The BBC has marked what would have been the 80th birthday of Belfast Boy George Best on Friday with a fascinating feature on five things that made him a footballing genius.
Reporter Simon Stone caught up with a number of people who caught the Georgie Best genius at first hand including his former team-mate Sammy McIlroy who turned to Lionel Messi as a comparison.
“Lionel Messi is close to Best in the way he plays. He can dribble, beat people, score goals and make goals,” McIlroy told Stone.
“Messi has got this amazing dribbling ability. Best had that too but it was in the 1960s, when the conditions were much different to the way they are now.
“The pitches were terrible and your opponents wanted to hurt you. Norman Hunter, Tommy Smith and Ron Harris were good players but they were cruel in the way they played.
“It didn’t bother George. It didn’t matter who was dishing it out. He used to take the rough stuff, get up and say,’come on then, let’s have some more.”
McIlroy recalled, as a 13-year-old, watching Best destroy Scotland in an international at Windsor Park.
He added: “I never saw another performance like it in my life. It was a one-man show. He made me want to be a footballer. He made me want to join Manchester United.
“Everything came naturally to him. Left foot, right foot, shoot, head, tackle. He was a natural lad, a lovely lad. He spent a little bit of time with me, as he did with the all the other Belfast trialists that came over. George always had time for you. I really admired that.
“When I signed as an apprentice in 1969, I brought my mum and dad over and right away he came across and spoke to them. I was standing there listening to him telling my parents he would look after me.
“My dad’s eyes were just glued on Bestie. He never opened his mouth. He was just in awe of George.”
Manchester United and Ireland legend Roy Keane has branded Bruno Fernandes and the pursuit of the Premier League’s assist record as a circus act.
Fernandes equalled the PL single-season record of 20 assists when he set up Bryan Mbeumo for United’s third goal in Sunday’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest, joining Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne in the history books.
But the Portuguese midfielder has been criticised of opting to pass when shooting opportunities were on the cards with Keane critical on The Overlap of his decision making on the day.
The42 website reports Keane as saying: “When you’re the captain of a club and you’re supposed to be driving the club forward, do not be getting bogged down by just your role in the team, just assists.
“What I heard at United at the weekend, honestly, I was raging with it. The whole chat about his assists… Everyone, the players were (talking about it), the game was about his assists. That’s the whole thing.
“After the game, he got interviewed and he said, the captain of Manchester United, said ‘A few times, I probably should have… shot but I made the passes’. Wow. How can your mindset be not to win the match but be about an individual record?”
Keane responded to comments from Gary Neville that Fernandes had turned down lucrative moves to other clubs by insisting that the player needed to change his mindset.
“He won’t be winning trophies, not with that mindset of the team,” said Keane. “They’re giving up two goals and everyone’s getting all giddy because he’s equalled the record for assists. It’s mind-boggling. It’s a circus act.
“Bruno gives a pass and they missed it. What did Bruno do after he missed it? He went on the floor. Why is he falling? (He’s disappointed) for himself. His striker is having a difficult spell and missed a couple of chances, and he’s thinking of himself.”
BBC Sport reports that the 41-year-old forward already holds the men’s record for all-time international appearances (226) and goals (143) and is one of six players to have played in five World Cups.
Lionel Messi also looks certain to play in his sixth World Cup after captaining Argentina to glory four years ago in Qatar.
Ronaldo, sent off against Ireland in the qualifiers, is suspension free for the tournament.
Coach Roberto Martinez has named a squad of ‘27 players plus one’ in reference to former Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash last July.
“He is our strength, our joy,” said Martinez. “Losing Diogo was an unforgettable and very difficult moment, but the very next day it was up to all of us to fight for Diogo’s dream and for the example he always set in our national team.
“Diogo Jota’s spirit, strength and example are the plus one and will always be the plus one.”
Waterford won their first game of the season against Drogheda on Monday night - but United boss Kevin Doherty was left fuming by the late penalty decision that cost his team a 2-1 defeat.
Tommy Lonergan was adjudged to have been fouled by ‘keeper Fynn Talley as he cleared his line with referee Neil Doyle pointing to the spot.
Lonergan scored from the spot and Doherty was red carded for his protests, later slamming the decision in an interview on LOI TV which was reported on by RTE.
“I can’t believe it, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,” said Doherty. “People will say ‘here he goes again’ but just have a look. It’s so, so so - I could add ‘so’ a hundred times and it wouldn’t be enough - poor.
“And again, here I go again. Neil Doyle - absolutely excellent referee and a brilliant fella - but it’s in my opinion possibly one of the worst (decisions) I’ve ever seen.”
