The R.I.P. Thread

[Templeton Peck]

There's nothing to celebrate about his off field lifestyle, it wasn't funny or interesting, he was just a prick.

I missed his best years as it was slightly before my time, although in fact pretty much anyone in the UK who bangs on about his days at Napoli is being disingenuous as they can't have seen very much of it at the time. 86 World Cup, fair enough and he clearly did dominate that tournament. No doubt he was a very special footballer at his peak but I can't say I saw it.

Just look at what they did before and after to see his impact. The way the locals felt about him also tells a story. The clubbing thing is remarkable because you wonder what he'd have done if he'd actually looked after himself.

 

[Lupo]

Gutted, I have family ties to Naples and my cousins are big Napoli fans, they are also my Italian team. I never got to see him live but I remember exactly what he did for the city of Naples and the area and for me he is simply the greatest. There was a time when I didn't think he would make 50 but he just made 60 (last month).

Whilst it is easy to focus on the first goal (then watch the second) and his drug problems, look at the story behind the man and where and what he came from - dirt poor then suddenly thrust into the limelight and untold wealth in his teens. He was flawed and he was complex - he wasn't a Michael Owen type, but he was El Diego.

RIP Il Pibe D'Oro

 

[Templeton Peck]

Gutted, I have family ties to Naples and my cousins are big Napoli fans, they are also my Italian team. I never got to see him live but I remember exactly what he did for the city of Naples and the area and for me he is simply the greatest. There was a time when I didn't think he would make 50 but he just made 60 (last month).

Whilst it is easy to focus on the first goal (then watch the second) and his drug problems, look at the story behind the man and where and what he came from - dirt poor then suddenly thrust into the limelight and untold wealth in his teens. He was flawed and he was complex - he wasn't a Michael Owen type, but he was El Diego.

RIP Il Pibe D'Oro

Indeed. He was a fragile human from horrendous poverty. And he was nobody's puppet.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Just look at what they did before and after to see his impact. The way the locals felt about him also tells a story. The clubbing thing is remarkable because you wonder what he'd have done if he'd actually looked after himself.

Not doubting he was superb for Napoli and as good as won the title on his own (not sure there's a parallel in England, maybe Shearer at Blackburn when you look at the rest of that squad, although it's not quite the same), just none of it was ever on TV here so it wasn't like his genius could be appreciated properly.

He certainly wasn't good at Italia 90.

 

[Jinky]

Not doubting he was superb for Napoli and as good as won the title on his own (not sure there's a parallel in England, maybe Shearer at Blackburn when you look at the rest of that squad, although it's not quite the same), just none of it was ever on TV here so it wasn't like his genius could be appreciated properly.

He certainly wasn't good at Italia 90.

Jesus, give it a rest.

 

[Templeton Peck]

Not doubting he was superb for Napoli and as good as won the title on his own (not sure there's a parallel in England, maybe Shearer at Blackburn when you look at the rest of that squad, although it's not quite the same), just none of it was ever on TV here so it wasn't like his genius could be appreciated properly.

He certainly wasn't good at Italia 90.

Dominated 86 though in a way I've not seen another player do since.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Problem, booster seat?

I don't subscribe to the idea that he was a "rock and roll footballer" or that his off field lifestyle was something charming, it wasn't.

He was a great footballer but hardly anyone saw it at club level, unless they happened to live in Buenos Aires or Naples.

No-one under the age of 40 saw him at Mexico 86 and he didn't play well at any other international tournament.

The end.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Dominated 86 though in a way I've not seen another player do since.

I don't doubt you. As I was 5 I can't say I saw it, because I didn't. There probably isn't anyone who's been in the same category as World Cup winning teams tend to be good overall, not just have one good player.

But to be honest, as a great he's in the same category as Best, Cruyff, Beckenbauer etc for me. I can watch all the highlights I want but I wasn't there, so it's not the same.

I wouldn't expect a 30 year old Wolves fan to wax lyrical about Bully for the same reasons.

 

[Parkins left foot]

He was a great player, but wouldn't put him in the top few - a very flawed individual who had periods of greatness.

I am old enough to have watched (& remember) the 86 WC. Some brilliant stuff but also a cheat (which he has admitted to, but took it as the officials didn't spot the hand in there).

Came from a poor background and made a lot of the talent he had.

 

[Tredman]

1986 World Cup is pretty much the first footballing memory I have - I don’t really remember a huge amount other than he was simultaneously a cheating git and also mesmerically brilliant. Not really interested in his personal life, but I am very glad I saw him play (and there are very very few non-wolves players I can say that about).

 

[Pablowolf]

 

[nimrod]

sad but not totally unexpected. probably could have happened at any time in his life once he became famous.

at his best prob the best player i've watched. he looked pretty special in the '82 WC. it was a different game then though and he was man marked and fouled to hell because of his threat. i think gentile fouled him over twenty times in the '82 italy v arg game (he did the same to zico). you'd never get away with those antics today and shouldn't have been able to then. let's face it, when he scored the proper one in '86 the right thing to have done was take him down in midfield. he pretty much had to put up with that virtually every game he played.

he gets called a cheat cos of the handball and other antics, but these days there's plenty of players who do the same and more and don't get labelled the same. robben made a career out of falling over at every opportunity. thierry henry handball. etc etc etc etc etc

 

[Johnny75]

And he was nobody's puppet.

That's a load of bollocks. His mafia links are well documented as well as his criminal convictions.

The film is brilliant and eye opening.

I'm glad I saw him play albeit briefly.

 

[Tony Towner]

sad but not totally unexpected. probably could have happened at any time in his life once he became famous.

at his best prob the best player i've watched. he looked pretty special in the '82 WC. it was a different game then though and he was man marked and fouled to hell because of his threat. i think gentile fouled him over twenty times in the '82 italy v arg game (he did the same to zico). you'd never get away with those antics today and shouldn't have been able to then. let's face it, when he scored the proper one in '86 the right thing to have done was take him down in midfield. he pretty much had to put up with that virtually every game he played.

he gets called a cheat cos of the handball and other antics, but these days there's plenty of players who do the same and more and don't get labelled the same. robben made a career out of falling over at every opportunity. thierry henry handball. etc etc etc etc etc

He said in an interview with Lineker that the English defence were too honest and should have brought him down and that he couldn't have scored that goal in either Italy or South America. If Reid had tripped him on the half way line it wouldn't have even been a card then

 

[Johnny75]

Reid was nowhere near him, Maradona glided past him like he was a statue. Too strong and he was used to riding tackles from worse shithouses than Reid.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

That's a load of bollocks. His mafia links are well documented as well as his criminal convictions.

The film is brilliant and eye opening.

I'm glad I saw him play albeit briefly.

Camorra not mafia

 

[Parkins left foot]

He said in an interview with Lineker that the English defence were too honest and should have brought him down and that he couldn't have scored that goal in either Italy or South America. If Reid had tripped him on the half way line it wouldn't have even been a card then

Really don't think that any English player could have put any part of their body to stop that second goal - a card or not they weren't good enough

 

[Wilf Wolf]

I'm amazed people still go on about his handball like it was a big deal. If Shilton had done his job he couldn't have scored. His cheating was no worse than Michael Owen trailing a leg to win a penalty or any player diving or claiming a throw in when they know it isn't their ball.

Maradonna was an outstanding player, no other player in the history of the game would have been able to lead |Argentina to the WC in 1986 or Napoli to Serie A and that makes him stand above the likes of Pele, Messi and Ronaldo for me as the GOAT.

 

[Tony Towner]

Reid was nowhere near him, Maradona glided past him like he was a statue. Too strong and he was used to riding tackles from worse shithouses than Reid.

That's not true. The trip is on here/the frame earlier

 

[Parkins left foot]

I'm amazed people still go on about his handball like it was a big deal. If Shilton had done his job he couldn't have scored. His cheating was no worse than Michael Owen trailing a leg to win a penalty or any player diving or claiming a throw in when they know it isn't their ball.

Maradonna was an outstanding player, no other player in the history of the game would have been able to lead |Argentina to the WC in 1986 or Napoli to Serie A and that makes him stand above the likes of Pele, Messi and Ronaldo for me as the GOAT.

Wouldn't put him above Pele - the other 2 are still going so will reserve judgment till they have finished. Both have greater longevity at the top level than he did.

As to the 'hand of god' do others buy goals lke that - then yes. Should Shilton have dealt with it - then clearly yes, but it was still a deliberate act that he got away with - the officials should have dealt with it and we wouldn't have this discussion (there have been others).