15 Jun 2017 17:20:51
This transfer window is already highlighting something I've thought for a while. There is a real lack of 'world class' talent around.

That's not a term I use lightly either. Compared to the 90's when you could probably pick out dozens of genuine world class players, today there seems to be a real lack of top quality talent.

Is it a case of Ronaldo and Messi have set the bar too high and others can't match their output, thus making others look not as good as they actually are? Has the money in the game taken the gloss off players? I remember so many national sides of the 90's made up of so much talent.

That's got me thinking about the players we are linked with and the crazy money involved. Morata for £80 million, for example (and this isn't a Morata bashing post, or about money, btw) .

You would expect, even in todays market to be getting a game changer for that price. But after Ronldo and Messi I can't think of too many players in the world who would justify such an investment. Griezmann, Suarez (peaked), Bale (injury prone) and maybe only 1 or 2 more.

20 years ago if you equalled the world record transfer fee you could probably pick out 50 players to put in that bracket; Zidane, Ronaldo, Seedorf, Batistuta, Figo, Nesta, Inzaghi, Rivaldo, Nedved, Davids, Maldini, Del Piero, Baggio, Kluivert, Laudrup, Weah, Giggs, Scholes, I could go on. They'd all come in and massively improve any team in the world.

Is there a genuine lack of real world class talent today?

1.) 15 Jun 2017
15 Jun 2017 18:33:58
I think there are just as many world class players nowadays, it's just that there are a lot more teams dining at the big table and flush with cash. I'm sure if someone looked at the numbers that we've always spent X amount of our turnover on players. Now as we keep getting more and more money, that percentage stays the same but the X amount goes up.

I'll agree that there are more cash rich clubs than world class players, so what you get then is the second or third tier players go for obscene sums. Supply and demand at its finest. The bubble will eventually burst but until it does, expect the transfer figures to grow and grow.

2.) 15 Jun 2017
15 Jun 2017 18:39:51
That depends on how you measure talent. The problem today is that people tend to measure talent on money. It's us the fans that have complicated the game by talking rather blabbering about money. For me it's damn simple, leave the money to who handles it and sit back and enjoy the game.

We got Pogba for a certain amount and Herrera for some other amount. Who is to say Herrera isn't as talented as Pogba?

There is still a lot of talent around. Dybala? Kane? Alli? Isco? De Gea? Courtouis? Hazard? And I could go on with such players. We need to simplify by seeing what they do on the pitch rather than their cost which are decided by the market. It's a seller's market after all.

3.) 15 Jun 2017
15 Jun 2017 18:43:59
That's a good point Mumbles regarding transfer budget compared to turnover. I don't really know if the bubble will burst or what will happen if it does. You are right about more cash rich clubs.

However, I don't agree that there are as many world class players. Who are they? I can't think of maybe 10 who I would call genuinely world class.

4.) 15 Jun 2017
15 Jun 2017 18:56:56
a lot of people judge it on the most recent bestest player ever -the players the players wazza mentions did it year on year . to me that's world class.

5.) 15 Jun 2017
15 Jun 2017 19:26:51
I think you've missed the point of the post Shan.

It's not about the actual transfer fee, but about the standard of player who justifies a world record transfer (or close to) today compared to years gone by. There isn't enough players today who make you think 'yep, he's worth it'.

boyfromburrenway - that is one of the key factors for a world class player. It's why I don't think hazard is world class in fact I'd put him in the 3rd tier of players, well behind Griezmann, Suarez etc because his last few seasons, one of them he was well off the boil for a full year and last year while he was good he wasn't exceptional.

6.) 15 Jun 2017
15 Jun 2017 19:28:13
Wazza posted something the same myself yesterday people are trying to make superstars out of players might be good compared to the other players out there but are no where near the level of what's gone before.

7.) 15 Jun 2017
15 Jun 2017 19:38:51
That's my thoughts as well jred. The pool of the top players is not very big and I don't know why. Is it because Messi and Ronaldo are so good (the best 2 players ever imo) or is it something else.

Don't get me wrong I think the overall standard of football is a lot better than ever before and maybe that's a contributing factor - the gap between world class and mediocre is smaller than it has been before.

8.) 16 Jun 2017
16 Jun 2017 00:52:42
Perhaps advances in diet, training methodology and commitment, and tactics have made it look like there is less talent out there while in fact, the opposite is true, there is more. It's easier for talent to be neutralized. It's only when there is a surfeit of it in one team in relation to the rest of the league, that a few players get to stand out.