Talent is not enough.

[onceknownasrab]

Over the years of supporting the Blues I have seen such potential in certain players and am dismayed at how often it is lost or even thrown away. You can have the silky skills of a Gascoigne/Brooking or the 100% commitment and dedication of a Keegan or Batty. Often though, however you play, your talent is not enough. There is, as with all of us, the added family problems, peer pressure, colleague support issues that can also have a massive effect on anyone a fraction less than single minded about their goal in life. Furthermore, as with us all, the players have to contend with mental health problems, addictions and sometimes the added pressure of being firmly fixed within the spotlight.

At Southend alone we have witnessed the fallout on enough occasions. Think of three top strikers. Stanley V, Freddy E and now possibly Nile Ranger. Stanley was superb but as much as he achieved he also underachieved. A great footballer who could and should have done so much more. His off-field exploits were also less than meritorious.
Freddy E was a super player that should have gone on to achieve so much more, even before his knee problems, but one that, like some plants, did not flourish once uprooted.
Nile Ranger is the latest in the line. Clearly a talent and, if some reports are to be believed, has further blotted his copybook and is at risk of throwing his career away.

Its easy to judge and condemn but we so rarely know the truth of their life. The external factors and internal issues that rage. We often hear contempt because such people are in a privileged position and one that so many could only dream of being in. Lets hope Nile sorts it out and is supported to do so.

I think it is best summed up by Rag'n'Bone Man - I'm only human after all.

 

[RobM]

That's true in many professions. A lot of musicians fall by the wayside, usually intoxicants involved. A sad waste, really.

 

[onceknownasrab]

That's true in many professions. A lot of musicians fall by the wayside, usually intoxicants involved. A sad waste, really.

So true. Those who seemingly have the most to lose are not immune. Charles Manson, Rolf Harris, Gary Glitter, Pete Doherty....

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

Over the years of supporting the Blues I have seen such potential in certain players and am dismayed at how often it is lost or even thrown away. You can have the silky skills of a Gascoigne/Brooking or the 100% commitment and dedication of a Keegan or Batty. Often though, however you play, your talent is not enough. There is, as with all of us, the added family problems, peer pressure, colleague support issues that can also have a massive effect on anyone a fraction less than single minded about their goal in life. Furthermore, as with us all, the players have to contend with mental health problems, addictions and sometimes the added pressure of being firmly fixed within the spotlight.

At Southend alone we have witnessed the fallout on enough occasions. Think of three top strikers. Stanley V, Freddy E and now possibly Nile Ranger. Stanley was superb but as much as he achieved he also underachieved. A great footballer who could and should have done so much more. His off-field exploits were also less than meritorious.
Freddy E was a super player that should have gone on to achieve so much more, even before his knee problems, but one that, like some plants, did not flourish once uprooted.
Nile Ranger is the latest in the line. Clearly a talent and, if some reports are to be believed, has further blotted his copybook and is at risk of throwing his career away.

Its easy to judge and condemn but we so rarely know the truth of their life. The external factors and internal issues that rage. We often hear contempt because such people are in a privileged position and one that so many could only dream of being in. Lets hope Nile sorts it out and is supported to do so.

I think it is best summed up by Rag'n'Bone Man - I'm only human after all.

I completely understand your point but Nile Ranger hasn't even got close to acheiving what Freddy did let alone Stan. I would compare him more so to Moshni.

 

[onceknownasrab]

I completely understand your point but Nile Ranger hasn't even got close to acheiving what Freddy did let alone Stan. I would compare him more so to Moshni.

Maybe not but he is one that has undoubted talent and his days in the prem, blighted by his own demons, probably already put him in the underachieving bracket. He clearly could do so much more and its a real shame if he doesn't.

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

I think it might of been Collymore who said that rather than focusing on underachievement, people should look at what some people DID achieve despite their problems

 

[RobM]

I think it might of been Collymore who said that rather than focusing on underachievement, people should look at what some people DID achieve despite their problems

I recall Graham Gooch scoring 333 in an England test match against India - and he got criticised for not getting 400!

 

[onceknownasrab]

I think it might of been Collymore who said that rather than focusing on underachievement, people should look at what some people DID achieve despite their problems

Thought oppression is self-destructive. When you acknowledge and embrace regret you can act in the present and move on in the future. Some people achieve despite problems and some hide behind problems to excuse their every action. Often the failing is not of the individual alone but those around them. It is not wrong to acknowledge underachievement but it is not necessary to be ashamed of it. **** happens. If you care about it, and learn from it, you can make changes. Very few changes will occur without the support of the important people in your life.

 

[AndyT]

I recall Graham Gooch scoring 333 in an England test match against India - and he got criticised for not getting 400!

It's a good point about being critical of failure, rather than embracing success.

I think, on that one, above, it was more that he could have got the record (365 at that time), but threw his wicket away having a mow at Manoj Prabhakar, in the chase for quick runs that, in hindsight, we didn't need to get so quickly.

However, there are so many cases of players in the game of football/cricket, you name it, who are remembered for the bad things, more than the good. Kevin Pietersen being the latest example.

 

[brigg blue]

The title of this thread raises a very good point, Talent is almost worthless without application. The problem is every professional footballer should be as committed as James Milner but it seems, (particularly in the English game), they just aren't.

natural talent is not enough, for me the best example is Rooney / Ronaldo, both went to manure at the same time and both were seen as exciting talents. Don't get me wrong Rooney has won a lot and had a very successful career but he's not made the step up to the very very top. Rather than putting in the extra time in the gym or the training ground he went off shagging grannies and getting filmed being ko'd.