Squad Numbers?

eamoss

Call me old fashioned but what is up with the squad numbers that clubs are giving their players?

Like in the Premiership
William Gallas - Arsenal - Defender #10
Baptista - Arsenal - Midfielder #9
Khalid Boulahrouz - Chelsea - Defender #9
Woodgate - Middlesbrough - Defender #8

???

MrJoeSoap

Was just thinking the same thing myself, its crazy!

Then again I did get Michael Svensson 11 on my Southampton Jersey the other day...

evilhomer

eamoss wrote:

William Gallas - Arsenal - Defender #10
Khalid Boulahrouz - Chelsea - Defender #9

Those two are the weirdest!

I mean why would you give Gallas the shirt of a legendary forward?

Madness!

Bateman

The key is in the phrase "old-fashioned". Most players, managers, and fans don't care anymore. It is more of an ego thing nowadays, with "lucky numbers", and "demanded numbers" now. Not to say footballers don't have huge egos, obviously most of them do, but it just doesn't seem a big deal anymore.

I'm in the old-fashioned camp though; I thought it refreshing for Ireland to line out 1-11 in Stuttgart last weekend.

[Jackass]

10 jersey should never go to any player other than your best striker...FACT!

~Rebel~

I have to agree i much prefer to see defenders 2-5, midfielders 6-8+11 and strikers 9-10. Theres just something ingrained in me as thinking of the numbers 7, 11, 9 and 10 as being almost majestic or something, as the true attacking core of the team. Always think of them as finese and the previous numbers (and 8) as the strength and backbone of the team. Hard to get used to seeing the numbers randomly all over the place, especially as someone said, boularouz and gallas

el rabitos

Nick wrote:

10 jersey should never go to any player other than your best striker...FACT!

eh....liverpool, luis garcia, number 10

dcarroll

evilhomer wrote:

Those two are the weirdest!

I mean why would you give Gallas the shirt of a legendary forward?

Madness!

i feel this is a good idea because if the number had been given to a striker he would be labelled the new bergkamp and under pressure, yet the jersey wont bring added pressure for gallas

nlgbbbblth

Ossie Ardiles wore the No 1 shirt for Argentina in the 1982 World Cup.

Alphabetical order aside from Maradona who insisted on the No 10 shirt.

evilhomer

nlgbbbblth wrote:

Ossie Ardiles wore the No 1 shirt for Argentina in the 1982 World Cup.

Alphabetical order aside from Maradona who insisted on the No 10 shirt.

Would you argue with Maradonna?
Just give the guy the shirt!

sideFX

Bateman wrote:

I'm in the old-fashioned camp though; I thought it refreshing for Ireland to line out 1-11 in Stuttgart last weekend.

Ditto, me too. In saying that though i'd be very concerned who would get the number 7 every week for ManU. I still don't think Ronaldo is fit to wear it....

xebec

Tevez was wearing 32 for the Hammers today, do squads actually get that big these days? I mean, Chelsea's squad is only about 24, surely West Ham don't have over 30 players.

Mad Dog

nlgbbbblth wrote:

Ossie Ardiles wore the No 1 shirt for Argentina in the 1982 World Cup.

Surely that was 1978 in Argentina

MrJoeSoap

xebec wrote:

Tevez was wearing 32 for the Hammers today, do squads actually get that big these days? I mean, Chelsea's squad is only about 24, surely West Ham don't have over 30 players.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Ham_United_F.C.#Current_Squad

ullu

The Guardian published a short piece on this sort of thing earlier in the week.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/theknowledge/story/0,,1865353,00.html

ullu

eamoss wrote:

Call me old fashioned but what is up with the squad numbers that clubs are giving their players?

Like in the Premiership

Baptista - Arsenal - Midfielder #9


???

To be fair, Baptista is an attacking midfielder who can play as a striker if necessary. The main reason Real signed him was because of his prolific scoring for Sevilla in the 2004-2005 season.

Revelation Joe

Nick wrote:

10 jersey should never go to any player other than your best striker...FACT!

No no no no no!
Ten should be for your creative midfield genius...e.g Trevor Brooking
Nine is for your centre-forward...e.g. Mark Hughes, Alan Shearer
Seven is either your second forward e.g. Kevin Keegan or your midfield enforcer e.g Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona

Beckham wearing 7 was just wrong!

Del

MrJoeSoap

I'm of the opinion that...

---

1

---

---

--2---4----5---3---

---

--7---6---8---11--

---

---

9---10

---

kinaldo

I don't know about Chelsea but the number 9 jersey is sacred up in Newcastle. If it was given to a midfielder, winger or defender there would probably be riots.

kinaldo

MrJoeSoap wrote:

I'm of the opinion that...

---

1

---

---

--2---4----5---3---

---

--7---6---8---11--

---

---

9---10

---

Aye. Although I might swap 6 and 4.

Revelation Joe

MrJoeSoap wrote:

I'm of the opinion that...

---

1

---

---

--2---4----5---3---

---

--7---6---8---11--

---

---

9---10

---

Sorry but I disagree:

---

1

---

---

--2---4----5---3--

---

-11---6----7---10-

---

---

9---8

---

Although as kinaldo said, 6 and 4 can be swapped

Of course, it all started out as:

---

1

---

---

2

---

3

---

----4----5----6----
-7---8---9--10--11-

Del

Chardee MacDennis

kinaldo wrote:

Aye. Although I might swap 6 and 4.

agree with that. also what dcarroll said bout number 10 at arsenal is right. west hams back 4 today went 2-4-5-3 afair which stood out and was nice to see - but it doesnt bother me that much1

Space Coyote

Did Gallas request the number 10 shirt? It was the lowest number available but still...it's a frickin joke having a defensive player wearing such an esteemed number. No. 15 was free, that would have done him!

Revelation Joe

Just out of interest, does anyone know the last time a team started an EPL game with 1 - 11 ?

Del

Davey Devil

Space Coyote wrote:

Did Gallas request the number 10 shirt? It was the lowest number available but still...it's a frickin joke having a defensive player wearing such an esteemed number. No. 15 was free, that would have done him!

No. 3 was free, Cole left. Gallas didn't want it though.

Pepe LeFrits

Revelation Joe wrote:

Sorry but I disagree:

---

1

---

---

--2---4----5---3--

---

-11---6----7---10-

---

---

9---8

---

8 in attack?

No 10 'traditionally' has gone to the midfield playmaker/withdrawn forward type, eg Puskas, Pele, Maradona, Platini, Zidane, Baggio, Bergkamp.

Andrew 83

Davey Devil wrote:

No. 3 was free, Cole left. Gallas didn't want it though.

I assume he refused it as it implied left back.

Attractive Nun

I like to see one or two players on the team with higher numbers that they can make their own. Keane 16 and Henry 14, for example, are perfectly acceptable.

nlgbbbblth

Mad Dog wrote:

Surely that was 1978 in Argentina

No.

Ardiles wore shirt No 2 in 1978, Alonso was No 1. Maradona did not play in 1978.

1982 squad
1 MF Osvaldo Ardiles
2 GK Hector Baley
3 MF Juan Barbas
4 MF Daniel Bertoni
5 FW Gabriel Calderón
6 FW Ramón Díaz
7 GK Ubaldo Fillol
8 DF Luis Galván
9 MF Américo Gallego
10 MF Diego Maradona
11 FW Mario Kempes
12 DF Patricio Hernández
13 MF Julio Olarticoechea
14 DF Jorge Olguin
15 DF Daniel Passarella
16 GK Nery Pumpido
17 DF Santiago Santamaría
18 DF Alberto Tarantini
19 DF Enzo Trossero
20 FW Jorge Valdano
21 MF Daniel Valencia
22 DF Jose van Tuyne

Pigman II

Prem players should wear 2 or 3 digit numbers on their back that represents the number of grand per week they earn.

That way egos can be waved openly and fans also know how loud to boo when they play rubbish.

Guy:Incognito

Andrew 83 wrote:

I assume he refused it as it implied left back.

Maybe he's going to be playing Berkamps old role.

Attractive Nun wrote:

I like to see one or two players on the team with higher numbers that they can make their own. Keane 16 and Henry 14, for example, are perfectly acceptable.

A few of the Liverpool first team have numbers outside the top 11.Carragher is 23, Alonso 14, Crouch 15, Sissoko 22, Reina 25.

ullu

Attractive Nun wrote:

I like to see one or two players on the team with higher numbers that they can make their own. Keane 16 and Henry 14, for example, are perfectly acceptable.

Cruyff 14 was probably the first example of this which may be some of the reason that players hang on to their first squad number over 11 (i.e it would be far easier to get a large number retired than a 1 - 11 if you were that way inclined).

I read recently that Maldini's 3 will be retired at AC Milan unless his son plays for the first team in the future in which case he can have it (he's already in the youth system afaik)

Revelation Joe

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

8 in attack?

No 10 'traditionally' has gone to the midfield playmaker/withdrawn forward type, eg Puskas, Pele, Maradona, Platini, Zidane, Baggio, Bergkamp.

But 10 and 11 became traditional wingers in a 4-2-4. When teams started moving to 4-4-2, those wingers became wide(-ish) midfielders
Maybe it's just what I'm used to from West Ham then
The forwards were always 8 and 9 e.g. McAvennie and Cottee, Jimmy Quinn and Trevor Morley, David Cross and Paul Goddard
Although Harewood is currently No.10 and Sheringham No.8

Del

Revelation Joe

Attractive Nun wrote:

I like to see one or two players on the team with higher numbers that they can make their own. Keane 16 and Henry 14, for example, are perfectly acceptable.

But I think this came from the initial use of squad numbers. E.g Scholes was given 18 in his first season. Because a lot of fans then bought Scholes shirts, it's never been changed, same with Keane and Henry, esp. as Henry wasn't a guaranteed starter in his first season

Del

redspider

Ah yes, gone long are the days of players with shirts numbered 1-11 where for many teams you could nearly judge the positions they played in from their numbers.

1, 2, 3 were standard
as was 7, 9, 11, usually, with 7 and 11 the wingers and 9 the centre forward.
5 was also always a back usually, although Ray Kennedy for Liverpool broke that mould I think.

4 could be found in midfield or central defence, and 10 could be found in attack or midfield, and similarly with 8. 8 would play off te centre forward as could 10, or either would be in midfield. Also, 6 was either a central defender
or a central midfielder. Many teams played 4 and 10 in midfield so something like.

---

1

---

2 ---- 5 --- 6 ---- 3
---- 4 ---- 10

---

7 --- 8 -- 9

---

11

or

---

1

---

2 ---- 4 --- 5 ---- 3
---- 6 ---- 8

---

7 --- 10 -- 9

---

11


Thats a 4-2-4 and both are the same tactics.
Of course many teams played 4-3-3 and 4-4-2.

My favourite number was 7. In Georgie Best's time he made 11 very popular and of course Pele made 10 globally popular to the extent that it retains that to this day (and was why Maradona wanted it). Other than that the no.9 was the most popular for scoring goals and no doubt the likes of Puskas and Dixie Deans used it. Beckenbauer helped popularise the No.5 as a Libero/Sweeper position.

Redspider

eirebhoy

At Celtic once you get a number it stays the same for your career.

http://www.celticfc.net/squad/squad.asp

MrJoeSoap

eirebhoy wrote:

At Celtic once you get a number it stays the same for your career.

http://www.celticfc.net/squad/squad.asp

Poor old Simon Ferry so!

evilhomer

eirebhoy wrote:

At Celtic once you get a number it stays the same for your career.

http://www.celticfc.net/squad/squad.asp

Pretty big squad this year eirebhoy!

The Rooster

5 was also always a back usually, although Ray Kennedy for Liverpool broke that mould I think.

Yeah, 5 was a traditional midfield number for Liverpool for a good while. Whelan took the jersey from Kennedy and played mostly on the left wing. When Barnes came and played left wing he played in 10 - with Whelan moving to the centre. Molby also often wore 5 in centre midfield when Whelan wasnt around.

Graeme Souness usually wore 11 in the centre of midfield, when most clubs it was left wing, and a few had their striker in 11. Steve McMahon mostly wore 11 when he played in the centre.

Liverpool were also unusual in having wingers wearing the number 9 jersey. Steve Heighway often wore the 9. Ray Houghton also wore 9 a lot, as Aldo preferred 8.

And 7 was always the most important jersey for Liverpool, well for a long time anyway. Keegan - Dalglish - Beardsley of course giving it a permanent place in the hearts of most fans.

An interesting thing this year on Liverpool jersies is regarding Aurelio and Gonzalez. They both have their first initial on the jersey also (i.e. F and M respectively), as if they were more Aurelios or Gonzalezs in the Liverpool squad

Revelation Joe

The Rooster wrote:

And 7 was always the most important jersey for Liverpool, well for a long time anyway. Keegan - Dalglish - Beardsley of course giving it a permanent place in the hearts of most fans.

That's a good point, the iconic shirt umber is a variation between clubs
For Newcastle it's 9, for Man U it's probably 7 (?), for the Hammers, it's 6 because it was Bobby Moore's shirt

Del

Chardee MacDennis

according to the beeb mascherano asked for 6 coz of bobby moore, but that could be bs from the hammers to show the two boys know what they're talking about, i'd like it to be true though..,

MrJoeSoap

Revelation Joe wrote:

That's a good point, the iconic shirt umber is a variation between clubs
For Newcastle it's 9, for Man U it's probably 7 (?), for the Hammers, it's 6 because it was Bobby Moore's shirt

Del

Which would explain why George McCartney has it now... :eek:

Xavi6

Revelation Joe wrote:

But I think this came from the initial use of squad numbers. E.g Scholes was given 18 in his first season. Because a lot of fans then bought Scholes shirts, it's never been changed, same with Keane and Henry, esp. as Henry wasn't a guaranteed starter in his first season

Del

Scholes actually wore number 24 in his first season (1993/94). He was moved to 22 two years later before settling on 18 for the 1996/97 season.

Gary Neville was originally 27 before moving to 20, then 2 while Becks was 28, then took Scholes' 24. He then got 10 before finishing on 7.

Henry originally wanted his lucky number 12 at Arsenal but his friend Christopher Wreh had it and Thierry wouldn't ask him to give it up. He took the closest available number.

Revelation Joe

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Which would explain why George McCartney has it now... :eek:

Depressing isn't it? I think it's more revered by the fans than the club. Martin Allen wore it
The Newcastle no. 9 is a different matter. *That* shirt number carries a lot of history to live up to and I think the club realises that too.

Del

Revelation Joe

Xavi6 wrote:

Scholes actually wore number 24 in his first season (1993/94). He was moved to 22 two years later before settling on 18 for the 1996/97 season.

Gary Neville was originally 27 before moving to 20, then 2 while Becks was 28, then took Scholes' 24. He then got 10 before finishing on 7.

Henry originally wanted his lucky number 12 at Arsenal but his friend Christopher Wreh had it and Thierry wouldn't ask him to give it up. He took the closest available number.

I'm not too clued up on United history
But I guessed it was something to do with early squad numbers, I wasn't far off!

Del

DerekD Goldfish

I read recently that Maldini's 3 will be retired at AC Milan unless his son plays for the first team in the future in which case he can have it (he's already in the youth system afaik)

Inter have also just retired thier number 3 after Giacinto Facchetti died italian clubs seem to like weird sqaud numbers even more a I think it was Edmundo(could be mistaken) when he was at Napoli that wore 97

Xavi6

Sure Francesco Coco wore number 77 and Nicola Ventola had 78 while at Inter the symbolise the year of their birth.

Also, who can forget the 1+8 incident of Ivan Zamorano when he couldn't get the number 9 shirt. I'm almost certain 'our own' Clinton Morrison did the same thing at Palace in his first spell there.

Guy:Incognito

Xavi6 wrote:

Also, who can forget the 1+8 incident of Ivan Zamorano when he couldn't get the number 9 shirt. I'm almost certain 'our own' Clinton Morrison did the same thing at Palace in his first spell there.

top tier footballing gods have earned the right to make these demands.:)

dcarroll

u calling clinton morrison a top tier footballing god?

MrJoeSoap

dcarroll wrote:

u calling clinton morrison a top tier footballing god?

Without doubt. The mans a genius.

Guy:Incognito

dcarroll wrote:

u calling clinton morrison a top tier footballing god?

I sure am, who would'nt.