I think a great player with no ego is a unicorn.
I think the majority of the best players have an ego and while they supply great talent and skill they will also cause tension with everyone around them because they have to feed their ego.
I think what happens is when the love of the game leaves them, they rely on ego, grit, and edge to supply the necessary drive.
It’s part and parcel of why they are so good.
The player with the ego trains triply hard after an embarrassing performance.
To ask them to put their ego aside, lower their standards, or just enjoy themselves would be like asking them to remove their arms.
Thomas Duggan 