Also the fact that he also counted goals he scored in kickabouts with his friends
-
The Fighting Cock is a forum for fans of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Here you can discuss Spurs latest matches, our squad, tactics and any transfer news surrounding the club. Registration gives you access to all our forums (including 'Off Topic' discussion) and removes most of the adverts (you can remove them all via an account upgrade). You're here now, you might as well...
Latest Spurs videos from Sky Sports
Most people who are 70+ couldn’t have seen him more than 5 times considering the lack of television football coverage back then. He’s a myth that was carefully built by himself and FIFA. Di Steffano had similar figures while playing in a pro league
My Brazilian mate always said that back home everyone rated Garrincha more.
It's what I've always heard aswell.
A player who is doing it to himself is Zlatan. His contributions to Swedish football are undeniable and he defined a generation of footballers up here. And he legitimately has that X factor needed to run a game all on his own.
But he is seriously overselling himself and buying into his own hype. And thus is trying to build himself up as one of those all time great world wide. His next book is legit going to be called "I am football"
But he is seriously overselling himself and buying into his own hype. And thus is trying to build himself up as one of those all time great world wide. His next book is legit going to be called "I am football"
If you're looking at records, Fenric Puskas could be rated above both of them, his goals to games record is out of this world.
Weren’t there rumours that some of his stats were made up or staged through exhibition games, simply to get him to 1,000 goals?
Having said that, I’ve watched plenty of videos of Pele and it’s clear he was a beast of a player. A very modern style, a quick imagination, and a fantastic finish. In some of the footage it’s as if someone has spliced a modern Premier League striker into old black and white games.
As for overrated modern players, Wheelchair by a country mile, but I’d also say Benzema. Real Madrid’s main striker for years, but always looks average.
I thought Pele's best era was during WW2 whilst he was imprisoned in a Nazi POW camp.
He’s genuinely funny though. He does seem to have a sense of humour, but is also clearly being serious a lot of the time.
He’s not really up there in the ‘greatest of all time’ category (I’m talking Maradona, Pele, Messi, the two Ronnies, Zidane, Cruyf), but I’d rank him up there with Van Basten, Eto’o, Kaka, Ronaldinho, and a few others that were clearly special talents in their own ways.
The first name that came to mind was Beckham, as I thought he was a good player but nowhere near world class.
The thing with Beckham was that he was easily one of the best in the world at set pieces and crossing, but was fairly cumbersome and often disappeared for long periods as games would pass him by.
I always felt that he was only at Madrid for his marketing power. I did like him as an England captain though, as he seemed to genuinely care.
Cavani is another who never looks that great, seems to take a good few clear cut chances to score.
Pogba for me is a big one, rated like the best midfielder on the planet, seen some good performances but not great, his game has flaws. When you compare him to United midfielders of old like Scholes it’s a huge drop in class.
Cavani is a good shout.
I’ve seen Pogba dominate games for Juve. With a bit more freedom he’d do well at United. He’s the kind of player you need to build a team around, but Mourinho is far too pig headed to do that. Not that I think he’s one of the best in the world. Huddlestone would probably be a star in Italy these days.
Over rated players ? I’ll probably get shouted down but leading contenders for me are Neymar, Pogba & Dick Van Dijk of Liverpool. Van Dijk isn’t in Alderweireld or Vertonghen’s class. I always thought that Rio Ferdinand wasn’t as good as he was made out to be either. Totally agree with Beckham being over rated too
John Barnes
Lived of "that" goal against Brazil for years.
I remember watching the 1986(?) WC and we all called him "Was Barnes" due to the commentators saying "HERE's BARNES.........that was Barnes"
IIRC in an interview after 1 of the matches he was asked "So, John you didn't have the best of games today ?"
His answer was along the lines of "Well, if the other players don't give me the ball, I can't do anything ".
Err..what's wrong with working you arse off when you lose it, you lazy bastard.
Lived of "that" goal against Brazil for years.
I remember watching the 1986(?) WC and we all called him "Was Barnes" due to the commentators saying "HERE's BARNES.........that was Barnes"
IIRC in an interview after 1 of the matches he was asked "So, John you didn't have the best of games today ?"
His answer was along the lines of "Well, if the other players don't give me the ball, I can't do anything ".
Err..what's wrong with working you arse off when you lose it, you lazy bastard.
Last edited:
To be fair, if you looked as just England performances, you could say Andy Cole & Ian Wright weren't anything special, yet at club level they both goal machines (as much as I hate to say it about Gooner Ian).
yeah they were both goal machines at club level, Barnes wasn't though (LW I know) IMO he was very overrated at international level at least.
World class ? My arse.
Is it ? Could you post a photo please ?
I'll put my tin hat on and say Raheem Sterling. His pace and movement can be lethal when accompanied by world class players, whether it be a Man City or a Suarez inspired Liverpool, but if he turned out for a mid table team each week does anyone think he'd have the same affect. He's distinctly average for England.
As it happens I quite like him as a player and yet he's an enigma. He's finishing / composure is some of the worst you'll see and yet he still bagged a load of goals last year and will probably do the same again this year.
I just think he's been quite fortunate to find himself playing around such top class players although to be fair he forced he way into Pep's plans despite some stiff competition.
As it happens I quite like him as a player and yet he's an enigma. He's finishing / composure is some of the worst you'll see and yet he still bagged a load of goals last year and will probably do the same again this year.
I just think he's been quite fortunate to find himself playing around such top class players although to be fair he forced he way into Pep's plans despite some stiff competition.
are we going to call someone the greatest player ever because of one international tournament?