Players who changed football

pickarooney

Jean-Marc Bosman
A no-mark player, but his legal precedent changed professional football probably more than any individual in the modern era.

Claude Makélélé
Long overlooked as a water-carrier, he really only came to prominence after his absence left a hole in Real Madrid's Midfield and his arrival in England led to a new, preferred formation, with everyone needing a player in 'the Makélélé role'.

Pelé
The first (only?) player to be declared an official national treasure set so many records that a whole new set of benchmarks had to be made up in his wake.

Rinus Michels
Another lowlander whose impressive playing record is outshone by his contribution from off the pitch, Michels managed to not only conceive of something beautyiful but to put it into effect with the total football extravaganza of the 70s which few have managed to emulated since.

Just a few random ones

3hn2givr7mx1sc

Zidane
He had a fairly huge transfer fee when he joined Real didn't he? Which kinda upped transfer fees all over the shop.

I could be talking complete bollóx but I think I have it right.

SlickRic

Michels is the definitive answer to this IMO, even though it wasn't as a player that he changed football per sé.

that team of the 70s was the catalyst for the modern football we see before us today.

PCPhoto

not so much changed "football" .... but Peter Schmichael left a huge gap in manchester united which they struggles to fill....similarly David Seaman when he left arsenal .... which they still havent properly filled.

hmmm.... influential players in football .... cant think of many that "changed" football apart from those previously mentioned.... in England ...suppose Gazza was one of the players which inspired clubs to look for players with ball control...instead of the "kick lumps outta them" type of player that Graeme Souness adopted when in charge of liverpool.

#15

Sticking to the Michels line - Johan Cryuff.
He was one of the leaders of the Total Football movement, and the FC Barcelona of today is a direct result of Cryuff's footballing philosophy.

Thierry Henry
The trailblazer for the tactical innovation of the 00s - the striker operating from the wing. The dearth of old style goal poachers in the modern game is a result of the effectiveness of forwards attacking defences from unorthodox positions, ie the wings. Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi are the two most high-profile players of this kind.

Edwin van der Sar
Set the benchmark for keepers in the post-backpass era (in terms of their footballing ability).

Roberto Carlos
Raised the bar for fullbacks and paved the way for players like Alves, Evra and Lahm. Cafu was also an adventurour fullback but Carlos was the more dynamic.

#15

pickarooney wrote: »

Claude Makélélé
Long overlooked as a water-carrier, he really only came to prominence after his absence left a hole in Real Madrid's Midfield and his arrival in England led to a new, preferred formation, with everyone needing a player in 'the Makélélé role'.

Man Utd do not have a player in that role.

I think Makelele just made everyone in England take notice of a role/position that had already existed for years in other places - I don't think Makelele was the first of his kind.

OhNoYouDidn't

#15 wrote: »

Man Utd do not have a player in that role.

I think Makelele just made everyone in England take notice of a role/position that had already existed for years in other places - I don't think Makelele was the first of his kind.

He wasn't the first of his kind in England, or even at Chelsea for that matter.

Glaring that he shouldn't be on the list.

LiamMc

I don't know the name but early in the English game, there was a goalkeeper that kept running out his goal, up the pitch, picking up the ball and throwing it to an opponent so the Penalty Box was designed to contain the handling element.

Peter McParland of Aston Villa (Northern Ireland and ex-Dundalk) went through the Manchester Utd. goalie in the FA Cup Final. the goalie was concussed, no subs were allowed back then. In fact I understand that the FA voted to reject a proposal to bring in substitions two weeks before.
Substitions were introduced later, mid-1960's in the English League and FA Cup.

If Rinus Michels is allowed does that mean Joao Havelange, Sepp Blatter and Adi Dassler are allowed aswell.

themont85

baz2009 wrote: »

Zidane
He had a fairly huge transfer fee when he joined Real didn't he? Which kinda upped transfer fees all over the shop.

I could be talking complete bollóx but I think I have it right.

I'd consider Figo to be of more importance, he went for 40 mill the year before Zidane and was the first Gálactico. Also although people had played for Barca and Real, that was definately the most acrimonious as he was captain and probably the best player in the world at the time. Whilst it started the 2000s decade of ridiculous prices it also proved that every player has a price.

Roaster

Adidas - They change the weight and shape (albeit impossible to see with the naked eye) of a football everytime a major tournament comes about.

They are a major player in football

greendom

CANTONA

I think he was an amazing player, but beyond his immediate impact at Leeds and Man U, he was the catalyst for the French revolution in the Premier League. Before him French players in England were virtually unheard of (Didier Six anyone)

after him the flood - to translate from French

am i bovvered

I think Beckham should be added to the list.....
about 70% talent compared to the top players, but with a great work ethic and being media savvy made a big global impact to football.

greendom

am i bovvered wrote: »

I think Beckham should be added to the list.....
about 70% talent compared to the top players, but with a great work ethic and being media savvy made a big global impact to football.

yes he and his wife brought celeb culture to football - Thanks Dave

MUSEIST

Zola, made people temporaroly like chelsea. It takes a beast of a man to do that.:D

Vokes

pickarooney wrote: »

Rinus Michels
Another lowlander whose impressive playing record is outshone by his contribution from off the pitch, Michels managed to not only conceive of something beautyiful but to put it into effect with the total football extravaganza of the 70s which few have managed to emulated since.

If we're picking out players that changed football as managers then Arsenal's Herbert Chapman (for helping modernize the game) and Valeriy Lobanovskyi (forefather of the high pressing game by all accounts) would be two big ones.

Pure_Cork

Colin Healy and Gareth Farrelly. Free the FIFA 2!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_Two

FIFA added the following language to Article 5.3:
"As an exception to this rule, a player moving between two clubs belonging to associations with overlapping seasons (i.e. start of the season in summer/autumn as opposed to winter/spring) may be eligible to play in official matches for a third club during the relevant season, provided he has fully complied with his contractual obligations towards his previous clubs. Equally, the provisions relating to the registration periods (article 6) as well as to the minimum length of a contract (article 18 paragraph 2) must be respected."

Le King

greendom wrote: »

CANTONA

I think he was an amazing player, but beyond his immediate impact at Leeds and Man U, he was the catalyst for the French revolution in the Premier League. Before him French players in England were virtually unheard of (Didier Six anyone)

after him the flood - to translate from French

The Davestator

Not a Player - but Sam Aldardyce
why?
1. One of the first to fully utilise sports science, technology and training methods.
2. Because of his 'long ball tactics' and using crap players and old greats to stay in a division they have no business in.

tony1kenobi

Mark Robins.

Pro. F

The Davestator wrote: »

Not a Player - but Sam Aldardyce
why?
1. One of the first to fully utilise sports science, technology and training methods.
2. Because of his 'long ball tactics' and using crap players and old greats to stay in a division they have no business in.

1 Sports science and improvements in training methods have been used to advantage for years. The Hungarian team that hammered England back in the 50s based part of their success on better training for higher fitness. Maybe Sam has a claim to be the innovator with using tv technology? I doubt it though.
2 The long ball tactics and reliance on set pieces for goals was thought up by some Swedish guy in the 70s or 80s iirc.


Carlos Alberto Showed how fullbacks could be important attacking threats.

Headshot

George Best

kwestfan08

Winston Bogarde ftw .

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/giles_smith/article589245.ece

ntlbell

tony1kenobi wrote: »

Mark Robins.

Absoloutley.

Cool haircut too

oldyouth

Mark Viduka

He proved that fat kids can play football too

event

Wenger

he was the first manager in england anyway who really changed players diets, getting rid of junk food and the likes

larchielads

event wrote: »

Wenger

he was the first manager in england anyway who really changed players diets, getting rid of junk food and the likes

just about to say arsene wenger also. totally changed footballers diets in england. i also would say he changed continental views of english football too.

he also changed other league managers views on the way a team should play football. he hasnt perfected it yet unlike guardiola:pac:. all jokin aside i'd gladly take him at old trafford when saf packs it in

RichTea

May have been mentioned, but the impact of Jean-Marc Bosman cannot be underestimated.


Going back a while Stanley Matthews. "The man who taught us the way football should be played" - Pelé

Spiritoftheseventies

MUSEIST wrote: »

Zola, made people temporaroly like chelsea. It takes a beast of a man to do that.:D

Ardilles and Villa had a very big impact on english game given when they joined Spurs in the seventies. First of the big foreign stars to play here

Peyton Manning

I'll prob get slated for it, but Frank Lampard is currently changing football. He might not be the best midfielder in the world, but his goalscoring record from that position is second to none, and will change what managers expect from those types of midfielders, perhaps even adjusting tactics to facilitate such a player.

Spiritoftheseventies

Archimedes wrote: »

I'll prob get slated for it, but Frank Lampard is currently changing football. He might not be the best midfielder in the world, but his goalscoring record from that position is second to none, and will change what managers expect from those types of midfielders, perhaps even adjusting tactics to facilitate such a player.

Lampard has got an awful lot of goals from his position. Not sure if he has changed football though.

Thanx 4 The Fish

#15 wrote: »

Thierry Henry[/B]
The trailblazer for the tactical innovation of the 00s - the striker operating from the wing. The dearth of old style goal poachers in the modern game is a result of the effectiveness of forwards attacking defences from unorthodox positions, ie the wings. Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi are the two most high-profile players of this kind.

Garrincha did that long before Henry was even born. Now there was a player, Pele was good but Garrincha often made him look ordinary, a show man of the highest order. Pele has often said he was the best player he ever played with and that he made it easy to play football. for Brazil.

#15

Thanx 4 The Fish wrote: »

Garrincha did that long before Henry was even born. Now there was a player, Pele was good but Garrincha often made him look ordinary, a show man of the highest order. Pele has often said he was the best player he ever played with and that he made it easy to play football. for Brazil.

I said the tactical innovation of the 00s.

Thanx 4 The Fish

#15 wrote: »

I said the tactical innovation of the 00s.

Hardly a tactical innovation if somebody else had already done the same thing and better some 40-50 years earlier.

davyjose

Ebenezer Cobb Morley

civis_liberalis

Headshot wrote: »

George Best

kwestfan08 wrote: »

Winston Bogarde ftw .

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/giles_smith/article589245.ece

People are just picking random players that they like...

bamboozling

A bit controversial but I would argue that Rene Higuita changed the way goalkeepers operate in the late 80's and early 90's. The way he acted as a sweeper and cleared any long ball over the top of the defence was unlike much of what had been seen beore as goalies routinely stuck to their line. Also his ball skills were the first point of attack as he could dribble up the field and then pick a pass to the wingers or even strikers. He really was ahead of his time.

Helenio Herrera Introduced the pre match retreat to prepare his teams. Pioneered legendary team talks 'He who doesn't give all gives nothing,'
'Class + Preparation + Intelligence + Athleticism = Championships.' One of the first to call upon the 12th man. And finally became the first person to cultivate the idea that managers were key. Previously most teams were picked by committee men with little or no knowledge of the game but Herrera changed all that.

Seaneh

Paolo Maldini.

The Arch-typical all around defender. He was as comfortable breaking up and winning possession as he was taking the ball forward and launching an attack. Had the ability to play any where in defence and even played left mid and center mid a few times rather well.
The epitome of what a modern professional footballer should strive to be.

Andrea Pirlo
IMHO the best passer of the ball in the world bar none. The person who made the deep laying play maker his own more than any other player in the world. A lot of people would argue that Fernando Redondo, Pep Guardiola or even Demetrio Albertini were already doing the job Pirlo did over 10 years before him but they were very different players. Albertini played a lot further forward and for all their Vision and style, Guardiola and Redondo were nowhere near the vision and passing range of Andrea.
He is the player Xavi, Carrick, Alonso, Pizzaro et al are moulded from and IMHO he is still streets ahead of them all for sheer passing range and vision.

Marcel Desailly
Changed English football's idea of what a defender should be. Before him being a Cb ment being big and strong and good in the air. The rock is the player Rio Ferdinand, Ricardo Carvalho, Gabriel Milito wish they could be and the player Lillian Thuram tried to be.
Athlough Players like Nesta, were better players than him and made an impact in other places, none of they changed the culture of a footballing nation like he did.

and for managers.

Arsen Wenger
Brought English out of the dark ages of kick and chase. football, the EPL still has a long way to go before technique based players are more common than physique based players but before venger, if you weren't a big lump and couldn't jump with your elbows, you weren't a striker in england, end of.

#15

Thanx 4 The Fish wrote: »

Hardly a tactical innovation if somebody else had already done the same thing and better some 40-50 years earlier.

Pretty much all tactics are cyclical (albeit updated versions), we're back to 4-band formations after everyone thought they were gone for good.

Garrincha was a right-footed player player who played on the right wasn't he?

Ronaldo and Messi regularly play on the side which allows them to turn inside on their stronger feet (Messi on the right...).
Although I can't say I have seen an awful lot of Garrincha, he seems to have been an absolute freak talent.
Henry's formula for success seems to have been copied by a lot of coaches - that's partly why we see players like Ronaldo and Messi playing the way they do.

That Garrincha was not followed by a succession of players operating in the same way shows that he was a freak talent, rather than the beneficiary of a tactical innovation IMO. In contrast to the amount of players we see today that play on the 'wrong' wing, as it were.

That makes the difference I think.

ArmaniJeanss

Jules Rimet - had the revolutionary idea of the various footballing countries spending 2 months sailing halfway around the world in order to play in a competition to see which is the best.

(I think he counts as a player, though like say Rinus Michels his major contribution was after his playing days)

Spiritoftheseventies

Trevor Francis. First million pound signing in England.

Beasty

pickarooney wrote: »

Jean-Marc Bosman
A no-mark player, but his legal precedent changed professional football probably more than any individual in the modern era.

George Eastham was the original - his court case in 1963 (v Newcastle Utd) delivered the freedom to actually move clubs. Previously clubs could simply hold onto a registration even after a contract had ended

Jazzy

Johan Cryuff
It wasnt so much about 'total football' as it was about how a team should work. everyone should be comfortable on the ball and there should be a lasting synergy in the side. I think he changed the way managers thought about teams and how they should utilise their players. It wouldnt surprise me in the slightest if Paisley & Clough saw the ideals Cryuff inspired and tried to make them their own, keeping things simple but unpredictable, basic yet skillful and athletic, not just strong. A lot of the modern game has come from the principles he set as a player and a manager and when you look at barcelona now, he really is a man football fans the world over should be thankful for

Shanotheslayer

Messi? Might not have currently changed football, but will by the time is career is over.

eZe^

Jazzy wrote: »

Johan Cryuff
It wasnt so much about 'total football' as it was about how a team should work. everyone should be comfortable on the ball and there should be a lasting synergy in the side. I think he changed the way managers thought about teams and how they should utilise their players. It wouldnt surprise me in the slightest if Paisley & Clough saw the ideals Cryuff inspired and tried to make them their own, keeping things simple but unpredictable, basic yet skillful and athletic, not just strong. A lot of the modern game has come from the principles he set as a player and a manager and when you look at barcelona now, he really is a man football fans the world over should be thankful for

Can't believe he took this long to be mentioned. Changed football both as a manager and a player. Of all the 'greatest ever footballers', I really think Johan is the most underrated.


Edit - He was actually mentioned in like the 3rd post. My bad. :P

kingshankly

Jack walker
proved money can buy you success

Peyton Manning

Sir Alex Ferguson

Proved that you can indeed win anything with kids.

eZe^

Archimedes wrote: »

I'll prob get slated for it, but Frank Lampard is currently changing football. He might not be the best midfielder in the world, but his goalscoring record from that position is second to none, and will change what managers expect from those types of midfielders, perhaps even adjusting tactics to facilitate such a player.

Guy called Alfredo Di Stefano was doing that since the late 40's mate.

Lukker-

Jimmy Hill

He came up with the 3 points for a win system spearheaded by the FA in 1981. Before that you would get 2 points for a win so huge amounts of games were finishing as draws because of the lack of incentive for winning and many unspoken agreements so to speak.

greendom

Lukker- wrote: »

Jimmy Hill

He came up with the 3 points for a win system spearheaded by the FA in 1981. Before that you would get 2 points for a win so huge amounts of games were finishing as draws because of the lack of incentive for winning and many unspoken agreements so to speak.

He was heavily involved in stopping the wage cap as a player, I believe. He also built the first all seater stadium, when chairman of Coventry.

EDIT : Quite an interesting career all round

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Hill

pickarooney

#15 wrote: »

Garrincha was a right-footed player player who played on the right wasn't he?

He had some freaky deformed feet and legs I think. They bent all over the place. I vaguelt remember reading once that he was born with literally (that's actual literally as opposed to football-speak literally) two left feet.

Peyton Manning

eZe^ wrote: »

Guy called Alfredo Di Stefano was doing that since the late 40's mate.

From anything Ive read, Di Stefano played in a far more advanced position than Lampard. More of a forward than midfielder tbh.