Players today moan about the number of games, but when you're young, you can't play enough.
George BestRead
Even at the height of my fame, 50 per cent of the people who saw me wanted a fight; it’s the downside of being a star player.
Interpretation
Fame attracts both admiration and hostility, highlighting the challenges that come with success.
In this quote, George Best reflects on the dual nature of fame, where success as a star player not only brings adoration but also invites criticism and conflict. It illustrates the idea that achieving greatness can often lead to mixed reactions from the public, with some celebrating the individual while others are envious or hostile.
In practice
During a speech about sportsmanship, one might say, 'Even at the height of my fame, George Best understood the complicated relationship between success and public perception.'
Players today moan about the number of games, but when you're young, you can't play enough.
If I had to choose between dribbling past 5 players and scoring from 40 yards at Anfield or shagging miss world, it'd be a hard choice. Thankfully, i've done both
I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.
If you'd given me the choice of going out and beating four men and smashing a goal in from thirty yards against Liverpool or going to bed with Miss World, it would have been a difficult choice. Luckily, I had both.
I'm OK. Much better than on other occasions. It's true that I've made lots of mistakes but I've never tried to bother anyone. I want to stay alive, preferably in peace, without seeing every one of my mistakes in the papers, and on many occasions, even stories that are lies.
Drink is the only opponent I have been unable to beat.
I never doubted the issue from the beginning. I knew I was too good for Burns. I have forgotten more about fighting than Burns ever knew.
It is on our failures that we base a new and different and better success.
I believe God wants you to have money to pay your bills, send your kids to college and do charity work and build orphanages. There's the teaching that we're supposed to be poor to show that we're humble. I don't buy that. I think we're supposed to be leaders. We're supposed to excel.
The winning of a pawn among good players of even strength often means the winning of the game.
We have done some of these in Bangladesh. Whenever I see a problem, I immediately go and create a company. That's what I did all my life.
I would never allow anyone to give me money, no difference how badly I needed it. I wanted literally to earn my living.
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