This week saw Portsmouth goalkeeper David James sign a contract extension that could see him playing Premier League football at the age of 40.
The England international is about as physically fit as players come, so much so that he once accepted an invitation to train with NFL side the Miami Dolphins, in order for them to assess his physicality.
If you were to bet on someone to surpass the Premiership’s oldest player record, set by Manchester City goalkeeper John Burridge (43 years, 4 months and 26 days), he’d be your man… well, him or Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs who was recently honoured with an OBE for services to football.
Generally these days we expect goalkeepers to have longer careers. Tim Flowers, David Seaman and Nigel Martyn all played for a long time and today the Premiership has no fewer than seven first-choice keepers aged 35 or over. It’s more novel for an outfield player to still be playing at the highest level at such an age.
Last month we saw ex-England, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United striker, Teddy Sheringham announce plans to retire at the ripe old age of 42; he defied the rigours of Premiership football right up until the end of the 2007 season and now plies his trade for Championship side Colchester United.
So what players are there out there of a similar mould to James and Sheringham?
A quick glance down the Premier League roll-call sees the likes of Tugay (37) at Blackburn Rovers, Everton’s Lee Carsley (34), Chelsea’s Claude Makelele (35) and Manchester City’s Dietmar Hamann (34).
Is there some carefully guarded magic formula which allows them to carry on at a time when most other professional players have retired to nurse tired legs? Or is it just hard work, and an unrelenting hunger for the sport?
Who in today’s game could go on play to such ripe ages?
Chelsea’s John Terry perhaps? The blues captain certainly has the hunger. How about Terry’s team mate, Frank Lampard? He holds the Premiership record for most consecutive games played (164) so he looks to have the stamina. Who do you reckon will be playing on to their late thirties or beyond? Give us your picks in the comments…
PHOTO: David James in training with England at Wembley, ahead of the February friendly against Switzerland. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
Trackback
2 comments so far
Its great to see the golden oldies doing so well, in my opinion you can never beat steve ogrizivic, what a legend!
But I guess although they have more experience, when it comes down to the crunch they never seem to overshadow the young guns. Just look at the mess Theo Walcott made of Maldini when he came off the bench last week against Milan.
- Posted by Adam O'NeillIn terms of keepers, you can’t look any further then Steve Harper playing on forever, if only for the fact he only plays a handful of games a season.
As for outfield players, what about Paul Scholes? He retired from international football (far too early in my opinion) partly to concentrate on his club football and so would appear to have the inclination to play on for a long time. He’s also at a club where the manager is prepared to look after his players and find a role for them, look at how Ryan Giggs has been nurtured as his career enters its twilight and the new lease of life it has given him.
Other then that, you have to say with the amount players are making these days things may change. Players may get to 30-33 and wonder whether they still have the desire. The millions in the bank may prove more attractive then slowly becoming a bit part player at a championship club.
- Posted by Chris Snape