Carlton Supporters Club

^^Ergo, age isnt the issue which is my main contention.

Quote from: pinot – on July 07, 2025, 12:02:08 pm

I dont think we need players that are the best in the comp in a said position. We need players that know and understand what they are doing. For us, we have some of the best players in the competition which makes our position untenable.

Which brings us back to the original argument....
Are these players still some of the best?
Are they playing like some of the best at the moment?
If not, will they be some of the best again.

The old saying that a "Champion team will always beat a team of Champions" probably applies to us in spades when you consider how well some opposition clubs 'team' together.
We're not in the same ballpark in terms of connection.

It was a while ago and training and sports medicine has advanced but probably the stand out example was Kouta who was never the same player after injury.
Like most things it is individual specific as to how injuries compound and affect performance...and how people recover.

I'm saying that as they age and injuries compound it will mean that over a time players reach a point where their best is behind them.
I'm pretty certain we've reached that point with Docherty. I suspect it's the same with Saad. Whether it's the same with others is a wait and see...My gut feeling is that of our players who were once considered the best in their positions not all if any will reach those levels again...there are no guarantees either way. But it doesn't mean they can't still be very good valuable players until their inevitable time comes.