Wouldn't be dissimilar to my top 5 if I could narrow it down to just five. Van Basten, Di Stefano, Puskhas, Garincha, Pele, Cruyff, Platini (a cock but deserves a mention), Maldini, Ronaldo, to name but a few! The list goes on and on! How about people's opinion of the top 5 players still playing today?
On recent posts: SH - when discussing football a thick skin is needed! I think the reason FC Bayern are successful is the ongoing system of recruiting former players - Beckenbauer, Breitner, Hoeness, Ruminnigge. They even dragged 'der Bomber' out of the Florida gutter and gave him a position. Turning back to UH; he would probably been given a knighthood in the UK! Smoke..... - Paul Breitner was a left wing (political) Bavarian footballer who angered the German media by claiming that he could not be bothered singing or listening to the national hymn as it deflected from his preparation to win over the following 90 minutes. He also posed with a poster of 'Che' in the background which angered the local right wingers. A look at the players that Maradona played with while at Napoli and his compatriots in the 1986 national team do not suggest he 'carried' either team. These falicies do however add to his history and suits the lazy journalism of the British tabloids and commentators on Talksport. If, however, I was asked to name the 'greatest' of all time I would still stick with Maradona (Mano de Dio). To continue on the 'favourites' of Argentinians I think it is: 1. Maradona 2. Teves 3. Juan Romain Riquelme Loving this thread!
When the greatest players of all time debates comes up the poor old defenders never get a look in do they. Therefore just to be different I'll throw Paolo Maldini into the mix, he's one of the best I've seen over the past couple of decades. Complete defender, pace, positioning, could tackle, could read the game
I didn't say he carried Napoli and he did play with some good players but his arrival at Napoli did transform the team from average performers to champions. It's not like he went to one of the European Giants and just improved them. He went to what was seen as a good team but average performers and turned them into a force. Also the 86 World Cup 'they' won wasn't a great Arentinian side. I admit saying he single handedly won a World Cup is obviously an exaggeration, it would literally be impossible to do that but I'd be confident in saying that the Argentinian team would have got no where near without Maradona
I gave him a mention above Beefy. Your right though defenders very rarely get a look. I think it's because people look for excitement, flair, goals etc so defenders kinda slip under the radar. It's also difficult to compare defenders with other positions as your looking at different aspects of their game. For example how could you compare Zidane to Maldini? Both great both outstanding in their positions but impossible to compare their respective ability because they're so different. And because of this I think that's why defenders get overlooked.
Leading up to the last World Cup finals there were discussions with former players and commentators to arrive at the greatest World Cup eleven from all the tournaments. The final choices were: Dino Zoff Kafu (Breitner) Moore (Daniel Passarela) Beckenbauer Maldini Garrincha (Falcao) Zidane Lothar Matthaus Zico Pele (Mario Kempes) Maradona My four disagreements with the 'experts' are given in brackets.
Defenders get overlooked because it requires less talent to play defence than it does attack. There are many world class attacking players, that would also make world class defenders. Where as I can't think of any world class defenders who would have made a world class attacker
I think you are forgetting the awesome Paul Warhurst here shergar! Centre half turned striker what a legend shame on you!
John Charles would have, and did, KS - trust me, he really was that good. And this in an era of concrete-inflexible boots and a leather ball that regularly got so sodden that a lifetime of heading it turned your brain to porridge. Although, clearly, the legendary Paul Warhurst mustn't be overlooked.
John Charles was a rare exception, but wasn't he originally a striker, and then moved to centre half once he lost some pace. As far as Paul Warhurst is concerned, he wasn't even close to being a great in any position
Remember him smashing in a couple in the league cup semi final against Blackburn at Ewood Park - hell of a player. Can't see Pele tying Colin Hendry in knots like that
They might take my pragmatic approach. La Liga is like the Jock Premier League used to be when it was Celtic and Rangers, but at a higher level. Virtually every year the title goes to Real Madrid or Barcelona and most of the teams in La Liga are easily handled by the big two. This allows them to concentrate on the European Cup. Over here, Chelsea have (so far) only lost three games all season but they are out of Europe as they play in a more competitive league and cannot rest their stars for twenty games a season. I have my doubts about the Final being El Clasico. Juventus will play like a typical Italian away team in Madrid, keeping everyone behind the ball and trying to hit them on the break as a bore draw will see them into the Final. Over the two legs, I think that Bayern Munich will prevail against the Catalan giants as they have the better coach and Barcelona have been susceptible at the back this season. I can see Bayern leaving the Nou Camp with a score draw tonight, which would effectively be the lead with the away goals rule.
I accept that the EPL might be more competative than La Liga however this is not and never will be proven. Since 2000-01 there have been four different winners in each league. I think we are currently in a time where we have three teams who will more than likely reach the CL semi finals for about the next three/four years and therefore the EPL qualifiers might be fighting for one place in the last four. It should be noted that EPL teams have provided only three of a possible sixteen quarter finalists in the last four tournaments. As I stated earlier I believe that if both Real Madrid and Barcelona were in the EPL they would each have about the same number of 'big wins' over the teams at the bottom of that league. I also believe that Athletico Madrid, Seville and Valencia are on a par with, say, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool. There is of course the strange situation in Spain where Real Madrid, Barcelona and the two Basque teams receive more TV money than the remainder of the La Liga teams. Anyway, less than four hours to go and I am beginning to feel that stomach churning worry that we could be stuffed tonight!
Shergy you make it sound like any eejit would make a worldclass defender! It's an art, one that requires tactical nous and footballing intelligence. In topical boxing speak I'd liken a top table defender to Floyd Mayweather, a defensive artist, but having seen your views on him in General Chat I think the comparison would be lost on you old boy Apols smokey, so you did mention him! Quick lunchtime scan reading!
Sorry but the statement in bold is utter nonsense. I agree it takes less talent to play defence, in that any physically strong guy who kicks anything that moves could in theory do a job there, but that shouldnt detract from every centre back. You can play any idiot with pace on the wing or as striker but that doesnt make them a good player or detract from the positions of winger and striker. If there is a world class striker who is world class at centre back then he is not striker, he is a freak of nature. To become world class at any position it takes years of experience and to have the right physical attributes for the position in the first place. I like my centre halfs to be the smartest guys on the pitch with the best football brains, to be completely comfortable on the ball, to have physical and mental toughness, timing in the tackle, to have vision and a good range of passing. Positional awareness and decision making only comes with experience and pace is a bonus, its not something I need in a centre back, I prefer them to have brains over speed. I dont believe anyone has it all, there has never been a lightning fast dribbler, who can finish, that would be able to move into centre half and play like Baresi, its an impossibility. There has been plenty of great players who can do a job anywhere on the pitch, doesnt matter if they are naturally an attacker or a defender, but doing a job is one thing, being considered as the best in a certain position is another.
I'm actually not that arsed who wins tonight, but having lived in Germany the last 20 years, and watched the rise,, fall, rise, fall etc of Bayern and the comings and goings over the years, I do think they are vulnerable tonight. Devastating injury list and the last couple of matches they have been bereft of their swagger. If they are to get anywhere tonight it will need monster performances from Lahm and Schweinsteiger, 2 of their stalwarts. If Barca get an early goal it could end very badly for Bayern.
Bayerns first 11 still ain't too shabby despite the injuries. Don't particularly rate the big Pole upfront tonight but apart from him, there midfield and defence equals Barca in my view. However home advantage weighs heavily in the knock out stages and for that reason I'd fancy Barca to take a goal or two lead to Germany, which they'll need.
