George Best's story about Ferenc Puskás in Australia: (Hungarian Treasures facebook)
I was with (Bobby) Charlton, (Denis) Law, and Puskás, we were coaching in a football academy in Australia. The youngsters we were coaching did not respect him including making fun of his weight and age.
We decided to let the guys challenge a coach to hit the crossbar 10 times in a row, obviously, they picked the old fat one.
Law asked the kids how many they thought the old fat coach would get out of ten. Most said less than five. Best said ten.
The old fat coach stepped up and hit nine in a row. For the tenth shot, he scooped the ball in the air, bounced it off both shoulders and his head, then flicked it over with his heel and cannoned the ball off the crossbar on the volley.
They all stood in silence then one kid asked who he was, I replied, "To you, his name is Mr. Puskás".
Our film will be screened, I think it will be a sports history classic, and we have applications for funding in with arts and government bodies as we attempt to cover the $200,000 ‘hole’ in our finances. I watched the completed film two nights ago at midnight on a big TV and it’s the best creative project I’ve ever been a part of. Our film has to be screened.
I’m on Greek and Hungarian facebook pages because of our years making this film, (thanks Val Kopasz!) and saw the above story pop up on' ‘Hungarian Treasures’. I’d heard a version of it before from George Donikian, and there’s part of me that suspects it’s slightly apocryphal, but I love it anyway!
The story we use in the film about Puskás’ exquisite late in life ball control is from Paul Trimboli. Less punchliney. Equally magnfiicent.
We will name a Puskas XI and a Hellas XI at the front of the film to acknowledge our most significant donors. Every donor no matter how small will be acknowledged in the credits. All contributions go to copyright clearances and post production expenses and not to filmmakers wages (there have been none).
I’ve always had some worries about the title ‘Puskas in Australia’. I’d love something a little catchier and evocative. Given Robbie Williams and the Fonz are currently fawning over Ange, we did wonder whether we should call it, ‘When Ange Met Ferenc: Puskás in Australia 1988-92’. The problem with that title is that in promoting Ange, it undersells the rich fabric of Hellas community life that is actually the heart of the movie. But more people will watch it if Ange is in the title.
I can feel a poll coming on:
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