Retiring too early and retiring too late

Other / Alsy / 25 September 2008 / Leave a Comment

Morgan In the Driving Seat - Alsy looks at how the likes of Bjorg, Cantona and Henin called it a day when many thought they still had a lot to give and how Ali, Romario and Boycott probabably kept on going a little longer than they should have.

For professional athletes retirement never comes easily. Having fame and losing it is worse than never finding fame at all. History is littered with athletes that refused to quit against better advice. Ali "fighting" Holmes comes to mind alongside Peter Shilton, Mike Tyson, George Best, Ilie Nastase, Romario and Geoff Boycott. All top-class pros that couldn't resist a few extra curtain calls.

Lennox Lewis memorably coined the phrase "politricks" to describe the shady world of boxing but he also finished his career as undisputed world heavyweight champion with 41 wins (32 KOs), 1 draw and 2 losses (both avenged). He'd beaten every decent heavyweight during his long career and quit at his prime. Despite receiving criticism from some quarters his influence is best illustrated by the current lack of charisma, unification and talent in the heavyweight division. Boxers invariably fight on too long and rarely get the chance to quit at the top, more often they're helped out of the ring with extreme swelling to the face.

Eric Cantona left the odd spectator with facial swelling but he made a more positive impression on English football. Cantona always had interests away from football and, after retiring in 1997, resisted numerous calls to return. Now and actor and head of the France beach football team, he clearly enjoys an enviable work-life balance.

Amassing 11 Grand Slam titles between 1974-1981 Bjorn Borg's retirement (aged 26) shocked the tennis world. He is widely regarded as the best ever player despite his undemonstrative style of play. Few could penetrate Bjorg's ice-man persona and when he retired, at the height of his powers, the Swede gave no public explanation. He was certainly under immense pressure from a highly-critical Swedish media but only Bjorg knows why he quit and why he returned for two years in 1991 with his wooden racket in tow. Nevertheless Bjorg left the world an evergreen memory of a player at the peak of his powers who dominated tennis for almost a decade.

Justin Henin followed Bjorg's lead when she quit the game as World No1 in May 2008 but she was one year younger aged 25. With seven Grand Slam titles and $19m in prize money Henin unsurprisingly stated that she felt no sadness about her decision.

Clearly the pressures of top-level sport (especially for solo performers) cannot be dismissed out of hand especially since team players can retire in degrees. Shaun Pollock and Anil Kumble retired from One Day cricket while extending their Test careers while Jamie Carragher plays for Liverpool every week after retiring from International football.

F1 is a definitely a team sport but obviously has one key player. Michael Schumacher won titles with Benetton (to this day an awesome achievement) and Ferrari. Retiring with seven World Championships, 91 wins, 154 podiums, 68 Poles and 1,369 career points the German is statistically the best ever F1 driver. Ferarri issued a press-release announcing his end-of-season retirement while Schumacher stood on the podium after winning the 2006 Italian Grand Prix. Schumacher eventually lost the Championship to Alonso that season but few could deny his position as the pre-eminent driver of his generation.

Boxer Rocky Marciano stands out in any generation. He retired in 1956 but remains the only heavyweight to win every fight and retire as Champion. With a superb sense of timing Marciano ended his career on 49 wins (43 KOs) and resisted the urge to return. I'd have gone for one more fight but that's the kind of thinking that got legendary Joe Louis knocked out against Marciano in 1951.

Few rate Marciano as the greatest ever heavyweight but his place in boxing history is assured. The legacy of an undefeated heavyweight champion is almost as rare as unicorn sightings and Marciano's name will always be associated with an unblemished record. Perhaps the path to lasting greatness in sport is knowing when to take that final bow?