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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:
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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
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! 😀
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
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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.
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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?
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. 😉
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
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.
But how many of those where full games? Giggs (and many others more recently) come on for only part of a game but that still counts as an appearance.
It's Kenny Dalglish, simple as that.
But how many of those where full games? Giggs (and many others more recently) come on for only part of a game but that still counts as an appearance.
Doesn't really matter, does it?
Giggs??? Lol!
Good player, and part of a great side that have more or less dominated English football for the past two decades. But the greatest ever British footballer? No. 100's of better players.
People advocating for him remind me of the best 100 songs/album lists that regualrly feature current bands in the top ten....like Snow Patrol, Coldplay.... 🙄 The same people who believe football began with the formation of the Premier League.
Bobby Shinton?
Billy Ashcroft?
Graham Whittle?
Eddie Niedzwiecki?
Gary Bennett?
Dai Davies?
Arfon Griffiths?
Alan Dwyer?
Gareth Davies?
For sheer unfulfilled talent, Brian Clough. His record is almost beyond compare and but for that injury would have been a great of the game. But then if he'd had a full and successful career, would he have had the same ambition and desire that made him the manager he was?
Seeing as someone mentioned goalkeepers, I'm a connoiseur having played in that position for 20-odd years myself. Gordon Banks was undeniably very very good, but I wonder if he's always trotted out as a great because of his WC Winners medal and THAT save in 1970.
Shilton was practically flawless. Not showy (which Banks could be, a bit) he got the job done with ruthless efficiency and was a great talker and organiser which often meant that chances were snuffed out. It's the nature of the job that a good goalkeeper behind a poor defence will make more saves than one behind a good defence. His big error against Poland in 73 was because he was trying to be too good.
But for me it's a toss up between 2 for the greatest British Goalkeepers
The most natural GK I've ever seen; he practically invented using his feet to make saves.
or a binman from Llandudno
I used to go to Plough Lane in the 90's to see the best GK's close up - you could walk in for cash and stand at the front no matter who was there. The Dons were a big physical side and used to batter the keepers with high balls all day. After about 5 mins Everton conceded a free kick on the half way line and they all piled forward - Fashanu, Young, Cork, etc. and the ball was duly lumped in to the box. Big Nev called clearly and came out for it, and a split second later Fashanu piled into him to set a marker for the day. And bounced off about 3 yards. Nev put the ball under one arm, reached out a huge gloved paw and help Fash back to his feet, dusted him down and sent him on his way with a grin. They didn't try it that often that day.
Finally, the best player you never saw....
Robin Friday. Google it.