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vI arrived home from work Monday afternoon, tuned into SkySports News (like I always do), and, to my attention, came a great surprise that bought along, with it, a deep feeling of dissapointment, as one of the modern game's living masters had announced the time had come for him to hang up his boots...
No, it wasn't Paul Gascoigne! We haven't seen much of him for a good while now, and althought he's only ever getting older, last I heard, he's ready to sign a deal with Boston United...
The man I am talking about is Marc Overmars; the "Flying Dutchman" who played a great part in bringing home Arséne Wenger's first Premier League Title - something they hadn't seen at Highbury in years.
I couldn't believe it then, and I'm still finding it hard to take in even now...
I may be a Man United fan and, therefore, I should probably bare some kind of "hate" for him, being a former Arsenal man - but, there's still so much for me to see that says this man - at the age of only 31 - is leaving the game far too young. Much like Eric "The King" Cantona - and, just look at how sorely we all missed his audacious displays once he was gone.
Overmars has put the reason down to a long-running knee-injury that has been pestering him for some time and seems far too comfortable for it to soon be going on its way. Yet, althought, admittedly, he was still a shade on his true self, we all saw him playing in Euro 2004 barely 6 weeks ago!
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is currently struggling with a similar kind of problem, and I can only hope the very same thoughts are not constantly crossing his mind, also....
Reccuring knee-problems or not, to me, Marc Overmars was still very capable of doing so much in the modern game, simply because of his age. If you ask me, he had other reasons for looking a different player this summer. Mentally, he can't have been in the best of shape. Finding himself out of favour with Barcelona for some time - even around his injuries - can't have helped his fitness in time for the tournament either. I mean, if his knees were that bad then - which, they must've been, to have brought this on, now - then surely, he'd have waved the white flag back then, right?
Now, it's certainly not uncommon for a "older" athlete to bring the curtain down a few years premature when such an injury just keeps coming back. Then again, while the weak have fallen, others have battled-on to fight through the pain for as long and as far as their stuggling legs can carry them... And, with the kind of upbringing he's had and world-class talent he has shown, I'm surprised to see Marc Overmars is not a real fighter, after all.
David Batty is one man who instantly crosses my mind as a man who has fought through the intense pain barrier to prolong his time as a footballer, simply because he does not want it to end so easily. He will not give up. And, when Leeds were in-need at the worst of times this season, when given the chance, Batty gave it his all (even if, it still was not enough, come the end of the season). He's always been a bit of a rough-tackler, and he knew one-bad-challenge-too-many could put things in a tearful perspective... Yet, he didn't care. He wanted to play. He fought on. And, even today, you can find him playing proffesional football somewhere along the line, because he has that drive that says he doesn't want to give up and surrender to the pain.
Former Leeds team-mate Lucas Radebe was in a similar predicament last season also. Only, he was, quite literally, "on his last legs". Injections were used to keep his legs going - he could've been finished, had one challenge gone wrong... Yet, he, too, knew his club needed him. He didn't want his time to end.
Dennis Wise is another name that comes to mind. Sure enough, like David Batty, we have another controversial 'hardman' on our hands, here. When his time came to an end as Chelsea captain, he simply moved on to Leicester City. Things were said and things were done, and so, it was time for him to move on again - but, not retire. We could all see age was beginning to take its toll a little, though. I think he knew it too, deep down inside... And so, what does he do? The sensible thing - while he knew he couldn't, for certain, last another full season of regular first-team action, he decided to change his role a little and took a part-dip into the lives of a football manager, with Millwall. Where he couldn't give it all on the pitch anymore, he offered the rest in his tactical knowledge of the game - and, even, took Millwall to an FA Cup finalé with Manchester United in Cardiff! When will we see Marc Overmars again...?
Euro 2004 churned-out a few more surprises than any one of us on this planet could've ever imagined. Not only did the big-guns suffer early fates leaving on-form Greece with the ideal run leading up to the victorious final, but a number of 'World Stars' waved goodbye to the international scene, once and for all.
Lillian Thuram, of France, is one of the more recent cases; announcing his retirement only earlier this very week. He joins several other French veterans of the national side, along with the 'Golden Age' of Portuguese footballing history - having just blown one of their best chances at winning some silverware for many years to come.
At least, while these true 'Masters' of the modern game won't be pulling on their country's colours any time soon, we'll still be able to see them playing weekly, across Europe, for their respective club sides.
You see, when they could feel their end-of-days drawing closer, these men decided to take the safest option and - like Dennis Wise - cut-back a little to make way for what they really wanted to get from their remaining time in the game.
If only Eric Cantona could've done the same when he suddenly decided to call it a day (another young one, also at 31), and cut-back a little on a side his game wasn't as greatly in-need of. If he really wanted to go "part-time" to fit in some acting time, could he not have gone and taken up a player/coaching role [also keeping him fit...] somewhere, even if it meant dropping down a division? Look at Paul Gascoigne; still playing at his age (and size, Eric....) - even though it's now meant dropping down to help lowly Boston United.
Unlike Nicolas "El Whinio" Anelka (who, once, incidentally, threatened to retire at 21...), "The King" is still one Frenchman we all dearly miss.
You might not agree with me here, reading this, but I've always thought of Stan Collymore as an Englishman with still so-much to offer our game, who simply retired at an age far too young. I miss him like the England side still misses Alan Shearer. Collymore proved himself at Anfield - for that, there is no doubt. He went to Villa, then Leicester and it all seemed to fade away down that dark path to Oviedo... Just when he was forming quite the partnership with Emile Heskey!
A few controversial incidents; one-or-two stupid acts done; and, all of a sudden, the media are all over him, he really feels forced-out.
I still believe in his talent, and I'd still like to see him make that once-talkedabout step-back into football. If only things had been ever so-slightly different, and he'd have been given greater chances for England - I like to think we wouldn't be so in-need of Sir Alan because of it.
I guess the past cannot be change, though. And, from what I hear, there is no set method for controlling the future, either... So, we are stuck in the present; waiting for things to happen, knowing what's done is done and cannot be changed.
I'd like to think a player of Marc Overmars' stature would like to reconsider his actions, six-months-down-the-line... Did he really have no more to play for? Or, with so much money already in the bank, was he 'set for life' a little too comfortabley?
Are English players only "better built" for working until - and past - the final whistle than our ever-common "Johnny Foreigner"?
It'll be interesting to see how David Beckham plays things when breaks the 30 mark, at the end of this running decade...
Did I also see Paul Gascoigne sign for Boston United this week, in a player-coaching role... Or was that just another light-hearted dream of mine??
Sadly, Marc Overmars will be missed and there's nothing we can do to change things.
Was he just another money-nabbing foreigner, after all?
No, it wasn't Paul Gascoigne! We haven't seen much of him for a good while now, and althought he's only ever getting older, last I heard, he's ready to sign a deal with Boston United...
The man I am talking about is Marc Overmars; the "Flying Dutchman" who played a great part in bringing home Arséne Wenger's first Premier League Title - something they hadn't seen at Highbury in years.
I couldn't believe it then, and I'm still finding it hard to take in even now...
I may be a Man United fan and, therefore, I should probably bare some kind of "hate" for him, being a former Arsenal man - but, there's still so much for me to see that says this man - at the age of only 31 - is leaving the game far too young. Much like Eric "The King" Cantona - and, just look at how sorely we all missed his audacious displays once he was gone.
Overmars has put the reason down to a long-running knee-injury that has been pestering him for some time and seems far too comfortable for it to soon be going on its way. Yet, althought, admittedly, he was still a shade on his true self, we all saw him playing in Euro 2004 barely 6 weeks ago!
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is currently struggling with a similar kind of problem, and I can only hope the very same thoughts are not constantly crossing his mind, also....
Reccuring knee-problems or not, to me, Marc Overmars was still very capable of doing so much in the modern game, simply because of his age. If you ask me, he had other reasons for looking a different player this summer. Mentally, he can't have been in the best of shape. Finding himself out of favour with Barcelona for some time - even around his injuries - can't have helped his fitness in time for the tournament either. I mean, if his knees were that bad then - which, they must've been, to have brought this on, now - then surely, he'd have waved the white flag back then, right?
Now, it's certainly not uncommon for a "older" athlete to bring the curtain down a few years premature when such an injury just keeps coming back. Then again, while the weak have fallen, others have battled-on to fight through the pain for as long and as far as their stuggling legs can carry them... And, with the kind of upbringing he's had and world-class talent he has shown, I'm surprised to see Marc Overmars is not a real fighter, after all.
David Batty is one man who instantly crosses my mind as a man who has fought through the intense pain barrier to prolong his time as a footballer, simply because he does not want it to end so easily. He will not give up. And, when Leeds were in-need at the worst of times this season, when given the chance, Batty gave it his all (even if, it still was not enough, come the end of the season). He's always been a bit of a rough-tackler, and he knew one-bad-challenge-too-many could put things in a tearful perspective... Yet, he didn't care. He wanted to play. He fought on. And, even today, you can find him playing proffesional football somewhere along the line, because he has that drive that says he doesn't want to give up and surrender to the pain.
Former Leeds team-mate Lucas Radebe was in a similar predicament last season also. Only, he was, quite literally, "on his last legs". Injections were used to keep his legs going - he could've been finished, had one challenge gone wrong... Yet, he, too, knew his club needed him. He didn't want his time to end.
Dennis Wise is another name that comes to mind. Sure enough, like David Batty, we have another controversial 'hardman' on our hands, here. When his time came to an end as Chelsea captain, he simply moved on to Leicester City. Things were said and things were done, and so, it was time for him to move on again - but, not retire. We could all see age was beginning to take its toll a little, though. I think he knew it too, deep down inside... And so, what does he do? The sensible thing - while he knew he couldn't, for certain, last another full season of regular first-team action, he decided to change his role a little and took a part-dip into the lives of a football manager, with Millwall. Where he couldn't give it all on the pitch anymore, he offered the rest in his tactical knowledge of the game - and, even, took Millwall to an FA Cup finalé with Manchester United in Cardiff! When will we see Marc Overmars again...?
Euro 2004 churned-out a few more surprises than any one of us on this planet could've ever imagined. Not only did the big-guns suffer early fates leaving on-form Greece with the ideal run leading up to the victorious final, but a number of 'World Stars' waved goodbye to the international scene, once and for all.
Lillian Thuram, of France, is one of the more recent cases; announcing his retirement only earlier this very week. He joins several other French veterans of the national side, along with the 'Golden Age' of Portuguese footballing history - having just blown one of their best chances at winning some silverware for many years to come.
At least, while these true 'Masters' of the modern game won't be pulling on their country's colours any time soon, we'll still be able to see them playing weekly, across Europe, for their respective club sides.
You see, when they could feel their end-of-days drawing closer, these men decided to take the safest option and - like Dennis Wise - cut-back a little to make way for what they really wanted to get from their remaining time in the game.
If only Eric Cantona could've done the same when he suddenly decided to call it a day (another young one, also at 31), and cut-back a little on a side his game wasn't as greatly in-need of. If he really wanted to go "part-time" to fit in some acting time, could he not have gone and taken up a player/coaching role [also keeping him fit...] somewhere, even if it meant dropping down a division? Look at Paul Gascoigne; still playing at his age (and size, Eric....) - even though it's now meant dropping down to help lowly Boston United.
Unlike Nicolas "El Whinio" Anelka (who, once, incidentally, threatened to retire at 21...), "The King" is still one Frenchman we all dearly miss.
You might not agree with me here, reading this, but I've always thought of Stan Collymore as an Englishman with still so-much to offer our game, who simply retired at an age far too young. I miss him like the England side still misses Alan Shearer. Collymore proved himself at Anfield - for that, there is no doubt. He went to Villa, then Leicester and it all seemed to fade away down that dark path to Oviedo... Just when he was forming quite the partnership with Emile Heskey!
A few controversial incidents; one-or-two stupid acts done; and, all of a sudden, the media are all over him, he really feels forced-out.
I still believe in his talent, and I'd still like to see him make that once-talkedabout step-back into football. If only things had been ever so-slightly different, and he'd have been given greater chances for England - I like to think we wouldn't be so in-need of Sir Alan because of it.
I guess the past cannot be change, though. And, from what I hear, there is no set method for controlling the future, either... So, we are stuck in the present; waiting for things to happen, knowing what's done is done and cannot be changed.
I'd like to think a player of Marc Overmars' stature would like to reconsider his actions, six-months-down-the-line... Did he really have no more to play for? Or, with so much money already in the bank, was he 'set for life' a little too comfortabley?
Are English players only "better built" for working until - and past - the final whistle than our ever-common "Johnny Foreigner"?
It'll be interesting to see how David Beckham plays things when breaks the 30 mark, at the end of this running decade...
Did I also see Paul Gascoigne sign for Boston United this week, in a player-coaching role... Or was that just another light-hearted dream of mine??
Sadly, Marc Overmars will be missed and there's nothing we can do to change things.
Was he just another money-nabbing foreigner, after all?
I felt a little like this when Stan Collymore left England and his career faded out. Now I realise just what a lazy, 32-yeard old self confessed pornstar he really is. Marc Overmars however is not in that category - will also miss him.
vI arrived home from work Monday afternoon, tuned into SkySports News (like I always do), and, to my attention, came a great surprise that bought along, with it, a deep feeling of dissapointment, as one of the modern game's living masters had announced the time had come for him to hang up his boots...
No, it wasn't Paul Gascoigne! We haven't seen much of him for a good while now, and althought he's only ever getting older, last I heard, he's ready to sign a deal with Boston United...
The man I am talking about is Marc Overmars; the "Flying Dutchman" who played a great part in bringing home Arséne Wenger's first Premier League Title - something they hadn't seen at Highbury in years.
I couldn't believe it then, and I'm still finding it hard to take in even now...
I may be a Man United fan and, therefore, I should probably bare some kind of "hate" for him, being a former Arsenal man - but, there's still so much for me to see that says this man - at the age of only 31 - is leaving the game far too young. Much like Eric "The King" Cantona - and, just look at how sorely we all missed his audacious displays once he was gone.
Overmars has put the reason down to a long-running knee-injury that has been pestering him for some time and seems far too comfortable for it to soon be going on its way. Yet, althought, admittedly, he was still a shade on his true self, we all saw him playing in Euro 2004 barely 6 weeks ago!
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is currently struggling with a similar kind of problem, and I can only hope the very same thoughts are not constantly crossing his mind, also....
Reccuring knee-problems or not, to me, Marc Overmars was still very capable of doing so much in the modern game, simply because of his age. If you ask me, he had other reasons for looking a different player this summer. Mentally, he can't have been in the best of shape. Finding himself out of favour with Barcelona for some time - even around his injuries - can't have helped his fitness in time for the tournament either. I mean, if his knees were that bad then - which, they must've been, to have brought this on, now - then surely, he'd have waved the white flag back then, right?
Now, it's certainly not uncommon for a "older" athlete to bring the curtain down a few years premature when such an injury just keeps coming back. Then again, while the weak have fallen, others have battled-on to fight through the pain for as long and as far as their stuggling legs can carry them... And, with the kind of upbringing he's had and world-class talent he has shown, I'm surprised to see Marc Overmars is not a real fighter, after all.
David Batty is one man who instantly crosses my mind as a man who has fought through the intense pain barrier to prolong his time as a footballer, simply because he does not want it to end so easily. He will not give up. And, when Leeds were in-need at the worst of times this season, when given the chance, Batty gave it his all (even if, it still was not enough, come the end of the season). He's always been a bit of a rough-tackler, and he knew one-bad-challenge-too-many could put things in a tearful perspective... Yet, he didn't care. He wanted to play. He fought on. And, even today, you can find him playing proffesional football somewhere along the line, because he has that drive that says he doesn't want to give up and surrender to the pain.
Former Leeds team-mate Lucas Radebe was in a similar predicament last season also. Only, he was, quite literally, "on his last legs". Injections were used to keep his legs going - he could've been finished, had one challenge gone wrong... Yet, he, too, knew his club needed him. He didn't want his time to end.
Dennis Wise is another name that comes to mind. Sure enough, like David Batty, we have another controversial 'hardman' on our hands, here. When his time came to an end as Chelsea captain, he simply moved on to Leicester City. Things were said and things were done, and so, it was time for him to move on again - but, not retire. We could all see age was beginning to take its toll a little, though. I think he knew it too, deep down inside... And so, what does he do? The sensible thing - while he knew he couldn't, for certain, last another full season of regular first-team action, he decided to change his role a little and took a part-dip into the lives of a football manager, with Millwall. Where he couldn't give it all on the pitch anymore, he offered the rest in his tactical knowledge of the game - and, even, took Millwall to an FA Cup finalé with Manchester United in Cardiff! When will we see Marc Overmars again...?
Euro 2004 churned-out a few more surprises than any one of us on this planet could've ever imagined. Not only did the big-guns suffer early fates leaving on-form Greece with the ideal run leading up to the victorious final, but a number of 'World Stars' waved goodbye to the international scene, once and for all.
Lillian Thuram, of France, is one of the more recent cases; announcing his retirement only earlier this very week. He joins several other French veterans of the national side, along with the 'Golden Age' of Portuguese footballing history - having just blown one of their best chances at winning some silverware for many years to come.
At least, while these true 'Masters' of the modern game won't be pulling on their country's colours any time soon, we'll still be able to see them playing weekly, across Europe, for their respective club sides.
You see, when they could feel their end-of-days drawing closer, these men decided to take the safest option and - like Dennis Wise - cut-back a little to make way for what they really wanted to get from their remaining time in the game.
If only Eric Cantona could've done the same when he suddenly decided to call it a day (another young one, also at 31), and cut-back a little on a side his game wasn't as greatly in-need of. If he really wanted to go "part-time" to fit in some acting time, could he not have gone and taken up a player/coaching role [also keeping him fit...] somewhere, even if it meant dropping down a division? Look at Paul Gascoigne; still playing at his age (and size, Eric....) - even though it's now meant dropping down to help lowly Boston United.
Unlike Nicolas "El Whinio" Anelka (who, once, incidentally, threatened to retire at 21...), "The King" is still one Frenchman we all dearly miss.
You might not agree with me here, reading this, but I've always thought of Stan Collymore as an Englishman with still so-much to offer our game, who simply retired at an age far too young. I miss him like the England side still misses Alan Shearer. Collymore proved himself at Anfield - for that, there is no doubt. He went to Villa, then Leicester and it all seemed to fade away down that dark path to Oviedo... Just when he was forming quite the partnership with Emile Heskey!
A few controversial incidents; one-or-two stupid acts done; and, all of a sudden, the media are all over him, he really feels forced-out.
I still believe in his talent, and I'd still like to see him make that once-talkedabout step-back into football. If only things had been ever so-slightly different, and he'd have been given greater chances for England - I like to think we wouldn't be so in-need of Sir Alan because of it.
I guess the past cannot be change, though. And, from what I hear, there is no set method for controlling the future, either... So, we are stuck in the present; waiting for things to happen, knowing what's done is done and cannot be changed.
I'd like to think a player of Marc Overmars' stature would like to reconsider his actions, six-months-down-the-line... Did he really have no more to play for? Or, with so much money already in the bank, was he 'set for life' a little too comfortabley?
Are English players only "better built" for working until - and past - the final whistle than our ever-common "Johnny Foreigner"?
It'll be interesting to see how David Beckham plays things when breaks the 30 mark, at the end of this running decade...
Did I also see Paul Gascoigne sign for Boston United this week, in a player-coaching role... Or was that just another light-hearted dream of mine??
Sadly, Marc Overmars will be missed and there's nothing we can do to change things.
Was he just another money-nabbing foreigner, after all?
No, it wasn't Paul Gascoigne! We haven't seen much of him for a good while now, and althought he's only ever getting older, last I heard, he's ready to sign a deal with Boston United...
The man I am talking about is Marc Overmars; the "Flying Dutchman" who played a great part in bringing home Arséne Wenger's first Premier League Title - something they hadn't seen at Highbury in years.
I couldn't believe it then, and I'm still finding it hard to take in even now...
I may be a Man United fan and, therefore, I should probably bare some kind of "hate" for him, being a former Arsenal man - but, there's still so much for me to see that says this man - at the age of only 31 - is leaving the game far too young. Much like Eric "The King" Cantona - and, just look at how sorely we all missed his audacious displays once he was gone.
Overmars has put the reason down to a long-running knee-injury that has been pestering him for some time and seems far too comfortable for it to soon be going on its way. Yet, althought, admittedly, he was still a shade on his true self, we all saw him playing in Euro 2004 barely 6 weeks ago!
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is currently struggling with a similar kind of problem, and I can only hope the very same thoughts are not constantly crossing his mind, also....
Reccuring knee-problems or not, to me, Marc Overmars was still very capable of doing so much in the modern game, simply because of his age. If you ask me, he had other reasons for looking a different player this summer. Mentally, he can't have been in the best of shape. Finding himself out of favour with Barcelona for some time - even around his injuries - can't have helped his fitness in time for the tournament either. I mean, if his knees were that bad then - which, they must've been, to have brought this on, now - then surely, he'd have waved the white flag back then, right?
Now, it's certainly not uncommon for a "older" athlete to bring the curtain down a few years premature when such an injury just keeps coming back. Then again, while the weak have fallen, others have battled-on to fight through the pain for as long and as far as their stuggling legs can carry them... And, with the kind of upbringing he's had and world-class talent he has shown, I'm surprised to see Marc Overmars is not a real fighter, after all.
David Batty is one man who instantly crosses my mind as a man who has fought through the intense pain barrier to prolong his time as a footballer, simply because he does not want it to end so easily. He will not give up. And, when Leeds were in-need at the worst of times this season, when given the chance, Batty gave it his all (even if, it still was not enough, come the end of the season). He's always been a bit of a rough-tackler, and he knew one-bad-challenge-too-many could put things in a tearful perspective... Yet, he didn't care. He wanted to play. He fought on. And, even today, you can find him playing proffesional football somewhere along the line, because he has that drive that says he doesn't want to give up and surrender to the pain.
Former Leeds team-mate Lucas Radebe was in a similar predicament last season also. Only, he was, quite literally, "on his last legs". Injections were used to keep his legs going - he could've been finished, had one challenge gone wrong... Yet, he, too, knew his club needed him. He didn't want his time to end.
Dennis Wise is another name that comes to mind. Sure enough, like David Batty, we have another controversial 'hardman' on our hands, here. When his time came to an end as Chelsea captain, he simply moved on to Leicester City. Things were said and things were done, and so, it was time for him to move on again - but, not retire. We could all see age was beginning to take its toll a little, though. I think he knew it too, deep down inside... And so, what does he do? The sensible thing - while he knew he couldn't, for certain, last another full season of regular first-team action, he decided to change his role a little and took a part-dip into the lives of a football manager, with Millwall. Where he couldn't give it all on the pitch anymore, he offered the rest in his tactical knowledge of the game - and, even, took Millwall to an FA Cup finalé with Manchester United in Cardiff! When will we see Marc Overmars again...?
Euro 2004 churned-out a few more surprises than any one of us on this planet could've ever imagined. Not only did the big-guns suffer early fates leaving on-form Greece with the ideal run leading up to the victorious final, but a number of 'World Stars' waved goodbye to the international scene, once and for all.
Lillian Thuram, of France, is one of the more recent cases; announcing his retirement only earlier this very week. He joins several other French veterans of the national side, along with the 'Golden Age' of Portuguese footballing history - having just blown one of their best chances at winning some silverware for many years to come.
At least, while these true 'Masters' of the modern game won't be pulling on their country's colours any time soon, we'll still be able to see them playing weekly, across Europe, for their respective club sides.
You see, when they could feel their end-of-days drawing closer, these men decided to take the safest option and - like Dennis Wise - cut-back a little to make way for what they really wanted to get from their remaining time in the game.
If only Eric Cantona could've done the same when he suddenly decided to call it a day (another young one, also at 31), and cut-back a little on a side his game wasn't as greatly in-need of. If he really wanted to go "part-time" to fit in some acting time, could he not have gone and taken up a player/coaching role [also keeping him fit...] somewhere, even if it meant dropping down a division? Look at Paul Gascoigne; still playing at his age (and size, Eric....) - even though it's now meant dropping down to help lowly Boston United.
Unlike Nicolas "El Whinio" Anelka (who, once, incidentally, threatened to retire at 21...), "The King" is still one Frenchman we all dearly miss.
You might not agree with me here, reading this, but I've always thought of Stan Collymore as an Englishman with still so-much to offer our game, who simply retired at an age far too young. I miss him like the England side still misses Alan Shearer. Collymore proved himself at Anfield - for that, there is no doubt. He went to Villa, then Leicester and it all seemed to fade away down that dark path to Oviedo... Just when he was forming quite the partnership with Emile Heskey!
A few controversial incidents; one-or-two stupid acts done; and, all of a sudden, the media are all over him, he really feels forced-out.
I still believe in his talent, and I'd still like to see him make that once-talkedabout step-back into football. If only things had been ever so-slightly different, and he'd have been given greater chances for England - I like to think we wouldn't be so in-need of Sir Alan because of it.
I guess the past cannot be change, though. And, from what I hear, there is no set method for controlling the future, either... So, we are stuck in the present; waiting for things to happen, knowing what's done is done and cannot be changed.
I'd like to think a player of Marc Overmars' stature would like to reconsider his actions, six-months-down-the-line... Did he really have no more to play for? Or, with so much money already in the bank, was he 'set for life' a little too comfortabley?
Are English players only "better built" for working until - and past - the final whistle than our ever-common "Johnny Foreigner"?
It'll be interesting to see how David Beckham plays things when breaks the 30 mark, at the end of this running decade...
Did I also see Paul Gascoigne sign for Boston United this week, in a player-coaching role... Or was that just another light-hearted dream of mine??
Sadly, Marc Overmars will be missed and there's nothing we can do to change things.
Was he just another money-nabbing foreigner, after all?