flair doesn’t pay the bills

what it means to have substance

[This isn’t a football post. I promise]

Dimitri Payet. Yannick Bolasie. Adel Taarabt. Robinho.

When we talk about flair players that used to be in the Premier League and you don’t mention these guys, just stop talking.

The level of skill on display by these masterminds was honestly unfair.

Some of you have never seen a Bolasie flick so you probably don’t get the hype but just stay with me.

Apart from the King of Flair (Ronaldinho), many “tekky” stars have yet to see mainstream fame and prominence outside of Twitter compilation videos captioned “the streets will never forget”. No, the streets did forget, that’s why you spent your Thursday evening editing and uploading a 4-minute video to remind us.

Many of these flair players end up in lower leagues of English football or gracing the fields of lesser-known continental European teams. And that’s what confuses me. Where is the disconnect? How did modern-day magicians who were once revered for their creativity and mastery of the sport never seem to make it to the heights of where people expected them to.

I took this line from a TikTok video from comedian Andrew Mensah. He was referring to players who have finessed the game and in particular Robinho. Guys saw him doing step over and flicks and thought he would come and kill it for Manchester City. Spoiler Alert: He didn’t.

Everyone wants flair. Everyone loves flair. Everyone gets distracted by flair. Teachers love the overtly intelligent students in class (the ones that try and touch heaven when a question is asked) but are shocked by little Timmy. Quiet and virtually invisible in lessons but ends up getting the highest marks in his mocks. Timmy had work ethic.

Or those TikTok restaurants that look like the Botanical Gardens or Chelsea Flower Show. All they know is expensive bills, service charge and décor. God forbid you actually take a bite out of their food.

And that’s why it is crucial to have the fundamentals. Have some substance to you.

The embarrassment of being discovered as a fraud for not acquiring the basics defeats any claims of “mediocracy” for lacking flair.

Flair with no foundation is an architect that designs a building without consulting with the builders. No structural integrity, just windows and vibes.

We’ve all heard the phrase “not all that glitters is gold”. You can scam your way to the top, but you can’t stay there for long.

I plan to do a blog very soon about this (watch this space) with a very special guest, but let’s look at leaders and influential people. My dad always used to say that you should sort out your character flaws before you reach the top because, from the top, everyone has a clear view of them.

So many people have risen to positions of power and fame based off of popularity, charisma, eloquence, and just being likeable. But many have gotten to the point where their gifts can no longer carry them.

The wrapping paper people have used the mask their filthy insides has been torn apart quicker than a kid on Christmas and their true content has been exposed faster than a celebrity’s old tweets from the early 2010s.

When the storm comes no one will care about the architectural brilliance of a structure. People will only commend the ones that are left standing.

If you’re a footballer, have the basics. Pass, kick, run, dribble, shoot, communicate, etc, etc. If it’s the 87th minute of a FA Cup 4th Round game and you’re humiliating Torquay United away… maybe then you can try a rainbow flick over the keeper.

(okay so maybe this article was a bit more of a football post but we’re here now)

All I’m saying is too many people want to have the flair but not the foundations: the discipline, the basics, the hunger. If you’re learning a skill, don’t just look to learn something fancy because you know the admiration you’ll receive when you pull it off.

As I Grow Older, I’ve learnt to keep the main thing the main thing. Focus on being grounded. Once I’ve mastered the fundamentals and sorted out the base ingredients, I can add the whole seasoning cupboard.

I don’t think I need to labour on this point, so I’ll leave it here. Have a great week. Until next time.

Love, Peace & Blessings

Abs.