Whilst out running my mind wandered to greatest players in varying positions and within a few minutes I thought how hard that was to do because in some cases it was as much about the total professionalism as well as ability - but in the spirit of pre-season stuff to ponder see below You are allowed three per position in order of 1 2 3 but they are generic terms - and MDF & FWD are a bit of a grey area. I stuck to players I saw either in live action or on the box. Trust me I struggled and have left out some real "worldies" but mainly a bit of harmless fun. GK Peter Schmeichal Gianluigi Buffon David De Gea DEF Paolo Maldini Philip Lahm Javier Zanetti MDF Andrea Pirlo Ruud Gullit Steve Gerrard FWD Thierry Henry Denis Bergkamp Alan Shearer Will create a bit of heated debate I am sure.
GK: Gianluigi Buffon DEF: Paolo Maldini MDF: Andrea Pirlo FWD: Thierry Henry Three brilliant Italians, and the best Frenchman ever to play in this country!
GK: Gordon Banks (in an era where hitting the keeper was allowed and little protection was evident) Peter Schmeichal, Buffon DEF: Philip Lahm, Jackie Charlton, The Arsenal back 4 of the Adams era. MDF: Gazza (one of the best players I've ever seen live), Eddie Gray, Piro FWD: Messi, Ronaldo, Jimmy Greaves (in any order) Never mind the foreign players we had some great players of our own. Stan Bowles was in the news recently and what a player he was with Rodney Marsh as a side kick. Who wouldn't want them these days. Once you start thinking about it the lists could be endless.
Thanks Woops and Sensible - agree it is tough - depending how many I get in may a look at a popular choice of a World 11. Bowles could play - my Dad saw Banks a few times and said without doubt the best he ever saw - sadly he never saw Schmeichal so hard to compare. Moore in his pomp was majestic and Brooking was class too. Yes it is very tough.
Agree with your choice of Gazza, sensible. I was at Wemberley at the Euro '96 match when Gazza scored that incredible goal against Scotland. Remarkable player.
The first time I saw Gazza was in a pre-season friendly that doubled as a testimonial for one of our's at Home Park. He had a cast on his forearm and I think our players were told not to hit him hard. Don't think they saw him go past most times. One tackle though was a bit naughty on him but he got up, wagged his finger at the player and then just carried on performing. He was a one man entertainment in that game and the crowd gave him dogs abuse but in a "we love you" way if you know what I mean. He responded to the banter and even though he was mucking about some of the time he was still way above in class to the rest on the pitch. He rounded it off with a 40 yard stunner our keeper never got near. The ovation he got at the end of the game was huge. When you look at the fees and wages paid to and for some of the average players of today you have to wonder how much he would be worth. I am of course judging him solely on football and am ignoring his private life which has let him down sadly. Why are so many great players from that era so flawed. They either ended up drinking themselves to death or gambling their life away. So so sad in most cases.
Gazza has lived in Bournemouth for the last few years. With all his 'problems', and with good old Harry Redknapp living nearby in Sandbanks, you would have thought that Harry would try and help him out and mentor him.
I think Harry is too busy looking after Harry and like a lot in football don't care much about anyone once past their useful date.
Shilton Bale Le Tissier Keegan Seriously Shilton, Zoff, Schmeichel Moore, Beckenbaur, Koeman (boo hiss) Maradona, Cruyff, Zidane Messi, Ronaldo, Pele
GK Banks Zoff Buffon DEF Bekenbaur Moore Torres MID Cruyff Zidane Charlton FWD Pele Ronaldo Muller Didn't include Maradonna because he remains a cheating little twat..............
Dino Zoff was a hero of mine as a kid...thought he was a Goalkeeping God. See how tough this is - I am struggling to disagree with anyones suggestions....and Saints Alive Bale was nearly in ahead of Bergkamp for me....he is outstanding - no question.
But he added Shilton............oh dear. Shilton was Argyle manager at one time and played in goal for us as well. McGovern was his second in command and I do believe it was him who took the training most of the time. Shilton is credited as a manager as being the one who almost took us into the top league at that time. He had a few financial problems and I think had asked or more or less demanded of the Argyle owner that he bunged him a few quid to help him out. The owner told him to do one and the "relationship" fell apart. By this time Shilton's goal keeping credentials were lets say deminishing. The team failed that season by a whisker and the very next got relegated. I find it difficult to admire Shilton I'm afraid. You are right though Eastney. This who was the best thing is bleddy hard and even harder because football and players is always viewed differently through different eyes. I could probably list 50 players who people of a certain age would agree with and they would add another 50 who I hadn't thought of.
I saw Shilton at his peak from '82 to '87 (he won more of his England caps with us than any other club), take it from me Greeny, the man was World class. You could ask any other Saints fan that saw him and they will say the same. He wasn't the perfect human being it is true (who is?), his infidelity was splashed all over the tabloids and I once saw him being carried to a taxi by the bouncers at a local nightclub, that doesn't detract from the lengthy and superb career he had and he still holds the record for England caps I believe.
Didn't he live at Bigbury, sensible, having already got a holiday home there when he joined Argyle? We went there in July, and went across to Burgh Island (whilst the tide was out) but they wouldn't let us enter the art deco hotel there - I blame Shilton!
I will conceed perhaps he was a great keeper in his day and accept maybe my judgement is blurred by the human side later. It was so near for us to get into the top flight that for Argyle fans it's hard to love the man. Not sure where he lived Wooperts. Think that's because he spent the majority of his time in pubs and bookies. It would have been hard to track him. Think you have to be an Agatha Crusty groupie to get into that hotel. To be honest I haven't been to Bigbury for a fair few years.
