You have to go for it

Luque made his debut for Newcastle against Man United today. In the middle of the first half, there was a cross from the right which he attempted to score from with a spectacular volley. If he had scored, it would no doubt have been a candidate for the goal of the season. He promptly got some stick from the commentators for not doing something more sensible, something with more percentage in it, like playing the ball back into the six-yard box and hoping for something to happen.

Every top-flight footballer dreams of being world class, of being a Zinedine Zidane. But how does he become one? Unless he tries things like these, and succeeds, he will not be considered world-class. Therefore, he has to go for it, irrespective of any self-doubts or what the pundits may say.

This may not seem like the best deal for the team. As in this case, the team might have benefited from a more conservative approach. But what if Luque had scored? Not only would the team have gained a goal, but it would also have gained a world-class footballer who believes in himself, who will go on to score more such spectacular goals. In itself a big plus, this also has the effect of galvanising the entire team to higher peaks of performance, knowing they have a star in their midst. Thus the missed goal is a risk well worth taking.