Thread: Soccer Nostalgia

Today I was searching some info and ran across some really nostalgic soccer memories and decide to post a few videos and invite anyone else to share too.
Here is the early years of pro soccer in the states, the former NASL which looking back now had some pretty great international players many of you should know but may have forgotten about, check out some of the fields too, pretty funny some on baseball pitches with the first base line in front of the goal, as a keeper that would suck.

I remember playing on half sand, half crab grass fields with make shift goals and sand lot fields that were official. We even had a big protest with the city one night and the media came out and everything because they had pristine fields for football, and for baseball but grass lump fields (which is even worse for a game that requires a ball to roll on it) for soccer and no budget allocated to fix it. The Ft. Lauderdale Strikers were also there as many of them were there playing a pick up game with us after their practice sessions and then they called others to come out when it became a media event but the budget was devoted to those other sports. We got commitment from the city that night to make changes and finally they did, soccer had little respect in the day and I'm proud to say I was a part of bringing it to where it is today along with a lot of other devoted players and fans..

But Georgio Chinaligia and the NY Cosmos were everyone's nemesis, the Man U of the NASL or any other top team of their division many years but they played some entertaining soccer though I was really unable to appreciate it then being usually on the losing end. In fact that goal was at Lockhart Stadium in South Florida against my team the Strikers, clad in German livery but mostly British players, had our share of Germans though too, like Gerd Mueller who was our center forward, fireplug of a man.

I think that game we had Gordon Banks in goal I see Ken Fogarty at midfield so Ray Hudson must have been playing then too but it's a quick clip, it looks very early in the team history, poor video quality.

At about 4:45 in Georgio scores one of the best goals you'll ever see and the one he scored for the record breaker was pretty impressive too as he chips it over the defenders head and half volleys for a cracking goal, it is magic.. I didn't watch the whole thing yet, I wanted to get this thread up but no doubt there are plenty of magic goals, he just always seemed to be able to find the ball and the net and put them together to piss off the opposition. Wonder where he is now??

Wow! Impressive participation..

It's FOOTBALL FFS !!!!

Oh, I see I'm supposed to translate all that rubbish British terminology like boot and windscreen, bollocks and whatever else but using one American word and all of the British and Euro members are lost like new born lambs??

two of the best goals you'll ever see

Leeds United, the glory years.

Originally Posted by FloridaBorn

Oh, I see I'm supposed to translate all that rubbish British terminology

Well you wouldn't call a "chapatti" a "fusion type asian leven bread" would you?

Originally Posted by taxexile

two of the best goals you'll ever see

Leeds United, the glory years.

Nice stuff Tax, look at that ball and that pitch, is it near frozen or something? It looks really sloppy, every step is leaving a divot.. The ball looks like a small basketball, excellent foot work, this is what I had in mind, cheers Tax thanks for sharing, seeing styles and players from the past from places some may have never seen before, most of us being young. I had no thoughts of soccer in 1970 but just a few years later and I was in it up to my neck.

I watched both the English and German matches every week on PBS (US public TV) to pick up pointers and go out and practice them as we didn't have any really effective coaches or youth programs at the time except in High school and that was still dubious as most of the coaches weren't by any means specialty coaches and had little real concept of the sport. I was lucky initially to have had a pretty decent coach though his primary sport was tennis not soccer he at least had a few years experience under his belt and that was in California where the sport was ahead of most of the rest of the country.

Originally Posted by Bobcock

It's just something that the English want to beat our American cousins with because they are jealous that the USA have lasted longer in the World Cup than them.

nice that you use the word have

It's FOOTBALL FFS !!!!

Poof ball mate.

Originally Posted by FloridaBorn

Originally Posted by Bobcock

As for some of the great players in the NASL, great yes, but well past their sell by dates.

I'd say not all Bobcock, som ewere certainly, but when Pele came in and Chinalgia, there was Kevin "the cat" Keelin, Gordon Banks, Jan Van Bevern, Nene Cubillas, Irnainan national team player Escondarian played in England previously I believe, he was harassed and threatened so bad when they raided and took over the Embassy he left the country, even though he played for our worst nemesis the Cosmos I was not happy about that and almost got into several fights at our games hearing what people were saying.

Anyway there was several players still very close to the top of their game and just as many on the downward slide, but they were still playing against each other at high levels obviously so to say they were well past their shelf life doesn't really make much sense.

I agree and knew it was also called soccer previously and it does pain them to know we're still in while they're not and we didn't label it soccer but you know how it is? Being English they just naturally need something to whine about and criticize or they're not happy.

...and what of the MSL today, FB.

How might you rate this professional league to other professional football leagues worldwide?

Attendance? Is the crowd "popularity" consistent?

It's got growing to do but as I stated on the WC thread they are averaging better crowds per game in a poor economy then some more established sports we have, baseball and basketball for example but of course that is relative to certain markets in both cases. But currently this WC has surpassed even the Super bowl in viewership and it is isn't even the finals..

Originally Posted by FloridaBorn

Branko Sagota

I'm sure you'll take offence, but a Canadian International with 2 goals in 19 caps certainly isn't a has been.

He's a never was.

The current league has far more credibility than the NASL ever did.

Originally Posted by Albert Shagnastier

Originally Posted by FloridaBorn

Oh, I see I'm supposed to translate all that rubbish British terminology

Well you wouldn't call a "chapatti" a "fusion type asian leven bread" would you?

BUT........................ That's what I have to do....

Originally Posted by Bobcock

Originally Posted by FloridaBorn

Branko Sagota

I'm sure you'll take offence, but a Canadian International with 2 goals in 19 caps certainly isn't a has been.

He's a never was.

The current league has far more credibility than the NASL ever did.

Ok no offense taken, not certain why you prefaced with the suggestion one would be taken but being as this is a nostalgic thread for the time he was an excellent striker. International "caps" was not what the North American soccer programs were about at the time, that's a more European concept as countries there are more like states here in location, so not just like traveling an hour or so and having an "International" match.

I'm not following your premise about the current league and the old NASL comparing in terms of credibility, it's like saying that the technology of the current strike fighter is much better than an F4 Phantom from the 60's, that goes without saying.

Originally Posted by Bobcock

All through my youth the sticker collections were called SOCCER STARS.

...and could Lionel Messi hold a candle, to George Best?

1964....

Originally Posted by FloridaBorn

Kevin "the cat" Keelin

Frig, it's "Keegan" of course ...

Kevin Keegan never played in the NASL, he retired at Newcastle.....

Originally Posted by Bruce Bayliss

Originally Posted by Bobcock

All through my youth the sticker collections were called SOCCER STARS.

...and could Lionel Messi hold a candle, to George Best?

Yes how could I miss Besty, he also played for us..Here's the best single effort goal, unfortunately this one hurt as it was against us when he played for the Quakes.



Seems he wasn't so washed up yet.. And before you say it, there were just as many equally excellent defenders, so it's players they would be playing no matter what league they played in and the teams paid big bucks & brought them over in order to raise the leagues credibility and popularity and it worked. The keeper Jan Van Beveren in this game was one of the worlds best at the time, unfortunately a few years later he had a severe groin injury and had to have career ending surgery...

Originally Posted by FloridaBorn

And before you say it, there were just as many equally excellent defenders so it's players they would be playing no matter what league they played in

Absolute codswallop......

Name one World Class player who was playing International football at the time that came over. And some Canadian that no one ever heard of is not the answer.

The defending on that goal is awful, it truly is, the only plus side is that half the time Best didn't know what he was doing there. Best by the time he went there was a major alcoholic who could get lost for days on end. Gordon banks had lost an eye in a car accident. Pele was retired from International football after a 14 year go at it. Beckenbaur was retired from International football because by his own admission he'd lost the pace he didn't have.....

The current league is a far better effort.... the NASL was severely substandard. Best says it in his book.

Originally Posted by FloridaBorn

Originally Posted by FloridaBorn
Kevin "the cat" Keelin
Frig, it's "Keegan" of course ...

Originally Posted by Bobcock

Kevin Keegan never played in the NASL, he retired at Newcastle.....

Yes, as it turns out I corrected myself incorrectly my initial post was correct.. Easy enough to do I guess.