Johannesburg - The word “great “ is bandied around a lot in sport, isn’t it? In this column it has often been used to describe a performance or achievement that had captured the imagination at the time and the label was given in good faith.
However, there is a level in each sport that only a few achieve that should be reserved for the award of that adjective. We should all be more selective. The accolade should be defined by the people who don’t make it as much as by those who do.
Boxers like Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and of course, Joe Louis are obvious members of the club. Mike Tyson is not. Maybe he was unlucky that in his best years there was a paucity of contenders.
Maybe, shock and horror, you could say the same for The Rock.
Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio in baseball set the standard, and of course, in cricket everyone pales in comparison to Don Bradman. The averages give clues: Over 50 with the bat and over 300 wickets usually does it, but performances away from home are also important. Google the late, great English bowler Sydney Barnes to see what is meant.
Athletics is easy as it is defined by world records and is mostly, but not always, involved with individuals. Teams are more difficult and you can get a genius who is unlucky with teams.
George Best, for example, never played in a World Cup but would make most people’s list of top 10 greats of the game.
In rugby, Hugo Porta was the best player on the planet before Argentina became contenders. You just had to look at him to see his ability, creativity and bravery. He was a great player despite winning little.
Until he joined Manchester United, I had never really appreciated Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He is 35 years old, a veteran of the sport, and rich beyond belief. He decided to go to United when club fortunes and reputations were down.
Yes, he is an old mate of manager Jose Mourhino’s and many felt he was simply adding to his wealth with a pension update. How wrong they were. For a target striker, his work rate is extraordinary.
Not since Denis Law have we seen a predatory goal scorer who drops back so deep into midfield to get the ball. He also runs his socks off to pressurise defenders when he doesn’t have the ball.
His control is uncanny for such a big man and his dribbling is also excellent, as, still, amazingly, is his pace. He is two footed as well. He scores over a goal every two games, but it is his unselfishness and creativity in making chances that has been the biggest surprise. His headed layoff to Anthony Martial against Middlesbrough was sublime.
We haven’t yet seen real evidence of his legendary arrogance or sometimes violent dissatisfaction with teammates who don’t try or meet his standards.
Maybe that is still to come. He can be nasty, can Zlatan. He was born into a poor immigrant family in Sweden and grew up tough. If not a footballer, he once said he would have made a great criminal. That probably meant as a Mafia don.
He is a true great of football. What made him so? Where are our future Zlatans who will make it on the world stage in the greatest leagues and with the greatest clubs in the world? We do see talented players coming to the fore in South Africa and doing well on the big stage. Steven Pienaar was the last, but who is next?
Our top players seem happy these days to stay in local football. That is good and well and their right, but soccer fans and future players here need the inspiration of a South African in the big league.
We desperately need a great soccer player at the moment. Who and where is he and who is advising him? Or her!
John Robbie is a former British Lions, Ireland and Transvaal rugby scrumhalf