A Tribute To The Gary Nevilles Of This World...

Gary Neville has retired from football after 602 games for Manchester United and 85 England caps. With 8 Premier League titles under the belt 3 FA Cups and 1 Champions League medal. The thing with Neville is that he isn't the most talented footballer on the planet but is a perfect example of where you can get with hard graft and good management. Today I will be paying tribute to those players like Neville who failed to set the world alight with their skills and talent but punched above their weight by showing grit, determination and a strong will to win...

David Beckham

Who's the least talented in this group?

Definitely the the most popular and famous footballer in the world. David Beckham is probably more recognizable around the world than Maradona or Pele who are both infinitely more talented than the LA Galaxy man. So what can Beckham do as a footballer that those two cant? Can he dribble past defenders like they aren't there like Diego? No he can't. Has he won in World Cup finals like Pele? No he hasn't.

What can Beckham do? Well he is good with a dead ball, a bit like Juninho (the Lyon one) and former Celtic man Shunsuke Nakamura. He can also send in a decent cross a bit like Gareth Bale or David Bentley. But what separates him from these men? Well if you look at it, its sheer hard work, willing to learn and excellent marketing. Beckham on the football pitch doesn't have pace, doesn't have skill, can't tackle particularly well but has still managed to established himself as a one of the most popular and well know players in the history of the game.

Roy Keane

Roy Keane letting some of his more skillful opponents know he is there

Keane is the personification of hard work, grit and a will to win. He took these aspects to such an extreme level that they eventually ended his career at club and international level. These attributes still dog him through his managerial career, but without them he probably would never have made it as a footballer.

At the start of his career He was originally thought too small to play professional football and so set upon improving his physique by getting himself a job carrying beer barrels around. This was the sign of the man he was.

Keane's defining moment was in a Champions League match against Juventus in which he was booked and knew he would miss the final of the tournament but went on to put in a performance which Alex Ferguson described as,

"the most emphatic display of selflessness I have seen on a football field. Pounding over every blade of grass, competing if he would rather die of exhaustion than lose, he inspired all around him. I felt it was an honour to be associated with such a player."

Jamie Carragher

Before Rafa Benitez's spell at Liverpool he was known more for how versatile he was, rather than as a good player, a bit like a scouse John O'Shea.

Under Benitez he became the rock at the heart of a very stingy Liverpool defence. He's not quick, tall or particularly good on the ball, but he made his name by playing with his heart on his sleeve and by making numerous game saving last ditch tackles.

Carragher in the last five years has shown his leadership and organisational qualities. His never-say-die attitude and willing to put his body on the line have etched his name in Liverpool folklore after he was part of "that night in Istanbul" against AC Milan.

When describing Carragher theoffside.com said,

"he’s not the most talented or athletic of players, he’s gotten to the pinnacle of the game through his intelligence, passion for the game, never say die attitude and sheer bloody-minded determination."

That quote basically sums up Carraghers career in nutshell and I'm sure even the most die-hard Liverpool fans wouldn't disagree with that.

Conclusion

Gary Neville fits in perfectly with Beckham, Keane and Carragher. All four of these players are examples of how someone who isn't naturally gifted can make their way to the top of the footballing tree with hard work, a positive mentality and an overwhelming will to succeed regardless of the setbacks they may face. One Arsene Wenger when looking back on Neville's career said,

"I respect a lot what he has done because he was certainly not one of the most talented players in the league but what he has achieved is consistency. His record is down to intelligence and motivation - he is an example to players who are maybe less gifted than the Giggs and the Beckhams but still make a fantastic career because they are intelligent and highly-motivated. They deserve a great credit."