Creating Legends

“You’re a legend” is part of the Australian vernacular, and has been for a long time. It is used as a way of expressing extreme gratitude. Rather than a simple “thank you,” the phrase becomes “Oh thanks mate you are a deadset legend.”

This is typically Australian and has a certain charm about it.

However, now the word “legend” is creeping into almost every sports report that is written. It is clearly being over-used as many that the various writers refer to as “legends” are not worthy of that status.

This is a topic we touched on previously in “Who Is A Legend?” It is time to look at it again.

One dictionary describes a “legend” as being “a person who embodies the pinnacle of all the important social aspects.” That is important to remember, as it does not mean that they stand out in one area but that they must have other traits that make them stand out from the rest.

When it comes to the sport of football “Legends” tend to be players who really stood out for their club or their country, or both. Some are legendary because of their antics away from the pitch, and the fact that they were still truly wonderful players to watch. George Best and Maradona are two that instantly spring to mind.

In a club context the word usually refers to players who began their career at a club and went on to become a big name within the game. The club at which they started is still proud of where they started, and what the individual achieved. Another type of “legend” is the player who stays loyal to that club during their career. There is also the “legend” who happened to be at the club during a period of success, and their contribution is forever linked to that period. Sir Alex Ferguson is a Manchester United legend, because like Sir Matt Busby before him he oversaw a period of consistent success for the club. A period that fans will never forget.

The World Cup has been going for five days and already we are seeing all and sundry being referred to by certain media outlets as a “Socceroos Legend.” Some like goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer are worthy of such status, others most clearly are not.

Craig Foster is one that has been referred to as such for two days in a row. He was certainly not one of the stars of his generation. He played 29 times for Australia, which you would have to say is not exactly befitting legendary status. Certainly not when you look at the likes of Schwarzer, Tim Cahill, Lucas Neill and Brett Emerton who top the Socceroos appearance charts with over 100 or close to 100 international caps each. These players also played top flight football in Europe for big clubs for a number of years. Foster played in England with Portsmouth and Crystal Palace, but neither side was in the top flight at the time and neither were they challenging to do so.

Another way to win Legendary status is through one moment which will live on in the memory of fans. John Aloisi won Australian Legend status when he scored the penalty against Uruguay to send Australia to the 2006 FIFA World Cup after a wait of 29 years. Goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne won himself the same status with his penalty save against Peru to send the Socceroos to Qatar. What is interesting is in both instants many forget that others played a major part in setting up that moment for those players. For example Mark Schwarzer saved two penalties from Uruguay in the shoot-out to set up that moment for Aloisi, yet all many remember is Aloisi scoring. In qualifying for Qatar 2022 Mat Ryan, arguably Australia’s best player at the current time, was one of the reasons that the Socceroos were even in a play-off with Peru, yet Redmayne will forever be the hero and afforded legend status. (World Cup Qualification Money Must Be Invested in the Next Generation)

So why is the word being used so freely? Is it lazy journalism? Is it that the youngsters being employed by some of these news outlets because they are cheap labour are still wide-eyed and in awe of these former players? Is simply a limited vocabulary? Or as usual more sensationalism to try and bluff the readers?

Whatever the reason, most of us know who is truly a “legend” and why that status is reserved for them, and not for others. What is it they say, Champions are remembered, legends never forgotten!