share experiences, ideas, thoughts, and questions !!!
Thank goodness.
Love it man!
That alone makes you part of the minority.
And the fact you did it with the WC Champs, instead of some MLS team is critical.
Looking forward to more of your thoughts in the coming months and years. 🙂
Thanks…looking forward to being part of this community….lots to share and learn !!
And truly…I think like you and many others…I just do not have time to watch much if any MLS games. I put on my DVR many hours of soccer each week (no MLS games), and I cannot even get through all of those generally.
As I was sitting here zoning out while staring at my computer screen… my vision went a little blurry. I was looking at the title of the post as it appears in my browser window:
“Appropriate Soccer Standards- Do you understand them?”
With my vision blurred, it sort of looked like “APPRECIATE Soccer Standards…” and it got me thinking even more.
Some people don’t appreciate the “gold standard” enough to achieve it. Or even attempt to achieve it. Or even enough to remotely understand it. Building the “best” product requires more than just a casual appreciation for and understanding of the game.
But we’ve all heard that before, right? Talk, talk, talk. Blah, blah, blah.
Time to re-watch my Croatian boys get knocked out by Spain 🙁
Very interesting indeed!
“Appreciating” versus “understanding”.
The first is easier than the second, no?
I feel another post coming …
Also- was wondering if the number 10 on the ruler had any special meaning? I can’t think of a more powerful/meaningful/mythical number when talking about the ‘best’ when it comes soccer. Was that on purpose?
Hehe …
I think the “gold” standard is different for different countries.
The dominate culture in a particular country seems to set that standard. Or that standard is defined by the popular clubs in that country ie Ajax, Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Manchester United, Chelasea, Bayern Munich, Chivas, Santos, River Plate, Boca Juniors, and for us it’s LA Galaxy 🙂
Is Mexico trying to redefine their gold standard with Cruyff at Chivas?
One definition of creativity is mastering or perfecting a skill to the point of originality. I really like this definition when it’s applied to soccer. Many times I think people overlook the players with true creativity and quality for the “flashy” players that “stand out.” Just because you do a lot of step-overs and attempt difficult passes doesn’t mean you’re a creative player. The players that have mastered the simple parts of the game are the ones that can develop true creativity. I think I have more to say about this, but I can’t get my thoughts together at the moment. Anyway, just something to think about.