Post by QPR Report on May 22, 2009 7:02:41 GMT
Rodney Marsh The Guardian, Thursday 21 May 2009
1960s and 70s legend Rodney Marsh on his relationship with Alf Ramsey and how workhorses still seem to take precedence in the England side over skilful risk-takers
The thing you have to remember is that Alf Ramsey and I came from the same place. We were both C***neys. The other thing is that Alf tended to speak in a very poncey plum-in the-mouth way. It was all "Oh hello Rodney and how are you?". To me it was all complete bollocks. The last time I was picked by him for England we had a team talk before the game and Alf told me we all had to work harder. "Rodney you in particular," he said in his accent. Then he said: "if you don't work hard I'm going to pull you off at half time." And I said: "Christ, at Man City all we get is a cup of tea and an orange."
Nobody laughed. And not only that, but it was the last time I ever got picked. There was a direct correlation between that sarcastic remark and me not playing again. But to be fair to Alf I also hadn't played well for England. That's not an excuse or a reason; it's just an explanation.
Still, I had a good run: I think Stan Bowles only played twice. People like Charlie George and Tony Currie only got a couple of games. But I don't blame Alf Ramsey; I blame myself.
All that stuff about maverick players, it was the culture of British football at the time and I don't regret for one minute my attitude towards football. I'm not speaking for any other player but I was born a free spirit and I played the game the same way. You either loved it or you hated it. I make no excuses for that and I wouldn't change a thing. Did that contribute to me to only getting nine caps? Probably.
English football has always been scared to do the outrageous. I think you could name on one hand people like Paul Gascoigne, Rodney Marsh, Matt Le Tissier, Peter Osgood of that ilk who have been given a chance. The average England player has a great engine, hard-working. You could argue that Wayne Rooney could be that Maverick-type player and, probably, the big difference is that Wayne Rooney runs himself into the ground for the team, and I never did that, I always felt there were other players to do that. One of the biggest compliments paid to me was in Alfredo di Stéfano's book where he says that Rodney Marsh was the most gifted footballer outside of Brazil. That made me feel good. I played against his Valencia team twice and we f***ing murdered them.
But you couldn't have a team of Rodney Marshes. You'd never get the ball. I would hold my hand up and say that I was a luxury player and I make no bones about that. But I would argue the point that my generation of player underachieved. Why players like Bowles and George didn't get more caps you'd have to ask Ramsey. But I would say one thing: If you count the caps of Frank Worthington, Bowles, Tony Currie, Peter Osgood, Rodney Marsh and Alan Hudson, Carlton Palmer has got more caps than all those players combined. I think that tells you something. During Graham Taylor's time England had a midfield with Andy Sinton, David Batty, Carlton Palmer and Geoff Thomas. How the f*** are you going to win a World Cup with a team like that?
• Rodney Marsh's website can be found at rodneymarsh.net
1960s and 70s legend Rodney Marsh on his relationship with Alf Ramsey and how workhorses still seem to take precedence in the England side over skilful risk-takers
The thing you have to remember is that Alf Ramsey and I came from the same place. We were both C***neys. The other thing is that Alf tended to speak in a very poncey plum-in the-mouth way. It was all "Oh hello Rodney and how are you?". To me it was all complete bollocks. The last time I was picked by him for England we had a team talk before the game and Alf told me we all had to work harder. "Rodney you in particular," he said in his accent. Then he said: "if you don't work hard I'm going to pull you off at half time." And I said: "Christ, at Man City all we get is a cup of tea and an orange."
Nobody laughed. And not only that, but it was the last time I ever got picked. There was a direct correlation between that sarcastic remark and me not playing again. But to be fair to Alf I also hadn't played well for England. That's not an excuse or a reason; it's just an explanation.
Still, I had a good run: I think Stan Bowles only played twice. People like Charlie George and Tony Currie only got a couple of games. But I don't blame Alf Ramsey; I blame myself.
All that stuff about maverick players, it was the culture of British football at the time and I don't regret for one minute my attitude towards football. I'm not speaking for any other player but I was born a free spirit and I played the game the same way. You either loved it or you hated it. I make no excuses for that and I wouldn't change a thing. Did that contribute to me to only getting nine caps? Probably.
English football has always been scared to do the outrageous. I think you could name on one hand people like Paul Gascoigne, Rodney Marsh, Matt Le Tissier, Peter Osgood of that ilk who have been given a chance. The average England player has a great engine, hard-working. You could argue that Wayne Rooney could be that Maverick-type player and, probably, the big difference is that Wayne Rooney runs himself into the ground for the team, and I never did that, I always felt there were other players to do that. One of the biggest compliments paid to me was in Alfredo di Stéfano's book where he says that Rodney Marsh was the most gifted footballer outside of Brazil. That made me feel good. I played against his Valencia team twice and we f***ing murdered them.
But you couldn't have a team of Rodney Marshes. You'd never get the ball. I would hold my hand up and say that I was a luxury player and I make no bones about that. But I would argue the point that my generation of player underachieved. Why players like Bowles and George didn't get more caps you'd have to ask Ramsey. But I would say one thing: If you count the caps of Frank Worthington, Bowles, Tony Currie, Peter Osgood, Rodney Marsh and Alan Hudson, Carlton Palmer has got more caps than all those players combined. I think that tells you something. During Graham Taylor's time England had a midfield with Andy Sinton, David Batty, Carlton Palmer and Geoff Thomas. How the f*** are you going to win a World Cup with a team like that?
• Rodney Marsh's website can be found at rodneymarsh.net