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"The List of Players"

Just out of interest, and more probably because I've had a few pints, I'd like to know your 10 favourite players. And not just because of their skill or what they've achieved, but if they're comedy or you just think they're a legend. For example, everyone knows how awesome Thierry Henry is, but he won't be on my list because I don't love him the way I do for Mikey or my Milan. I mean, it'll probably be your club players, but nothing wrong with that. If you're a Huddersfield fan, everyone knows what a legend Efe Sodje is, after all :) Onwards. Oh yes, and no putting Defoe. House rules. Colourless, you'll be mocked for Jesper. Virt, put Kewell down and I disown you, stats or no.

1) Mikey Owen (because everyone knows this)
2) Stevie (because he's the most complete midfield player in the world)
3) Joe Cole (because there's no better English player at the technical stuff)
4) Maniche (because of Pro Evo 3 and my Portugal fascination)
5) Ryan Giggs (Welsh boys stick together)
6) Milan Baros (My Milan)
7) Karel Poborsky (Because of his flowing ex-locks and my Sparta Prague shirt)
8) Djibril Cisse (Because when both legs work, he looks devestating in tandem with my Milan)
9) Andrei Kanchelskis (what a legend)
10) Ronaldinho ('Dinho.)

I'll just do the top 5

** 1 ** Peter Withe --- Scored the goal that won us the European Cup.

** 2 ** Ronaldinho --- Best football player I've ever seen. His skills are amazing and he showboats in games as though it's nothing. Always has a smile on his face aswell.

** 3 ** Michael Owen --- Done well for England and like watching him play for Real Madrid. Had a bad time at first, but now keeps firing the ball into the net. A Legend for the goal against Argentina and the hat-trick against Germany... quality.

** 4 ** Thierry Henry --- This guy is also amazing. Not only does he score goals, but he sets people up and isn't very selfish.

** 5 ** Steven Gerrard --- Probably one of the best midfielders in the world. Enjoy watching him play.


**** MOST HATED ****

** 1 ** Maradonna --- Cheat, druggie and scum who knocked us out of the World Cup, which we probably could of won.

** 2 ** Dwight Yorke --- Did well for us and then goes to no hopers Birmingham. He must be desperate.

** 3 ** Wayne Rooney --- Wannabe hard man who's overweight. Good player, but hate him.

Saw him play this year at the McAlpine with my Hudders mate, versus the MK Dons (I'm from near MK). Junior Mendes scored an awesome goal and Sodje got hit :)

Ineedsleep wrote:
> Oh and Efetobore Sodje, of course.

:-D A legend at Stevenage as well, solid as a rock.

I'm loving all the Kanchelskis mentions. What a hero.

Pablo Aimar

Anyone who's seen the 'itchy head' celebration will surely agree - this man is an absolute legend.

Ten in no particular order and no comments. The names speak for themselves.

Gary Lineker
Emlyn Hughes.
Dennis Wise.
Matt Le Tissier.
Ray Clemence.
Frank Lampard.
Robbie Fowler.
Ruud Gullit
Edson Arantes do Nascimento

Oh and Efetobore Sodje, of course.

It's hard to pick just ten favourites so I've gone for the names I remember first :)

Names missing include Dalglish, McCoist, Bergkamp, Kewell, Terry, Thompson etc.

I was tempted with Boumsong, but I was put off by his performance against Auxerre. At the weekend he got MotM again, didn't he?

I do worry about Rangers season if he goes in January. If they win the league and he leaves in July, then we might be able to attract adequate replacements. Otherwise, another slump might happen...

#1 Dennis Bergkamp
A firm favourite of mine long before he ever played for Arsenal. A great, great player. Good shots, wonderful vision, a gentlemanly player.

#2 Thierry Henry
The guy is just class on every level. He's fast, has an amazing shot on him, creates chances out of nowhere, is married to a really hot bird and manages to look cool in a fedora. Le dude rocks.

#3 Ally McCoist
Natural goal scorer with a fantastic record. Many years at Rangers, he kept tucking them away. He wasn't like Bergkamp or Henry, he just got in the box and put the ball in the back of the net. Time after time. He also loved Rangers, and really played for the jersey. Nice guy to boot.

#4 Jean Alain Boumsong
One of the best defenders in the country. Man mountain who is comfortable on the ball and can outplay most of the strikers. If he leaves Rangers then that's them finished for this season.

#5 Andy Goram
My favourite ever goally, even more so than David Seaman. Short, fat, dodgy knees. Couldn't even manage goal kicks towards the end of his career. But he still had a sixth sense when it came to stopping that ball and he was at one time my dad's most hated person for the many goals he stopped Celtic from scoring. Great player.

#6 Frank Lampard
The guy has a nasty habit of scoring when his team really needs a goal. The only Chelsea player I'd really like to see at Highbury. My choice for best midfielder in the country. He's the heart of Chelsea's team in my opinion. Hope he retires about... now.

#7 Romario
Again another striker. He was just amazing at his peak, scored masses of goals and was a great entertainer. I still have my old Barcelona shirt with his name on it.

#8 Mark Hately
He completed McCoist. Old fashioned target man, good in the air and always a threat. He was there during the glory years, without him, they might not have been the glory years.

#9 Henning Berg
Another defender, another supremely influential player, another gentleman in a game full of thugs. He's been around, but he ended up finishing at Rangers, where he was one of their best players. I only wish we'd had him for longer and when he was younger.

#10 Brian Laudrup
So many people could have filled this spot. But I'll give it to Brian, another one of the nice guys of football. He was a joy to watch and was one of the driving forces of Rangers ten years ago. Back then being a Rangers fan was easy and fun. Back then he was the star man, and another one of the guys my dad hated. That was enough.

EDIT - I hadn't seen down's post when I made mine. Great minds think alike. Kanchelskis would have been on the list had he done more when at Rangers.

1) Chilavert - Can't believe no one's put him yet. Genius.
2) Kanchelskis - Third person to put him down? Brilliant. Salute on the ball was the best thing I've ever seen. Ever. Nowadays he'd probably get a yellow card for inciting the crowd or something, but genius at the time.
3) Laudrup - Probably technically wise the best player I've seen play. GOD.
4) McCoist - I'd controversially say he was better than Larsson. Met him twice.
5) Nesta - The best player in the world today. If you look at defenders, there's no one better. Pace, technique, strength, balance, positioning, easily the best in the world at his position. If you think of attacking players, it could go to any of a few, but Nesta is by far and away the best defender. He seemed to singlehandedly stop Lazio when I saw them play a while back.
6) Maldini - Legend.
7) Shevchenko - Excellent on his own, but with Rebrov they were quite stunning. Reminds me of Totti and Cassano now.
8) Pirlo - Probably my favourite. At his position, he's the best. I suppose that's kind of unfair, because there's no one comparably good that has that position really.
9) Recoba - Genius. Ugly freak, but on his day there's no one better, a bit like Kanu used to be. Shame they both got really rubbish...
10) Xabi Alonso - A more recent addition this, probably since about the end of last year, when he scored that STUNNER against Valencia. If you haven't seen it, you must somehow get hold of it, if he meant it, it's the best goal ever.

Honourable mentions to -
Adriano (best forward around now)
Mutu (him and Adriano were quite brilliant)
Cannavaro (a wee guy, but the only person better at heading than him is Ayala)
van der Vaart (his goal against Feyenoord alone)
Denilson (a bit like Recoba, had so much potential but lost it somewhere)
Ronaldinho (that idiotic smile when playing)
Kaka (potential to be the best in the world, if he consistently has an end product)
Bergkamp (scored some of the most spectacular goals I've seen, his goal against Argentina was sheer genius)

Hmmm, that's all I can think of, I'll edit when I think of more.

By the way, had Gascoigne not scored *that* goal against Scotland, he'd be on it too.

[URL]http://www.soccergamenight.com/mls/Images/players2003/buddle614-G_8678.jpg[/URL]

I love him a million times over.
Has matteh told you of how I tricked him into thinking (almost) he was speaking to THE Edson over MSN? Aha. Joyous days.