What does Real Madrid do to players?

[Lush]

Someone on another thread was asking what Real does to players, many of whom seem shadows of their former selves once they join.

Do you think it's that, once you join Real, you can get "no better job, in terms of wages and status?". So it's only the players who really love football - rather than the wealth and trappings of football - who continue to improve?

Or is that some players can't cope with not being the big star anymore? Which is why Zidane still looks good - as he is the big star even at Real where there are plenty of other stars.

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

They seem to think they are the pinnacle of the footballing world, and cannot be challenged - look at Ronaldo, Figo, Beckham - all of them have put on weight and just stroll around the pitch playing long chipped passes. No professional pride

 

[perth seagull]

Interesting point. Maybe they think that they've made it big once at Real Madrid, and then they get complacent. It certinaly looked that way when seeing Figo, Beckham and especially Raul playing.

Zidane is different from the rest, coming from a poor background he is seems to be quite a humble character rather than a prima donna.

 

[ManxSeagull]

Stories I am hearing are that when Real Madrid got knocked out by the Champions League by Monaco they stopped training, lost interest and subsequently lost their next five league matches.

Questions have been asked of the professionalism of the club.

Do they think they are the Harlem Globetrotters equvilient in football ?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

That would be i that said that after me a the toad were talking bout it last night.
Beckham should leave for his own sake

 

[zefarelly]

That would be i that said that after me a the toad were talking bout it last night.
Beckham should leave for his own sake

WTF ? ? ? sober up will you !

Real does seem to have a profound affect on players . . .with the exception of Zidane I think its akin to moving from Brighton to Eastbourne !

 

[Marshy]

Stories I am hearing are that when Real Madrid got knocked out by the Champions League by Monaco they stopped training, lost interest and subsequently lost their next five league matches.

Questions have been asked of the professionalism of the club.

Do they think they are the Harlem Globetrotters equvilient in football ?

Spot on I think, once they went out of the Champions league there season was over, and players lost interest.

 

[:J)]

WTF ? ? ? sober up will you !

Real does seem to have a profound affect on players . . .with the exception of Zidane I think its akin to moving from Brighton to Eastbourne !

Or indeed, Brighton to Spurs...

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

i think that they dominate the league enough, that theyre not getting pushed enough to get better (yes, i know they didnt win the league) theyre also being paid too much to do no work, its ridiculous!!!

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

Hopefully their shit season will force them to step it up for next season, and Beckham might sort himself out

 

[Lord Bracknell]

One thing seems clear to me.

A lot of players seem to think that the BIG games these days are Champions League matches and major domestic games. You know ... the ones that are worth winning because they earn big money for the clubs and players "next season".

Piddling little international tournaments? What's the point? You win them, you lose them. What difference does it make to a player?

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I think this is all over the top. Beckham has had a poor second half to the season and had some injuries. Figo looked old and worn out. They are but two Real Madrid players.
Real Madrid has made Raul the player he is. He has had a poor tournament but is the Champions League top scorer ever. The Spanish goalkeeper Casillas is a Madrid player and he was superb throughout.
I think what is perhaps more at fault is that these players are playing too much football so when it comes round to major tournaments their bodies simply cannot cope with it. There are also rumours that Beckham and Figo were not fully fit but being player because of their importance...perhaps then it is the fact that they are really good and their coaches feel the need to play them when unfit that has made them look crap. The fact they are at Madrid is a coincidence brought about because Madrid buy the best players and it is the best players who are most often risked when unfit.

 

[Thimble Keegan]

I think this is all over the top. Beckham has had a poor second half to the season and had some injuries. Figo looked old and worn out. They are but two Real Madrid players.
Real Madrid has made Raul the player he is. He has had a poor tournament but is the Champions League top scorer ever. The Spanish goalkeeper Casillas is a Madrid player and he was superb throughout.
I think what is perhaps more at fault is that these players are playing too much football so when it comes round to major tournaments their bodies simply cannot cope with it. There are also rumours that Beckham and Figo were not fully fit but being player because of their importance...perhaps then it is the fact that they are really good and their coaches feel the need to play them when unfit that has made them look crap. The fact they are at Madrid is a coincidence brought about because Madrid buy the best players and it is the best players who are most often risked when unfit.

Agree to most of this although I do not think that Beckham was unfit. I watched him at all the England games and he was still able to get about the pitch with no problems. What I, and others did was notice Beckam's complete reluctance to get invloved and his body language suggested so. We seem to think the problems are in his head.

As for Figo I cannot comment much as I did not study him so closely apart from when they played us. During the quarter-final he thought he had a decent game and was happy to see him subbed.

Albion & England forever.

Thimble Keegan
Lisbon BHA

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Agree to most of this although I do not think that Beckham was unfit. I watched him at all the England games and he was still able to get about the pitch with no problems. What I, and others did was notice Beckam's complete reluctance to get invloved and his body language suggested so. We seem to think the problems are in his head.

As for Figo I cannot comment much as I did not study him so closely apart from when they played us. During the quarter-final he thought he had a decent game and was happy to see him subbed.

Albion & England forever.

Thimble Keegan
Lisbon BHA

he admitted today he wasnt as fit as he used to be and it may have something to do with real

 

[Thimble Keegan]

he admitted today he wasnt as fit as he used to be and it may have something to do with real

I am sorry but I do not agree. This is part straw clutching by Beckham and part bullshit by the papers.

This was apparently due to lack of "conditioning" training at Real Madrid and I do not buy this. If he was unfit then why come out and say it now? Say it before the tournament so the problem can be addressed. After coming out and saying he was unfit following our elimination from the World Cup The FA would not have made the same mistake twice and played him less than 100% again.

Also I heard rumours (yeah, I know) that he was not motivating the players in the dressing and that it was Gary Neville who was the driving force...Give this man the captaincy.

Albion & England forever.

Thimble Keegan
Lisbon BHA

 

[Citrus]

Thimble Keegan
Lisbon BHA

Nice.

 

[Beach Hut]

I think once players are signed to Real Madril there is a sort of "untouchable" belief the comes into play.

At the end of the day you have to want to win games, at times when you have too many good players they all rely on each other and then when it doesn't hapeen...........

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

i said neville should be the capt but people laughed at me.

he knows what he is doing

 

[Citrus]

I think Phil Neville should be captain. He has nice hair.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

i think phil neville should be shot alongside heskey