Guardian interview with Xavi

[rhroyal]

Definitely worth a read.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011 ... -interview

I agree with his comments on footballing education from a young age and the importance of playing well when winning.

It's also interesting to see yet another brilliant player to describe Paul Scholes as "great". To call Scholes unsung would maybe be a bit too far, but he clearly has a far greater level of respect inside the game relative to his respect outside of it.

[Thomas L'Heureux]

Great interview, thanks for posting.

You watch Liverpool and Carragher wins the ball and boots it into the stands and the fans applaud. There's a roar! They'd never applaud that here.

Lovely.

[FiNeRaIn]

Zidane also called paul scholes the best midfielder in the world before he retired. Common knowledge how good he was.

[Thomas L'Heureux]

Note sure if you've seen it, FR, but have a butchers at this: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Paul_Scholes.

[Badger Finger]

A great read... Good work.

[Royalee]

A very good read, cheers for that.

[handbags_harris]

Great interview, thanks for posting.

You watch Liverpool and Carragher wins the ball and boots it into the stands and the fans applaud. There's a roar! They'd never applaud that here.

Lovely.

Isn't that exactly what Carles Puyol has built his career around though?

[ZacNaloen]

They don't cheer it though!


He points out that players like Puyol are important to every team, but that players of his attributes are only part of the larger puzzle rather than the major piece {like in english football}

[Hoop Blah]

So you could argue that what he's saying is the English football fan has a greater understanding and appreciation of what it takes to win a game of football than their Spanish counterpart who just gets excited by the pretty side of the game.

Although I agree with the sentiment that we accept plodders with limited ability more than they might in Spain it's not quite as people might like to portray. Who's lauded more Steve Bruce or Ryan Giggs? Steve McMahon or Peter Beardsley? Wilshire or Song?

[ZacNaloen]

Yeh I know, the first line was Facetious. Defend first, showboat later. Although if you have the ability across the whole team to pass and keep possession rather than clear your lines, why not?

[Hoop Blah]

You can't always pass the ball out of defence as the other team are there to make it difficult and stop you. Sometimes the risk doesn't outweigh the rewards and it's just too dangerous to do so.

I'd rather see a team try and pass the ball than just lump it though, no arguments there, and I'd rather watch players with the vision, ability and willingness to play like Xavi, Alonso and Iniesta than Nicky Butt, David Batty and Carlton Parmer!