After "WINGERS OF YESTERDAY & TODAY", here comes "INSIDE FORWARDS OF YESTERDAY & TODAY".
A new translation
(I've tried) of another article from Football Magazine
(mensual supplement of France Football), issue #25, February 1962.
The original title of the article is
'"Cinq génrérations d'inters" (five generations of
insides) and as for the wingers, the magazine proposes an interview
with four former French international players and one new talent
brought all together in Paris, who were or are insides and who
represents the five generations in question before to put forward an
assortiment of inside-forwards, past and present, French and foreign.
Here is the cover of this issue :
And here is the article :
FIVE GENERATIONS OF INSIDES BROUGHT TOGETHER IN PARIS by FOOTBALL MAGAZINE
1970
GRIZZETTI
*Born on the 20th of
November 1943, in Aubervilliers.
*Successive clubs : La Courneuve, R.C
Paris, C.A Paris.
*Selected in the U18 French National
Team, is the prospective of the junior team.
1960
FONTAINE
*Born on the 18th August
1933, in Marrakech.
*Successive clubs : Marrakech, U.S
Marocaine, O.G.C Nice, Stade de Reims.
*20 times international, the first time
against Hungary (7 October 1956 in Colombes) [They forgot about his
very first cap against Luxembourg, in 1953, at Parc des Princes], the
last time against Bulgaria (11 December in Colombes).
*Top Scorer (13) of the 1958 World Cup
in Sweden.
*Winner of "La Coupe de France"
(the French Cup) in 1954 (Nice) and of the "championnat"
(the national league) in 1956 (Nice), 1958 and 1960 (Reims).
1950
BATTEUX
*Born on the second of July 1919, in
Reims.
*Successive clubs : Stade de Reims,
Château-Gombert, Stade de Reims.
*8 times international, the first time
against Belgium (6 June 1948, in Brussels), the last time against
Spain (19 June 1949, in Colombes).
*Coach of the French National Team and
of Stade de Reims.
*Winner of the Cup in 1950 (Reims) and
of the League 1949 (Reims).
1940
HEISSERER
* Born on the 18th July
1914, in Schirrheim.
*Successive clubs : R.C Strasbourg, R.C
Paris, R.C Strasbourg, Ol. Lyonnais as player; Ol. Lyonnais and R.C
Strasbourg as coach.
*25 times international, the first time
against Yugoslavia (13 December 1936, at the Parc), the last time
against Italy (4 April 1948, in Colombes).
*Cup Winner in 1939, 1940, 1945 (R.C
Paris).
*Storekeeper in Colmar.
1930
PINEL
*Born on the 8 July 1908, in Honfleur.
*Successive clubs : Stade and Red Star
[Stade is Stade Français]
*7 times international, the first time
against Czechoslovakia (11 May 1930, in Colombes), the last time
against Belgium (7 December 1930, in Buffalo).
*Manager at the society Louis-Dreyfus
[the late OM's president from 1996 to 2009, Robert Louis-Dreyfus,
1946-2009, had inherited of this society, it is well the same one as
there's only one].
THE INSIDE FORWARD SERF AND LORD
MASTER
After the positions of goalkeeper, of
side-back, of centre-back, of half and of winger, Football Magazine
studies the one of inside-forward this month [.../ already
explained].
MARCEL PINEL – 1930
The anarchy
"My period stretches in gross from
'25 to '35. It's first of all the one of the anarchy where each one
does what he wants, as he wants. The inside plays on one lane. There
is no question for him of moving on the right or on the left. He's
evolving in a very defined zone. The forwards attack in line, like at
rugby. A tall centre-forward like Paul Nicolas for example, demands
the presence of two insides alongside him. For these two men, there
is no question of defensive work. The memory of a France-England
(0-16) where the five tricolor forwards were watching their defenders
to struggle amongst the worst difficulties is not erased yet.
The modification of the off-side rule
(two men instead of one, in 1926-1927) arrives and makes us think. At
this moment, there is not already true directors nor qualified
coaches. We speak between ourselves, sometimes some whole nights, to
resolve a problem. And we note that it is not possible anymore to
leave a winger like Langiller free to move so much.
It's the apparition of the individual
marking. The role of the inside becomes a bit more tricky, but he has
still a quite big freedom of manoeuvre !
When I see a Fontaine reaching the 18
meters today, I'm afraid! Between him and me, there's approximatively
the same difference than between a car driver that goes across La
Place de La Concorde at 6 pm in 1930, with a normal traffic and the
one who in 1962 goes through a monstrous traffic jam. Anyway...
In 1930, the anarchy therefore starts
to disappear. It is the World Cup in Montevideo, the first basic
knowledge of the WM, the fortunate intervention of the foreign
coaches, the increasing influence of Gabriel Hanot. It's the
beginning of the organisation."
OSCAR HEISSERER – 1940
The organisation
"My era stretches from 1934 to
1951, i.e the era of the establishment of the WM in the modern
football. In 17 years naturally many things happen but I wish to say
right now that in football (like in many domains) all is a question
of the men, or more exactly of entourage. We play according to the
personality of our immediate partner. Thus in 1934 I have Fritz
Keller as winger in Strasbourg. No need with him to complicate the
issue. He goes fast and shoots hard! In 1939, I have Fred Aston at
my side at Racing [of Paris]. There, the "one-two" (oh yes!
they existed since a long time already!) are possible, although Fred
is a guy all of instinct so in consequence unable to explain himself
his behaviour.
That said, I must now precise that I
get to the heart of my career at an important turn in football. No
more go with the flow, technical supervision, constant directives,
precise instructions. It is the hour of the organisation, most of all
in a Racing marked by the presence of Kimpton. Everyone knows where
he is going and the inside fulfill his function of metronome
according to his capacities and his morphology. Son of a weighlifter
I am solidly built and made for the hard physical work and of
endurance. I cover a large area on the field by natural need and I
fully feel the joy of making others play and of provoking a goal.
Sure of my technique and of my shoot of the ball, I can take some
initiatives like some reversals of the play which make me a novator
in the matter of...and which is particularly efficient against the
English and their system of surveillance of the working wing that
leaves a spearhead player very out-marked [so on the opposite side,
he's talking about doing passes on the width of course and we can see
him doing this on film but I can't refind into what match for now].
After the war, the WM continues to
reign, but an evolution, which will be a revolution, slowly begins to
appear."
ALBERT BATTEUX – 1950
The research
"At the beginnings of my career,
I'm attacker and scorer...absolutely, Albert Batteux puts the ball in
the back of the nets like all the boys who have a certain basic
value. To the point that Reims consider sme first of all like a
centre-forward and expects of me a collection of goals...that never
comes. Because my passage in the Eleven of the Army with function of
player-coach-captain-manager gave me the sense of responsabilities. I
became a pure inside, the one who organizes and works for the others,
a classic inside.
Then, Racing [of Paris] suddenly
changes the face of things. It reveals to French football its famous
"tourbillon" ("whirlpool") with almost incessant
offensive permutations. It is the hour of the research. We don't
content ourselves anymore by playing according to well-defined
principles, we think and we take risks, often paying off, against
defences which are surprised by some methods which are, at the
origin, unconventionnal.
Stade de Reims, without pushing the
thing to the extreme like Racing, troubles his adversaries by a
Flamion, nominal left winger, but in fact inside right, a Batteux n°8
but easily on the diametrically opposite wing, a Pierre Sinibaldi n°9
at the fore and then a Flamion on the right wing. The attack becomes
something enthralling with some elements likely to create unexpected
offensives.
Of course, the inside remains as the
player who pulls the strings, the man who most of all care about the
design and not the realisation. But he is way more involved in the
action. He doesn't content himself anymore to climb back up the
field, to control well the ball, and to give it well. He's in the
"movement" and against the boredom which was born a day of
the uniformity!"
JUST FONTAINE – 1960
The modernism
"As Oscar Heisserer says, all is a
question of men in football where the true problem is about to
associate complementary players and make use to the best of the
talents of one in relation to the assets of the other. Thus in Nice,
my first professional team, I'm first a classic inside with Belaïd
as the centre-forward at the forefront. I'm working, I'm withdrawing,
I'm giving balls. But with Ruben Bravo withdrawn centre-forward, I'm
the spearhead inside with all the remit of the boy in charge of the
finishing.
Same thing with Reims and in the
National Team, with or without Raymond Kopa! By temperament, I'm all
naturally attracted by the goals. I want well to go back and to defer
to all the disciplines but it is a bit unnatural and as a consequence
against the sake of what counts before all : the team!
Spearhaed inside or
centre-forward...that's for a big part a question of words and about
the positionning of the opponent defence once the game has really
start.
One thing is in any case certain, it is
that it is more and more difficult to impose in attack where the
famous cold-blood at the crucial moment becomes an imperious
necessity. It's a more general aspect of the question of course, but
it counts for the inside of the forefront, real spearhead in an
exemplary attack like the one of France at the 1958 World Cup, with
Piantoni on the left and me on the right!".
GERARD GRIZZETTI – 1970
The future
"What to say more? I am just 18
years old and my problems are exactly the same than the ones of
Fontaine. In a well balanced team, there's an inside who works, it's
my case, and another one who attacks squarely, the position of the
half behind him being according to the case offensive or defensive.
I don't know if we will find other
methods or if in 1970 for example, the inside will be a totally
different character. It is much possible because in football like in
everything, we have to ceaselessly renew ourselves to stay at the
top. But I don't think that we will change the mentality of the one
who thinks that he is made to orientate the game. Whatever his number
or his position is.
THE GREAT REVIEW OF THE INSIDE FORWARDS
FRENCH OF YESTERDAY
A scientist : VEINANTE
Hiltl |
Ben Barek |
Veinante |
ALCAZAR Jospeh, said "Pepito".
___ 11 caps (from 1931 to 1935). Played at Marseille, Lille, Nice,
Avignon. Born in Orania. Picturesque character, remarkable dribbler
and shooter.
BARD Henri. ___ 18 caps. Born in
Lyon but started at Servette Geneve, played at Racing (before 1914),
at C.A.S.G (1916), au C.A.P (1918-1923). Intelligent player, lucid;
stratege of the three-colour attack alongside Dubly, P. Nicolas and
Devaquez.
BATTEUX Albert. ___ Presented
before.
BECK Yvan. ___ 5 caps.
Naturalized Yugoslav, he played at Sète (Coupe 1930, Championnat and
Coupe 1934). Outstanding athlete with cannon-shoot.
BEN BAREK Larbi. ___ 16 caps [17
with the last one in '54 against West Germany, won 6 years and half
after the 16th one]. Born in Casablanca, in 1917. Played
at Marseille, at Stade Français, at Atlético Madrid, and at OM
again. The Morrocan was nicknamed "La Perle Noire" ("The
Black Pearl"). His popularity was extraordinary. He never
managed to win a single official title [in France]. His irresistible
feints, his accurate passes, his juggling, his jump, his skill in
front of the goals made him the most spectacular French player of all
times. Used to compose at Stade Français with Nyers a sensational
left wing.
BOYER Jean. ___ Fifteen caps.
Born in 1901, in Vitry. At 18 years old, he won the 1919 Cup with
C.A.S.G. He won it three more times with Marseille (1924, 1926,
1927). Very powerful player, efficient shooter, he could fill the
position of inside or of centre-forward.
BROUZES Just. ___ 4 caps.
International at 20 years old, in 1914. Returned to the French Team,
fourteen years later. Played at C.A.S.G, then at Red Star (Coupe
1921, 1922, 1923). Very clear-sighted.
CHEUVA André. ___ 7 caps. Began
at Fives and here appeared to be an active and far-sighted inside.
CRUT Edouard. ___ Eight caps.
True Parisian, he played at Gallia Club, then gone to Switzerland,
came back in Marseille (3 victories in Cup, 1924, 1926, 1927) and
finished at Nice. He was a dainty inside and far-sighted, he had
however an exceptionnal shooting of the ball.
CYPRES Gaston. __ Six caps.
Inside of the heroic times (1904-1908), he played at C.A Paris.
DARQUES Louis. ___Nine caps.
Olympique de Paris. Inside left with a brilliant technique.
DEVIC Emilien. ___ Nine caps.
Played at C.A.P and at Racing. A magnificient athlete.
DUHART Pedro. ___ Six caps.
French-Uruguayan, he used to play at the Sochaux great era (Coupe
1936, Championnat 1935). He possessed peerless qualities of dribbler
and of feinter.
HEISSERER Oscar. __Presented
before.
HILTL Henri. __ Two caps.
"L'extraordinaire Monsieur Hiltl" brang to French football
(Roubaix, Racing C.P, C.O.R.T) [C.O.R.T is Club Olympique
Roubaix-Tourcoing] the wonders of the Viennese technique. We rarely
saw a player more accurate in his passes and his shoots, more subtle
in his game. Champion de France 1947.
[They could have talk about his
free-kicks too. Too obvious maybe? Indeed, Henri or Heinrich Hiltl
is/ was known for he made the feat of converting 14 free-kicks on 16
attempts, for a total of 25 personal goals, on that season 1946-1947
of National League title with C.OR.T.].
IGNACE (Kowalczy). ___ Five
caps. Born in Poland. Played at Valenciennes, Marseille, Reims, Metz.
Active and lucid worker.
LAURENT Lucien. ___ Eleven caps.
The youngest of the two brothers who made the glory of C.A. Paris
circa 1927-1928. Lucien then played in several clubs, between
Sochaux, Rennes then Besançon. He participated in the 1930 World
Cup, in Montevideo. He was a "featherweight", but his
clear-sightedness, his activity and his fineness of play compensated.
LIEB. ___Fifteen caps. Alasacian
inside-forward with realistic game, piercing and efficient. Played at
Bischwiller, Lyon and Mulhouse.
PINEL Marcel. ___ Presented
before.
RIO Roger. ___ Eighteen caps.
Born in Dunkerque, he was the heyday of R.C Rouen 1935-1936, he was
inside left, the organizer and the stratege of "the machine gun
attack" ("attaque mitrailleuse"). Frail, but perfect
technician, he saw the game and launched the arrows Lhermine or J.
Nicolas. He always stood fidel to F.C Rouen.
SIKLO Ladislas. ___ Two caps.
This Polish played at Lens. Small, but clever, he was an assistant of
the game and was perfect in addition to the powerful Stanis.
SIMONYI André. ___Four caps.
Born in Hungary, he arrived in France at 18 years old to be soon
naturalized. He played in numerous clubs, most of all at Lille and at
Red Star (irresistible tandem with Aston). His shooting of the ball
was of first order.
STRICANNE Marceau. ___ One cap.
This Nordist (Roubaix) with an elegant game and subtle suffered of a
lack of athletic means and of a poor eyesight.
TEMPOWSKI Bolek. __ One cap.
Born in Poland, he began at Valenciennes then played at Lille O.S.C
with whom he won the 1946 League and the Cup (1946, 1947, 1948). Very
good technician, intelligent and active.
VANDOOREN Roger. ___ Four caps.
Born in Choisy-Le-Roi (cousin of Jules). Like Tempowski, he was the
heyday of L.O.S.C between 1946 and 1949. Then he played at Roubaix,
at Stade, at Angers. Inside with intermittent yield, but skilful and
lucid.
VEINANTE Emile. ___ Twenty-four
caps. Born in 1907, in Metz. He only known, player from 1919 to 1939,
two clubs : Metz and R.C Paris (1936 League title, 1936 and 1939
Cup). He was not an athletic footballer, but his science of the game,
his intelligence, his cold-blood, his technique in movement or
stopped (king of the corner-kick) made him the brain of the French
team during ten years.
FOREIGNERS OF YESTERDAY
A double-champion : MEAZZA
Kubala |
Bobek |
Meazza |
ABBEGLEN Trello (Switzerland).
___ Organizer and "lung" of F.C Sochaux 1937 and of the
Swiss National Team 1938. Technique, far-sightedness, activity, all
was there.
AMALFI Yeso (Brazil). ___
Amazing juggler of the ball. Played at Nice, at Racing, at Marseille.
ANOUL Pol (Belgium). ___ Used to
fill all the positions of one team. Worker, calm, shrewd.
BACKHUYS (Holland). ___ Tall,
spare, reciding hairline, this striker of F.C Metz (1938) possessed
some piercing and a fulgurant shoot.
BALLAMAN Robert (Switzerland).
___ Spearhead forward attracted by the goals, redoubtable on
set-pieces.
BOBEK (Yugoslavia). ___ Big
devil with disconcerting facility and with imperial technique. He
formed with Mitic a perfect tandem (1948-1950).
BONIPERTI (Italy). ___First a
spearhead forward, the beautiful and blond Gianpiero trasnformed into
a play-maker and a regulator, at Juventus like in the Italian Team,
until the last season.
BRONEE (Denmark). ___ Played at
Nancy (1950), then in Italy. Elegant footballer but fickle.
CARLSSON (Sweden). ___ Little
blond-haired man, Carlsson was the heyday of Stade Français (1946)
and of Atlético Madrid. Dainty technician, active, master of the
wrongfoot.
CARTER Horacio [-t] (England).
___ Played from 1934 to 1950. He had very early a silver hair.
Classic style, very elegant, dribbler of first order.
CEA (Uruguay). ___ Inside left
of the team that won the 1924 Olympic Tournament.
CHAVES Freddy (Belgium). ___ One
of the most intelligent Belgian players, on and off the pitch,
remarkable technician.
DECKER Karl (Austria). ___ The
current boss of the Austrian Team, former international, was at First
Vienna then at Sochaux, a precise and lucid inside.
FERRARI (Italy). ___ Fourty-four
times international, the balded inside left of the 1938 World
Champion squadra was a conductor of attack with a great
far-sightedness.
GREN Gunnar (Sweden). ___ Balded
him too, he made a brilliant career, first in Sweden, then in Italy,
with Nordahl and Liedholm (1950). His perfect technique earned him
the nickname of "Professor".
GUDMUNSSON (Iceland). ___ Played
at Arsenal, at Glasgow Rangers, at Nancy, at R.C Paris. Cold,
impassive technician emeritus, very British.
HABITZL (Austria). ___
International, he played at Le Havre and at Lens (1953) where he
demonstrated his science of the game.
HJALMARSSON (Sweden). ___ With
solid knees, this amazing dribbler and passer would have been a big
European star. Played at Nice, Lyon and Troyes (1956).
JACK David (England). ___ Into
the famous attack of Arsenal (1934-1935), he brang, apart from his
power and his height, some astounding art of the pass and science of
the game.
JAIR (Brazil). ___ Inside left
of the Brazilian Team runner-up of the 1950 World Cup, he was an
astonishing juggler and handler of the ball.
JAMES Alec (Scotland). ___ The
inside right of the Arsenal attack (1935) was small, but sturdy,
clever and cunning. He was the tactician of Arsenal, first adept of
the WM. He get the others to score goals but never scored himself.
KENNEDY (England) [Frederick, Fred].
___ Inside right of Racing 1936 [Paris]. Spare, phlegmatic, active,
and cunning.
KUBALA Ladislav (Spain). ___ A
tremendous career of Czech, Hungarian then Spanish international. A
force of nature, with rather unusual skill. His protection of the
ball, his feints, his shoots were redoubtable.
LABRUNA (Argentina). ___ The
allure of a gaucho, an irreproachable technique, a shred of fancy and
of nonchalance, he was the true Argentinian footballer (1949-1959).
LORENZI (Italy). ___ 1953. He
was nicknamed the "poison" because he possessed a very bad
temper. But what class, what mastery in the wrongfoot and in the ball
control.
McPHAIL (Scotland). ___ Inside
of Glasgow (1927-1938), he was a tall player, spare, and slick.
MANNION (England). ___ He played
a long while in National Team (1948). Technician very British, he had
most of all a quite uncommon science of the game.
MAZZOLA (Italy). ___ In the
Superga air disaster disappeared in Mazzola, inside of the squadra
and of Milan [Turin], one of the most magnificient chiefs of attack
that calcio ever possessed.
MEAZZA (Italy). ___ First a
centre-forward, he became a very offensive inside in the squadra when
Piola took the number 9. He was an exceptional shooter. He won the
World Cup twice (1934 and 1938).
MITIC (Yugoslavia). ___ 1950.
The twin of Bobek. He brang more aggressiveness and combativity in
his role of inside.
MORTENSEN (England). ___ 1953.
Frail, but typically British in his allure and in his game (long
passes, strong shoot).
NEJEDLY (Czechoslovakia). ___ He
was the inside left of the Czech formation beaten in the 1934 World
Cup Final by Italy. He was a shadow worker.
REGUEIRO (Spain). ___ 1930.
Inside who possessed a great fineness of play and a very developped
tactical sense.
RYTKONEN (Finland). ___ Fragile,
but remarkable technician who played at Toulouse (1958).
SALNIKOV (U.S.S.R). ___ He was
the organizer [ordonnateur in the text...organizer/
scheduler...] of the soviet team during years (1957). Peerless
technician and tactician.
SCARONE (Uruguay). ___ He amazed
Europe in 1924 by his diabolical skill and by his exemplary glance
which served to launch his partners.
SCOPELLI (Argentina). ___ He
played at Red Star (1925) and gave to admire here his touch of the
ball and his efficiency.
STEELE (Scotland). ___ 1947 to
1951. Inside of short stature, but very clever forward, very good
distributor, dynamic, and active.
SZENGELLER (Hungary). He was the
inside left of the 1938 World Cup runner-up team. Redoubtable
dribbler and shooter, he used to be selected in the Team of Europe.
SZEPAN (Germany). ___ Born in
Poland [Germany], he was the heyday of Schalke and of the German Team. Tall,
lymphatic, blond, he seemed slow; but his omnipresence and most of
all his passes made him a great leader of attack.
TIMMERMANS (Holland). ___ Dutch
international, he played at Nîmes and seduced by his activity and
his sobriety.
TOLDI (Hungary). ___ Forward of
the 1930 era. Far-sighted and accurate.
TRAVASSOS (Portugal). ___ Inside
right worker, eminent shooter who played several times against France
(1949-1950).
WILKES (Holland). ___ Elegant
and inconstant, Wilkes, with sudden dribbles and starts, was
irresistible when he wanted. He played in Spain.
ZIZINHO (Brazil). ___ He was the
inside right of the 1950 Brazilian team, but the reign of this
magnificient Brazilian footballer lasted ten years. He was a
diabolical player. His acrobatics, his jugglings, his shoots and most
of all his pace made him the Pelé of that epoch.
[Like 6 others, SCHIAFFINO and F.
WALTER have their pic to
illustrate this category but no write-up about them appear in the
article. For some reason, it is the eventual profiles of them two who
have been "ommited" in favor of maybe less famous players'
ones due to lack of space on the double-page given to the "French
and foreign inside forwards of yesterday". Following the
alphabetical order they should have appeared in the last two columns
which starts with Rytkonen and close with Zizinho]
FRENCH OF TODAY
A puncher : PIANTONI
Bruey |
Piantoni |
Guillas |
ALBA
Jean-Pierre (Nice). ___ left-footed with plentiful technical
researches. Influenced by the South Americans of Nice, he doesn't
succeed in stripping his game of superfluous fancies. Top-class
however.
BERNARD Jacky
(Toulouse). ___ He possesses all the gifts : power, skill, the
glance. He plays simply and judiciously. He possesses touch and
shooting of the ball. But he is lymphatic and inconstant.
BRUEY Stéphane
(Angers). ___ Three caps. Anchored in the soil, tenacious, active
,but also very skilful (an efficient work with the ankle, pivots and
hooks).
DALLA CIECA
Antoine (Rouen). ___ Slow, he is a man of the midfield. But here
his taking of the ball and his passes are impeccable. Exclusive
left-foot, good shoot and good headplay.
DI NALLO Fleury
(Lyon). ___ 18 years and half. Small, short, stocky, he works
near the soil in vivacity and in jump. His shooting of the ball is
efficient, but his collective play feeble still.
DOUIS Yvon
(Monaco). ___ Twelve caps. He lacks of change of pace (he is tall
and long-legged) at the forefront. But his glance, his mastery of the
ball, his elegance of dribble, his reliability in passing and his
shoots make him one of the French numbers one.
ERHARDT Roland
(Metz). ___ Low-built, muscled, solid, he's ceaselessly wriggling
and he is not an organizer yet. But his alertness, his piercing, his
shoots are the promises for a bright future.
GOUJON Gilbert
(Rennes). ___ One cap. The cousin of Cuissard can play at all the
positions on the field. But as a spearhead forward, he makes the best
use of his athletic qualities (speed, jump) and technical (shoot and
skill).
GRESS Gilbert
(Strasbourg). ___ 21 years old. Veinante sees in him the great
half of tomorrow. This intelligent and calm boy possesses a perfect
technique and an unfallible glance.
GUILLAS Roland
(Saint-Etienne). ___ Eight caps. Is he a spearhed forward or a
play-maker? We can't know yet. Built like Kopa (short segments, big
thigs, jump, quickness), Guillas possesses the same skipping, but a
way more redoubtable shoot.
HATCHI Guy
(Lyon). ___ Inside who used to be a half. He needs field and
space to release his forces and conduct his sometimes muddled
activity.
HESS André
(Monaco). ___ former spearhed forward, he doesn't have an economical
style and he took many hits. Devilishly active and dynamic.
LAFRANCESCHINA
Michel (Lens). ___ Belongs to the "pocket-size forwards"
category. Very small but smart, lively, opportunist, always ready to
give a decisive kick on the outskirts of the goals. Redoubtable
scorer.
MOUCHEL Marcel
(Sedan). ___ After having been (amateur) a finisher and a
spearhead, he plays now the bosses, thanks to his tactical
intelligence and technical quality.
PIANTONI Roger
(Reims). ___ Thirty-eight caps. The most gifted of all the French
players. His left foot is worth of the Puskas' one, as much as by the
instantaneousness of his wrongfoots than by the subtlety of his
touches and the power of his shoots. We can't ask him to fill any
defensive role. But his offensive value is so exceptional. He is
unfortunately fragile.
ROUBAUD Bernard
(Lyon). ___ With his long legs and his long nose, he has nothing
of an Apollo of Football. But he compensates that by an omnipresence,
an activity, a precision and a clear-sightedness in the pass, very
precious.
STRAPPE André
(Nantes). ___ Twenty-eight caps. He's at the end of his career
and is more willingly to play as a half. First centre-forward at
Bully, then at Lille (1948), he became inside because he possessed
vitality, technique and breath. He won the Coupe (Lille 1953 and
1955, Le Havre 1959).
[in 1959, Le Havre
becomes the first Second Division team to ever win the French Cup].
THEO Skudlapski
(Monaco). ___ Of Polish origins, he holds in his left foot the
most meticulous technical qualities (work and touch of the ball). But
he is unfortunately slow and weighted.
VAN SAM Guy
(R.C Paris). ___ Three caps. He fills at Racing the position of
left winger. But in reality, he's by temper and by gift a spearhead
inside, thanks to his lightning start, his sense of the game in the
depth and his opportunism when approaching the opponent goals.
FOREIGNERS OF TODAY
A phenomenon : PELE
Sivori |
Pelé |
Sekularac |
AKESBI Hassan (Morroco). ___ A morphology of a wading bird, an elegance of a torero; the Morrocan of Reims is attracted by the goals that he approaches with long strides. His technique of "one foot to the other" allows him wrongfoots and long dribbles.
BRODD Ingve (Sweden). ___ Quick, wriggly, piercing, the
Toulousain is endowed with an excellent shoot which allows him
to score goals.
COLUNA (Portugal). ___ Active, solid, the inside of Benfica
also possesses a fulgurant shoot.
CONSTANTINO (Brazil). ___ He is since many years the Didi of
Nîmes. By his positionning, his now a bit slowed technique, his
intelligence and his reliability in passing.
DEL SOL (Spain). ___ At Real he has been nicknamed the
"engine". He's indeed running flawlessly, is working like a
piston back and forth thanks to an inexhaustible breath, but is also
very adroit and remarkable shooter.
DIDI (Brazil). ___ He is the ideal linkman, the man of support
who, at Botafogo or in the National Team, makes shine the brightness
of his technique supple, feline.
ESCHMANN (Switzerland). ___ At Stade Français just as in the
selection Rappan, he is worthy by his dynamism, his dribbles and
hooks, his shoots with both feet and...his understanding with
Pottier.
EUSEBIO (Portugal). ___ He has not a great international
experience yet. But his ease, the suddenness of his shoots, his sense
of the goal already work wonders at Benfica.
FAUSTINO (Brazil). ___ Sedan and Dugauguez have handed him the
reins of their attack. Small, but skilful, Faustino excels at long
and deep passing.
GOROCS (Hungary). ___ The pupil of Gustav Sebès is very quick
and sharpshooter. He's a dangerous and efficient spearhead
inside-forward.
HALLER (Germany). ___ This blond and slender young man plays
in Italy (at Catania). He get himself out of the fast and ebulliant
calcio thanks to an exemplary technique.
HAYNES (England). ___ The best English footballer, captain of
the National Team, is a little Di Stefano : omnipresent, accurate,
intelligent, tireless worker.
HOF (Austria). ___ He has a bit the style of Kopa, in that
sense that he likes to dribble to open the doors to his partners.
HOUF (Belgium). ___ He mostly plays as a half, but has started
as an inside. He is the intelligence made football. His positionning
is exemplary.
IVANOV (U.S.S.R). ___ The style of a Mediterranean [of a latin
in the text]. Ivanov is lively, supple, very good dribbler, fantasist
even sometimes.
JURION (Belgium). ___ He plays winger in national team, but
fills at Anderlecht the position of inside and of play-maker that his
intelligence, his technique with change of pace, and his speed
confers on him.
KOCSIS (Spain) [Hungary]. ___ The best headplay of modern
football. In the Hungarian Team, at Honved, then at Barcelona, "The
Man with the Golden Head" wreaked havoc by his typically Magyar
punch, as redoubtable on the floor as in the air.
KUCERA (Czechoslovakia). ___This 21 years old inside left,
blond and fast (spearhead inside), possesses a quite uncommon force
of penetration and of shoot. He is a big European hope.
MILUTINOVIC (Yugoslavia). ___ His come-back amongst the elite
was unexpected and brilliant. Confusing dribbler, protecting well his
ball, he is dangerous on the outskirts of the goals.
MURO (Argentina). ___ At Nancy (after Sochaux and Nice), he is
much helpful by his craftiness, his technique, his influence on the
young.
PARODI (Paraguay). __ An aerial game which is unmatched in
France, an elegance of gesture and of silhouette, some courage, some
punch : he is much appreciated in Nîmes.
PELE (Brazil). ___ How to describe the best player in the
World? At 23 years, the prodigy of Santos F.C constitutes a team on
his own. He has just to accelerate the pace of his runs or of his
dribbles for nothing and no one is in position of stopping him. Some
support on a partner , two or three touches of the ball and jumps to
avoid the opponents and it's a done deal. For the time being,
spearhead inside and scorer, he will no doubt become a play-maker.
This Al Brown will become Robinson.
POTTIER (Switzerland). ___ The little Stadiste [Stade
Français] only enjoys to be on the lookout. After a momentary
retirement, he explodes and makes best use of his hook and his
shoot.
PUSKAS (Spain). ___ After being the boss of the prestigious
Hungarian Team, Puskas, through determination and courage, became
again one of the best in Europe. He wonderfully employs his experience
and his left foot (sometimes like a true hand... sometimes like a
shotgun!).
RIEGLER (Austria). ___ At Lens, we are satisfied by this
solid, constant, worker, farseeing Austrian.
RIJVERS (Holland). ___ Since ten years, french football (and
most of all Saint-Etienne) appreciate the game of this little Dutch
man, hectic, lively, active and king of the long passes on the width.
SEKULARAC (Yugoslavia). He's a strong head, but an attacker of
first order. He mellowed with age, allowing him to make better use of
his aggressiveness and of his technical gifts.
SIVORI (Italy). ___ A theatrical character, but a so great
footballer, able on his own to turn the situation around. His short
dribbles, his accurate shoots make him the number one star of calcio
and of Juventus.
SPENCER (Uruguay). ___ Feline like a tiger, an instinctive
skill, an unequalled sense of the goal.
STOJASPAL (Austria). ___ He was with his left foot the
stratege of the Austrian Team and stays at Metz, a remarkable
play-maker.
SUAREZ (Spain). ___ At Inter Milan like before at Barcelona,
Suarez is distinguishable by his dynamism, his jump, his shooting of
the ball.
YAKIMOV (Bulgaria). ___ He is "in becoming" yet, but his protection of the ball, his passes, his sense of the collective game are astonishing.
Some notes :
- this date of 1925 for Scopelli seems odd, must be an error. It is an error.
- the year '57 for Salnikov is right between the Olympics and the World Cup into which he had a central role but it is precisely a year during which he was not called-up in the National team. What did not prevent him to be called-up for the World Cup finals in Sweden once again. And the "during years" is a bit pushed since he played for the Soviet Union from 1954 to '58. Lets' say that he symbolizes an era, that's probably the why of this "during years". Btw, he was almost 29 years old when he integrated the Soviet team and 32 and half (and 9 months...almost 33) when he knew his last cap.
- we'll note that the emphasis is put on the "international
retirement" of Kopa, who is in conflict with the federation, and
aging anyway, especially in the profile of Guillas who is presented
as a solution of replacement (as he is particularly eulogized and even if it's not exactly the same role. Ujlaki, R.C.P, who plays in the same register as Kopa, often praised by the mag, is now aging too as he is of the same generation of the player of Reims and former Real). Guillas, an international prospect
since his very young years, would not be capped anymore after April
1962. He was nicknamed "the little Kopa" as soon as his
beginnings as they had some similitudes like an inner talent with a
exquisite technique as well as a common certain type of morphology. But Kopa was a
player of the centre and Guillas more an inside. Some choices of
career, some collective difficulties in club and a bit of inconstancy
from him kept him away from the National team.
- given it is short profiles, why not adding that Jacky Bernard is the
brother of the international goalkeeper Pierre Bernard for example, like
that, in passing. For the rest that's the choice of the authors of
course to not develop about everything so we'll stop here about doing this.
- on Pelé : about "he will become a play-maker" : it is
maître à jouer in the text, what has more to do with the
idea of mastering his art in addition of the fact of being he
playmaker, it has much to do with the idea of maestro. The
French word for play-maker, without emphasizing on the idea of an
eventual great value of the player in quesion in this role would
simply be meneur de jeu, what it general goes with certain
qualities, but maître à jouer would be something a level
above, "would be" because it also can be understood simply
as a synonymous. In this context about the profile of Pelé, we can
understand the big expectations to which the Brazilian is subjected,
with good reasons, so the word play-maker, or playmaker, may be a bit
feeble. In the meantime it keeps this idea about preparing the
actions more instead of finishing it as he still did the most here.
That's why I have not opted for a maestro, in the end. Same
for Stojaspal.
- Puskas : "through detemination and courage" : "à
coups de courage" in the text. What means exactly the same. But
there is the idea of "shot" in French with the word "coup"
or even of putsch if we want, by extrapolation.
- of course it's about what we call "vision" but well, now, with the
choice of the word "far-sightedness"/ "far-sighted", I
feel like I have described (through this attempt at doing a translation...) a bunch of
hypermetrope now.
Links to related articles :
The "Advice from a coach" part about the inside-forwards (by Jules Dugauguez) will not be added here.
The different interviews have been made by Max Urbini and Jean-Philippe Réthacker. Chief-editor : Jacques Ferran.
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