Well, let me say a few sentences about the ancient past of this game. I dare to do that simply because I used to be part of it, even if it was long time ago but I played on the international level, so also experienced the different aspects of the game and as a coach, I also felt the changes that came afterwards.
- If one could put together a selected team of the best players from the 60's or 70's, including Pele, Vava, Garrincha, Bobby Moore, the Charltons, or Albert, Beckenbauer, Müller, etc. thus the greatest of their times, and all of those players at their peak time, thus they were to play a serious game against Barca B, the "Selected Legends" team would most definitely loose by at least 3-5 goals.
I do hope everyone knows the reason, the game is much faster, players are stronger physically, moving almost twice as much as we did, etc.
But this doesn't mean those geniuses were less talented or inferior compared to your present favorites, the game was different, it changed, evolved, as everything else did in our world.
- In my own peak time (and sorry for giving myself as an example, but it's just easier), today you would say I was an attacking midfielder, but we were attacking by 4 or 5 players, so everything was quite different back then.
I was known about being quite fast but more importantly being able to pass or cross the ball with both feet, by 50-60 meters with quite good accuracy. These were my own good qualities but there were bad ones too: Physically I was not strong enough, I was awful with headers and jumping in the air or avoiding sliding feet, I was a good dribbler but couldn't withstand or avoid backhanded fouls.
Thus I was technically above the average of my team(s) but athletically below average.
I was usually successful against defenders or midfielders who were slower than me but often failed if they were fast or did not give me enough space for those long launches.
10-15 years earlier there was an outstanding footballer playing in the same club, he was a very widely honored international, who played 60-70 times in my NT. Later, he was also my coach for some time, his name was János Göröcs but everyone called him "Titi".
His technique was exceptional, and we'd often made bets if he was able to heel a coin into his pocket. He could do that 98% of times - when he was in good mood to demonstrate, that is.
Never even seen live a player (or even an acrobat in the circus) who could do that with that ease and accuracy. It was unbelievable... Puskas's skills were nowhere compared to his, though Puskas was much stronger.
Göröcs was an important player for the NT but never made a meaningful international carrier. The sole reason for that was his physical weakness and later tendencies for injuries. He was the player I had learnt the most from, specially those long launches and many other things. He is 79 and fortunately in good health...
- Why am I telling you all this? Because I simply want to show you a comparison. It will be Messi and myself - hope you don't mind it...
I got a ball in the centre circle and immediately tried to launch a forward, or there was an opponent and I had to do the same after a dribble. I was quite successful in those but - and this is the essence of my redundant thoughts - I did not launch the ball unless the defender was just 1-2 meters from me or I couldn't get behind him to take the long pass clearly.
- Now look at what Messi does. He gets the ball, dribbles if needed but after that he does the same 50-60 meters launch when his left foot is still 10 centimeters from the defender's foot.
This is the difference and it is a tremendous one, because I wouldn't have been able to do it successfully, Göröcs couldn't have done it and neither 99% of others.
We simply needed more space back then, perhaps more time as well, but even more importantly we perhaps could do the launch when the defender was very close by, but definitely not with the needed accuracy.
Messi does it when 10 cms from the guy, who is crabbing his shirt, trying to kick him, but this guy can still accurately do the long pass most of the time. This is such a difference that tells a lot about how different this game has become and how good Messi is.
Hope you didn't mind the redundant historical tale...
