Gazza i knew somebody who was in the same team as him and he always said that he didn`t even train that hard he just had a talent. Shame it all went to waste in the end.

The peerless Jimmy Johnstone.

Paul Scholes

George Elokobi

e2a : oops, just noticed the british bit

Ryan Giggs has to be worth a mention

It’s got to be Giggs

He’s been fanstastic for 20 years…. 20 years.

When the game of football is at the highest level its ever been, both technically and physically.

There’s no way those old legends would even get in a prem side.

Best et all were beating 14 stone cart horses whos idea of training was “only” 2 pints the night before a game.

If George Best played as long as Ryan Giggs he would have had to play in the 1983 season… what year did he jack it in ?

Mel Sterland

😆

Nice one. That’s right perked me up!

No surprise to see the Man U faithful suggesting Giggs, and it’s a good call, but even his record is eclipsed by The King:

Le Tiss

Well I’m Spurs and I’ve said Giggs… mostly because Justin Edinburgh (as someone else mentioned), Stefan Freud (god bless him) and Jason Dozzell (shivers) dont quite make the cut.

Charles Charley Charles

When he was in full flow it was like the ball was stuck to his foot

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLCZZAheNSU[/video]

Depends how you judge greatness – if it is on longevity at the top then Giggs has very few peers in world football never mind British football, the only recent era outfield player who could compare would probbly be Maldini.

If however it is judged on the peaks that the player hit then Giggs, despite being a great player who has had a great career, didnt quite reach the heights that others managed – IMO at no point in the 1990s or 2000s was he the best player in the world, or even top 3. There are others, who at their peak can justifiably claim to been in that top 3 – Best, Matthews and Charles being the obvious ones.

A young chap called Ryan Wilson used to be an England schoolboy international. What happened to him?

he is now known as ryan giggs.

If this is based in lengevity then surely there must be a goalkeeper in there somewhere.

Plus, goalkeepers are more interesting than Giggsy.

Julio Geordio! 😀

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmX4puDgTlg[/video]

We could do with getting Juio Geordio back… after you purchased our best striker. 😳

Mick Channon if only for his pronunciation of “Gary Lineker” (aka the boy Line-acre!!) 😆

LOL

Kenny Dalglish, fo sho’.

Creative lynchpin of two of the most successful club sides of the last 30 years.

Winners’ medals galore, and sustained brilliance over a period of several years.

Only stain on his record during that time is an inability to lift Scotland to anything approaching respectability in their World Cup showings.

As no keepers have been mentioned, what about Schmeichel?

Giggs was never even the best in his team never mind the country, consistent yes, but never the greatest.

My vote goes to Imre Varadi banana!

who was the greatest british footballer of all time?

As no keepers have been mentioned, what about Schmeichel?

Giggs was never even the best in his team never mind the country, consistent yes, but never the greatest.

I imagine that “greatest” means different things to different people, if you are looking at a one hit wonder, how about Beckham for the goal from the half way line?
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai-qikNqV70[/video]
Or perhaps Rooney?
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T9oHOFbF58[/video]
Or Mark Hughes’ last minute goal?
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQBv-4mSUj4[/video]
One hit wonder or consistency?

If he was the best player in the country for even 1 full season, he might be in with a shout, but he never was.

I always wonder what’s so supposed to be so great about that Beckham goal. It’s all about the keeper being in an unrecoverable position, not a moment of brilliance by anyone. Most players could hit an open goal from that range.

If he was the best player in the country for even 1 full season, he might be in with a shout, but he never was.

You’ve lost me….

Most players could hit an open goal from that range.

Apparently not. 😉

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNMngzt_LRo[/video]

Paul McGrath, incredibly good reader of the game, could pass the ball well and all this while steaming drunk with 2 knees that could politely be described as “shot”.

Banks is about as good as we get in the goalkeep stakes, good though he was he is not a great.

MSP – Member
who was the greatest british footballer of all time?
As no keepers have been mentioned, what about Schmeichel?

D’oh. I started to write Shilton, but then had a little debate in my head and decided Schmeichel was the better keeper. That knocked the nationality criterion out of my head… Well, it is friday.

Sir Stanley Matthews IMO and I’m a Liverpool fan. He played at the very top level until he was 50 and his last competitive game at the age of 70! He did also achieve success as a player and as for longevity Mr Giggs still has some way go to match Sir Stan.

Sir Stanley Matthews IMO and I’m a Liverpool fan. He played at the very top level until he was 50 and his last competitive game at the age of 70! He did also achieve success as a player and as for longevity Mr Giggs still has some way go to match Sir Stan.

Yet on the same Wikipedia page, and not taking anything away from Sir Stanley, it says that Sir Stanley only had 792 top level appearances and 54 international appearances against Ryan Giigs at 863 and counting and 64 international. Having a game with Stan’s Men, while being competitive, is not quite the same as having a Saturday afternoon knock around for Man Utd against Chelsea!! As you said, you’re a Liverpool fan. 😉

But being the 4th or 5th best player in the country is not good enough the be the best ever.

If someone came third, 4th or 5th in the TdF for 10 years in a row, they may get an honourable mention in the history books, but they would never be up for the greatest rider.

I just wish gazza had signed for man u as he was about to before Venables tapped him up, under SAF watchful eye, he might have steered him away from the drink and pies.
Gazza is the most gifted footballer I’ve seen play. That season for spurs before he did his knee was unreal. He did well at Lazio when he was fit (very rare that he was though) and was brilliant in Euro 96, shame Glen Hoddle didn’t take a punt on him for the 98 world cup.
But that’s Gazza in a nutshell, all if only……

LOLcarpetz at people still suggesting Giggs. As someone rightly pointed out, he’s never even been the best player in his team. We’re talking “greatness”, not “consistency” nor “longevity”.

Most players could hit an open goal from that range.

Well technically yes, thye could. But the keeper is in that position quite a lot of the time when the balls in the opponents half. having the vision to see it and act on it in a second is something most players could definitely not do.

double post

Kenny Dalgleish

Nat Lofthouse