Originally Posted by
jackal2
Ability is only one factor in determining how successful a player will be and how high up the league structure they will play. Vinnie Jones for example had limited ability as a footballer, but his competitive spirit and desire was enormous, sometimes to the point of being reckless and dangerous, but it saw him play the vast majority of his career at the top level, and it has similarly seen him build a successful acting career, again with only a moderate level of raw talent.
Contrast him with, say, Darren Caskey, who was by common consensus a gifted footballer, but whose body shape betrayed a poor level of professionalism and a limited desire to make the best of his ability. As a lower league club, Notts County has seen many a player of this type, who either never had the determination or commitment to make the best of their ability, or who have reached an age where they feel their best years are behind them and are just looking to eek out an extra year or two of decent pay before retiring, and don't really care less whether their team is successful. Football fans DO know when a player is giving their all every week, like for example a certain My Ian Richardson did, and when they aren't.