A sad loss, its weird when someone like Wilkins goes, someone I saw as a young lad and instantly feel gutted about his passing, but then I realise there must be millions round the country under the age of 30 who have no real idea who he was, won't be aware that he played for teams like AC, Man U, Chelsea and Rangers in his pomp as well as playing for England 80 odd times and it feels a bit bizarre
I'd disagree with that. The player I'd liken Wilkins to the most in recent times is Michael Carrick. Maybe Jordan Henderson to an extent. But of his time you didn't get too many like him in English football, at least among those qualified to play for the national side. Robson - for all his brilliance domestically - wouldn't have been able to transfer those skills to Europe in the way Butch did. Robson was a box-to-box midfielder, brave as a lion but lacking in technical prowess for most of his career. You can't do that so much once you leave the English football comfort zone. Wilkins valued possession in a way very few English players have in my time watching football. For me, one of the greatest faults of English football is the manner in which our 'creative' players panic in the final third and look for the final ball too soon, even before it's on. Every now and then it comes off and we laud those players, completely ignoring the dozens of times that possession or a promising position is coughed up unnecessarily. I'm thinking of you there, Steven Gerrard, among others. I wish that Wilkins had been the template for English midfielders to have come from the 1970s and 1980s. Because he could pass a ball with the best of them. He just didn't see the need to prove it every single time he got the ball. You see an element of that - all be it at a much higher standard - in the Barcelona sides of recent years. Iniesta can do anything on the ball. His brilliance stems from him knowing when to do it. Wilkins got that. Most in England don't. More importantly Ray Wilkins seemed like a good man. And 61 is too young an age to go. RIP, Butch.
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Remember going to see Butch playing against City when he was 17 or 18 year old prodigy. Think we beat them but you could see he had class. Always thought he lost his way a bit with the technical stuff in the 80's and became a crab. Still a great footballer and great pundit. Also came across as a really decent bloke. RIP Ray Wilkins.
The goal he scored in the 83 cup final for man United against Brighton was a beauty. Think the story was he put in that hard a sprint for his celebration he knackered him sen out and had to be subbed. RIP Ray.
Totally agree. Silence is a better tribute than clapping. Maybe message the club and get the announcer to stress it is a silence and not applause.
Omit all mention of his name and I would have known who you write about. An excellent choice of words and a reminder that we did have the talent, once. RIP
This is not the thread to discuss the merits of certain players, I have taken on board your comments.
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