Well, the astonishing has come to fruition. FC Barcelona, a club I was privileged to be able to play & train & watch games at the Nou Camp when only 16 years old, (then with superstars named Schuster & Simonsen) appeared to have taken hold of the mantle, unquestionably so, and established themselves as the ’super team of the last two seasons’.  That is, untill, Mr Mourihno pops up and says wait a minute guys…….you forgot about me way too soon. Then Barca were promptly dethroned in title, though it should be noted, they still are the best to watch.

By their deserved win over Real in Madrid in the race for the Spanish title, and the rolling over of Arsenal (another glorious side to watch, WHEN they show up) in the ECL,  Barca seemed to silence any remaining doubters/opposition to their Euro conquest, even before any game is played. Granted, if they had not had to travel overland to Milan for the first leg, things may (I think would have) been different today.

So what is it about this team and why not ‘others’? Let’s not forget that the history of football is long and storied, and has had a great number of such dominant & classy teams. Without having to, nor wanting to delve into any of the ‘modern scientific deliberations’ about what Barca do that makes them the fabulous team they now are, I reckon, you need not waste your time.

Lionel Messi is THE answer.You dont need to look at formations, you just need to play the game through Messi. If he is on fire, and he is now, then you have a pretty bloody huge chance of winning. He is the catalyst for success. He would do the same for any team, anywhere, employing any system. Inter Milan & Mourihno were abundantly aware and prepared……..curiously, Barca opponents up till this point had not shut down Messi’s impact on the game.

Stay with me here because I now want to ask, How does that impact youth footballers today? Well, these days, employing ’systems of play’ is all the rage. And, to the detrement of individual youth player development, it’s all backwards.  Especially when teaching youth, we need to focus less on systems of play, and more on improving the player. If a player has the requisite skills, then you can play a line up to suit your respective qualities. But to impose a system before the players can actually use a ball, is backwards.

In terms of Messi and his singular effect on a game, OK, yes of course you have to have a ’supporting’ cast. You always do, always have had to. But can one player be so influential on a game? Er, Yes. How about Zidane, remember him. He was just a little bit on the brilliant side. If you didnt like him, besides being something wrong with your personal perspective on football, you can select one of these, kind of brilliant players; Maradona, Platini, Pukas, Eusebio, Kempes, Laudrup, Batistuta, Pele, Zico, Ronaldo (brazil), Van Basten, Eder, Butragueno, Gullitt, Baresi, Romario, Larsson, Francescoli, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Di Stefano, Cantona, Cubillas, Kempes, Best, Baggio, Junior, Socrates, Falcao, Rummenigge – just a wonderful selection of many. Any and all of these guys impacted any game they played in.

Modern football has been consumed by what I call ’scientists’. All of them looking for the answers to winning, and the bottom line tactic is, ‘whatever it takes’. Consequently, we have forgotten all too easily, due mostly to the current media barrage forcing us to celebrate a great deal mediocrity in the modern game, that football history really is replete with outstanding game winning/changing phenoms (see above partial list for example)

If ever asked, I always state that Tele Santana’s 1982 Brazil ‘team’ was the greatest of all. They tried to win, but they did not win. However, they will be remembered forever for their beautiful football. You can, and if you have not seen anything of this team, you must enter ‘Brazil 1982′ and watch some tributes on YouTube.

Perhaps Pep Guardiola’s Barca team was our beautiful team? They will not win this years ECL, but, they won the hearts of football fans for the grace with which they tried to play. And Messi, well, he will shine on as ‘the great one’ for the next few years, and ultimately, he will make that list 20 years from now as one of the greats. Whether he stays at FCB, or moves on, he will always be the player who defies ‘the system of play’. Young players out there, Excellence brings Success.

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