Current player most like Colin Bell

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I feel compelled to introduce a little balance.

If Colin was the complete midfielder, in a footballing landscape that was a lot more even and meritorious than it is today, how come he didn't drive City to more trophies than he did? How come 'his' teams never featured prominently in domestic cup competition when he was at his peak? How come he never carried England to World Cup glory in 1970, or qualification in 1974.

I'm not saying he wasn't a great footballer, but did he ever take any team beneath his feet into another level, which is surely the mark of a truly great player.

If anyone wants to put a reasoned counter-argument, I'm all ears.

Are you kidding..!!
Fa cup
League cup
ECWC..
Div 1 title
and on the England remark..
Because England weren't successful in his playing career meaning " he couldn't have been that good if we didn't win anything..!!!
You could make that accusation to every great player over the last 50 years..

He was the dogs bollocks mate..
Blues who have seen him play in the flesh would never need to ask any of them questions you have...
he had the presence of yaya
The touch of silva
an engine like I've never seen since remembering the pitches back then weren't like these carpets they play on today..
and had a eye for goal like lampard..

Your reference about the titles he won also applies to Tony Coleman.

I did see him play, although admittedly it was after his prowess was so cruelly blunted by Martin Buchan. I will say, however, that I never saw Maradona or Pele play in the flesh; does that mean I'm not entitled to an opinion on them? My questions are perfectly valid ones. Following our title win in '68 up to his injury, City, with him as its beating heart, finished 13th, 10th, 11th, 4th, 11th, 14th and 8th in the First Division. Those are cold hard facts and lead me to ask the perfectly legitimate question as to whether he was the truly great player that people are suggesting.

In saying that I am not suggesting that he was anything other than an incredible footballer who had so many attributes as a player, especially the knack of scoring. He was an astonishing athlete who would effortlessly slip into the modern game. He would fit perfectly into our current midfield and if he were in our squad today would be one of the first names on the team sheet. I am not trying to denigrate his footballing ability.

What I am saying is that truly great players make those around them add up to more than the sum of their parts, as Maradona did in the 1986 World Cup, for example. They grab vital games by the scruff of the neck and carry their team to improbable victory. These are qualities that transcend mere footballing talent, but also involve sheer weight of personality and an overwhelming will to win. It is right to say, as he has been mentioned on this thread, that at his peak Steven Gerrard had those qualities, although he wasn't as talented a footballer as Bell.

Can anyone say, looking at those league finishes above, that Colin Bell made the City team of the 1970's, with all the talent it contained, add up to more than the sum of its parts?

I'm going to say no to that and for that reason I'm going to reserve the right to claim that he fell just short of being the complete footballer, City legend though he is.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Because King Colin was a one off, he cannot be compared to anyone in a sky blue shirt.

That said, in the current squad, Fernandinho is closest to the way he played, although King Colin did more attacking.

 

[Bill]

With all the fawning over Gerrard in the media today, I thought it would be a good opportunity to ask some of the older blues how King Colin compared?

I've heard many blues say that Gerrard was the closest they've seen to Bell. I've seen plenty of Gerrard, but wasn't fortunate enough to see the King play.

For those who saw both play, what would you say the differences / similarities are between the two?

good as he is, compared to Bell Gerrard is a championship player.

I've heard a lot of blues say this so I doubt doubt that you mean it.

At his peak Gerrard could run box to box, had a great eye for a pass, struck the ball really cleanly, was ultra competitive and got the most out of those around him. What would you say Bell had as a player that gave him the edge over Gerrard?

he played for us.

 

[1961_vintage]

I feel compelled to introduce a little balance.

If Colin was the complete midfielder, in a footballing landscape that was a lot more even and meritorious than it is today, how come he didn't drive City to more trophies than he did? How come 'his' teams never featured prominently in domestic cup competition when he was at his peak? How come he never carried England to World Cup glory in 1970, or qualification in 1974.

I'm not saying he wasn't a great footballer, but did he ever take any team beneath his feet into another level, which is surely the mark of a truly great player.

If anyone wants to put a reasoned counter-argument, I'm all ears.

Are you kidding..!!
Fa cup
League cup
ECWC..
Div 1 title
and on the England remark..
Because England weren't successful in his playing career meaning " he couldn't have been that good if we didn't win anything..!!!
You could make that accusation to every great player over the last 50 years..

He was the dogs bollocks mate..
Blues who have seen him play in the flesh would never need to ask any of them questions you have...
he had the presence of yaya
The touch of silva
an engine like I've never seen since remembering the pitches back then weren't like these carpets they play on today..
and had a eye for goal like lampard..

And all wrapped-up with the Joie de vivre of a Tom Cleverly.

 

[harry the plumber]

I feel compelled to introduce a little balance.

If Colin was the complete midfielder, in a footballing landscape that was a lot more even and meritorious than it is today, how come he didn't drive City to more trophies than he did? How come 'his' teams never featured prominently in domestic cup competition when he was at his peak? How come he never carried England to World Cup glory in 1970, or qualification in 1974.

I'm not saying he wasn't a great footballer, but did he ever take any team beneath his feet into another level, which is surely the mark of a truly great player.

If anyone wants to put a reasoned counter-argument, I'm all ears.

Are you kidding..!!
Fa cup
League cup
ECWC..
Div 1 title
and on the England remark..
Because England weren't successful in his playing career meaning " he couldn't have been that good if we didn't win anything..!!!
You could make that accusation to every great player over the last 50 years..

He was the dogs bollocks mate..
Blues who have seen him play in the flesh would never need to ask any of them questions you have...
he had the presence of yaya
The touch of silva
an engine like I've never seen since remembering the pitches back then weren't like these carpets they play on today..
and had a eye for goal like lampard..

To say that colin bell did not take his teammates to a different level is just crap. within 5 years of signing him we had won the trophies the above poster as mentioned and within 5 years of him going we were in the second division.

 

[City1974]

Because King Colin was a one off, he cannot be compared to anyone in a sky blue shirt.

That said, in the current squad, Fernandinho is closest to the way he played, although King Colin did more attacking.

To get any current player to be comparable to King Colin they would need:

1) Great fitness levels throughout all 90 mins and excellent from penalty area to penalty area
2) Very good goal scoring record and all types of goals and a cool\calm finisher (152 goals in 497 games I believe)
3) Good header of a ball
4) Good tackler
5) Good passer
6) Loyal to the cause, unselfish and a true gentleman

Do not think any current\recent player since has all these attributes. Thus Colin is still the King.

Some players better at some things i.e. Silva (close control and passing), Aguero (goalscoring) but no one with all these qualities.

 

[oakiecokie]

Because King Colin was a one off, he cannot be compared to anyone in a sky blue shirt.

That said, in the current squad, Fernandinho is closest to the way he played, although King Colin did more attacking.

To get any current player to be comparable to King Colin they would need:

1) Great fitness levels throughout all 90 mins and excellent from penalty area to penalty area
2) Very good goal scoring record and all types of goals and a cool\calm finisher (152 goals in 497 games I believe)
3) Good header of a ball
4) Good tackler
5) Good passer
6) Loyal to the cause, unselfish and a true gentleman

Do not think any current\recent player since has all these attributes. Thus Colin is still the King.

Some players better at some things i.e. Silva (close control and passing), Aguero (goalscoring) but no one with all these qualities.

Sorry but for me that was the Kings only weakness.He really was shit in the tackle.
However,his attributes far outweighed the above and I have never seen another player to this day like King Colin.His stamina was extraordinary and he could run as fast and as far after 93 minutes as he could at the start of a game.
His heading and leaping ability was superb and the number of goals he scored with his head was fantastic for a midfielder.Passing !! WOW !! Vision ! WOW !
People say he was akin to Gerrard.Sorry not for me.I would say Lampard.
But then again there really was and never will be another King Colin.
A true gent both on and off the pitch.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

I feel compelled to introduce a little balance.

If Colin was the complete midfielder, in a footballing landscape that was a lot more even and meritorious than it is today, how come he didn't drive City to more trophies than he did? How come 'his' teams never featured prominently in domestic cup competition when he was at his peak? How come he never carried England to World Cup glory in 1970, or qualification in 1974.

I'm not saying he wasn't a great footballer, but did he ever take any team beneath his feet into another level, which is surely the mark of a truly great player.

If anyone wants to put a reasoned counter-argument, I'm all ears.

Are you kidding..!!
Fa cup
League cup
ECWC..
Div 1 title
and on the England remark..
Because England weren't successful in his playing career meaning " he couldn't have been that good if we didn't win anything..!!!
You could make that accusation to every great player over the last 50 years..

He was the dogs bollocks mate..
Blues who have seen him play in the flesh would never need to ask any of them questions you have...
he had the presence of yaya
The touch of silva
an engine like I've never seen since remembering the pitches back then weren't like these carpets they play on today..
and had a eye for goal like lampard..

And all wrapped-up with the Joie de vivre of a Tom Cleverly.

Especially when Roy Keane knocks on Tom's door!

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

To say that colin bell did not take his teammates to a different level is just crap. within 5 years of signing him we had won the trophies the above poster as mentioned and within 5 years of him going we were in the second division.

Are you suggesting that without him in the team in the 1970's we'd have been relegated? Are you saying that he carried us to an average position of tenth between 1969 and 1975? Even if that's the case that merely serves to underline my point.

Never seen our relegation in '83 be attributed to Bell's decline before. I've always blamed John Benson, personally.

 

[harry the plumber]

To say that colin bell did not take his teammates to a different level is just crap. within 5 years of signing him we had won the trophies the above poster as mentioned and within 5 years of him going we were in the second division.

Are you suggesting that without him in the team in the 1970's we'd have been relegated? Are you saying that he carried us to an average position of tenth between 1969 and 1975? Even if that's the case that merely serves to underline my point.

Never seen our relegation in '83 be attributed to Bell's decline before. I've always blamed John Benson, personally.

And you are saying if a colin bell in his prime would have been in that team we would have been relegated?. Or would he have been a good enough player to make the difference between staying up or going down.
My point is that Colin Bell did lift players around him to a different level.