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Peter Crouch names best two-footed teammate he played with during glittering career

mawspurs

Staff
Jun 29, 2003
35,069
17,740
The former England international has shared a pitch with some of the best players in Premier League history and has given a special mention to a Spurs legend

Source: Daily Mirror
 

Col_M

Pointing out the Obvious
Feb 28, 2012
22,639
45,679
Surely they’ve ALL been two footed otherwise how would they pass a medical?
 

Marty

Audere est farce
Mar 10, 2005
39,885
62,562
I think it's ridiculous that professional footballers often aren't competent with both feet. They've played 10,000 hours at least through childhood and adulthood, probably a lot more, you'd expect them to have practiced enough to be good with both feet.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,391
I think it's ridiculous that professional footballers often aren't competent with both feet. They've played 10,000 hours at least through childhood and adulthood, probably a lot more, you'd expect them to have practiced enough to be good with both feet.

As a kid I spent hour after hour kicking a tennis ball against a wall with my left foot until I could use both feet equally. There's nothing difficult about it - just effort and determination. It's pathetic that many pros apparently can't be arsed.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
I think it's ridiculous that professional footballers often aren't competent with both feet. They've played 10,000 hours at least through childhood and adulthood, probably a lot more, you'd expect them to have practiced enough to be good with both feet.

Two of the best players to ever play the game are one footed so maybe not so ridiculous.
 

The General

Active Member
Sep 10, 2014
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As a kid I spent hour after hour kicking a tennis ball against a wall with my left foot until I could use both feet equally. There's nothing difficult about it - just effort and determination. It's pathetic that many pros apparently can't be arsed.

Wrong. It can be physical. My right foot is infinitely better than my left, but it had nothing to do with practice. In fact the whole left side of my body is pretty much a waste of time. Even when damaging my right hand and having to use my left for basic tasks for a long time it didn’t get much better. I can pass a ball and score with my left foot, but no amount of training could ever get it to the standard of my right foot which is practically a wand.

As someone else pointed out, many great players are one footed despite hours on the training field.
 

thecook

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2009
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Sounds like the Daily Mirror are running out of story ideas already
 

Mr.D

Old Member
Dec 2, 2014
4,262
7,876
As a kid I spent hour after hour kicking a tennis ball against a wall with my left foot until I could use both feet equally. There's nothing difficult about it - just effort and determination. It's pathetic that many pros apparently can't be arsed.
Try wiping your arse with your wrong hand.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
Imagine how good they would've been if they'd been able to use their other foot.

It's very hard to imagine Maradonna and Messi better than they are/were. I don't think them being stronger on their opposing foot automatically makes them better players - if they spent half the time practicing on their weaker foot they wouldn't have time to perfect their skills on their stronger foot.
 

Marty

Audere est farce
Mar 10, 2005
39,885
62,562
It's very hard to imagine Maradonna and Messi better than they are/were. I don't think them being stronger on their opposing foot automatically makes them better players - if they spent half the time practicing on their weaker foot they wouldn't have time to perfect their skills on their stronger foot.
And I don't think either Maradona or Messi (with the condition that I never saw Maradona live) quite fall into the category I mean. Yes, they were clearly better on one foot than the other, but their right feet were hardly useless. I'm talking about players like Denilson (the former Betis winger, not the Arse DM), Lamela who prefers to rabona with his left instead of playing easy balls with his right, even Rivaldo had a pretty hopeless right foot, players who absolutely don't use one of their feet unless they're forced to. I don't expect every player to be equally good with both feet, but surely you shouldn't be able to make it as a pro with one foot that can barely trap the ball.

I realise that all the players I'm talking about here are left-footers, but it does seem to be a particular problem with the left-footers. I am one myself but I practiced so much with my right that it was at least capable at the level I was at, though I haven't played since U18s.
 

Locotoro

Prince of Zamunda
Sep 2, 2004
9,327
13,916
Imagine how good they would've been if they'd been able to use their other foot.
I read an article that stated training both feet is useful in younger years but up to a point it becomes counterintuitive because you could be training other skills that are more useful.
If someone asked whether I'd prefer Kane improving his left foot or honing his shooting technique I would pick the latter because it will make a bigger difference to his output rather than nominally improving his left foot control
 

Gbspurs

Gatekeeper for debates, King of the plonkers
Jan 27, 2011
26,945
61,824
I think it's ridiculous that professional footballers often aren't competent with both feet. They've played 10,000 hours at least through childhood and adulthood, probably a lot more, you'd expect them to have practiced enough to be good with both feet.

I guess if you can get an extra 10% by focusing on one foot the margins in professional football are so fine that might be what it takes to get you over the line. Especially considering teams don't care if you are two footed really.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,391
I read an article that stated training both feet is useful in younger years but up to a point it becomes counterintuitive because you could be training other skills that are more useful.
If someone asked whether I'd prefer Kane improving his left foot or honing his shooting technique I would pick the latter because it will make a bigger difference to his output rather than nominally improving his left foot control

I'd say Kane (and Son too) have already put a lot of work into improving their left foot and the benefits are there for all to see.
 

spud

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2003
5,850
8,794
On the subject of King Ledley, the BBC website recently ran a poll of the ten best ever PL defenders, asking for them to be ranked from the provided list. Ledley wasn't even on it.

Wankers.
 

Gassin's finest

C'est diabolique
May 12, 2010
37,355
87,826
You get less 2 footed players these days because there's more emphasis on specialisation in positions and condition than all round footballing ability. Call it another by product of the game getting more competitive.

My grandad always stressed the importance of being 2 footed, when he played it was expected. Backed up by Busby making Bobby Charlton only train with his left foot so that no one would see how good he really was.
 
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