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Álvaro Recoba, who was nicknamed "El Chino" (the Chinese) because of his small, Chinese-like eyes, is a Urugayan international who would have been a huge bonus to any team in the world.
Early Career
He was spotted in 1996 playing for Nacional of Montevideo at the tender age of just 20. Adamant that this was a genius find, he was promptly brought to Inter Milan.
Recoba's first game in Serie A proved them right and he immediately went on the road to realising the potential that was simply waiting to be fulfilled.
The young Uruguayan scored two goals in a 2-1 win over Brescia—the first, a rocket from nearly 40 yards out; the second, one of those free-kicks that rises over the defensive wall then, defying the known laws of physics, drops like a stone into the net.
No one had ever witnessed a more stunning debut. His left foot was not only packed amazing power and precision, but exquisite touch too.
Beautifully balanced and deceptively fast, Recoba was a classic winger on the dribble, lethal on the turn inside the box. Maradona, it seemed, had been reborn.
Yet Recoba didn't quite cut it that first season.
He was a short player, stood at only 170cm (5'8") and Serie A defenders were arguably too rough and strong for him.
In his second season, Inter loaned him out to struggling Venezia. With 11 goals in 19 games, he was almost single-handedly responsible for saving them from the drop.
World's Best Paid Player
Inter promptly grabbed him back for the 1999-2000 season. He scored 10 goals in 28 games and created countless more.
The apple of the Inter's fans eyes, Recoba clinched a £4 million after-tax annual salary in January 2001, making him the world's highest paid player.
Rapid Decline
But it was at this was the point in which things started to go steadily downhill.
There was a managerial change at Inter Milan and Héctor Cúper was brought in.
B/R Ticket Guide Powered by FanSnap.comRecoba started to encounter injuries; he received a ban for acquiring a fabricated Portuguese passport (1 year ban later reduced to 4 months); and his inability to gel with Cúper and his ultra-defensive approach saw him lose faith in the game.
When he started games, he tended to fade as it went on, possibly the consequence of never having the opportunity to get fully match fit. Yet he always managed to produce his moments of magic: the extraordinary free-kicks, the magnificent shots from outside the area, the beautifully weighted passes—every bit as good a David Beckham special.
And then there were the "Maradona-like moments", such as the goal he scored on 17 March 2002 against Lecce, when he jinked and bobbed his way past the entire opposition defence before crashing the ball into the net.
Everybody watching was left in absolute awe.
Another Managerial Change
In 2003, Alberto Zaccheroni was put in charge.
At this point Recoba had no more excuses. Aged 27, at the prime of his career and injury-free, he had the necessary backing from the new manager and the big stage on which to do great things. The whole of Italy eager waited with bated breath to see if he would live up to the potential they saw in him on his arrival six years ago.
The question, though, was whether Recoba had the mentality to make the leap to the sort of consistency that true greatness demands, or whether he would remain, for the rest of his career, in the ranks of the only fleetingly brilliant almost-greats.
Unfortunately for him and the rest of the footballing world, it was the latter.
He continuedly showed a lack of interest and lack of determination. He basically did not care anymore. As a result, he was quickly frozen out of the first team and relegated to play for the reserves.
Still in Decline
After years of playing in the reserves, getting the odd game here and there as a substitute, Recoba suddenly decided he had enough and asked to be allowed to leave.
In 2007, he was loaned out to Torino. Despite scoring on his debut in a 1-1 draw with Palermo, he quickly faded again and his lack of interest and laziness was evident.
He did manage to produce one magical performance, against AS Roma, where he scored two outstanding goals and set up the third with exquisite pass.
However, that was not enough to get him motivated and he finished the season out of the first team.
He Finally Left Inter Milan
In September 2008, Recoba signed for Greek side, Panionios at the age of 31.
After a career of should-have could-have beens, he ended up achieving absolutely nothing.
It was always said that he could’ve been the world's best. What happened to all that immense potential?
I guess some of it was realised from time to time but he was always plagued with injuries. It’s almost tragic the way his potentially great and glittering career never materialised.
What "Could Have Been"
Ruud van Nistelrooy and Raul are the antithesis of an "almost-great" player like Recoba.
Neither of these two possess the technical ability of Recoba, neither is a brilliant trickster on the ball, but the one thing they have that Recoba doesn't is the head of a champion. Clever but also disciplined, they battle and have the dedication needed to maximise their limited skill-sets.
If it were possible to transfer the attitude of Van Nistelrooy or Raúl to Recoba then Recoba could have indeed been the biggest thing since Maradona.
"Ifs" and "could have been" again. The story of Recoba's life.
A sad and tragic story but unfortunately true. Alvaro Recoba—the player who never quite made it.
"The worst thing in life is wasted talent" —Robert De Niro (The Bronx Tale)
http://bleacherreport.com/articl ... at-promised-so-much
16 Feb 09 |
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发表于 2009-2-18 17:45:00
发表于 2009-2-20 14:47:10
