How Easy Is It?

[LeonWasTheDogs]

I played to schoolboy national level with England. It was stupidly hard as a 12/13 year old. Even back then most of my team mates were with clubs. I never got a deal, but played in a couple of international tournaments. Got kicked all over the park by Germans and Belgians twice the size of me. It’s not just the physical side, the mental part was super hard too. Even at that age the pressure to perform was huge. Hats off to anyone who turned pro, whatever the league.

 

[waynekerr55]

Incredibly difficult.

I once watched some mates play five a side against a team containing Jonathan Coates, who was nobody's idea of a great player. Against them, and there were some good players in that side, he looked like Messi.

Anyone who has ever earned money from playing the game is probably in the top five percent of players in the country. Anyone doing it at our level is in the top one or two percent.

Not that it adds any quality to your post Doc, but the odds are even longer than that. Probably 5% (if even that) play non league

 

[JackSomething]

Started this thread as a bit of a joke, it seems some have gone into analytical overdrive though.
I knew and played against a number of players who went on to play club football at the highest level, I also knew several others who were every bit as good if not better.
Ability is important but knowing the right people and luck also plays a huge part.

What Premier League (or foreign equivalent) players did you play against?

 

[LaJollaJack]

Does the same apply with managers!?

Clearly.

Williams is one of the least intelligent in many years - football intelligence, IQ and EQ (emotional intelligence).

Coops on an entirely different stratosphere to fraud Williams and the HBR-munching-pretender, fraud Martin.

If some of our fans had proper convos with our managers (and players) they absolutely would have an entirely different perspective. So when folk like you say 'I like Willy, but', you have no idea what you're saying, from so many perspectives.

 

[K23]

Thought Coatsey at time received harsh treatment from the North Bank. Brother Mark was some player too.

I remember seeing Mark Coates in the playground at Ty Coch school playing with kids 2 or 3 years older who were in the school team and he was just taking the piss out of them and nobody could get the ball off him. Always remembered his name but never understood why he never made it. Perhaps he didn't want to? I also played in an under 16 local team in Llandudno and our left back was a 13 year old Joey Jones and we all knew he was destined for bigger things but it was all he wanted to do. A 13yo playing in an U16 league ffs?

 

[Dr. Winston]

Talent is not the only requirement for success. Mentality matters a lot as well.

There are quite a few players developed by the Swans over the years who could potentially have gone further in the game if their heads had been right. From what I know about people who worked with him as a youngster Shaun Chapple had enough talent to play at a seriously high level, but all he was interested in was having a pint in Port Tennant with his mates.

 

[DJack]

Football intelligence is the key differentiator - just like on the forums........

...Which is why you keep changing names on Swans sites.

 

[Magic_Michu]

Guillem Bauza used to come play 9 a side games with me and my mates at Bishopston Sports Centre after he retired… he was unreal, his touch, movement and reading of the game was levels above any of us - some of us who play a decent standards - and Bauza didn’t get out of first gear… walking around the pitch because his knee was Donald Ducked.

Lovely intelligent guy too.

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

Our 2002 POTY during a pretty dire period for the club, so perhaps not many will remember him, but what a player this guy was. I played with him for a couple of years at 14/15 and he was way ahead of everyone else, every week. Should have gone on to play Premier League and for Wales. Had the talent, but unfortunately lacked the application.

Where are they now? Andrew Mumford | Swansea

www.swanseacity.com

 

[waynekerr55]

Our 2002 POTY during a pretty dire period for the club, so perhaps not many will remember him, but what a player this guy was. I played with him for a couple of years at 14/15 and he was way ahead of everyone else, every week. Should have gone on to play Premier League and for Wales. Had the talent, but unfortunately lacked the application.

Where are they now? Andrew Mumford | Swansea

www.swanseacity.com

Mumf what a lad. Diabetic too.

 

[waynekerr55]

Guillem Bauza used to come play 9 a side games with me and my mates at Bishopston Sports Centre after he retired… he was unreal, his touch, movement and reading of the game was levels above any of us - some of us who play a decent standards - and Bauza didn’t get out of first gear… walking around the pitch because his knee was Donald Ducked.

Lovely intelligent guy too.

Marvin Sordell played a few games on the 5 a side pitches at Barnet (well Harrow as that's where they are) when he was still playing. He was spinning off everyone for fun

 

[waynekerr55]

Talent is not the only requirement for success. Mentality matters a lot as well.

There are quite a few players developed by the Swans over the years who could potentially have gone further in the game if their heads had been right. From what I know about people who worked with him as a youngster Shaun Chapple had enough talent to play at a seriously high level, but all he was interested in was having a pint in Port Tennant with his mates.

Mentality is the reason Ben Davies has kicked on. Did A level maths in his spare time as an apprentice and got an A*

 

[JackSomething]

Our 2002 POTY during a pretty dire period for the club, so perhaps not many will remember him, but what a player this guy was. I played with him for a couple of years at 14/15 and he was way ahead of everyone else, every week. Should have gone on to play Premier League and for Wales. Had the talent, but unfortunately lacked the application.

Where are they now? Andrew Mumford | Swansea

www.swanseacity.com

Mumford was the year behind me in school. My next door neighbour was in same year as him and we were good mates, so I'd play with his year a lot. When we were having a kickabout or any of the football games we'd play in the local park (World Cup Willy and the like), he didn't really stand out as being amazing. But once you played a real football match, you could see why he was rated, never stopped running and working.

My memory is shit, but sure he had a trial with Man United around that time (mid 90's) before catching on with the Swans.

 

[Dr. Winston]

Our 2002 POTY during a pretty dire period for the club, so perhaps not many will remember him, but what a player this guy was. I played with him for a couple of years at 14/15 and he was way ahead of everyone else, every week. Should have gone on to play Premier League and for Wales. Had the talent, but unfortunately lacked the application.

Where are they now? Andrew Mumford | Swansea

www.swanseacity.com

He was another one who sprang to mind.

 

[Nocountryforoldjack]

Guillem Bauza used to come play 9 a side games with me and my mates at Bishopston Sports Centre after he retired… he was unreal, his touch, movement and reading of the game was levels above any of us - some of us who play a decent standards - and Bauza didn’t get out of first gear… walking around the pitch because his knee was Donald Ducked.

Lovely intelligent guy too.

Great player, I see Angel up at Bishopston slot, think his kids go there. Another great player.