We're nearly there! See I think that some will have a natural talent and interest in pure sciences and some will have an interest and a natural talent for footie. Both will then have to work damned hard if they are to be at the top of their game. Many will 'fall by the wayside' and the ones who don't make it as doctors/to med school will be, say, medical reps or something  just like the ones who don't make it in pro football  will play Sunday league in the local park

I think if you had 10 children who desperately wanted to become a doctor and are willing to work their arses off and do what ever it takes, and 10 children who desperately wanted to become professional footballers and are willing to work their arses off and do what ever it takes... I believe that the chances of 1 or 2 of the 10 doctor children going on to achieve their ambitions are greater than that of the footballer 10.

But I think with medicine, an interest and the will to work hard to achieve it can be enough. But that isn't enough to become a pro footballer. You need those things obviously but you need to be born with the natural gifted ability as well.

And I think we'll never agree, 'cos in my mind you have to have a talent too and many, many don't as their talents and strengths lay elsewhere.... Also, do you not think that if half of the lads in your year wanted to be pro footballers that a significant no. of them must have been a bit deluded?

 Yes because very very few people have the natural ability required to become a pro footballer - none in my year did obviously.

Do you not even just a little bit see where I'm coming from with my 10 and 10 post?

In as much as there are more jobs in medicine than in professional football at the top flight , yes. With regard to 'anyone can become a doctor' and that you don't need natural talent, no

You can have naturally talented people in both areas. There are world famous surgeons like Dr Richard Steadman, who will no doubt be a very rich man after helping numerous world famous sports stars recover from injuries that would normally have been career ending injuries over the past few decades.

He, and others like him, would be the 'Premier League' of medicine, and their wages would be comparable to that of the Premier League footballers. Meanwhile, you've got Fourth Division footballers who would be on similar wage to that of a nurse, except those footballers will only have a job until their mid 30's and will often go on to other unspectacular jobs once their career is over.

Phew, I'm not alone Disley!

Please please don't say it's as easy to become a professional footballer in League 2 as it is to become a nurse.
Even to become a League 2 footballer, you have to have a natural talent that you were born with. Most League 2 footballers probably started out at Premier League clubs academies.

Who said that

Well I'd rather a nurse etc ,looked after me in casualty than some eejit footballer type!I know what profession I'd prefer.

Am assuming that the 75+ in your year who wanted to be professional footballers didn't get that far Crunchy,(particularly the 64 of them who presumably didn't even make the school football team!) Did any of your school team get signed up by an academy and then not make it any further?

I have a wonderful idea for next years Sports Relief. They could teach John Terry the rudiments of surgery and let him have a go. I doubt that he could either drink as much or take as many drugs as the Doctors used to in my old Hospital though but........... circa 1972  

Gynaecology?

How about say Adams,Gascoigne or Merton for that particular challenge?

They would have no chance.

A routine from Royston Vasey comnes to mind.   

Best then?

 He's innocent

Indeed! I bought a gazzetta last night too. Good news about the season tickets.

You mean the price freeze GJ?

Just looking at this GJ http://soccerlens.com/intellig...is-it-possible/8128/

That's right. I'll pay 'em up this week. Now I must away and see my Turf Accountant. I'll wave at your kin on the way.

Interest or not unless a high level of intelligence is present, all the interest in the world won't enable someone to become a surgeon....Years and years of studying not to mention the practical training ....IMO the ability to play football may be a talent whereas the ability to perform life saving miracles is a gift ....I know who's hands I'd trust with my life and it sure as hell wouldn't be the likes of Golden Balls.

I think both professions ignore the huge importance of bedside manner.

It's quite simple.
A great pecentage of people voted in Thatcher, and subsequent Thatcherite administrations. She said, "You can't buck the market!"
There is a market for watching football, there is no market for watching gall bladder operations. Alhough you might argue that Casuality and  Holby might give the NHS a cut. Until my local Hospital theatre start to issue season tickets, that's the way it will remain.
Perhaps if the NHS hadn't wasted so much money on consultancy, computers, auditors and HR nonsense they might be able to pay a bit more out.

That's made me properly LOL GJ

You may use it as a business plan.

Well I'm still proper gutted the main man wont be on the pitch for the WC!

... as is my family.

So am I. Total and utter legend and I hope and would not be surprised if he ends up playing in Euro 2012 at the age of 37.

I really have to take issue with this post Super, (Hi btw) if the Adams you are referring to is Tony Adams. Yes he had a drink problem in the past but not only has he conquered his own addictions but has gone on to work tirelessly to highlight the problems with addiction and general mental health issues within sport in general and footie in particular.

http://www.sportingchancecharity.com/Default.aspx


And even though he had problems off the pitch he was an inspirational leader both for club and country.

If it's a different Adams then I apologise in advance




And I think it's a real shame both for David and the team that he will not be available. He can still cut it at the top level, even if not for the full 90 minutes. I know there is no other player I would want to come off  the bench if we are deep in the doodoo with 15 minutes to go.

Veggie, It was just a joke as a response to GJs post re the the doctors in his local hospital in the 70s. Sorry if it was in poor taste.... Well done to Tony Adams for overcoming his addiction problems and the work he has done to support others.

You might have got away with saying that it was a different Adams.