Lately I've been thinking a lot about how important some dose of arrogance is necessary for a player to succeed. I'm not talking personal life "cleaning my ass with £20 bills" arrogance, but that thrust a player must have in his own ability, the confidence to try different things. I think English football is poor in that aspect, and it's probably rooted in its football culture. How often do you see English youngster trying new dribbling skills, for example? Certainly not often, for fear of being seen as a "circus" show man and not a "real" player. I really believe it cuts down a lot of creativity from players. In Brazil kids are encouraged to try different things, and yes a lot of those players turn out to be all skills no brain and pretty useless, but those who succeed have much more in their repertoire.
It's easier if a player doesn't need to draw confidence from others, doesn't need time to adjust or feel comfortable in a new situation. Fischer is just confident and cocky enough to always be himself it seems. But not too much, he's very respectful, all about the team. It shows on and off the field. He had some big interviews after the Ajax-PSV game and he handled them like a class act. Not the shaky teen I see often in front of the cameras after their first games. One interviewer told him a star is born, but he wouldn't have that and told him off, said it's too early to make such statements. And on the field too, at one point he started an arguement with van Bommel, and he's not afraid to try things. The way he cheered too after the goals, he doesn't hold back when he's on the field. I think he's a natural leader too, and he's the type of player other teams will hate playing against, the type of player that will be a favourite wherever he plays. And he's intelligent, has vision and tactical understanding.
And you're right about English football. It's because of the money. There's too much pressure. Everything needs to be effective, and because of that it loses some of the playfullness. I think young players need to be able to try things in order to get better at them and use them effectively at a later age. Ajax currently actually have individual training for every exceptional talent just for that, Bergkamp does individual training with Fischer several times a week to improve skills and teach moves that can be used effectively if mastered.
I'd love to see him at Liverpool, but that won't happen anytime soon. For Ajax to even consider it we'd have to really overpay, but even then I don't think Fischer would be interested in leaving them for us. He went to Ajax for a reason, turned down many big clubs to go there.
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