Differences in Football back when I was young and now

Ok, the main question here, I guess, would be, was football better then or now. Let's look at this from my point of view. I am from Honduras my first decade was in the 1960's, having been born in 1961. My brother, seven years older than I was already a huge football fan. Our Dad hated football he said it was for sissies, he liked American football. But anyway back in the sixties TV was quite new in Honduras but we did have, every Saturday an English football match shown. Of course this was maybe two weeks after the game had been played but we enjoyed it thoroughly, and I too, became hooked. Yes, the image was black and white, and for some reason I always disliked Arsenal.

So, I would play any chance I got and was actually quite good, not professional level but good enough, very technical. But my main point of contact with international football was the 1974 World Cup in Germany, I think i missed a whole month of school, we already had color TV. And I started seeing football differently, it was not just kicking a ball, it was, well, a whole deal more intricate. So you see, I actually do know a thing or two.

Now let's compare today's football with football back then. We have to take into account, first of all the quality of the pitches and equipment. Today beats yesterday by a whole level. Now, if you use too strong a tackle you are penalized, back then you ran and were watching your back because a kick was coming, and probably from someone who had nails in his cleats. You learned to jump real fast. Technically I think you see better stuff, maybe because it is a lighter ball plus all the tricks played by yesterdays players are there to look at and imitate (in a good way, you imitate what is useful).

So I Really think today's football is better than what we had before, even though I do think Maradona was better than any player we have now, and there were other great players. I used to watch George Best two weeks after he had played a game, and I think he was one of the best.

There are some things I do not like about todays football, like before, a handball in the area was a penalty regardless of intention. The offside rule is frankly not too clear. And the thing I least like is this playing the ball backward, I know today's coaches say it is because the team retains possession, but as far as I can see what happens it ultimately goes to the goalkeeper who has to kick it anywhere because an opponent is already close by. I have seen a lot of goals because of this. I say just kick that ball away from your area in the first place, you will always end up doing it anyway.

But yes, I think the fast pace of today's football beats anything we had back then. Even though we will never know who would win between a top 1960's team against a top team from today.