dellasthunderbolt
Member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2014
- Messages
- 165
- Reaction score
- 477
How many players have you seen that have a true aura of genius around them- that level of talent that seems to see them operating on a different level to the opposition (and team mates). Having been been going to matches since 1997 I can only recall a moment, a match, a potential player, and only one player I would claim as bonafide genius:
4. Moment: Patrick Suffo- two opposition players flying in to tackle him and using only a couple of subtle touches seemed to make them both fly past him and he was just stood there with ball at feet. Still don’t know how he did it.
3. Match: Michael Tonge against Millwall in midweek in 2002. Literally was like a lightbulb blinked into life above his head and he believed he was on a different level than everyone. And he was right. It was him vs Millwall- all of them - and he won easily. That same light never quite blinked on like that again (even in two goal showing against Liverpool) and still makes me think what could have been. Imagine THAT Tonge playing every week!
2. Player (potential): David Brooks. Eveything about him had a slightly unreal feel for me when he was at United. And I know he didn’t score or assist loads but he just seemed on a totally different level. Aways remember reading an Interview with Sharp where the journalist said something about Brooks being similar to Billy when he was young. Sharp replied with a “me?!” And proceeded to say that his only advice to Brooks had been to remember that whatever pitch he was on (and I think he was maybe referencing Brooks playing for Wales against France) Brooks is simply always the best player there- no matter what. You just always felt that genius was just waiting to emerge at any moment. So hope Brooks make a full recovery and becomes the player he seemed destined to be.
Player: Paul McGrath - when you tell people who didn’t see him play for United for that handful of games that ended his career, you begin to wonder if you are just sensationalising or idealising the past somehow. He can’t have been that good. Being totally honest, and don’t forget I never witnessed Currie Woodward et al, I think a question about most talent or ability in my time watching United is very simple to answer. The best description of McGrath you could give would be a dad joining in a kick around that his son and a few other ten year old kids were having. It almost looked too easy. A few years after he retired I was reminded of his aura (and sense of levels) when I watched Zidane play for Real Madrid. Not comparing them as such, more the sense that here was a player showing no effort as it wasn’t needed. He was a master at a skill that the rest around him were struggling to grasp. McGrath was battling alcoholism (potentially drunk when playing) with fucked knees and nearing forty and he was utterly untouchable.
4. Moment: Patrick Suffo- two opposition players flying in to tackle him and using only a couple of subtle touches seemed to make them both fly past him and he was just stood there with ball at feet. Still don’t know how he did it.
3. Match: Michael Tonge against Millwall in midweek in 2002. Literally was like a lightbulb blinked into life above his head and he believed he was on a different level than everyone. And he was right. It was him vs Millwall- all of them - and he won easily. That same light never quite blinked on like that again (even in two goal showing against Liverpool) and still makes me think what could have been. Imagine THAT Tonge playing every week!
2. Player (potential): David Brooks. Eveything about him had a slightly unreal feel for me when he was at United. And I know he didn’t score or assist loads but he just seemed on a totally different level. Aways remember reading an Interview with Sharp where the journalist said something about Brooks being similar to Billy when he was young. Sharp replied with a “me?!” And proceeded to say that his only advice to Brooks had been to remember that whatever pitch he was on (and I think he was maybe referencing Brooks playing for Wales against France) Brooks is simply always the best player there- no matter what. You just always felt that genius was just waiting to emerge at any moment. So hope Brooks make a full recovery and becomes the player he seemed destined to be.
Player: Paul McGrath - when you tell people who didn’t see him play for United for that handful of games that ended his career, you begin to wonder if you are just sensationalising or idealising the past somehow. He can’t have been that good. Being totally honest, and don’t forget I never witnessed Currie Woodward et al, I think a question about most talent or ability in my time watching United is very simple to answer. The best description of McGrath you could give would be a dad joining in a kick around that his son and a few other ten year old kids were having. It almost looked too easy. A few years after he retired I was reminded of his aura (and sense of levels) when I watched Zidane play for Real Madrid. Not comparing them as such, more the sense that here was a player showing no effort as it wasn’t needed. He was a master at a skill that the rest around him were struggling to grasp. McGrath was battling alcoholism (potentially drunk when playing) with fucked knees and nearing forty and he was utterly untouchable.
