The Premier League 20 Seasons Awards, which mark two decades since the league's launch, are in progress: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17734402 Best manager shortlist: Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho, Harry Redknapp, David Moyes. Best player shortlist: Dennis Bergkamp, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, Thierry Henry, Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Alan Shearer, Patrick Vieira, Gianfranco Zola Can't see anyone but Fergie getting best manager. The Special One may run him close, but for sheer consistency during that period... Fergie is THE ONE. Best player: that's tougher. We have Cantona, Giggs, Keane, Ronaldo and Scholes... 5 out of the 10! What does THAT say about the quality of our team? Cantona is a legend for us but never proved himself at an international level... there is always going to be the suspicion he was lucky to be playing for a great manager at a great club. In addition, the Palace kicking incident will count against him. Giggs is possibly our best shot for this - absolute legend, skill, consistency, would walk into any PL side of the last 20 years. Proven at all levels... just his inability to keep his trousers on counting against him! Keane - grand player, absolute master of the midfield, however the unpleasant incident with Haaland is going to rule him out. God knows I love the man as a player, but deliberately targeting another player is poor, especially when you finish that players career. Ronaldo - all the skill in the world, but the fact his time with us and the PL was so short (2003-09) will count against him, especially when compared against Giggs. Scholes - as per Giggs, but keeps his trousers on. Only the fact he is ginger counting against him I hope its Scholes or Giggs - but I can see it going to Bergkamp or Henry, both fabulous players. Thoughts/comments?
It will go to Henry as pundits and fans always got excited about how fast he could run. At his best he was superb but he was always going to fade dramatically when his pace went. It should be Giggs or Scholes. Giving it to anyone else would mean judging players on different time frames. Henry was great for 5 years. Ronaldo was arguably better for 2 years. No doubt there were lots of players who were exceptional for one season. Did Henry, Ronaldo or any of the one season megastars have as much of an impact on the Premier League as Giggs and Scholes?
I agree entirely. Henry was a fabulous player at his peak - had it all - but once the pace was gone, so was he as a player. I think Bergkampf would be a better choice over Henry, as he was sheer class throughout his career. You're right about the pundits though. For consistency, skill, entertainment value, longevity, adapting his game to go with the way the game changed and adapting his game as he got older... I'd go with Giggs, just edging it over Scholes. The nay-sayers will no doubt bring up the issue of Scholes tackling as well Bet they won't mention Henry's handball though!
The best manager is Fergie, not even in question. For me the best player is Cantona, as this is about the premier league his international record is irrelevant really. Keane is probably THE most influential player the league has seen. Keane or Cantona then.
Neither of them will get it because of their behavior unfortunately The PL will award it to a player with a squeaky clean image.
Yeah, maybe. Wouldn't surprise me at all. It should be on consistent excellence and trophies won though and in that case you can't look beyond a united player. The two i mentioned are the more influential i believe but Giggs and Scholes have the level of consistent brilliance. It should be Giggs really.
Keane was MAGNIFICENT in the 90's... absolute heartbeat of United. If I had one regret it is that Fergie deployed him deep in the midfield for most of it... always thought he was better as an attacking midfielder, which is where Clough played him at Forest, and how he was deployed when we had Ince/Keane in the middle. The fact he could play both roles well (and as a makeshift centre back a couple of times!) shows just how good he was. Just that temper...
They are a rarity. With a 25 year old Roy Keane back in our team we'd win the league for the next ten years!
Think of the players we had over the years. A young Giggs, Keane, Cantona, Stam, young Scholes, Beckham, RVN, Irwin, etc. We'd piss over City and the rest with that lot.
My team of the 20 years only had Shearer and Adams that were not MUFC players.Its hard to argue the case for the others given Uniteds domination over that period.
As a regular inside ground watcher of both i can say confidently Cantona was better than Ronaldo as united players. Ronaldo has moved on and improved but, when they were reds, Eric was better. Keane was better than Ronaldo.
Ronaldo is the best footballer ever to play in the PL bar none. Cantona is the best player. While Ronaldo is without question the superior footballer and even to Henry and anyone else you can name with Cantona he offered so much more that just football ability. There was just 'something' special. Why is there even a debate about managers, shortlist? Pointless... How many Liverpool players/managers made the list hahaha, please dont say Gerrard or Fowloer, they have achieved nothing in the Premier League.
The manager award surely has to go to Fergie. The player award includes some true greats of the premier league in it but I would go for Berkamp or Cantona.
Best Manager over the past 20yrs Fergie Best Player over the last 20yrs Ryan Giggs. And as both have been in the prem since it was formed and are still around at the same club thats won the most silverware during that time its a forgone conclusion.
Fowler was just a more talented but much lazier Andy Cole. I'm a bit surprised Gerrard and Lampard didn't make the list. Not because they deserve to, but cos the media ****ing love them, and the shortlist was drawn up by journos.
Cantona had biggest impact on the Premiership. Henry or Ronaldo maybe best player/ Giggs for longetivity Zola for playing football in the right spirit
