Question for BBS'ers over 25 (or under if you like)

Kompany is an awesome centre half. But I'm trying to judge them in their time (assuming world class must equate to being one of the best in their position at that time??). Can't think of many better during the period Rio was at his best. Didn't Ferguson rate him as one of his best signings or something?

 

And Lineker

 

Lineker, Gazza and Shearer

 

This is quite interesting. There have been 5 English players in the FIFPro world XI since it started in 2005. Rooney, Ferdinand, and Lampard (once each), Gerrard (three times), and Terry (five times).

In fairness, he's a ****, but it's easy to forget how good Terry was.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFPro

 

terry and Ferdinand media players rather than truly world class. I'd say that knobend Sol Campbell was twice the player of either.

Of their time look at the Italian defenders. Costacurta, Maldini, Cannavaro, Nesta all fetter defenders than Rio and Ferdinand.

Don't get me wrong both good players but there is a world of difference from being a decent international player like Ferdinand and that leap into the next level like like Schweinsteiger or Rodriquez

 

Paul Scholes is the last truly world class English player, in his prime which in my opinion span over a decade, he could have walked into any team in the world and been the first name on the team sheet. He dictated the hole pace of the game with his passing and vision, he saw passes and executed them, in a way other world class players could only dream of, when you're talking about the main man in a midfield that's was made up of Beckham, Keane, Scholes, & Giggs, you know you're talking about a world class player .

 

I'd take all those centre halves as better players, but they were all at their best before Rio and Terry were. I think we were quite blessed at centre half in the mid to late 2000s.

Used to love watching Italian centre halves when it was on channel four. Immense.

To be fair FIFPro isn't a media thing, voted for by players

 

You're right about the strength at centre half even Ledley King was better than anyone we currently have available.


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Gazza was the best player this country has ever had. It's quite upsetting to see what he is now, he's a lost cause.

 

Trevor Brooking....











...his opinion

 

Stuart Pearce, Paul Gascoigne. Gary Lineker, Michael Owen and Alan Shearer. I was tempted by Terry Butcher & Peter Shilton.

 

I've been watching England since around 1976 and I'd pick the following as players who wouldn't have struggled to get a game for any of the top nations at their peak (and I'm basing this on their England performances only, which rules out Barnes and Gerrard):

Kevin Keegan
Gary Lineker
Paul Gascoigne
Ashley Cole

But there are several who don't fall short by much:

Bryan Robson
Peter Beardsley
Des Walker
Stuart Pearce (at the time, cos a defender like that would be too limited these days)
Paul Scholes
Alan Shearer

The English media are very good at building our players up though, so we have had a lot of incredibly overrated players recently who wouldn't have got anywhere near the England team in years gone by. I suppose we had much more to choose from prior to the past 15 years or so though, didn't we. Try thinking of the current striker options and it'll drive you mad that there are no clear candidates to replace the rubbish that keeps getting picked. It won't be long before the Championship are providing 2 or 3 England players on a regular basis, as clubs continue to rely on importing their first team players from overseas.

 

Scholes was world class, just a shame that England misused him to accommodate lesser players in the middle. Shearer was too. Ashley Cole was the best LB in the world for a few years. Then it's back to Gazza, Beardsley and Lineker.

 

David Beckham. Nobody could cross a ball like him at one time. Made the grave error of moving to the States.

You could look at it another way, there isn't a single team in the world which wouldn't have benefitted from a fit David Beckham in his prime.

 

Forgot about Ashley Cole, a couple of years ago I'd have said he was one of the best left backs in the world

 

Paul Scholes

If he was Italian or Spanish or come to think of it any other nationality he would be lauded by the British press and probs playing now

 

That old Italian their all raving about now couldn't lace Scholes boots

 

Based upon performances for England, rather than their clubs, and differentiating between international class & world class:-
Jimmy Greaves
Bobby Charlton
Bobby Moore
Kevin Keegan
Bryan Robson
Gazza
Alan Shearer
Ashley Cole

 

Looks about right to me. Lineker?


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