Who are the worldclass players or finished products? by KickAssFan
Every now and then, you hear Arsenal fans crying out for certain very popular and skillful players who play for well recognised clubs and leagues to be bought. They call such players “finished products” or “worldclass”. Well a finished product, in my opinion, is one whose skills have been well perfected, you are just certain he has the unwavering skills to perform in specific positions. While I’d define a world class player as one who can perform beautifully well at a high level consistently; not that such a player doesn’t make mistakes, but most of his actions on the pitch are right, very often right.
The truth is that there are innumerable players of such high quality out there, very good ones waiting for the spotlight to shine on them— players that if clubs like Arsenal buys them, they would not mind dying on the pitch for the club just to prove their worth. These players have everything you would want in a good footballer, the only thing is just for them to be scouted/discovered.
Every big name out there today had to be placed on a platform for all to see them perform before everyone realised that such and such player is indeed very good. For instance, a player like Cristiano Ronaldo was simply a very good player at Sporting Clube de Portugal, but we only got to know he’s worldclass when he started playing for Manchester United. A player like Fernando Torres was just a very good player at Atletico Madrid, but we all got to know he’s worldclass when Liverpool snapped him up. Someone like Thiery Henry was indeed a good player at Juventus, but certified worldclass only when Arsenal bought him. Dennis Bergkamp was merely a good player at Internazionale, but showed he’s worldclass when Arsenal bought him. And very recently, Bale and Modric—- let’s be very realistic—- couldn’t have been called worldclass but merely good players had Real Madrid not bought them from Tottenham; today they are proving to the world their indisputable worth.
I know we all love the “big names”, but they are only big names because they are playing for very popular clubs where their good performances can be seen by all. But trust me, there are very good players in small clubs or minor leagues out there that have been performing consistently very well who can also easily turn out to be “big names” if afforded the chance.
Some might say, “If you get such players and bring them to the big stage, they won’t be able to perform.” Well, that’s not completely true. In fact, that’s not true at all. If you don’t bring them to the big stage, how would you know? Such players, in my opinion, would be motivated by the desire to prove doubters wrong and to be reckoned with. After all, have you not seen or heard of “big names” that moved to other big/popular clubs or leagues and completely crashed? These guys would play for respect and recognition, not just for the money.
Every “big name” out there belongs to a club that surely won’t want to let go of them. And sometimes the only reason such popular players would want to play for you is the money; and in some cases, when you buy them they just under-perform because of their ego.
It is not the price tag that makes a player a finished product or worldclass, neither is it the popularity of the club or league wherein he plays; even age doesn’t really count. It is the skills and every other exquisite footballing attribute that the player possesses which he has been able to consistently put to visible use, and that can only happen if he’s given the platform.
KICKASSFAN