The Next Zidane.....

[Uncle_Joe]

A French guy in work was raving about young Yoann Gourcuff as the next Zidane. If you have a look at his goal against PSG its easy to see why.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fF6dbaczPb8

Anyway it got me thinking, who do people think are the next generation of big players headed for the big time. Young guys at little clubs who are destined for greatness (or predictions of greatness before they fall into mediocrity). People like Benzema dont really count because Lyon are a big enough club already and Gourcuff is already signed to AC.

[gaiscíoch]

A French guy in work was raving about young Yoann Gourcuff as the next Zidane. If you have a look at his goal against PSG its easy to see why.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fF6dbaczPb8
Anyway it got me thinking, who do people think are the next generation of big players headed for the big time. Young guys at little clubs who are destined for greatness (or predictions of greatness before they fall into mediocrity). People like Benzema dont really count because Lyon are a big enough club already and Gourcuff is already signed to AC.

By any chance was he in a straight jacket and bouncing off walls in the process of this uthering these "out of this world" remarks???:D:D

[old git]

A French guy in work was raving about young Yoann Gourcuff as the next Zidane. If you have a look at his goal against PSG its easy to see why.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fF6dbaczPb8

Anyway it got me thinking, who do people think are the next generation of big players headed for the big time. Young guys at little clubs who are destined for greatness (or predictions of greatness before they fall into mediocrity). People like Benzema dont really count because Lyon are a big enough club already and Gourcuff is already signed to AC.

1 great goal does not even get you close to zidane :ball:
still has a long way to go to be mentioned in same class as zidane

[Mr Maroon]

Gourcuff? He's been around for a few years now. He's never really done anything to impress until this year. New Zidane? Absolutely no way!

[jebus]

Kaka is about as close as we'll get to Zidane, and he's still a couple of miles away

[Closed Account 2]

Alan Dzagoev

[stojkovic]

Gourcuff? He's been around for a few years now. He's never really done anything to impress until this year. New Zidane? Absolutely no way!

Agreed.

He's not even the new Djorkaeff.

[Razors left peg]

some goal though to be fair

[TheBoss]

I think the media made Zidane look better than he was, I thought he was average player with great skill.

[jebus]

I think the media made Zidane look better than he was, I thought he was average player with great skill.

That's probably the most ridiculous comment I've seen on here in the past 5 minutes (this place is full of them to be fair).

That a large section of British and Irish football fans regard him as the greatest footballer of our generation, despite the almost Stalinist blackout of continential football coverage in our newspapers and on our TVs is a testament to the man's ability.

Also how can you be an average player with great skill? He had one of the best footballing minds I've ever seen on the pitch, as was evident in the amount of defenders he used to leave looking foolish despite not being blessed with great pace, his first touch and general control of the ball was out of this world, he was a good finisher, great passer and generally his only two negatives were his pace and temper.

[Mr Maroon]

Anyway it got me thinking, who do people think are the next generation of big players headed for the big time. Young guys at little clubs who are destined for greatness (or predictions of greatness before they fall into mediocrity). People like Benzema dont really count because Lyon are a big enough club already and Gourcuff is already signed to AC.

No one has actually responded to this part yet.

The players of the next generation that I've seen most and know most about are the likes of Lorenzo Ariaudo, Fausto Rossi, Iago Falque, Luca Castiglia and Simone Esposito who are in Juve's Primavera (under 20) team.

Ariaudo is a centre back who is likely to make his competitive first team debut tomorrow night vs Lazio. He's composed on the ball and has a mature head on his young shoulders.

Rossi is a quick litte winger. He impressed in the Emirates Cup at the start of this season.

Iago is a winger/attacking mid that came from Barca's youth system. Has been compared to both Xavi and Messi. If he turn out to be half as good as one of those he'll a good player.

Castiglia is a centre mid. Very good passer. He has appeared for the senior team already. He's been compared to Andrea Pirlo.


There's also Sebatian Giovinco, Claudio Marchisio and Paolo De Ceglie but they've all played in Serie A and the Champions League a fair bit already so I supposed they don't count.

Elsewhere in Italy there is: (some of these these might be too well known) Lorenzo Di Silvestre (Lazio), Pato (AC Milan), Stevan Jovetic (Fiorentia), Jeremy Menez (Roma), Luca Cigarini (Atalanta), Alexis Sanchez (Udinese), Zdravko Kuzmanovic (Fiorentina), Robert Acquafresca (Inter), Marek Hamsík, Fabiano Santacroce, Ezequiel Lavezzi (all Napoli),Vincenzo Fiorillo, Bruno Fornaroli (both Sampdoria), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Alberto Paloschi (Parma).

[TheBoss]

That's probably the most ridiculous comment I've seen on here in the past 5 minutes (this place is full of them to be fair).

That a large section of British and Irish football fans regard him as the greatest footballer of our generation, despite the almost Stalinist blackout of continential football coverage in our newspapers and on our TVs is a testament to the man's ability.

Also how can you be an average player with great skill? He had one of the best footballing minds I've ever seen on the pitch, as was evident in the amount of defenders he used to leave looking foolish despite not being blessed with great pace, his first touch and general control of the ball was out of this world, he was a good finisher, great passer and generally his only two negatives were his pace and temper.

I completely disagree that he was a good finisher, he only averaged 8-9 goals a season from about 40-45 games a season. His passing was not that great he never troubled defenders/midfielders from it and also I do not remember him setting up players regularly, it seems one great through ball from him is remembered rather than all of the failed ones and majority of players would be the same.

He only ever did his skill away from the defender rather than straight in front them, which is why he had successful rate. I have seen more from Messi than I have in the whole of Zidane's career. There is no point trying to convince me, I believe it is shame that a player like him is compared to Pele, Maradona, Cryuff etc.

[rambler14]

Unbelievable goal.
Was watching the game on Setanta last week when it happened and was in awe of the boy but it wasn't till I looked it up on youtube later in the week and heard the reaction of the French commentators that I realised exactly how good a goal it was.
To appreciate it you need the French commentary just so you can hear the reactions.

[Mr Maroon]

I completely disagree that he was a good finisher, he only averaged 8-9 goals a season from about 40-45 games a season.

He averaged a goal every 3 games for France.

"Why do you want to sign Zidane when we have Tim Sherwood?"

[TheBoss]

I do not take international goals seriously, look at David Healy and even Robbie Keane records, does not sense most of the time.

[Pike B]

There will never be another like Zizou. Especially not this guy..


And for you TheBoss, your comments are a laughing stock. Get a grip.

[Pike B]

That's probably the most ridiculous comment I've seen on here in the past 5 minutes (this place is full of them to be fair).

That a large section of British and Irish football fans regard him as the greatest footballer of our generation, despite the almost Stalinist blackout of continential football coverage in our newspapers and on our TVs is a testament to the man's ability.

Also how can you be an average player with great skill? He had one of the best footballing minds I've ever seen on the pitch, as was evident in the amount of defenders he used to leave looking foolish despite not being blessed with great pace, his first touch and general control of the ball was out of this world, he was a good finisher, great passer and generally his only two negatives were his pace and temper.
Here here..

[TheBoss]

Personally, after watching the Real v Deportivo at the weekend, Valeron got his first start for 3 years, and I saw a player no different to Zidane, what Zidane did, Valeron matches it, can someone actually give me a valid point in this case, what differences are there between these players.

[Pike B]

Personally, after watching the Real v Deportivo at the weekend, Valeron got his first start for 3 years, and I saw a player no different to Zidane, what Zidane did, Valeron matches it, can someone actually give me a valid point in this case, what differences are there between these players.
Do you know what, your obviously looking for a rise. Because nobody is that clueless.
Get a life man.

[TheBoss]

A sign of giving in, is a sign of defeat.

[gaiscíoch]

Personally, after watching the Real v Deportivo at the weekend, Valeron got his first start for 3 years, and I saw a player no different to Zidane, what Zidane did, Valeron matches it, can someone actually give me a valid point in this case, what differences are there between these players.






Zidane

UEFA Intertoto Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Intertoto_Cup): 1995
UEFA Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Cup): Runner-up 1996
Juventus


European Super Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Super_Cup): 1996
Intercontinental Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercontinental_Cup_(football)): 1996
Italian Super Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Super_Cup): 1997
Serie A (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serie_A): 1996-97, 1997-98
UEFA Champions League (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Champions_League): Runner-up 1996-97, 1997-98
UEFA Intertoto Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Intertoto_Cup): 1999
Real Madrid


UEFA Champions League (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Champions_League): 2001-02
European Super Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Super_Cup): 2002
Intercontinental Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercontinental_Cup_(football)): 2002
La Liga (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Liga): 2002-03
Spanish Super Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Super_Cup): 2001, 2003
International


FIFA World Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Cup): 1998 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_FIFA_World_Cup)
UEFA European Championship (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_European_Championship): 2000 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2000)
Individual

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Ballond%27or1998zidane.jpg/160px-Ballond%27or1998zidane.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ballond%27or1998zidane.jpg) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ballond%27or1998zidane.jpg)
Ballon d'Or awarded to Zidane in 1998.



Ligue 1 Best Young Player (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligue_1) - 1994
Ligue 1 Best Player (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligue_1) - 1996
UEFA Champions League Best Midfielder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Club_Football_Awards) - 1998
Ballon D'or (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballon_D%27or) - 1998
UEFA Euro Player of the Tournament (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2000) - 2000
Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serie_A_Foreign_Footballer_of_the_Year) - 1997, 2001
Serie A Footballer of the Year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_del_Calcio) - 2001
Onze d'Or (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onze_d%27Or) - 1998, 2000, 2001
French Player of the Year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France_Football) - 1998, 2002
UEFA Club Footballer of the Year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Club_Footballer_of_the_Year) - 2002
UEFA Team of the Year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Team_of_the_Year) - 2001, 2002, 2003
FIFA World Player of the Year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Player_of_the_Year) - 1998, 2000, 2003
UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Golden_Jubilee_Poll) - 2004
FIFA 100 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_100)
UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_European_Championship) - 2000, 2004
FIFA World Cup Golden Ball (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Cup_awards#Golden_Ball) - 2006
FIFA World Cup All-Star Team (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Cup_awards#All-Star_Team) - 1998, 2006
FIFPro World XI All-Star Team (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFPro_World_XI) - 2005, 2006
Valeron.

???????????
???/???
??????????:confused:

Is that enough for you?

PS pay particular attention to the UEFA golden Jubilee Poll 2004?

[Pike B]

Thank you very much Axe Man. But it's wasted on him if you ask me. Nobody, who knows the slightest thing about football should have to be told about Zizou's greatness. Let alone question it.

[irishultra]

That's probably the most ridiculous comment I've seen on here in the past 5 minutes (this place is full of them to be fair).

That a large section of British and Irish football fans regard him as the greatest footballer of our generation, despite the almost Stalinist blackout of continential football coverage in our newspapers and on our TVs is a testament to the man's ability.

Also how can you be an average player with great skill? He had one of the best footballing minds I've ever seen on the pitch, as was evident in the amount of defenders he used to leave looking foolish despite not being blessed with great pace, his first touch and general control of the ball was out of this world, he was a good finisher, great passer and generally his only two negatives were his pace and temper.

Umm disagree. The fact that people judge him when they hardly seen him play that much shows he is was overrated. On form he was brilliant to watch, often in the group stages of the European(Int.) Cup but over a season he wasn't that good really.

His fee was the most outrageous thing ever in football.

And on Gourcuff not a chance. Good player, nothing more.

[Mr Maroon]

Umm disagree. The fact that people judge him when they hardly seen him play that much shows he is was overrated. On form he was brilliant to watch, often in the group stages of the European(Int.) Cup but over a season he wasn't that good really.

First, that doesn't make sense. Second, you've hardly seen Zidane play?

[Pike B]

Umm disagree. The fact that people judge him when they hardly seen him play that much shows he is was overrated. On form he was brilliant to watch, often in the group stages of the European(Int.) Cup but over a season he wasn't that good really.

His fee was the most outrageous thing ever in football.

And on Gourcuff not a chance. Good player, nothing more.
I really had no idea there were so many clueless football fans in this country, until this thread started. The only thing you said that made any sense was Gourcuff sucks. I hope no foreign football fans come on here. They'll think we know nothing..
Honestly..

[irishultra]

First, that doesn't make sense. Second, you've hardly seen Zidane play?

What I mean is the poster that I quoted said that even in a country like ours that doesn't get exposed to the same level as the English league Zidane is recognised as being great, but my point is how many actually watched Zidane week in week out in order to formulate a well rounded opinion of him? Not much, more its based on hearsay.

Zidane was never that great for Juve in Serie A, its sort of like Kaka. People says he is deadly, when in fact kaka is very inconsistent in the Serie A.

I loved zizou btw but he was overrated.

[Pike B]

What I mean is the poster that I quoted said that even in a country like ours that doesn't get exposed to the same level as the English league Zidane is recognised as being great, but my point is how many actually watched Zidane week in week out in order to formulate a well rounded opinion of him? Not much, more its based on hearsay.

Zidane was never that great for Juve in Serie A, its sort of like Kaka. People says he is deadly, when in fact kaka is very inconsistent in the Serie A.

I loved zizou btw but he was overrated.
:D:D

Your taking the pi$$ right?? :D

[Lev Yashin]

What I mean is the poster that I quoted said that even in a country like ours that doesn't get exposed to the same level as the English league Zidane is recognised as being great, but my point is how many actually watched Zidane week in week out in order to formulate a well rounded opinion of him? Not much, more its based on hearsay.

Zidane was never that great for Juve in Serie A, its sort of like Kaka. People says he is deadly, when in fact kaka is very inconsistent in the Serie A.

I loved zizou btw but he was overrated.

I always just took it as a given that Zidane was rated as the best player of our generation...well mine anyway...thanks to sky sports i watched Zidane every week on sunday evenings or saturday nights as they generally showed a Real match every weekend, so i would say i do have rounded opinion on him and im afraid i still think that regardless of what has been said that he is the best footballer i have had the pleasure to watch..but i do belive Messi will change that opinion in time

And as for gourgruff...he has been with milan now for at least two years i think and never made an impact, ya it was a great goal...but so what, Glen Johnson scored an outstanding goal this season and that doesn't make him a world beater...remember Bruno Cheyrou??? he was the next Zidane at one stage...and Athony La Tallec...nuff said!!! :D

[Mr Maroon]

Zidane was never that great for Juve in Serie A, its sort of like Kaka. People says he is deadly, when in fact kaka is very inconsistent in the Serie A.

Going by your own logic, I presume you watch Kaka every week? Otherwise how could you know he's very inconsistent?

[On The Ball]

Zidane

UEFA Intertoto Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Intertoto_Cup): 1995
UEFA Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Cup): Runner-up 1996
Juventus


European Super Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Super_Cup): 1996
Intercontinental Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercontinental_Cup_(football)): 1996
Italian Super Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Super_Cup): 1997
Serie A (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serie_A): 1996-97, 1997-98
UEFA Champions League (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Champions_League): Runner-up 1996-97, 1997-98
UEFA Intertoto Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Intertoto_Cup): 1999
Real Madrid


UEFA Champions League (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Champions_League): 2001-02
European Super Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Super_Cup): 2002
Intercontinental Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercontinental_Cup_(football)): 2002
La Liga (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Liga): 2002-03
Spanish Super Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Super_Cup): 2001, 2003
International


FIFA World Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Cup): 1998 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_FIFA_World_Cup)
UEFA European Championship (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_European_Championship): 2000 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2000)
Individual

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Ballond%27or1998zidane.jpg/160px-Ballond%27or1998zidane.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ballond%27or1998zidane.jpg) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ballond%27or1998zidane.jpg)
Ballon d'Or awarded to Zidane in 1998.



Ligue 1 Best Young Player (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligue_1) - 1994
Ligue 1 Best Player (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligue_1) - 1996
UEFA Champions League Best Midfielder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Club_Football_Awards) - 1998
Ballon D'or (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballon_D%27or) - 1998
UEFA Euro Player of the Tournament (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2000) - 2000
Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serie_A_Foreign_Footballer_of_the_Year) - 1997, 2001
Serie A Footballer of the Year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_del_Calcio) - 2001
Onze d'Or (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onze_d%27Or) - 1998, 2000, 2001
French Player of the Year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France_Football) - 1998, 2002
UEFA Club Footballer of the Year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Club_Footballer_of_the_Year) - 2002
UEFA Team of the Year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Team_of_the_Year) - 2001, 2002, 2003
FIFA World Player of the Year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Player_of_the_Year) - 1998, 2000, 2003
UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Golden_Jubilee_Poll) - 2004
FIFA 100 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_100)
UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_European_Championship) - 2000, 2004
FIFA World Cup Golden Ball (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Cup_awards#Golden_Ball) - 2006
FIFA World Cup All-Star Team (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Cup_awards#All-Star_Team) - 1998, 2006
FIFPro World XI All-Star Team (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFPro_World_XI) - 2005, 2006
Valeron.

???????????
???/???
??????????:confused:

Is that enough for you?

PS pay particular attention to the UEFA golden Jubilee Poll 2004?
He's got a better trophy cabinet then most teams.