George Best verstorben

[themanwho]

Football legend George Best dies

Football legend George Best has died in hospital at the age of 59. Best died in intensive care on Friday afternoon following "a long and very valiant fight", said a statement from west London's Cromwell Hospital. The ex-Manchester United and Northern Ireland star had multiple organ failure after developing a lung infection last week that led to internal bleeding.

He had been in hospital since entering with flu-like symptoms on 1 October, later suffering a kidney infection. The statement continued: "The thoughts of all staff at Cromwell Hospital are with Mr Best's family at this time."

Best, a recovering alcoholic, needed drugs after a 2002 liver transplant that made him susceptible to infection. The Belfast-born former footballer and television pundit had been prescribed medication to suppress the immune system and prevent his body rejecting the new liver.

At the time of his hospital admission in October, Best's agent Phil Hughes said his client had been "off the drink" before being admitted to the hospital. Best is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to have graced the British and world game. His heyday occurred during the 1960s, and he brought a pop star image to the game for the first time. But the accompanying champagne and playboy lifestyle degenerated into alcoholism, bankruptcy, a prison sentence for drink-driving and, eventually, his controversial liver transplant.

He helped Manchester United win the First Division title in 1965 and 1967 and the European Cup in 1968. His role in the team's success was recognised by his becoming the European Footballer of the Year in 1968. Best made 466 appearances for the Old Trafford club, scoring a total of 178 goals. He also won 37 caps - scoring nine goals - for Northern Ireland.

BBC News

Eine Legende weniger...

[themanwho]

Football mourns George Best death

The football world is in mourning after the death of ex-Manchester United and Northern Ireland star George Best. Best, 59, died in a west London hospital eight weeks after being admitted with flu-like symptoms. Drugs needed after his liver transplant in 2002 had made the former alcoholic more susceptible to infection.

"He was a fantastic player. Everybody at United regarded George as being one of the greatest of all time," said Old Trafford boss Sir Alex Ferguson. The Manchester United manager added: "It's very sad because he was a wonderful person, who was very likeable."

Sir Bobby Charlton, who played alongside Best at his peak but was never close as a friend, said: "He was on a par, at least, with anyone you can name. We at Manchester United have learned from our experience with Eric Cantona, we had to treat him differently, make allowances. If, instead of being hostile to George, which I was, we had leaned a bit his way and tried to help him, who knows?"

Denis Law, who spent Thursday evening at Best's bedside. said: "From 1964 to 1969 he was the best player in Great Britain. It's sad as hell but I don't think we saw the best of him. He went on the blink at a time when he could have got even better."

Former Northern Ireland team and room-mate Pat Jennings, who made his international debut in 1964 alongside Best, said: "He was not only a fantastic player, to me he was also a fantastic bloke. The George Best I met then is the same George Best I knew later."

Republic of Ireland and Leeds midfielder Johnny Giles described Best as "the most naturally gifted player I have ever seen. He had the lot: balance, pace, two good feet, he was brave, strong and a good header of the ball. Pele wasn't as gifted as George Best and I would definitely put George above Johan Cruyff because he had more heart," said Giles.

GEORGE BEST CAREER DETAILS

Man Utd 1963-73: 466 games 178 goals

Stockport County 1975: 3 games 2 goals

Cork Celtic 1975-76: 3 games 0 goals

LA Aztecs 1976: 24 games 15 goals

Fulham 1976-77: 37 games 8 goals

LA Aztecs 1977: 25 games 13 goals

Fulham 1977: 10 games 2 goals

LA Aztecs 1978: 12 games 1 goal

Fort Lauderdale 1979: 14 games 5 goals

Hibernian 1979-80: 16 games 3 goals

Fort Lauderdale 1980: 19 games 2 goals

Hibernian 1980: 6 games 0 goals

San Jose 1981-82: 56 games 21 goals

AFC Bournemouth: 5 games 0 goals

Brisbane Lions: 4 games 0 goals

BBC News

siehe auch hier: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4470166.stm

bearbeitet 25. November 2005 von themanwho

[SOCCERFANAT]

jop, stimmt, wieder eine legende weniger!

ruhe in frieden george

[cmburns]

Einfach kultig! Rest in Peace oder in Pieces, wie auf orf.at zu lesen ist, werden einige seiner Organe transplantiert...

He cannot kick with his left foot, he cannot head a ball, he cannot tackle and he doesn't score many goals. Apart from that he's all right.

George Best

Assessment of Manchester United's David Beckham

I was in for 10 hours and had 40 pints - beating my previous record by 20 minutes.

George Best

About his liver transplant

I'd have to be superman to do some of the things I'm supposed to have done, I've been at six different places at six different times.

George Best

In 1969 I gave up women and alcohol and it was the worst 20 minutes of my life.

George Best

I blew hundreds of thousands of pounds on women and drinking - the rest I just squandered.

George Best

Pele called me the greatest footballer in the world. That is the ultimate salute to my life.

George Best

The Good, The Bad and the Bubbly- George Best's autobiography

bearbeitet 25. November 2005 von cmburns

[american]

schade um ihn!

[themanwho]

schade um ihn!

892594[/snapback]

Kannst du dir deine beschissenen Kommentare nicht einfach ersparen? Ich verwette zehn Flaschen Whiskey darauf, dass du noch NIE zuvor auch nur einmal etwas über ihn gehört hast.

Weitere kultige Zitate:

He's been very, very lucky, an average player who came into the game when it was short of personalities.

Best on Kevin Keegan.

I've stopped drinking, but only while I'm asleep.

George Best provides some dark humour about his addiction.

I'd give all the Champagne I've ever drunk to be playing alongside him in a big European match at Old Trafford.

Eric Cantona impressed Best.

I once said Gazza's IQ was less than his shirt number and he asked me: "What's an IQ?"

Best on Paul Gascoigne. 

bearbeitet 25. November 2005 von themanwho

[Bretwalda]

Schwer zu sagen ob er in einer nichtenglischen Zeitung einen Artikel bekommt, doch in England ein epochales Medienecho.

The Sun: Best: The End (Headliner)

Außerdem ein Guardianwürdiger Bericht in der Online-Sun

Daily Mail: 'We have all lost a wonderful man' (Headliner)

The Independent: George Best the legend dies aged 59 (Headliner)

etc.

Auszug aus einem Internetforum

"It's a very, very sad day, not just for Man United fans, but for football fans worldwide. A true footballing genius." - says Graham Wolstenholme, Manchester, United Kingdom

"I remember seeing George play at Old Trafford on several occasions, and he never failed to enthrall the crowd. He was one of life's true footballing geniuses, and I shall never forget him. RIP George." - says Dave Lenton, Bracknell, Berks, UK

1968 - Europas Fußballer des Jahres

RIP "7" (einige kennen sich sicher aus)

Tipp: BBC 5

bearbeitet 25. November 2005 von auslöschung

[Rui Costa]

hier kann man eine ausgezeichnete compilation laden. jeder der nicht das vergnügen hatte ihn live zu sehen kann sich hier ein bild von seinen überragenden fähigkeiten machen.

rip

bearbeitet 25. November 2005 von acdc81

[themanwho]

hier kann man eine ausgezeichnete compilation laden. jeder der nicht das vergnügen hatte ihn live zu sehen kann sich hier ein bild von seinen überragenden fähigkeiten machen.

892653[/snapback]

Danke vielmals für das Video, hatte zwar einige kurze Vids auf meiner HD, aber niemals Tore in dieser Fülle. Sensationelle Technik und Ballbehandlung für damalige Zeiten, wenn man bedenkt dass er schon mit 27 zum Kicken aufgehört hat, dann kann man wohl nur erahnen, was er ohne Alkoholexzesse in seinem "besten Fussballeralter" zwischen 28 und 32 noch alles erreicht hätte.

[Rui Costa]

kein problem.

hier ist noch eine slideshow

[themanwho]

kein problem.

hier ist noch eine slideshow

892668[/snapback]

Eigentlich befasst sich heute die gesamte BBC-Sportseite ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/default.stm ) mit Best. Wer sich informieren will, oder auch andere Bilder sehen will, der wird dort sicher fündig. Hier ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/p...ies/4305648.stm ) eine andere Slideshow mit Kommentaren dazu.

[OoK_PS]

Auf Sky News laufen auch schon seit stunden sondersendungen.

[Bretwalda]

Dieses Wochende gibt es bei allen Ligaspielen eine Trauerminute. Ehre, dem Ehre gebührt.

[teampilot]

alter schwede!

ich habe noch immer eine gänsehaut.

unfassbar was der mit den verteidigern und mit dem ball angestellt hat!

seine gegenspieler in diesem zusammenschnitt sahen ja größtenteils wie schulbuben aus.

ich habe bis jetzt nur von meinem vater mitbekommen, was dieser mann an talent mitbekomme hat. nun konnte ich, dank des videos, auszüge seines könnens bewundern.

wie gesagt, unglaublich!!

leider zeigt aber auch seine lebensgeschichte wie sehr man sein talent vergeuden kann.

was soll man sagen; er hat viel zu jung mit dem fussballspielen aufgehört und ist zu jung gestorben.

klingt nun geschwollen, aber seine legende wird, vor allem wohl in england, ewig weiterleben.

und das zu recht!

hier noch ein paar kommentare von und über george best:

The best player in the world'

Pelé

'Unquestionably the greatest'

Sir Alex Ferguson

'Don't coach him. He's a genius'

Sir Matt Busby

'The one tragedy George Best has to contront is that he will never know how good he could have been'

Michael Parkinson

'He dribbled like Garrincha, pulled birds like Jagger and drank like a fish'

Daily Telegraph

'It all went wrong with football, the thing I loved most of all and from there my life slowly fell apart'

George Best

* "Alle sagen, ich hätte mit sieben Miss Worlds geschlafen. Dabei waren es nur drei."

* "Ich habe viel von meinem Geld für Alkohol, Frauen und schnelle Autos ausgegeben. Den Rest habe ich einfach verprasst."

* (Original engl.: "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.")

* "Ich könnte den anonymen Alkoholikern beitreten. Das Problem dabei ist nur, ich kann nicht anonym bleiben."

bearbeitet 25. November 2005 von teampilot

[multispeed]

Hat sich zu Tode gesoffen, eigentlich ziemlich erbärmlich.

R.I.P.