THERE'S NO I IN TEAM ...(OR IS THERE?)

One of the most over-used phrases in modern football, yet often the most inaccurate. There have been plenty of cases of players nominated for the accolade (or burden some might say) of a ‘One man team’ - yet none, bar 2/3 players, come close to filling that description.

The title itself is nonsense, even though we know it’s a metaphor, but to become even close to being labelled as the only hope your side has of victory, there are certain criteria this player needs to process.

* You need to score at least once in every game

* If your team are losing you are expected to bail them out with at least a draw.

* You can never be injured (as the team apparently can’t do without you)

* You must never get sent off (as the team apparently can’t do without you)

* The ball must come to you, and only you, when your team is on the attack.

From and English football point of view , fans will name Robin Van Persie as the ‘one man team’ that notched 30+ goals to drag Arsenal into a Champions League spot last season before going to Manchester United , were many say he’s still doing the one man team thing!

Yes some players are only as good as what’s around them – and the Dutchman can wait in the box expecting delivery from players like Scholes, Rooney, Carrick, Nani or Giggs. It’s an embarrassment of riches however it doesn’t disguise the fact that Van Persie’s contribution to United’s cause is every bit as influential at Old Trafford as it was in the Emirates.

In fact it’s more.

From hitting the winner on August 25^th  2013 v Fulham, to his strike against Tottenham a couple of weeks ago, the lanky striker has scored the decisive goal in  no less than 10 United victories – gaining the Red Devils an extra 20 points – that goes to 21 when you consider the goal at White Hart Lane earned Manchester United a point.

As this stage last season with 25 games gone, Van Persie had hit 24 goals for Arsenal, however the myth that he got the winner in every game is quickly dispelled when you look at the stats (soccerbase.com) The 29 year old scored the winning goal in just 8 of 25 games for the Gunners by February. The Dutchman would go on to hit a massive 37 goals and win two more matches with his goals, making it 10 victories won by his boot – the current amount he’s won at Old Trafford.

If Van Persie was a ‘one man team’ at Ashburton Grove – the same can be said for his Old Trafford exploits.

Should the same accusation be levelled at Gareth Bale? The Welshman’s achievements have been impressive, and yes it seems like every appearance in a Spurs jersey results in a now trademark spectacular strike – however Bale’s winners have appeared in just 4 games and a handful of draws to date. Yes it means the White Hart Lane outfit would be 9 points worse off, but that would actually still be enough for 7^th place and the possibility of a Europa League place. Bale also doesn’t have a supporting cast as strong as United’s to help out.

From a League of Ireland perspective many would probably point to Gary Twigg over recent years as the ideal candidate for a ‘one man team’ as his goals were absolutely crucial to the Hoops. End of season tallies of 24 (2009) , 20 (2010) , 15 (2011) & 22 in 2012 gave the Scotsman and astonishing goal per games ratio considering he only spent 4 season in Tallaght, playing around 120 games.

Sometimes however you do a disservice to many teams by saying ten men and its supporters depend on what one man can do.

If Twigg is a ‘one man team’ what does it say for the prolific Glen Crowe – a man who struck almost 140 goals for the Gypsies? Or even Jason Byrne of Shels – 4 time consecutive top goalscorer with only Brendan Bradley above him in the all-time top goalscorers list?

There is never any ‘I’ in ‘team’.

With Crowe, Bohemians won four League of Ireland titles & 2 FAI Cup’s, however the Gypsies could count on Kevin Hunt, Paul Keegan,  Tony O’Connor, Dave Hill & Trevor Molloy (to name but a few) as the supporting cast. When Shelbourne got to within 90 minutes of the group stages of the Champions League, the Tolka Park outfit had Jason Byrne’s goals to propel them to three League titles – but that would never have been possible without players like Dave Rodgers, Alan Moore, Wes Houlihan, Ollie Cahill, Owen Heary & Stephen Geoghegan.

Derry City’s all-conquering treble winning side of 1988/89 had Jonathon Speake, who would go on to put 135 goals to his name, yet the Sion Mills native wasn’t top goalscorer that year. In fact for all the years of the prolific striker – Speake only once finished top goalscorer (1987/88 with 24 goals) in the Premier Division (he would be top goalscorer in 1995/96 in the 1^st Division for Finn Harps) Again with Felix Healy, Paul Carlyle, Kevin Brady, Mick Neville and Paul Doolin, the Candystripes could back up the silk of Speake with the steel of his supporting cast.

Could you really say the great Glenmalure based Shamrock Rovers of the mid-eighties were a one man team?

The need for a ‘one man team’ goalscorer in the ‘graveyard’ of Irish football – the 1^st Division, was absolutely paramount. Players like Conan Byrne (Sporting Fingal – 21 goals in 2009), and Graham Cummins (both with Waterford United- 17 goals in 2009  & Cork City – 24 in 2011) all made their mark. Fingal at this stage had an experienced line up to supply Byrne whilst Cummins goals couldn’t help Waterford United gain promotion but Willie John Kiely’s 11 goals that season sure Cummins wasn’t the sole reason of any success.

Shelbourne fans will point to Philly Hughes as the reason they climbed out of the First Division in 2011 with 20 goals, but team-mate David Cassidy erases the ‘one man team’ stigma by weighing in with 15 goals himself that season.

So is there such a thing as a one man team.

I present you with my nomination – Mr Diego Armando Maradona.

Be it his exploits in his native South America (playing first with Argentina Juniors between 1976-81 scoring 115 goals in 167 appearances then joining Boca Juniors and winning the League Championship) or transferring to Barcelona - winning the Copa Del Rey and scoring 22 goals in 36 appearances and on to success with Napoli – winning the clubs first ever Serie A title. So revered was Maradona in Napoli that the club retired his number 10 shirt.

But the ‘one man team’ title truly kicked in during the 1986 World Cup. Arguably (as I know we all have our favourites) his finest moment.

In the group stages Maradona’s Argentina beat South Korea 3-1 (Maradona assisting Valdano for two of those) whilst the man himself notched to draw with World Champions Italy in a 1-1 draw. A future victory over Bulgaria and then a last 16 defeat of Paraguay set up a mouth-watering clash with England.

I don’t really need to explain what happens next......

Again Diego dragged his team through a semi-final against Belgium (even Jimmy Magee in his commentary lost it ‘Ah listen, listen – this man is unnatural’ – or words to that effect on seeing the master score another beauty). In the final itself the 26 year old had to be content with setting up the winner for Burruchaga in a 3-2 win over Germany.

The beauty however of the term ‘one man team’ is that it provokes debate. Now think....no matter whom you support, at one time or another you’ve had a striker you could possible call that. Well – who is yours?