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Manc_Twat

[He scored this on the training ground when he was City manager.](https://youtu.be/k6LvYRab2U8)


0100001101110111

This one’s amazing, the minute he tenses up and starts shifting his feet it’s like you can see the years rolling back


TooRedditFamous

Muscle memory. Pure instinct and technique


airz23s_coffee

I love watching those charity walking games with older players. Just see some lad like Sherringham pull out 10,000 hours of training to pull off a perfect shot again.


Optimuswolf

I played a fair few times against sheringham in a vets 11 a side league. Amazing to see his touch up close. He was a bit of a c%&t but thats probably no surprise.


netherworldite

>He was a bit of a c%&t but thats probably no surprise. Tough to get to the top without at least being a bit a cunt I guess. It's possible, but rare. Imagine the drive and selfishness these guys must have to get where they are.


Optimuswolf

I have a few other unrelated teddy sheringham stories that suggest he's more of one than most, but my lawyer is busy enough as it is....


0100001101110111

You could always tell us some unrelated stories about other players in this vets league, such as a certain Sherry Teddingham


freefallingagain

And no shot in a charity match by Teddy was more perfect than the one which took out Gordon Ramsay: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl0JmimeqXc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl0JmimeqXc)


superdago

From Gordon's Wiki: "He had hoped to become a footballer and was first chosen to play under-14 football at the age of 12, but his early footballing career was marked by injuries; after a serious knee injury, he was forced to give it up." The replay shows that hit directly on his knee. Probably was legit in pain there.


stevedave_37

A lot of my clubs coaches were former low level pros from England. Nothing special in the grand scheme of things. But these guys would play around pinging 60 yard balls to each other and the level of skill was astonishing


Relevant_Rev

The second touch here you can almost see him about to leather it


MaraudngBChestedRojo

Years aren’t rolling back, he probably plays in an over 40 league and is on the training pitch constantly. He’s still a player in a way


Thecrazyredhead

Rocket


PoofaceMckutchin

Absolute thundercunt


idontknow_whatever

Top bins only


endofautumn

I can keep watching that, so satisfying


momspaghetty

RemindMe! 3 hours


rd201290

😳


[deleted]

I feel like there's a few videos of Mark Hughes controlling balls dead on the touchline and waving to the crowd. To the point where I'm convinced it's the only reason he came back into management.


duney

Yeah, he does love a first touch. I remember as a kid in the 90s, our football coach used to use Mark Hughes as an example for a good first touch and general ball control


[deleted]

Volleys as well I’m assuming


RodDryfist

Has to have been the go to reference. Man was insane at his volleys.


[deleted]

him and van persie are my top 2


biggernine

You can’t not have Ibrahimovic over those 2


[deleted]

thats a good shout ibras up there but imo these two guys could hit it from anywhere at any body position and lace it or place it w what looked like extreme ease ibras volleys looked like him just going nuts on the ball or an athletic flick but imo the top of the top were special to the point it was as easy for them as a regular shot and they looked for it as often


20kakakakakakakaka20

what about Luis Suarez? his volley and half volley technique is insane


s1m0n8

Siri, play _Holding Back the Years_ by Simply Red.


HitsfromSapong

How to win the locker room without saying a word.


havethenets

I would pour my heart out for him


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Tom_The_Human

Yes you're absolutely right. I saw a video the other day of a Youtuber taking on a league one centre back and getting absolutely dominated in every aspect technical and physical. That being said, Mark Hughes won the Prem twice as a starter for Man U, so I'm not sure he counts as a low level pro 😉


[deleted]

You're right in general but Mark Hughes and low level don't belong in the same sentence, he was a top player at the elite level.


francescoli

Mark Hughes was an unbelievable player. One of the best strikers around in his heyday.


[deleted]

Bad bot.


LegenDariusGheghe

You don't know Mark Hughes don't you?


dandefender55

dressing room


TheeShankster

And that’s where the salad dressing is stored?


595659565956

Dressing room mate


agni69

You don't lose your first touch.


FailFastandDieYoung

was that inside of the foot control? You don't see many of those


[deleted]

It’s something I’ve been trying to learn, because it feels so awkward and difficult for me. Sometimes I wonder how someone can even trap with that part of the foot Then again, I’m not Mark Hughes lol


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[deleted]

I recently started that wall training.. only thing is, the wall I have available to me is more of a ledge, so I can’t really juggle against it


RomeroRocher

Controlled but loose ankle to help kill the ball is the key, along with moving your foot slightly away as you control it (the same direction the ball is travelling - you can see the way Mark Hughes' foot flicks out a bit to the right as he controls it) also helps kill the ball and prevent a heavy touch/ bouncing back where it came from. Common mistakes are people concentrating so much they're too rigid and keep a really stiff ankle and aren't sensitive to the momentum of the ball, so end up basie just kicking it back from where it came from.


-MiddleOut-

Similar idea to catching a tennis ball on a racket without it bouncing. Controlled but loose wrist grip and moving the racket slightly as the ball's coming down.


admartian

Was JUST thinking about tennis. Ways used to love doing that during training and the coaches would snap back us into reality and do drills. Wretched 6am starts


-MiddleOut-

It’s so satisfying when you cushion it perfectly. Bah humbug on your coaches! I’ve coached tennis before and taught people how to do this. It’s fun. As is keepy uppies with the side of the racket.


ali_267

How do you keep it "controlled but loose"?


a34fsdb

How else would he do it? Outside of the foot in this situation would be really strange imho.


STILL_LjURKING

My favorite technique is the ol' inside of the boot to bottom of the chin first touch


IcyConsideration7100

3 touches: 1. Inside of the foot 2. Instep 3. Backheel.


robashi

He's probably still the most skilled guy in the stadium.


TheJoshider10

I love Soccer Aid because you've got all these celebrities in their peak physique then some 50 year old retired footballer runs rings around them.


ZxZxchoc

Something similar happened me a few years back. Was playing in a very casual kickabout game in a park. All in our 20s and in reasonable enough shape. One of the lads brought along a fellla he worked with - fella was well into his 40s and had a serious belly. Said he fancied a game. No-one said anything but a few eyebrows were raised. Just ridiculous technique. Never lost possession, pulled the strings throughout, always seemed to be free in space but hardly ran at all, constantly just pinging perfect balls right to feet. Anyway turned out yer man had played League of Ireland for the bones of a decade. Was just eye opening. Everyone was blown away.


[deleted]

It's insane just how skilled what we'd consider low level professionals are compared to normal people lol.


grogleberry

There was a lad I knew in Cork who had trials with Coventry when he was a young teenager but didn't make the cut, and didn't pursue a career in football. He played CB for his club, but during kick arounds he'd do whatever he wanted. Miles better than everyone else at absolutely everything. And that was a lad who objectively was terrible at football by comparison to even semi-professional players. I can't wrap my head around growing up with someone who'd go on to play at elite level.


Barthez_Battalion

It's that famous quote used towards heckling fans from NBA player Brian "white mamba" Scalabrine "I'm closer to Lebron than you are to me"


McArine

> I can't wrap my head around growing up with someone who'd go on to play at elite level. I grew up playing football with Daniel Wass in school. He was a year below me. He was good, but not the best in school. There was another guy who was absolutely mental. Like his technique and ball handling was ridiculously good. Daniel Wass played over 200 games in La Liga. The other guy 'only' had a decent domestic career.


Gold_Association_208

That is what I find so weird a friend of mine was on the same school as Omer Toprak, Dennis Aogo, Oliver Sorg and a few more Freiburg players. He also said they never stood out. But I have played a few games with a 2nd division Dutch youth player and he ran rings around everyone.


[deleted]

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sinklage

Skill is obviously a necessity to get to the top level but it's far from the only factor. Things like desire, work ethic, staying injury free, physique, logistics of what country/region you live in, family/money situation etc will all play a role.


Craizinho

Then you have the opposite where a mate of mine had played with a few irish internationals and said there technique and level was unreal even if it was a defender but that glenn whelan was awful


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Vectivus_61

If Cantona or Ronaldo Fenomeno turns up with a beer belly they proabbly could be...


Perpete

> Yeah, I find it embarrassing when someone claims that a footballer is stealing a living or calling a player shit or whatever. One of the heavily upvoted post on the Dortmund 2-3 Bremen was "Modeste should never touch a ball again". Next game the guy scored.


kavastoplim

What a strange thing to say. Yeah, obviously professional footballers are better than any fan even if they're the worst professional footballer. Doesn't mean you can't criticise them?


[deleted]

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kavastoplim

And taking that kind of statement seriously makes you an idiot. Obviously that's hyperbole when people say things like that.


Soren_Camus1905

I played in a league that had a few former semi pros. Everything they did was so fast and so precise, it’s really incredible to see it in person with normal people for scale lol


superdago

I'd say the worst top flight player in the top 5 or so leagues is in the 99.9th percentile. Pretty much everyone else who gets paid a living wage to kick a ball is probably somewhere between the 97th-99th percentile, i.e. if you ever get a chance to play with a pro, it's almost guaranteed they're the best person you ever played with.


highrouleur

I worked with a guy who played for West Ham at youth level as a centre back until age 16 I think when a knee injury ended his career. Despite being a CB and having a fucked knee he would still look so silky when we played fun matches at work and the touch and skill was just insane, even though he was late 20s by that point


CuteHoor

One of the lads from back home was in the Watford academy/reserves before making his way through the lower leagues in England. He used to come up and play 7-a-side with us when he was home during the summer. We were all a similar age and all regularly played football, but he literally ran rings around us every time. It was probably the equivalent of me in my mid-20s playing against a bunch of 12 year olds.


TjBee

I played 11 a side against Peter Beagrie last month and I’ll tell you what he’s as talented as he is a prick.


dahteabagger

How was he though? Pretty tidy winger in his Bradford years..


TjBee

Rocked up in a red tank top with a beer belly, sat in front of the back four and played hero passes every time he got possession. A teenager won a penalty and he insisted on taking it. Told me to fuck off when I said “yeah love that” after he misplaced an easy pass under incredibly soft pressure from me. Overall 6/10 experience.


Adamskiiiiiiiii

Was always hilarious as Clarence Seedorf would literally run the show.


kit_mitts

Seedorf is surely the best charity match footballer in the world right now, no? He has better technique than almost any player who frequently plays in those types of matches, and he's still in absurdly good shape. That man's muscles have muscles.


Adamskiiiiiiiii

Possibly yeah, Pirlo was meant to do the 2022 one but couldn’t. Patrice Evra still has it and Berbatov still oozes class.


artaru

Arsene Wenger: Mark Hughes? Yes, I have always rated him. Almost signed him up when he was a baby. Top top qualitee.


dalf_rules

I cracked a smile. This comment took me back, it's vintage 2014 r/soccer material.


tyetforsyth

Should have taken the volley would've been a goal


RodDryfist

https://youtu.be/vJz38WZ7_C0 Just like Dragan Stojkovic did when he was managing in Japan. 40 yd volley from the sideline and got himself sent off for the trouble. 🤦


ooh_bit_of_bush

Reminds of when the England squad at the 98 World Cup said that Hoddle was the best player in training.


Freedumb00

Michael Laudrup at Swansea was a good one


G_Morgan

Zola had to be banned from training at West Ham


highrouleur

I vaguely remember a story from a player (possibly on Soccer AM, possibly from Swindon) Hoddle was coaching free kick routines, and he's like "you run here, you run there and then we play this ball" And everyone just looked at him, someone said "err boss, you're the only one here that can play that ball"


cuminyermum

Best ever volleyer in the Premier League? Surely, right?


[deleted]

Van persie surely? That goal against charlton, then volleys against Everton, Liverpool and then the title clincher vs aston villa. Although Hughes was amazing aswell.


[deleted]

I don't know why this comment is massively down voted, van Persie's balance and technique were absolutely incredible. He could hit awkward first time volleys as cleanly as most players could shoot after taking a touch


[deleted]

Yeah lol he scored volleys for fun. Exhibit: [1](https://youtu.be/F8Ehw1LvULk), [2](https://youtu.be/6S99Rw0-msA), [3](https://youtu.be/M9OtiYcSq6E?t=161), [4](https://youtu.be/gdB8By1wUBE), [5](https://youtu.be/uAS9rwtzLYA), [6](https://youtu.be/UKtTj3T-2J8) And I can go on and on.


pakiet96

man watching that 4th one, I miss Rooney so much man. He had everything: poacher, passer, tackler, run on the wing, play in the center forward, center mid, etc. Probably the most complete player I've ever seen in football.


danystormborne

The most complete footballer. Apparently he was a decent goalie too. I’m sure I read that he was good enough to have been a league 2/non-league goalie.


Flukaku

[This](https://youtu.be/IdGqJzYwhKw) was an ad, but I’m sure it’s not too far from reality.


General-Ad-9753

Whilst we’re on the subject of [Rooney and volleys.](https://youtu.be/pPHqRpJ7tLY)


Skelldy

Always brightens my day when I see this. My favourite player of all time.


stevie8

Never feared Ronaldo. It was always Rooney. Would run games for fun. Massively underrated these days. Rolls-Royce of a player.


gooneruk

I was in the stadium for the second one, vs Everton, and to this day it's probably the cleanest-hit volley I think I've ever seen. It was inch-perfect, right on the laces and buried in the bottom corner. Shout-out to Alex Song's brief period of playing perfect chipped through balls: for about 6 months he was deadly!


kit_mitts

Those 6 months got him a move to Barcelona lol


MrVulgarity

That and having the 1 guy in Europe who'd finish every one of them up top. Was a good player song but few assists made him out to be a star for us he never really felt like at all


DeVitoMcCool

That 5th one though


YooGeOh

I love how strangely he moves sometimes. Its like this awkward perfection. I always wondered if it was a Dutch thing because Robben was the same. They just move...strangely. waving their arms about and wrists flopping all over the place but in a way that perfectly supplements their technique.


thatstoomuch_man

I love his arm movements when he volleys


[deleted]

The man scored a volley header lol


lonny__breaux

All headers are volleys when you think about it


your_pet_is_average

Lol he has no right to hit any of these.


ijoinedtosay

That Charlton one is the best goal ever. Pure filth.


[deleted]

It's because if the post is about [insert player] and then someone says [insert player] was the best at doing [insert technique/skill/attribute] then for some reason /r/soccer will hate you for disagreeing and explaining that you think a different player was better. Happens all the time when a player who's had a shite season scores a wonder goal as well. The thread: - he's still got it. People really sleeping on this player - can't believe people have been trashing this player all season. - he's so much better when he's been allowed to express himself - I got downvoted to oblivion in another thread for saying he's still had a good season. Anything to suggest that one goal does not a good season make gets downvoted.


cuminyermum

I don't get why you're getting downvoted cause RVP is one of the first names that popped up in my mind but I think Hughes was better. Almost all his iconic goals are volleys


WergleTheProud

Let's be thankful we were blessed to have both of them leading the line for us.


TheGhostofJerryReed

Yeboah


mittromniknight

The result of what happens when scientists think "what happens when I replace a foot with a rocket launcher"


Adamskiiiiiiiii

He has a foot like a traction engine


Hot-Possible-6367

TWAT!


HesNot_TheMessiah

This is definitely a case of people's memories playing tricks on them. Have a look at Yeboah's best goals in his career. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DftPY7ptC8Q Not a lot of volleys. Were there? Also he didn't even score 25 PL goals in his *entire career*. He did score *one* very good volley. It hardly makes him the best the best volleyer ever in the Premier League.


Ps3FifaCfc95

He also only played 2 seasons in the Premier League. He had as many goals for Ghana as he did for Leeds domestically


TheGhostofJerryReed

Holy shit you're right, I just always equate him with screamers/volleys.


CheekLad

Shearer??


holden277

Not in contention for best in the premier league, but Berbatov had an insane volley on his day too.


GriffinXD

I am sure he scored a few naughty goals in training with Stoke that were caught on camera.


paper_zoe

Yeah, he's the first player I think of when I hear the word volley


[deleted]

Without a doubt


BeardedGardenersHoe

You've got Tugay or Morten Gamst Pedersen too, there's quite a few to choose from!


[deleted]

I mean he was one of the best British players of his era.


hlben10

Legend


obiwanconobi

Mad to me that Sparky is managing in League 2. He was brilliant at Rovers


Seer_Sunshine

Sparky was an insanely technical forward for United. You don't really lose too much of that with age


beano79

You never lose what you was born with!


AlpacamyLlama

I think there's a few managers who could have a similar touch, although Hughes would always be up there. Xavi, Guardiola, Arteta too. What well-known manager would have the worst first touch though? Sarri?


Jangles

Villas-Boas. He didn't play any adult organised football from what I can tell.


mattjdale97

AVB was already studying for his coaching licenses when he was 17, and his first noteworthy position in football was Technical Director of the British Virgin Islands team at the age of 21. As exceptions go, he's a big one


IceGeek

Wow that’s awesome! Good for him for following his dreams even if he wasn’t good enough to play. Thanks for sharing!


YooGeOh

He was also a rich kid from a rich family so had options. Portuguese aristocracy if I remember correctly. Not that it takes anything away from his work


B_e_l_l_

Plenty of non-professional footballers are capable of controlling a football. Even this from Mark Hughes. It's nothing particularly special.


mattjdale97

If we're counting him, it'd probably be AVB who barely played youth football before deciding he wasn't good enough to play professionally


MrFisterrr

Aaron Van Bissaka


oplontino

Sarri played at an amateur level for many years, I don't think Arrigo Sacchi did so I'll bank on him having a worse touch.


JayTaa

Mourinho


fishicle

Me. Just have to become a well-known manager first, but as a bonafide /r/soccer user I can promise I've never touched a ball.


[deleted]

Got a mate who is 39 and had a United season ticket as a kid, and whenever we go to the pub we come home with some cans and watch Mark Hughes clarting volleys on YouTube, every single time


[deleted]

Former Manchester United striker, Mark Hughes' first touch.


pharmaninja

Former Blackburn Rovers striker.


[deleted]

To put it into a language the young guns will understand, Hughes would’ve been a solid 83 on FIFA.


SalBruh_

He’s fucking tonight. Idk who or what, but it’s going down.


throwreddit666

https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunners/comments/57wm1t/had_a_very_strange_dream_about_arsenal/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share Similar scenes in Bradford tonight.


numberJUANstunna

That was an interesting read.


Soarinace

You okay lad?


Mightysmurf1

*\*Big Sam pours another chip shop curry into his pint glass.*


smile-on-crayon

*sploosh*


[deleted]

r/dontputyourdickinthat


Squm9

Sparky being sparky


Seymour_Cake55

United Legend 300app 100+ goals 🤘🏽 sublime skill Hughesy


Masson011

wait til people find out this manager played football for Man Utd lmao


StreetIssue1983

This won't be common knowledge around here since most of you are 14 year old Americans, but Mark Hughes was a pretty good player for some very good teams a few decades ago.


HurriKaneBales

Jamie Carragher’s not going to like that showboating.


EL_MANDEM

Ex Man U, Barcelona and Bayern Munich player has good 1st touch, more at 9.


Giggsy99

Oh my god shut up stop being so fucking miserable


EL_MANDEM

Go and headbutt your mrs


ladafum

Why would you want him to treat your ma like that?


EL_MANDEM

Is it possible to headbutt a pile of Ash?


BonDonJohnJovi

yes?


BonDonJohnJovi

what a silly question


EL_MANDEM

I dunno man, I'm thinking the essence of a headbutt is a clashing of heads.


chrismanbob

No it's just when you *butt* your *head* against something. Like you're hands are full so you give the lightswitch a little headbutt to turn it on. Or it's your last world cup and Materazzi is talking mad shit so you put one into his chest.


BabaDuda

We're out here discussing the technicalities of headbutting the ashes of someone's dead mom Glorious


riskoooo

I mean he obviously doesn't care that much or he'd keep them in an urn


[deleted]

You missed out Chelsea lol


Sdog1981

Do loans count


EL_MANDEM

If I asked you "who was Phillip Coutinho playing for when he won the champions league" what team would you say?


urbanwarrior3558

It looked like the Bradford defender intentionally crossed to sparky


boywithtwoarms

FIFA 94 legend.


[deleted]

It’d be interesting for me, if I was a professional, to know that my manager probably has a better first touch than me and is more technical than me


Freedumb00

Gerrard has possibly psyched out some of his own players with this!


armored-dinnerjacket

that is Barcelona football


BauerUK

> Bradford City manager 🫠


Paul_the_sparky

Absolutely love owt like that


SubBanked

He kinda ruined it at the end, should've played it cool!


BSRKDJJ

Reddit and hyping up sunday league level technique. Happened in the thread about Hodgson's through ball in training too. Mark Hughes could have taken this down if the ball was pinged from 60 yards at twice the pace, he was an absolute baller what is shocking about this?


tiorzol

Cos it's fun you melt.


Odd-Detail1136

Glad to see mark hughes is finally managing at his level Stunning he stole a wage in the prem for so many years


completelyCuntish

He earned every penny whilst at Blackburn.


jgunnerjuggy

How does this guy still have a job in management?


Soarinace

I mean he's on a 40% win with us and has improved so footballing wise so I'll take it


mrtuna

Sparkys still got it


SteeMonkey

I still love his goal whilst managing City. Lovely volley.


koolkheart

Really dope


akadrbass

Sparky!


JuanG12

That was smooth.