Going off the death thread & the Cruyff effect, who would you put in a top 10! It's only players you've seen play not legends that are word of mouth! That's why I'm using recent players over the likes of Pele, Cruyff etc! In no order, just 10 I can think of off the top of my head! Messi Maradona Ronaldo Christano Gascoigne Giggs Hagi Stoichkov Zola Gullit Van Basten Not too sure about the last 5, but for me, the first 5 are definitely the best 5 I've seen that I can think of right now!
Probably want to swap some tomorrow, but off my head. Zico Rivellino Ronaldo Okocha Gascoigne Gerrard Robson Shearer Keegan Aguero Something in my head is telling me Bobby Moore playing for Fulham late 70s, but I can't remember properly. I saw Maradona play against England on a school trip, must have been early 80s but I think he's a cheating druggy ****, although he probably wasn't then.
Can we put R.I.P's in this thread - dead stars? Or career-ending injuries? (Most other threads get de-railed...)
I would like to add a goalkeeper to that list.. Just because he was one of my favourite players ever Gordan Banks. I bought a large signed print of that famous save.
Surprised Gordon Banks is not on your list, he is on mine. Saw him and Pele in the USA in the 1980s and of course David Beckham recently. Others that come to mind are Dennis Law, Billy Wright, Nat Lofthouse, and George Best.
I never saw Banks play YT. If I had to select the best goalkeeper I have seen it would be Bert Trautmann. Never saw Pele play but have watched the rest you mention. Billy Wright commented that he was the lucky beneficiary of the decision by Neil Franklin to seek fame and fortune in South America as he accepted that Neil was the better centre half and would have remained as England's first choice if he had remained in English football.
I was wondering this. To the OP, is the criteria that you must have seen them live? (and by that, I mean in the stadium, not AKCJ's idea of 'live')
Is this limited to players we've seen live, any players we've seen live on TV, or extended to those who played outside of our generation but we have seen on tv?1?!?!?!
From growing up, the best players I saw were the likes of John Hendrie, Stuart McCall, Craig Shakespeare, Peter Beagrie - all players playing for teams we played against However, I think from the odd cup games and testimonials seeing the likes of Chris Waddle, Jonny Metgod, Glenn Hoddle, Jan Molby, John Barnes, Peter Beardsley, Alan Hansen etc makes the previous list redundant Easy to pick players from the recent Premier League periods though but prefer to focus on the players from growing up
OK, if we're talking players we've seen live....in no particular order Messi, Fowler, Cantona, Okocha, Geovanni, Scholes, Rooney, Lampard, Modric, Xavi
Best players I've seen live (proper live, not AKCJ live): Zinedine Zidane Thierry Henry Paul Scholes Steven Gerrard Luis Figo Wayne Rooney (the 2004 version) Stuart Elliott Jay Jay Okocha Ryan Giggs Cristiano Ronaldo Most of those I saw (at least the first time) in a 2 week period, back at Euro 2004. Nobody is going to convince me Elliott isn't one of the greatest. Though if I were to swap him out, I'd replace him with Patrick Vieira.
Anyone said Gerry Ingram? Then Gerry. Beardsley. Seen a lot of big name players but saw him at Newcastle the first time, he did that shuffle not see anyone else do it. Superb. Saw Gerry in a vets game in L A. A nutcase was on the oppo team kept kicking one of Gerrys team. He came on and did this turn, which he told me he was going to do. Never turn into your player, is the rule. Gerry did it deliberately. As he spun round he right hooked this bloke and laid him out. excellent I'm at the airport pissed as by the way. I know I know. Flying to Redcar but that's just the sort of international jet setter I am.
Gerrard Figo Lampard Kahn Okocha C. Ronaldo Geovanni (not a world class name, but he'd played for some massive clubs and he was/still is the best player I've ever seen in a City shirt) Not in any order, but the ones I've seen that put in world class performances.
