Greatest skill in football

[charlie linkbox]

You can't win without scoring so I'd say the ability to kick points from distance and tight angles.

[stephenite]

The Ja Fallon jink had a fair few victims over the years

[ONeill]

On the ref's blind side, a well executed dive close to the 21. A roll is not necessary but adds to the overall splendour of the manoeuvre. Holding your head/ankle/groin/arse is a 3rd step only managed by the greats. A booking for the defender is a 4th element achieved by masters of the game. A sending-off is utopia and have only seen the 4-step 'dive-roll-groin-red' managed the once in Dunmore, Galway.

Apart from the above you have to distinguish between greatest skill and hardest skill. Hardest is accuracy with wrong foot when pressurised to do so. The ambidextrous footballer is a marvel, especially when it is simply down to the hard work of the player and not a natural talent.

[Aristotle Flynn]

Great stuff O'Neill. I marvel at your ability to mix the hilariously funny with the serious; all in the one thread. Keep it up!

[blanketattack]

Whatever about greatest skill, definitely the most unique is kicking a free off the ground with your weaker foot. It's the epitomy of two-footedness.
If you made a list of players who have kicked a free with their weaker foot in an All-Ireland final (off the ground or otherwise), how many would you have?
I can't think of anyone else besides Maurice Fitzgerald.

[Bogball XV]

Whatever about greatest skill, definitely the most unique is kicking a free off the ground with your weaker foot. It's the epitomy of two-footedness.

This is not difficult at all - i did and have done this in the past (in training only) and I can assure you I was no Maurice Fitz (in fairness I never had to do in a pressure  situation).

[mylestheslasher]

Taking a score consistantly is most important skill in football. Almost every team that has won the AI has had at least one truly outstanding point getter. Joe Brolly, Peter Canavan, Gooch, Mickey Linden, Joyce etc etc. IMO, the lack of such a player has cost Mayo the AI on a number of occassions. Players with this skill are like gold dust and when passion, fitness, hunger etc are level in a match it is the quality of the forwards scoring that is usually the difference at the end.

[The Flamin]

lads its not a thread on the most important skill its the best skill. high fielding, kick passing should be good quality anyway but a dummy solo when the man does the big dive is pure class. then steady up and peg over, class.
another little dummy is when you slow up as if you pretend to cut back then accelarate with a little dink solo. it looks easy when matt connor used to do it but it probably was for the great man. ive tried it enough of times and it keeps effin me up.

in terms of defence.the dive block is hard but its more about bravery when you throw yourself on a mans boot. it is more of a skill to get a little flick in and totally rob the man.

[blanketattack]

Whatever about greatest skill, definitely the most unique is kicking a free off the ground with your weaker foot. It's the epitomy of two-footedness.

This is not difficult at all - i did and have done this in the past (in training only) and I can assure you I was no Maurice Fitz (in fairness I never had to do in a pressure  situation).

That's my point - being able to kick a free with your weaker foot in a high pressure situation is a great skill to have. We can all do it in training. Try doing it in an All-Ireland final.
Remember James Masters' missed free way over on the left hand side which he took with his left foot in the Munster Final. It would have been relatively easy to score with his right foot.

[The Claw]

Maurice Fitz scoring a free from the 14 yrd line with his left foot off the ground was one of the best pieces of skill I ever saw.

What??  Where was it taken from?
Anyway seems like this thread has turned into a greatest score thread - go away and start your own - don't be hijacking this one

Good man, yeah, I started this thread.
Anyway I was just giving an example of one of the best bits of skill I had ever seen, the fact that it was his week foot, to put that much curl on it. Unreal.

[realredhandfan]

I find the most enjoyable skill the high catch,  I lament the sideline ball off the ground being eroded from our game.  I prefer to watch left footed free takers.  I find a one handed catch with your weak hand almost impossible to do.

[Flirtyflan]

For me it would have to be........free is awarded, ref suggests last kick of the game, you have to score a point to draw or win the match by 1!!!! The player who takes that free kick and scores has the greatest skill......accuracy (under extreme pressure)

[realredhandfan]

Unfortunately flirty that normally happens against us by yourselves, bucked the trennd in the last league game somewhat 

[blanketattack]

Maurice Fitz scoring a free from the 14 yrd line with his left foot off the ground was one of the best pieces of skill I ever saw.

What??  Where was it taken from?
Anyway seems like this thread has turned into a greatest score thread - go away and start your own - don't be hijacking this one

Good man, yeah, I started this thread.
Anyway I was just giving an example of one of the best bits of skill I had ever seen, the fact that it was his week foot, to put that much curl on it. Unreal.

22 seconds into http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHOF9g7qUQ8

[Over the Bar]

Maurice Fitz scoring a free from the 14 yrd line with his left foot off the ground was one of the best pieces of skill I ever saw.

Aged 15 in PE we weren't allowed to get changed until we had kicked a point off the ground from 14 yards with our wrong foot. We got changed eventually.