Topic: Footballs Golden Genrations- What Could Have Been

[Samie]

Off shoot from the Loan Watch Thread in the Main Forum. Talk about this team and what they might have achieved if not for circumstances beyond their control.

Here's an article on that team.

Yugoslavia of the late 80's/90's  and it's possible team

https://theghostgoal.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/yugoslavia-87-the-real-golden-generation/






Any other talented generation of footballers you lads' want to talk about, feel free.

[Red-Soldier]

Off shoot from the Loan Watch Thread in the Main Forum. Talk about this team and what they might have achieved if not for circumstances beyond their control.

Here's an article on that team.

Yugoslavia of the late 80's/90's  and it's possible team

https://theghostgoal.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/yugoslavia-87-the-real-golden-generation/






Any other talented generation of footballers you lads' want to talk about, feel free.

Some teams those.

Arguably, two of the best teams of my lifetime, that's for sure.

[Zlen]

You never really know.
This team had some amazing players, but also some obvious weak spots (wingers, goalkeepers).
What they had going for them is that the core of the team grew up together from early days when they, if I remember correctly won the World Cup for U21's or something like that. They also had a fair share of real leaders and if they all put their heads together and their egos aside - they could have been contenders for highest awards. Croatia getting WC bronze medal with Šuker, Boban, Jarni, Štimac etc shows the potential was real - but that tournament they basically played on a crazy amount of national pride and desire - never to be replicated again. Is this something Yugoslavian team would have? Or would they be plagued by infighting?

[Xabi Gerrard]

Any other talented generation of footballers you lads' want to talk about, feel free.

They get a lot of stick but England's Golden Generation of the 00s was ridiculously talented - Gerrard, Rooney, Lampard, Ferdinand, Cole, Campbell, Terry, Neville, Scholes, Owen, Beckham. Those players absolutely dominated European club football for 5 years but just couldn't make it work for England. Only Ashley Cole could hold his head up high and say he was world class at international level too. Weird how it just didn't click. Probably down to not having a good goalkeeper in that period and also shoehorning in both Gerrard and Lampard instead of playing a defensive midfielder.

[PeterTheRed ...]

Off shoot from the Loan Watch Thread in the Main Forum. Talk about this team and what they might have achieved if not for circumstances beyond their control.

Here's an article on that team.

Yugoslavia of the late 80's/90's  and it's possible team

https://theghostgoal.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/yugoslavia-87-the-real-golden-generation/





Any other talented generation of footballers you lads' want to talk about, feel free.

Srecko Katanec and Darko Pancev would have also been members of that team. They have always performed well for the Yugoslav national team in the late 80's/early 90's.

[gazzam1963]

They get a lot of stick but England's Golden Generation of the 00s was ridiculously talented - Gerrard, Rooney, Lampard, Ferdinand, Cole, Campbell, Terry, Neville, Scholes, Owen, Beckham. Those players absolutely dominated European club football for 5 years but just couldn't make it work for England. Only Ashley Cole could hold his head up high and say he was world class at international level too. Weird how it just didn't click. Probably down to not having a good goalkeeper in that period and also shoehorning in both Gerrard and Lampard instead of playing a defensive midfielder.

Think the team from euro 96 was far better and very unlucky not to win it . From world class goalie in seaman , really good defenders  who were at the top of there game in Adams , Southgate , Neville and Pearce   , one of the best players in the world in gazza , forwards like shearer , sheringham and fowler . And when you look at the rest of the squad some really top players who had in Terry Venabales possibly the best England man manger in a while

[Samie]

BRAZIL 82 - AKA Sex 

[SerbianScouser]

Yeah , I grew up with that team, it was an unbelievable generation.

It all started `89 in Chile when they won Youth World Cup. They were all starting to play for our 4 biggest clubs Crvena Zvezda (Red Star), Partizan, Hajduk and Dinamo. In 1990 World Cup not all of them were yet established first teamers, some of them played, we've beaten Spain 2-1 in last 16 round with 2 goals by mercurial Dragan Stojkovic Piksi , an archetypal no.10 maestro who for me was the biggest talent of the bunch. In the 1/4 finals they lost to Maradona's Argentina on penalties after having to play most of the game with 10 men as Sabanadzovic was sent-off.

My club Red Star was the most successful of the big 4, we had Najdoski, Jugovic, Mihajlovic, Prosinecki, Stojkovic, Savicevic and Pancev. We won the European Cup in '91 in Bari , beating Marseille on penalties. The same club that Stojkovic joined that season. He had to play for the last like half an hour and it was a gut wrenching experience for him because he was Red Star's legend and he had to play against us in what was the most historic game in RS' history.

We'll never know but I'm convinced if the war never happened this generation would have won either World Cup or Euros. We qualified easily for Sweden `92 as this generation was finally starting to gel though it wasn't even that, there was some quality work going on in clubs producing such talented players as the league was very competitive and good and I'm sure that was only the start. However war happened and all the good work of generations in football went to waste because the clubs are still recovering and are finding themselves in difficult situations because they can't increase the quality of competitions in order to produce players of level from that era.

[PeterTheRed ...]

Yeah , I grew up with that team, it was an unbelievable generation.

It all started `89 in Chile when they won Youth World Cup. They were all starting to play for our 4 biggest clubs Crvena Zvezda (Red Star), Partizan, Hajduk and Dinamo. In 1990 World Cup not all of them were yet established first teamers, some of them played, we've beaten Spain 2-1 in last 16 round with 2 goals by mercurial Dragan Stojkovic Piksi , an archetypal no.10 maestro who for me was the biggest talent of the bunch. In the 1/4 finals they lost to Maradona's Argentina on penalties after having to play most of the game with 10 men as Sabanadzovic was sent-off.

My club Red Star was the most successful of the big 4, we had Najdoski, Jugovic, Mihajlovic, Prosinecki, Stojkovic, Savicevic and Pancev. We won the European Cup in '91 in Bari , beating Marseille on penalties. The same club that Stojkovic joined that season. He had to play for the last like half an hour and it was a gut wrenching experience for him because he was Red Star's legend and he had to play against us in what was the most historic game in RS' history.

We'll never know but I'm convinced if the war never happened this generation would have won either World Cup or Euros. We qualified easily for Sweden `92 as this generation was finally starting to gel though it wasn't even that, there was some quality work going on in clubs producing such talented players as the league was very competitive and good and I'm sure that was only the start. However war happened and all the good work of generations in football went to waste because the clubs are still recovering and are finding themselves in difficult situations because they can't increase the quality of competitions in order to produce players of level from that era.

I am sure that most posters are aware of the "Big 4" of the Yugoslav league, but we should also mention that there were other quality clubs who were producing a lot of talent for the league and the national team. Clubs like Zeljeznicar, Vardar, Vojvodina, Velez, Radnicki, Osijek, Buducnost, Rijeka and others were producing so many talented players at the time, I almost find it difficult to believe from this perspective.

[Xabi Gerrard]

Think the team from euro 96 was far better and very unlucky not to win it . From world class goalie in seaman , really good defenders  who were at the top of there game in Adams , Southgate , Neville and Pearce   , one of the best players in the world in gazza , forwards like shearer , sheringham and fowler . And when you look at the rest of the squad some really top players who had in Terry Venabales possibly the best England man manger in a while

Yeah the '96 team were better as a team as they had better balance with peak Seaman and Paul Ince doing the dirty work in midfield, but as a group of individuals that mid 00s England team were the best batch I've ever seen from this country.

BRAZIL 82 - AKA Sex 

Paolo Rossi laughs at your sex

[Samie]

Paulo Rossi can fuck off. Boring Catenaccio fucker.   

[deFacto please, you bastards]

I am sure that most posters are aware of the "Big 4" of the Yugoslav league, but we should also mention that there were other quality clubs who were producing a lot of talent for the league and the national team. Clubs like Zeljeznicar, Vardar, Vojvodina, Velez, Radnicki, Osijek, Buducnost, Rijeka and others were producing so many talented players at the time, I almost find it difficult to believe from this perspective.

You can add FK Sarajevo and NK Celik to that list to a certain extent. There was an abundance of talent from all over the region.

Some other players who weren't mentioned:

- Safet Susic
- Mehmed Bazdarevic
- Dario Simic
- Aljosa Asanovic
- Igor Tudor

[paulrazor]

No doubt in my mind they were destined for greatness

I wrote this 6 years back

Thttp://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=273063.msg8427761#msg8427761

WC 94 or 98 they could have won

[Crosby Nick]

Asanovic ended up at Derby didn't he? Remember him being quality for them.

[PeterTheRed ...]

You can add FK Sarajevo and NK Celik to that list to a certain extent. There was an abundance of talent from all over the region.

Some other players who weren't mentioned:

- Safet Susic
- Mehmed Bazdarevic
- Dario Simic
- Aljosa Asanovic
- Igor Tudor

I loved Mehmed Bazdarevic.

How was that commentary again? "Until Mehmed Bazdarevic loses the ball, you can listen to the music from our studio" 

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Yeah , I grew up with that team, it was an unbelievable generation.

It all started `89 in Chile when they won Youth World Cup. They were all starting to play for our 4 biggest clubs Crvena Zvezda (Red Star), Partizan, Hajduk and Dinamo. In 1990 World Cup not all of them were yet established first teamers, some of them played, we've beaten Spain 2-1 in last 16 round with 2 goals by mercurial Dragan Stojkovic Piksi , an archetypal no.10 maestro who for me was the biggest talent of the bunch. In the 1/4 finals they lost to Maradona's Argentina on penalties after having to play most of the game with 10 men as Sabanadzovic was sent-off.

My club Red Star was the most successful of the big 4, we had Najdoski, Jugovic, Mihajlovic, Prosinecki, Stojkovic, Savicevic and Pancev. We won the European Cup in '91 in Bari , beating Marseille on penalties. The same club that Stojkovic joined that season. He had to play for the last like half an hour and it was a gut wrenching experience for him because he was Red Star's legend and he had to play against us in what was the most historic game in RS' history.

We'll never know but I'm convinced if the war never happened this generation would have won either World Cup or Euros. We qualified easily for Sweden `92 as this generation was finally starting to gel though it wasn't even that, there was some quality work going on in clubs producing such talented players as the league was very competitive and good and I'm sure that was only the start. However war happened and all the good work of generations in football went to waste because the clubs are still recovering and are finding themselves in difficult situations because they can't increase the quality of competitions in order to produce players of level from that era.

We would have at least gotten to the final at the very minimum, whether it be the Euros or he World Cup. Not only were the players quality, there were plenty of quality coaches.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

I loved Mehmed Bazdarevic.

How was that commentary again? "Until Mehmed Bazdarevic loses the ball, you can listen to the music from our studio" 

Yes, he was a much bette player than he is a coach at the moment at least.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

The only time I could somewhat enjoy Real Madrid was when Mijatovic and Suker were playing up front for them. Mijatovic scored the only goal against Juve in 98 I believe.

[Samie]

Dutch "Total Football" team of the 70's

[SerbianScouser]

We would have at least gotten to the final at the very minimum, whether it be the Euros or he World Cup. Not only were the players quality, there were plenty of quality coaches.

Making a team out of so many strong individuals would have been a massive challenge. So many artists and not that many water carriers. It was kind of a blessing in disguise for Croatia in France that the pool of talent was decreased which allowed them to find better balance and not have big egos on the bench sulking.

[PeterTheRed ...]

Yes, he was a much bette player than he is a coach at the moment at least.

Bazdarevic was part of the generation that won the bronze at the Olympic tournament in 1984. There was some great talent on that team, but very few of them became regular senior internationals, like Stojkovic, Katanec and Bazdarevic. Of course, that generation had one of the most talented players ever in former Yugoslavia, Milko Djurovski. Now, that was a wasted talent.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Bazdarevic was part of the generation that won the bronze at the Olympic tournament in 1984. There was some great talent on that team, but very few of them became regular senior internationals, like Stojkovic, Katanec and Bazdarevic. Of course, that generation had one of the most talented players ever in former Yugoslavia, Milko Djurovski. Now, that was a wasted talent.

Very true.

 today there is a decent pool of talent from the former Yugo states, that would be ok, but [weak up front and in the fullback area]. I'm thinking a diamond in midfield consisting of Matic,Pjanic,Modric and Rakitic could hold it's own. Not as many good centerhalves anymore with Vidic retired, Ivanovic having declined, Subotic plagued by injuries. Lovren,Nastasic,Savic Vrsaljko,Kolasinac are the only defenders I can think of that would be able to produce a decent back four of some sort.

Up front not much quality as back then, Dzeko,Mandzukic and Jovetic [shame about his injuries, would have been a huge star otherwise]

[Samie]

The great Hungarian team of the 50's.

[The North Bank]

What about the great spurs team of 2017. Oh what might have been.

[Sheer Magnetism]

The 90s Yugoslav team would have been fantastic but there's actually an argument that the 2010 edition would have been even better, you'd have had a team picked from Handanovic, Vidic, Ivanovic, Kolarov, Corluka, Spahić, Tosic, Stankovic, Modric, Rakitic, Jovetic, Mandzukic, Dzeko and Jovanovic, back before he joined us and was still good - most of them at or near their peaks.

Speaking of underachieving teams, I've always wondered why Scotland always did so badly considering the calibre of player they could choose from in the 60s through to the 80s. It's like they folded as soon as they reached a tournament. Also makes you wonder what a Great Britain team would have been capable of: Best and Johnstone as double wingers, Dalglish and Rush at international level, even Darren Fletcher or Ryan Giggs back at the times when the England team was just missing a holding midfielder or a left-sided midfielder.

[Sheer Magnetism]

They get a lot of stick but England's Golden Generation of the 00s was ridiculously talented - Gerrard, Rooney, Lampard, Ferdinand, Cole, Campbell, Terry, Neville, Scholes, Owen, Beckham. Those players absolutely dominated European club football for 5 years but just couldn't make it work for England. Only Ashley Cole could hold his head up high and say he was world class at international level too. Weird how it just didn't click. Probably down to not having a good goalkeeper in that period and also shoehorning in both Gerrard and Lampard instead of playing a defensive midfielder.

I don't know, I'd say Owen and Beckham did very well at international level. Unfortunately, that was the problem. Beckham was only really that good on the right and Owen could only play as part of a partnership, which meant you had to play a 4-4-2 to accommodate them instead of a three-man midfield that could have feasibly found room for Scholes, Gerrard and Lampard (or Hargreaves as a holder) in the centre. We also didn't have a naturally good left-sided player for years, which is why we had to keep plonking attacking midfielders there. Euro 2004 was really the big chance for that team - after that players started passing their peaks and going to tournaments injured.

And as for Brazil '82, the 'what if' was always what would have happened if Careca was fit. He'd been tearing it up at club level but got injured just before the tournament, necessitating the lumbering Serghino being picked up front.

[beardsleyismessimk1]

Goalkeepers

Zimbabwe Bruce Grobbelaar
England Mike Hooper
Defenders

England Gary Ablett
Scotland Gary Gillespie
Scotland Alan Hansen
Republic of Ireland Mark Lawrenson
Scotland Steve Nicol
Republic of Ireland Steve Staunton
England Barry Venison
England Alex Watson
Midfielders

England John Barnes
Scotland Kenny Dalglish
Republic of Ireland Ray Houghton
England Craig Johnston
England Kevin MacDonald
England Steve McMahon
England Mike Marsh
Denmark Jan Mřlby
England Mark Seagraves
England Nigel Spackman
Scotland John Wark
Republic of Ireland Ronnie Whelan
Attackers

Republic of Ireland John Aldridge
England Peter Beardsley
England John Durnin
Scotland Alan Irvine
England Paul Walsh


Imagine  these boys in Europe

[redan]

Yeah it's ludicrous to think the England team of 02-10 didn't make at least one semi final of a major tournament and didn't even make Euro 2008!

Gerrard, Ferdinand, Terry and Lampard were arguably the best in Europe in their positions in 08 which makes it unbelievable

They were just so rigid in playing 4-4-2 when none of their clubs played that way. I don't think Stevie had played as part of midfield 2 since The first half of Istanbul even that was rare. When you saw Paul Scholes shoehorned in at left wing to ensure the classic 4-4-2 was upheld shows where the problem lay.

What they needed was a Senna, someone who is not of the same technical ability of a Xavi, Iniesta or Alonso but it is for the betterment of the team. If it meant one of the Golden Generation being benched but other countries don't mind leaving egos out if it's better for the teams shape. I always found it remarkable how under used Carrick has been for England. I think he'd have suited that team very well

[RedSince86]

Portugal golden generation of the 1990's early 00's disappointed.

[Greatness]

Portugal golden generation of the 1990's early 00's disappointed.

Thought that side was far more talented than the side they have right now, yet that side didn't win anything and the current team are the European Champions.

[Zee_26]

The African continent always seems to produce a lot of these 'could-have been' teams.

Think the Nigeria and Cameroon U23 teams that won gold at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. The outrageously talented Ivory Coast team of the mid-to late 2000s that had the misfortune of getting two difficult group draws in the 2006 and 2010 world cups.

And of course, the fact that Ivory Coast could not win the AFCON during those years was simply down to an absolutely dominant Egyptian team who couldn't even qualify for the world cup!

[Xabi Gerrard]

I don't know, I'd say Owen and Beckham did very well at international level.

Good shout re:Owen, he was brilliant at international level, especially in big tournaments, scored in each of his 4 knockout games. Disagree about Beckham though, I felt he believed his own hype too much and was really indisciplined for England thinking he was Roy of the Rovers, which was detrimental to the team overall. At club level he played with much more discipline, probably because his managers wouldn't let him get away with his 'bigger than the team' bollocks that he had with England.

[Greatness]

The Colombian team from the early 90's is a side that come to mind, people had them as strong contenders for the 1994 world cup yet they went out of that tournament in the group stage.

Bayer Leverkusen from 01-02 is more of a what could of been team than a gold generation, that team though could of won a treble that season

[Xabi Gerrard]

Looking at this Golden Generation of Belgian players they could go down as the biggest underachievers of all if they dont win anything.

Courtois
Alderweireld
Kompany
Vertonghan
De Bruyne
Hazard
Witsel
Lukaku
Benteke
Origi

Even Fellaini is a really useful plan B to have off the bench if desperate for a goal.

Still can't get my head around how they're so bad with all that quality. Even if the other positions are filled by 6/10 players they really should be reaching the semis of major tournaments at the very least.

[RedSince86]

The Colombian team from the early 90's is a side that come to mind, people had them as strong contenders for the 1994 world cup yet they went out of that tournament in the group stage.

Bayer Leverkusen from 01-02 is more of a what could of been team than a gold generation, that team though could of won a treble that season

Bayern Munich gutted that side signing Lucio Ballack and Ze Roberto,announcing the signings before Leverkusen played in CL final as well.

Ballack was awesome in 2002 for club and country.

[TepidT2O]

Someone missed mac red out of those line ups.

[Kenny's Jacket]

Looking at this Golden Generation of Belgian players they could go down as the biggest underachievers of all if they dont win anything.

Courtois
Alderweireld
Kompany
Vertonghan
De Bruyne
Hazard
Witsel
Lukaku
Benteke
Origi

Even Fellaini is a really useful plan B to have off the bench if desperate for a goal.

Still can't get my head around how they're so bad with all that quality. Even if the other positions are filled by 6/10 players they really should be reaching the semis of major tournaments at the very least.

Destroyed by Hal Robson-Kanu.

[Samie]

The 90s Yugoslav team would have been fantastic but there's actually an argument that the 2010 edition would have been even better, you'd have had a team picked from Handanovic, Vidic, Ivanovic, Kolarov, Corluka, Spahić, Tosic, Stankovic, Modric, Rakitic, Jovetic, Mandzukic, Dzeko and Jovanovic, back before he joined us and was still good - most of them at or near their peaks.

You having a laugh? That team potentially was very good but it didn't have the talent that a Yugoslav team of the late 80's and 90's would've had.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

You having a laugh? That team potentially was very good but it didn't have the talent that a Yugoslav team of the late 80's and 90's would've had.

Yeah, that team is a joke in comparison.

[Samie]

Destroyed by Hal Robson-Kanu.

He's going to live off  that Cruyff Turn and goal for all his life.