World Class?
- Thread starter Spurlock
- Start date
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Parking the bus would be super-easy
"I'd like to think that a world class player is one who can shine in a game no matter who or what level the opponents are" sums up my opinion as well, and lenny said something similar, I thought. So let's say you're playing Barca or Spain. Who from Spurs would be reasonably likely to have a good game? Or, to put it another way, who definitely wouldn't look like Gareth Barry against Germany, i.e. hopelessly out of his depth.
I'd say Modric, Bale, VDV and King, maybe, though I'd admit this is on the generous side. Reasons: VDV is the most-capped player on the world cup runners up. Surely that's world class. Bale doesn't have much on his resume, but lit up the right back some consider the world's best in the champion's league. Modric seems to be one of the three most wanted playmakers in the world. And King, in the rare moments when he's healthy, looks like the best central defender in Britain, who over the last couple of decades may be second only to Italy in producing good central defenders.
Incidentally, I was just thinking Schweinsteiger would make my world eleven... I watched him recently in the Germany-Brazil game close down a defender, hustle him off the ball and set up an easy goal.
I'd say Modric, Bale, VDV and King, maybe, though I'd admit this is on the generous side. Reasons: VDV is the most-capped player on the world cup runners up. Surely that's world class. Bale doesn't have much on his resume, but lit up the right back some consider the world's best in the champion's league. Modric seems to be one of the three most wanted playmakers in the world. And King, in the rare moments when he's healthy, looks like the best central defender in Britain, who over the last couple of decades may be second only to Italy in producing good central defenders.
Incidentally, I was just thinking Schweinsteiger would make my world eleven... I watched him recently in the Germany-Brazil game close down a defender, hustle him off the ball and set up an easy goal.
If Schweinsteiger played for a team like Barcelona or Man United - a team with that enjoys a lot of media attention outside of it's own country - then everyone would rave about him. People dismiss certain players (Lahm being another example) because they don't play for "big" european teams that are currently successful in Europe (although Bayern are a big name in Germany obviously and have a great European history) and then act all surprised when Bayern beat City and United and Germany play England off the park. Schweinsteiger is very much a 'one-club man' as well it seems. Just makes me respect him more tbh.
That's the other advantage that Ronaldo has: he's capable of playing in lots of different attacking roles effectively.
You forgot to mention Kaka's goals against Iceland, Hungary, Venezuela and New Zealand.
You're proving my point, though.
Most players score the majority of their international goals against poorer teams.
Choosing to single out Ronaldo for that is wrong.
My point is that there seems to be an article in the British media pretty much every day about one of Messi, Ronaldo, Xavi, Sneijder etc and if Schweinsteiger played for one of the same clubs as those other players then he would be getting the same amount of media attention. I'm sure most well informed football fans rate him and players like him, but they're not really household names when perhaps they should be.
That's probably because they play in the Bundesliga, though.
It's a good league, but not quite as good as either the Premier League or La Liga and certainly not as well promoted.
It's a shame that the fans aren't treated as well over here as they are in Germany.
Much cheaper tickets, with perks thrown in.
That logic would also dictate Somon Tchoyi is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, rather than somebody that was a waste of a spot in my fantasy team who sounded like a good idea because he can play all over midfield or up front. Or, on the other side of the same coin, Mark Hughes' ability to play in midfield make him a better striker than any number of strikers who can only play as a striker. Or I could just point out playing anyone out of position is a waste of their talents.
On the subject of Schweinsteiger, part of the problem is that there is a habit of always underestimating the Germans from various pundits, as has happened for the last three World Cups (the most ludicrous of all was when we'd been told Germany were terrible in the build-up to the 2002 game with Saudi Arabia, which they promptly won 8-0)
On the other hand, though, several German players are far more effective for their country than they are for their clubs, which makes considering their quality a more difficult proposition than somebody who is consistent for club and country.
As I alluded to earlier, there's also the habit of only considering attacking players as World Class, even though there's numerous goalkeepers or defenders who qualify for a similar accolade. And, no, John Terry isn't one of them.