George Best

[Funkydrummer]

Just come across this on YouTube. Phenominal at the time.

How do you think he would go on in the modern game d'yer reckon ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuOkQYayFUI

[gandhisflipflop]

Thought this was an RIP thread then.

[evensteadiereddie]

If he undertook the same training regime as a modern player, he would be phenomenal.
If he didn't and stuck to the kind of lifestyle that brought about his demise, he'd not even make it to the first team

[Buxtonclaret]

He was brilliant.
And he would be today.
He'd have more protection now plus, he'd not have to make top class defenders look ordinary on a ploughed field.

[IanMcL]

He would be world best.

[Spijed]

If he undertook the same training regime as a modern player, he would be phenomenal.

You'd think he would be similar to Messi with Best's level of skill.

[Claret Toni]

Fantastically skilful and effective in a team of top class players, so was able to get away with a lack of application. When the calibre of player around him dropped his lack of application saw a drop off in his performance.

I imagine these days he wouldn't be given the same latitude, so likening him to Messi would not be unreasonable.

Of course if he did continue down his chosen track of booze, women and out all hours, then his career would peter out as it did then.

Sadly, for me, I'd expect the latter case. Best was too much of a bon viveur to be shackled by the ultra demands of top football for an extended period.

[equinox]

Imagine the damage he could do on £250k a week?

[Woodleyclaret]

Greatest player I saw play live

[CleggHall]

George Best, Tom Finney, Jimmy Mac in that order, the best 3 I saw play.

[Tricky Trevor]

Fantastic footballer and would be in any era.
Ironically the game that made his name worldwide was his hat trick away to Benfica. BBC showed full match highlights on an anniversary and without the goals he was awful. Goals win games!

[Bosscat]

Room service was contacted and shortly after a waiter arrived with said champagne.

Upon entering the room the waiter, a football fan, was met with the scene of thousands of pounds strewn across a bed that also framed the half naked former Miss World.

As the roomservice boy arrived he received a healthy tip he could not help but ask Best, “George, where did it all go wrong?”

[TheFamilyCat]

Fantastically skilful and effective in a team of top class players, so was able to get away with a lack of application. When the calibre of player around him dropped his lack of application saw a drop off in his performance.

I imagine these days he wouldn't be given the same latitude, so likening him to Messi would not be unreasonable.

Of course if he did continue down his chosen track of booze, women and out all hours, then his career would peter out as it did then.

Sadly, for me, I'd expect the latter case. Best was too much of a bon viveur to be shackled by the ultra demands of top football for an extended period.

But on the flip side, he'd have been in an academy system in the modern era and may well have been protected from some of the things that brought him down. We'll never know, though.

[Jakubclaret]

But on the flip side, he'd have been in an academy system in the modern era and may well have been protected from some of the things that brought him down. We'll never know, though.

If that's what's inside you there's no stopping you apart from you stopping yourself.

[Rowls]

If that's what's inside you there's no stopping you apart from you stopping yourself.

I'm a big believer in personal responsibility and taking charge of your own destiny but it's not the only factor that affects us.

You can teach self control and you can learn self control techniques. It's a combination of external forces as well as the internal decisions we make.

However it's important to make the distinction that even though both external and internal factors play their part, ultimate responsibility rests with the self/internal decisions as these are the ones we have control over.

[Royboyclaret]

Fantastic footballer and would be in any era.
Ironically the game that made his name worldwide was his hat trick away to Benfica. BBC showed full match highlights on an anniversary and without the goals he was awful. Goals win games!

Just the thought of George Best and Jimmy Mac performing in the same side.......the mind boggles.

And I was fortunate enough to see both players in their prime.

[Jakubclaret]

I'm a big believer in personal responsibility and taking charge of your own destiny but it's not the only factor that affects us.

You can teach self control and you can learn self control techniques. It's a combination of external forces as well as the internal decisions we make.

However it's important to make the distinction that even though both external and internal factors play their part, ultimate responsibility rests with the self/internal decisions as these are the ones we have control over.

In the absence of predetermined genetics if only things were that simple.

[Lip]

George Best, Tom Finney, Jimmy Mac in that order, the best 3 I saw play.

Got to say Tom Finney was far and away the greatest ever player I've seen Cleggy,closely followed by Best and Jimmy Mac.Not much between them all in truth.

[Rowls]

In the absence of predetermined genetics if only things were that simple.

Who said any of that was simple? Life is very complex.

[Rowls]

Just the thought of George Best and Jimmy Mac performing in the same side.......the mind boggles.

I had to look this up following your suggestion Royboy.

From what I can find online, they played together for NI on 3 occasions. Jimmy Mac was at Stoke by the time but Alex Elder and Willie Irving played in the same three games as Burnley players.

N. Ireland 3-2 Scotland - 2nd October 1965
https://www.11v11.com/matches/northern- ... 65-229180/

England 2-1 N. Ireland - 10th November 1965
https://www.11v11.com/matches/england-v ... 65-229212/

Albania 1-1 N. Ireland - 24th November 1965
https://www.11v11.com/matches/albania-v ... 65-229251/

[Rowls]

I had to look this up following your suggestion Royboy.

From what I can find online, they played together for NI on 3 occasions. Jimmy Mac was at Stoke by the time but Alex Elder and Willie Irving played in the same three games as Burnley players.

N. Ireland 3-2 Scotland - 2nd October 1965
https://www.11v11.com/matches/northern- ... 65-229180/

England 2-1 N. Ireland - 10th November 1965
https://www.11v11.com/matches/england-v ... 65-229212/

Albania 1-1 N. Ireland - 24th November 1965
https://www.11v11.com/matches/albania-v ... 65-229251/

Jimmy Mac would have been 33 years old for the first match, 34 for the last two so very much at the end of his career, especially back then with less sports science available.

Best would have been 19 years old.

[TheFamilyCat]

If that's what's inside you there's no stopping you apart from you stopping yourself.

Those counselling skills coming in handy again.

[Jakubclaret]

Who said any of that was simple? Life is very complex.

It certainly can be.

[bpgburn]

If that's what's inside you there's no stopping you apart from you stopping yourself.

Same could be said of an addictive personality..

[Jakubclaret]

Same could be said of an addictive personality..

Thanks have you the bug, I'm not sure if you are the same poster the other day when discussing alcohol but I'd have no chance I'd be well & truly stuck under the table.

[LeadBelly]

How do you think he would go on in the modern game d'yer reckon ?

He'd be brilliant - better playing surfaces, more protection by refs from defenders trying to foul/injure him.
Also he'd be amongst other well-paid, in-the-spotlight football players in the north west rather than a one-off phenomenon always under the microscope. Probably get better physical/mental health advice/assistance too.

[bpgburn]

Thanks have you the bug, I'm not sure if you are the same poster the other day when discussing alcohol but I'd have no chance I'd be well & truly stuck under the table.

Nope not same poster

[Jakubclaret]

Nope not same poster

My days of heavy drinking are long gone I'm too old but I've helped recovering alcoholics stay off the booze before hence knowing something about the subject, I don't wish to sidetrack alcohol into the George best thread because it could be detracting away from the great footballer he was although he fell to the demons himself. Good evening.

[Royboyclaret]

I had to look this up following your suggestion Royboy.

From what I can find online, they played together for NI on 3 occasions. Jimmy Mac was at Stoke by the time but Alex Elder and Willie Irving played in the same three games as Burnley players.

N. Ireland 3-2 Scotland - 2nd October 1965
https://www.11v11.com/matches/northern- ... 65-229180/

England 2-1 N. Ireland - 10th November 1965
https://www.11v11.com/matches/england-v ... 65-229212/

Albania 1-1 N. Ireland - 24th November 1965
https://www.11v11.com/matches/albania-v ... 65-229251/

Nice one, Rowls.....Remember that England v N.Ireland game at Wembley really well.

Willie Irvine and Alex Elder also in the Irish team with our John Connelly playing for England.

Mac was reaching the end by then but, even so, some of the special inter-play with Best was a sight to behold.

Mac was an unbelievable player and we were so fortunate to have him at the Turf for so long, just a great shame the way it ended the way it did.

[Herts Clarets]

Maradona good, Pele better, George Best

[Royboyclaret]

Maradona good, Pele better, George Best

And Jimmy Mac....

[basil6345789]

Imagine the damage he could do on £250k a week?

To what - a third liver?

[Royboyclaret]

Hard to believe, looking back ,that Jimmy Mac was more than content on a weekly wage of £24 at Turf Moor when we won the Championship in '59/'60.

[ClaretTony]

Hard to believe, looking back ,that Jimmy Mac was more than content on a weekly wage of £24 at Turf Moor when we won the Championship in '59/'60.

Maximum wage was £20 until 1961

[Royboyclaret]

Maximum wage was £20 until 1961

But Mac's weekly wage was £24.

[ClaretTony]

But Mac's weekly wage was £24.

The maximum permitted wage was £20 - no player at any club earned more.

[Royboyclaret]

The maximum permitted wage was £20 - no player at any club earned more.

Mac earned £24 per week at Turf Moor in 1959/60.

[ClaretTony]

Mac earned £24 per week at Turf Moor in 1959/60.

As stated, the maximum wage of £20 per week was abolished on 18th January 1961, over eight months after we'd won the league. Until that date, no club in England was permitted to pay any player more than £20 per week.

[tiger76]

Incredible that a country the size of Northern Ireland produced Jimmy Mac and George Best within the space of a few years.

[ClaretTony]

Back to Best - unbelievable player, I'd rate him the best British player I've ever seen play, provided he wasn't up against Les Latcham.

[Royboyclaret]

As stated, the maximum wage of £20 per week was abolished on 18th January 1961, over eight months after we'd won the league. Until that date, no club in England was permitted to pay any player more than £20 per week.

I'm well aware of the permitted levels.

Jimmy Mac earned £24 per week in the '59/'60 season and was the Club's joint top earner.

[Bosscat]

Mac earned £24 per week at Turf Moor in 1959/60.

Screenshot_20230216-193506_Chrome.jpg (751.17 KiB) Viewed 1563 times

[AlargeClaret]

He’d be a Messi type in the modern game , long as he kept off the booze of course .

[Tricky Trevor]

There were many ways around the wage limit. Starting with money in the boot, newspaper articles, opening shops, etc.,
My mate kept goal for Darlo reserves in the late 60s, as a 16yo. Went to the match on the bus, for about a shilling return. Received £10 for his taxi.

[Ampth7]

Not sure Best would cope with the level of Professionalism required in the modern day game if you know what I mean. Some might say that this wouldn’t matter, but the level of fitness and speed of the game nowadays does require every player to be an absolute athlete first and foremost with all players expected to be as good on the ball as everyone else.

Please don’t get me wrong as it doesn’t need me to point out just how great Best was in his era and maybe it’s fair to suggest that it’s not possible to compare players from different generations?!

[Silkyskills1]

I had to look this up following your suggestion Royboy.

From what I can find online, they played together for NI on 3 occasions. Jimmy Mac was at Stoke by the time but Alex Elder and Willie Irving played in the same three games as Burnley players.

N. Ireland 3-2 Scotland - 2nd October 1965
https://www.11v11.com/matches/northern- ... 65-229180/

England 2-1 N. Ireland - 10th November 1965
https://www.11v11.com/matches/england-v ... 65-229212/

Albania 1-1 N. Ireland - 24th November 1965
https://www.11v11.com/matches/albania-v ... 65-229251/

The 3-2 victory for NI against Scotland was the one where Willie Irvine scored a very late winner with an overhead kick and was mobbed by fans at the end of the game.

[ElectroClaret]

Back to Best - unbelievable player, I'd rate him the best British player I've ever seen play, provided he wasn't up against Les Latcham.

Yes, i never saw him have a good game on the Turf, unless I missed one.

[Claret Till I Die]

The 3-2 victory for NI against Scotland was the one where Willie Irvine scored a very late winner with an overhead kick and was mobbed by fans at the end of the game.

He also scored the NI goals in the other 2 games quoted.

[clansman]

Claret Tony beat me to it with reference to Les Latcham.!
Best was an absolute genius . Only one full back could read him, Les!

[ClaretTony]

Claret Tony beat me to it with reference to Les Latcham.!
Best was an absolute genius . Only one full back could read him, Les!

Les said that the trick was to challenge him and be that late you would catch him second time round