Jet-propelled footballers?

[Wienergull]

Anything to take my mind off tomorrow's decision - fat chance!

News today of Marc Overmars' retirement made me think of the only time I saw him live, playing for Holland against the Czech Republic in a Euro '96 qualifier in Prague. I don't think I've ever seen a faster, more direct player.

Others with a similarly direct style who spring to mind are Gerry Fell (mid-70s BHA. Scored 20 goals from the wing in 91 appearances - OGH and Jonah take note) and Wayne Fereday (late 80s QPR - devastating pace, but absolutely no end product). Would they still seem as fast today, I wonder, if they were compared with the likes of Thierry Henry?

 

[oapdodge]

The speed they run at must stay the same so many mph if it was in 60's,70's or whenever if they have a record of how fast a player can run then that's it.What they can do with a football is another thing.Brooker was quick,so is Jones but the end product ain't so good.

 

[oapdodge]

People can run faster and faster.
the 100 metres record is always getting lowered. I think its about 9.79 now, and Ben Johnson pumped himself full of drugs to acheive that.

Not saying that the speed someone can run doesn't go up.However if you want to compare say Overmars to Henry or Henry to Owen then surely nowadays over a certain distant that could be measured,by sky ? same as players from yesteryear could be measured.Was a little winger Jimmie Johnson who played for Celtic quicker then Overmars ? Who can say ?

 

[fatboy]

Dennis Berhkamp jet propelled?

Tim Montgomery ran 100m in 9.78seconds and is yet to be found guilty of drugs offences.

 

[Wienergull]

Was a little winger Jimmie Johnson who played for Celtic quicker then Overmars ? Who can say ?

I seem to remember Johnstone as a tricky, dribbling winger, more in the mould of Chelsea's Charlie Cooke or our own Rod Thomas (!), rather than as an out-and-out speed merchant. Still, it would be interesting to know how they all compare against each other. I read somewhere that Ashley Cole was faster over 100m than Henry. You could tell how fast he was in his performance against Ronaldo in the quarter final.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

isn't dennis romendahl(sp?) supposed to be the fastest footballer on earth?