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The letter was to the FT in 2006..
Sir,In his piece "Magyars mourn their lost magic"Jonathan Wilson states:"Half a century ago Hungary were not merely the best in the world but possibly the best team there has ever been"
I disagree with his assessment of the Hungarian soccer team.The great Hungarian team of 1953 played the same fast,short-passing game that humiliated England and was played by Tottenham Hotspur from 1949 to 1953.During that reign they won the then Second Division championship followed by the First Division title and followed that by being runners up to Manchester United and FA cup semi-finalists.
In 1952 they toured North America playing an attractive style of football called "push and run",a fluid,fast-moving style that entertained capacity crowds wherever they played.That Spurs team was managed by my father Arthur Rowe,who had won championships while in charge of Chelmsford city,a southern league club,from 1946 to 1949.
After a stellar career as a Tottenham player in the 1930s,my father took a coaching position in Budapest,Hungary, before returning to England in 1939 to join the army.
In Budapest were sown the seeds of the 'push and run'approach,which for the next 13 years,incubated and ultimately manifested itself in that great Hungarian team.But it was a style that was first played by the glorious Spurs team of 1949-53.
In an FT article of July 1 1998,Peter Aspden wrote of 'the beautiful version of the game,invented by the Hungarian side of the 1950s'.The Hungarians did not'invent' the beautiful version of the game.If anyone 'invented'it,it was my father.
On my wall at home there is a photograph of my father with Ferenc Puskas,the peerless member of the Hungarian team of the1950s,and my thoughts turn to what kind of a game might have been played between those two great teams.
G A Rowe
Los Angeles.
Despite having chronic asthma, being built like Tiny Tim, no speed, no dribbling ability, no heading ability, no stamina or pretty much anything else, managed to end up taking corners off both sides and playing in midfield for my class team(yes probably the worst class in the school). My cousin was 10 years older and had the exact same limitations, got me to practice 2 things, kicking against a wall with both feet and break down Cryuff Turn off both sides until it was perfect. The difference was insane, it seems no one likes to be made look like a dick by a weedy nerd, one trick pony, but what a trick! God bless Johann, even though I'm Irish preferred watching Cryuff to Georgie Best.
There is letter from Arthur Rowe's son to one of the broadsheets at the time England were about to play Hungary in a qualifying game explaining his father's role on the rise of their national team if I can find it I will post it.
A superb player.One of the best ever
Played the game as it should be.
As Billy said,a proper legend
RIP
Played the game as it should be.
As Billy said,a proper legend
RIP
One of the best...my first world cup 74 the game against Brazil his cross for neeskens goal total football.Got to see him live at Stamford bridge 78 as a guest for New York Cosmos and when he played against us in 83.Part of my football childhood gone forever.RIP
Say what now??
That's a big shame.. One of the games proper legends..
He puts a lot of the players today to shame.. Top professional.
R.I.P.
That's a big shame.. One of the games proper legends..
He puts a lot of the players today to shame.. Top professional.
R.I.P.
Very much so - after ajax my other team was Tottenham Hotspur.
Was just about to mention this. Everyone ignores Buckingham, but he and Arthur Rowe were right at the heart of what was going to be called total football, and are completely forgotten. And they both developed those ideas from the tactics of Peter McWilliam's Spurs teams. A history of Tottenham is like a secret history of football. Everyone credits the Austrians in the 30s, the Russians in the 40s and the Hungarians in the 50s, but Spurs were a big part of this too. By being English (and therefore unable to be innovators) and considered footballing heretics by the UK footballing community at the time, we get no credit.
:lloris:
Interview here from Soccer AM: I love football... Cruyff
Cruyff was critical of Van Gaal’s plans for the youth education system. ‘You judge football players intuitively and with your heart,’ he said. ‘On the basis of the criteria which are now in use at Ajax I would have failed the test.
‘When I was 15, I could barely kick the ball 15 metres with my left and with the right maybe 20 metres. I would not have been able to take a corner. I was physically weak and relatively slow. My two qualities were great technique and insight, which happen to be two things you can’t measure with a computer.’
‘When I was 15, I could barely kick the ball 15 metres with my left and with the right maybe 20 metres. I would not have been able to take a corner. I was physically weak and relatively slow. My two qualities were great technique and insight, which happen to be two things you can’t measure with a computer.’
History - Vic Buckingham
The above was posted last year in here, it is a fantastic read about Spurs player Vic Buckingham and his influence on "Total Football".
Read another today, curtesy of Windy: Vic Buckingham: the Englishman history forgot
The above was posted last year in here, it is a fantastic read about Spurs player Vic Buckingham and his influence on "Total Football".
Read another today, curtesy of Windy: Vic Buckingham: the Englishman history forgot
Seeing a lot of reports on Facebook(I know,i know) that he was a Spurs fan.
I know we are popular in Holland,so hope its true.
Shame he didn't play for us as well
I know we are popular in Holland,so hope its true.
Shame he didn't play for us as well