Yes you did TSS......My apologies.....How could I forget the late Bobby Moore...... Fatletiss.........Stan Mathews was a joy to watch Tom Finney was another. It was my pleasure to see both on a couple of occasions although mainly in charity matches at the Dell but also down at Fratton Park in the league. Along with another that could grace any ones list of greats, Gentlemen Jim Dickinson of course.
Ah, Gentleman Jim ... from my home town. I used to walk passed his house on the way to school. He also caused me a few comparisons when my footy career nearly took off.
Barry Venison was an exceptional player.....and yes perhaps should be included......towards the end of his career and certainly while at Saints he was very injury prone......The number of come backs he made because of injury was second to none.......non the less an exceptional player in his day.....
Best: Beckham (2002 pre-metatasal), (BIG FAT) Ronaldo , Zidane, Henry, Cantona Favourite: Edgar Davids, Del Piero, Nedved, Beckham, Lee Sharpe Favourite Saints: Lallana, Prutton, Neimi, Le Tiss, Fonte
Best: Rivaldo, Pele, Cantona, Bobby Moore, Puskas Favourite: Roberto Carlos, Kevin Davies, Eden Hazard, Dwight Yorke, Ali Dia............... Best Currently: Messi, Ronaldo, Xavi, Lucio, Almunia............... Another good discussion is, if you could have one, who would you rather have, Xavi/Iniesta..?
Eta tried blackmailing(Eta called it taxes) all basque players that didn't play for the basque national team, e.g lizararzu france and llorente spain.
Llorente always seems to score for Spain. Definitely a game changer for them. Great player. Considering getting this season's green away kit, it looks sexy...
Read somewhere that Bilbao were 2nd behind Real Madrid in producing players for the Spain national team...
Not surprised really. Of the current lot there's Martinez, Llorente, Orbaiz and Iraola who have already played for Spain, and no doubt Ander and Muniain will soon follow. Markel Susaeta and the keeper Gorka Iraizoz should also be considered.
Don't forget they have Mikel San Jose (formerly of Liverpool), played in the U21s in the summer. And I've always thought that Amorebieta should be considered too. Muniain looks like he's gonna be a world beater. Then there's that kid in the Academy, Jonas Romalho, first black player to play for Bilbao, supposed to be another big prospect, and then Aurtenxte (spelling!?) too
Not a problem, Beddytare. Not taking any issue with you, just using your admission to pursue this, but I am often surprised by how a generation have forgotten about Bobby Moore. I suppose I shouldn't though as he was largely forgotten by the FA, after he retired, apart from a long posthumous statue, erected after a lot of noise was made. In my opinion, he was the finest defender ever. Usually that goes to dominant CBs, and Moore wasn't one of those, being more of an all rounder, a fantastic reader of the game and a creative defender. But when the chips were down, you just didn't get past him. Famously, Jairzinho, the big Brazilian winger who tore into defences during the 1970 World Cup, was completely nullified in the game once Moore put himself onto him. In that game you see Moore make perhaps the finest tackle ever performed. He backed off and backed off, with Jairzinho teasing and teasing him. Just as he got close to the penalty area, he pushed the ball a fraction of an inch further from himself and Moore stuck his foot on the ball and Jairzinho fell over it as if he'd hit concrete. Then Moore calmy moved the ball forward out of defence. It's the second best English moment of that game. The very best being Gordon Banks' save from Pele, of course.
