• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Players whose image change during their career

Uppercut

Uppercut

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Players whose images change during their career

I was reading an article on Football365 a while back about how Gary Neville had become so much more popular in recent times, and there was one phrase that caught my eye:

And formerly hated sportsmen often achieve cuddly status in their dotage - look how the Evil Glenn McGrath was treated in his last playing years, or John McEnroe.
Click to expand...
It made me realise about Glenn McGrath- it happened so subtly and gradually i never even noticed- had gone from the grouchy, unsporting Aussie quick who always destroyed brave England to the loveable oldboy who had mastered his art and well-respected by all. I notice Graeme Smith appears recently to be changing from a mouthy, pain-in-the-arse, bossy young captain to a model professional who sets the perfect example as leader of a team of world-beaters. What other players have had their public image change drastically over the course of their career? Why does this happen? Are the players genuinely changing, or is the media interpretation just different?
 
Last edited:
Manee

Manee

Cricketer Of The Year
Shoaib Akhtar has undergone a subtle change from pin-up bad-boy to plain old ****.
 
fredfertang

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
From Zero to Hero

1.Harold Larwood

Most, well second most, hated man in Australia in 32/33 – emigrated to Aus in 1950 and accepted as an Aussie

Reason – well I suppose the reality must be that the average Aussie is a thoroughly decent human being who doesn’t bear a grudge.

2.Glenn Turner

Bit different – early career a dour opener who made Geoff Boycott look exciting – by the end of his career a real dasher in the Slater/Hayden mode

Reason – I dunno – confidence?

3.David Steele

From “David who?” and “…look at him - he can’t be a professional sportsman!” in the space of less than a year to BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1975

Reason

Look at the scorecards from the 74/75 Ashes and then the 75 ones – and did the selectors thank him? Did they **** - shamefully treated IMO

Hero to Zero

1.Tony Greig

Always a rump who didn’t like him because he was born in SA and kept his accent but for 3-4 years he was, save DS above and good old Knotty, all that stood between England being competitive and being annihilated – very talented, very brave and always highly combative

Reason

Got into bed with Kerry Packer – pariah ever since – bit of a prat at times (but then he always was) who deserves to be “rehabilitated”
 
superkingdave

superkingdave

Hall of Fame Member
woah, Gary Neville is popular now? what on earth has been happening since i've been out of the country? still a **** to me
 
krkode

krkode

State Captain
Laxman is probably one of those players whose popularity and perception has consistently increased over the course of his career. In the beginning, he was kind of just there. Following his 281 against Australia and ever since he's slowly included himself in a group involving Tendulkar and Dravid, probably two of India's best test batsmen and Ganguly, India's most successful captain.
 
Richard

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Dunno, I've always kinda liked his solidity at right-back for 14 years TBH.

Aside from him, Andy Caddick comes to mind - if only in the England dressing-room. Formerly viewed as a difficult better-off-without (and bowled accordingly), once psycho-analyst Nasser Hussain got hold of him (and the dressing-room) he became one of the most popular around.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top