The Rational RefWeighty issue of fitness has an element of luck
For the fortunate few with good genes, in-built athleticism is enough. Others must work harder
Just how fit do players need to be to play soccer, and play it well? The answer appears to depend on the individuals concerned. Take, for example, former England player Carlton Palmer. "He covers every blade of grass out there, but that's only because his first touch is so crap," said Palmer's former Southampton manager, Dave Jones.
Being fit, it seems, is all relative. Palmer applied himself determinedly, doggedly and tenaciously despite the fact his long legs and gangly body made him look as awkward as a baby giraffe rather than a well-conditioned athlete. Soccer fans, at least in England, appear to appreciate application and hard graft far more than ability. Just look at Scott Parker, who three seasons ago won the Football Writers' Association Player of the Year award for his consistently gritty performances at West Ham United.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho even fashioned his club's Players' Player of the Year award so unsung workhorse Claude Makelele's would be recognised for his crucial contributions to the team's Premiership-winning performance in the 2004-05 season.
This happened the season following Real Madrid president Florentino Perez's public refusal to boost Makelele's meagre contract compared with his Galacticos teammates and instead sold him off to Chelsea by criticising his technical abilities: "We will not miss Makelele. His technique is average, he lacks the speed and skill to take the ball past opponents, and 90 per cent of his distribution either goes backwards or sideways. He wasn't a header of the ball and he rarely passed the ball more than three metres."
Teammates Zinedine Zidane and Steve McManaman disagreed and described Makelele as the most important and least appreciated player at Real Madrid, always working hard for the team.
Keeping your head down, working hard and following instructions are common characteristics championed by coaches. Under these circumstances, it is unsurprising that maintaining a certain level of fitness and applying maximum effort is important. Even gifted player Marcel Desailly, in a recent interview with Rational Ref, said: "In England if you work hard you still have the opportunity to succeed. You can see there are medium-class players who have done well and been able to have very good careers."