I agree he was. Nowhere near as prolific a goalscorer as Shearer though. But then he wasn't a striker, so **** knows why you mentioned him in this context. All Sterling has is speed. Owen had speed, balance, a strikers instinct for being in the right place, and a clinical finish.
In that case you could argue that no striker can be a world class player, because they are all a bit one dimensional, occupy one area of the pitch, and don’t really need any great IQ or understanding of the game (Ronaldo is not an out and out striker btw. Like Matt Letissier, he started out as a winger) Strikers are all a bit one dimensional, but scoring goals is just about the most difficult thing you can do on a football pitch. I can’t imagine many sides anywhere in the world in the 90’s who wouldn’t have been improved by either Shearer, or Owen at his best. Either would have got in the French WC winning side of 98. That makes them both world class imo. If Owen doesn’t make the cut, that’s because injury plagued his career.
Well then so was Alan Shearer, without a ****ing doubt. Holds the PL record, probably always will do. Having played for Southampton, Blackburn and Newcastle. And 30 Internstional goals ffs.That's more than Marco Van Basten Larsonn, on the other hand, scored loads in the SPL playing for...oh, forget it.
I was making a sexual innuendo mixed in with my judgement that Larsonn's performances in the Champion's League and for Sweden could justify that he was very close to 'World Class'. I have little doubt in agreeing that Alan Shearer should be considered at least the equal of Henrik Larsonn. My hand grenade in this conversation is, and will always be, Gerd Muller: Internationals - 68 goals in 62 games. FC Bayern - Bundesliga - 365 goals in 427 games. FC Bayern - Europe - 66 goals 74 games. Clearly 'Der Bomber' was no Alfredo di Stefano, Diego Maradona or Lionel Messi however the above records must place Gerd Muller as 'World Class'. Incidentally, Beckenbauer, Rummenigge and Hoeness always ascribe FC Bayern's dominance in Europe in the early 1970's to Muller.
You'll get no argument from me about Gerd Muller; up there with Jurgen Klinsmann and that bloke from "Enemy at the Gates" as one of the all time great Kraut marksmen.
My Mum adored Jurgen Klinsmann (along with Bruce Springsteen, Robert de Niro and Richard Gere) however my judgement on the qualities of this obviously 'nice' fellow is diminished by his periods as a player and coach with FC Bayern. Good actor, especially in 'A History Of Violence', however he got 'pumped' in the end by some f****n' commie peasant!
I’ve seen Lampard playing in a midfield with Andrea Pirlo. David Villa up top. In truth they were all dialling it in a bit. Lampard’s class stood out a mile though.
