Best Player since Maradona?

I never said that Ronnie Whelan does not talk nonsense from time to time but in this instance I thought he had a point. It is an area that other teams can expose. Put it this way Chelsea have a man who tracks back on the left hand side whether that be Duff or Robben, however theydont have the player that Ronnaldinhio is. Just cause it is an area to exploit does not mean its a fault in Ronaldinhios game. These tare the decision that coaches make all the time and if I were playing Barc I would encourage my right winger to be on the ball las much as possible.

I will agree with you on one thing
If i could change any result in Irish football it would be that Holland game

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Originally Posted by Dassa

One way to look at world class players is to see if they single handedly took the club to a new level in a team of average players, like maradonna did with Napoli and I think Bergkamp at Arsenal. Anyone think of any others.

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They built their team around Maradona just like Villarreal build their team around Riquelme. They play to their strenghts. Riquelme failed at Barca because he wasn't the centre of attention. Ronaldinho would do well in any team.

Rather predictable, but for me the greatest players since Maradonna's real retirement in 1994(?) have been, in no particular order:
Paolo Maldini (Late 30s and still one of the best defenders in the world)
Denis Bergkamp (Amazing in his prime, still an addition to any major side)
Ronaldinho (far better player than his near namesakes)
Zinidine Zidane (seems to have succumbed to the Real Madrid not giving a damn thing, but could do such things on the field)

Honorable mention for Ronnie O'Brien, not for being best players, but rather for being a legend

what about cantona?
a lot of the criticisms that can be levelled against him are more due to fact most people saw a lot more of him play than some of the others mentioned above!

yea and an absolute bargain for £1 million, what were leeds thinking.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

One of Ronaldinho's great assets is his strength. He's not just about silky skills.

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I think that's why I think he is much better than I thought he'd be at Barcelona - it is trickery and flamboyance, but when results are needed, he will have an end product - it is skill for a reason. They needed a goal to secure the game against Chelsea and he stands up to be counted. Compare this to the much over-rated technical ' ability' of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has literally one or two tricks, but only appreciated and allowed at 3-0 and coasting. I tlooks good, but there isn't much threat or substance to it.

The problem for Milan as you say is that they can't push their right back forward and that's what Cafu excels at. Also Ronaldinho isn't always on the left because the real threat of Barca is the constant interchanging of Eto'o/Larsson/Giuly/Messi/Ronaldinho. You're not marking one of them - you'll have to mark all three at some stage and so I think that's the real difference in why Barca are so good/effective and why I wouldn't automatically put Ronaldinho as the difference and so not in the class of player yet required to be alongside Maldini et al.

I think we all agree on van Basten, Zidane and Ronaldinho, in that order IMO but Ronnie may take top spot by the time he retires. To complete the five i would add Maldini and Matthaus as others mentioned.

As with Cruijff (before Maradona) there is a player who was around at the same time as Maradona - a certain Michel Platini. He was in Italy at the same time as Diego and it was Platini who received the most plaudits. In fact it was only after Platini retired at Juve that Napoli won the scudetta.

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Originally Posted by Dassa

yea and an absolute bargain for £1 million, what were leeds thinking.

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He allegedly had a fling with Lee Chapman's wife....

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Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

He allegedly had a fling with Lee Chapman's wife....

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Men Behaving Badly.
Yes apparently Howard the Duck rang Fergie trying to buy back Denis Irwin and was told where to go. Fergie said have you anyone to sell and it saved him from getting the sack. And Villa bottling it of course but no-one remembers that.

Strange Stoichkov has not been mentioned so far.

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Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

He allegedly had a fling with Lee Chapman's wife....

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Get rid of Lee then:D , sounds harsh but the clubs future is the most important thing.

No mention of Phil stamp or Robbie Mustoe yet lads, whats the story?:confused: :)

I never knew there was a Boro fan on foot.ie??

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Personally, I think George Best was overrated. If I see the clips of him scoring against the then 2nd Division Fulham again, I'll shoot myself. A very good player but not sure he was one of the world's best (if you pardon the pun).

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What's always struck me about that footage was how quickly he could stop or start running. You don't hear the expression anymore, but his "change of pace" was really shocking. It's always hard to assess older players, but I think Best must have been pretty damn good.

Ronaldinho's awesome. No one I've seen play has been that good, not Zidane (second best, I think) and not Hagi (though still remember him, well past his prime at Galatasary, but still good enough **** on very good teams for an hour).

So many others who have been really good, but those three stand out in the last ten years for me.

I don't remember Baggio or van Basten playing.

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Originally Posted by klein4

dont go in for this the game is better now than it was in maradonnas day...its not that bloody long ago...

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I've heard managers and former players say it too - the standards of athleticism are higher now than fifteen years ago.

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Originally Posted by NeilMcD

I think this was a pretty decent comment from Ronnie Whelans to be honest. ... If [Milan] double up and the right full comes forward well then they are in a great position...

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Milan are a side with a very narrow midfield, and as fantastic a player as Cafu was (and still is to an extent), he's not able to drive forward and help deal with Ronaldinho at the same time. Put it this way, when that "winger " (and Milan don't play wingers) loses the ball, there's going to be a gaping hole down the left wing for Ronaldinho to find space in. And frankly, he's dangerous enough when he doesn't have any space.

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Originally Posted by superfrank

I never knew there was a Boro fan on foot.ie??

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You didn't half take the bait on that one frank......keep them pearlers coming!;)

Tough one but I would have to say Jason Lee of Notts Forest.

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Originally Posted by keenanboy

Tough one but I would have to say Jason Lee of Notts Forest.

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Playing with pineapples on your head is not good:)

Apologies if these have been mentioned already.

I've decided to base it soley on those i managed to see perform live. So In no particular order here are 4 that I would pay double and even triple to see play at the top of their game


Dennis Bergkamp
Zonimir Boban
Gheorge Hagi
Zinidine Zidane

The one thing all four had was gracefulness. Might be alone on this but I feel sometimes Ronaldinho's tricks and stuff look over the top and endlessly practised. Undoubtedly a special player but doesn't have the gracefulness of the others, imo. These 4 for me made football look elegant and a second nature.

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Originally Posted by Dodge

Anyone who failed in a league is discounted so Bergkamp has no chance.

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Wouldn't necessarily agree with this assessment. Maradonna had some shocking performances while at both Barca & Sevilla. His time at Barca is considered by many and himself as one of the low points of his career.

Still an absolute legend in my eyes. :)