Ya Bezzer! Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 My footballing idol is Michel Platini. For me he was better than Maradona, although no doubt many, perhaps many not old enough to actually have been around at the time, will scoff at the idea. Platini's 9 goal haul at the 1984 European Championships was probably the greatest single major finals performance by any player ever. The French side that won it was also magnificent and arguably the best team to ever win the competition and perhaps the best international side since the Brazil side of 1970. Only the Spain team of recent years could realistically challenge that assertion. He won the European Player of the Year, a record number of times and three times in succession in 1983, 84 and 85. As only European born players were eligible no comparison can be made against Maradona but the World Soccer player of the year awards included players from all continents and Platini won it twice to Maradona's one award. He scored more international goals in fewer international caps than Maradona and a similar number in club football despite being a midfielder. Maradona peaked as a footballer in 1986 but it was Platini's Juventus who picked up Serie A that year. He was a champion at every club he played for and almost won every major club honour in the game, a very rare achievement in an era when football was not dominated by a small number of elite clubs. Only the UEFA Cup eluded him, while he picked up the European Cup, European Cup Winners Cup, European Super Cup and World Club Cup. Up until his time he was probably the best free kick taker of all time and would surely still rank as one of the greatest even now. Basically he was brilliant and I loved him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musketeer Gripweed Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 The easy answer for me would be Kenny Dalglish, the guy was a legend. Record goalscorer for Scotland and all that. But Graeme Souness was my favourite player when I was growing up. Scotland has never had such a gallus player that could actually back up everything he said on the park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biscuits Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 For saints it would be Barry Lavety - legend. (Although Stevie Thompson is fast catching him up...) Overall it would be King Kenny. My hero as a wee boy - amazing footballer and proved himself to be an amazing man during Hillsborough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
printer Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Maradona was much better than Platini. Roy Keane is my favourite ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venti Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scary Bear Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Gazza. A superstar who played great football and was completely fucking bonkers. Honourable mentions to Maradona, Cantona, Zidane and Keane. Can you see a theme developing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latino Lover Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Gabriel Omar Batistuta. Not just an amazing striker but a top bloke by all accounts. Stayed with fiorentina after relegation, brought then back up and tried for years to bring lo scudetto to Tuscany, before the heartbreaking move to the capital and writing a very emotional letter about it. Hat tricks in two world cups, a scorer of every type of goal, his ones at wembley and old Trafford in the champions league especially memorable. Cool hair and celebration too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspy Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Gabriel Omar Batistuta. Not just an amazing striker but a top bloke by all accounts. Stayed with fiorentina after relegation, brought then back up and tried for years to bring lo scudetto to Tuscany, before the heartbreaking move to the capital and writing a very emotional letter about it. Hat tricks in two world cups, a scorer of every type of goal, his ones at wembley and old Trafford in the champions league especially memorable. Cool hair and celebration too. The machine gun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QPStu Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 At Queen's, it's Jamie Longworth. The best natural goalscorer I've seen in a Queen's shirt in my time watching them. It's such a pity Gardner Speirs eventually decided he was a midfielder. Such a waste and I think it scunnered him towards the end of his time with us. Outwith Queen's, it's Filippo Inzhagi. What a striker. My Dad saw him after Celtic's Champions League tie against AC Milan last year and, on seeing he'd been recognised, he came off the coach he was on for a photo. Based on that, he sounds a gentleman and I'm still raging I missed meeting him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddfg Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Souness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamboMikey Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Tried to think of a few less obvious ones that I've really loved over the years. Joaquin - I remember me and my best pal loving him when we were kids even though we hadn't seem him play. Was when he was really young and my pal had brought a Betis shirt with his name on back from his holiday in Spain. First really saw him at the World Cup in 2002 where he was incredible and then latterly saw a lot of him playing for Valencia. Some of the skill and tricks he used to pull off were incredible and he always seemed like a great chap. Cani - Honestly think this guy is the most underrated footballer of his generation. Regularly cited by other players as one of the most talented players they've played with. Can play anywhere in midfield to a high standard and just seems like one of those no frills players that is good at mostly everything. Scorer of some amazing goals and I liked that he got sent off from the bench for lobbing a bottle at Jose Mourinho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotgun Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Am I the only one scrolling through this thread thinking "Yep, him. No wait, him! Oh...yeah he was brilliant too. And him." So many greats over the years. From my childhood - George Best, Pele, Gordon Banks, Denis Law, Gerd Muller, Johann Cruyff, Kevin Keegan, Billy Bremner As an adult - Maradona, Michel Platini, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, Roberto Baggio Then as I slide, kicking and screaming into middle age and beyond - Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, Fat Ronaldo No coincidence perhaps, that the list from when I was a bairn is longer than the one I gave as a jaded old git. However, the OP asked for my favourite player, not a starting 35. So... Favourite ever? M. Zinedine Zidane. No contest. The heid butt at the end only served to increase my admiration of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al B Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Cantona, Le Tissier, Bergkamp, Zlatan. If your favourite player of all time is a defender, then there's something missing from your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_BullyWee Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 At Clyde it would be Keith Knox. Outwith Clyde it would have to be the original Ronaldo. He had absolutely everything and his scoring record was brilliant and if it hadn't have been for his knee injury I think he would have went on to be the best player ever seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake. Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callum-ayr Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Ayr - Stevenson United - Scholes/Cantona Worldwide - Roberto Carlos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Its only me Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Zidane closely followed by Gary Neville Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScotlandGer Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 This is such a difficult question, but for me it's Marco van Basten who probably edges it. http://youtu.be/OPqKDubfumU A close second would be the Colombian Faustino Asprilla, who played for Parma and Newcastle. I've never been a fan of Newcastle, but Asprilla's best for Newcastle was versus Barca when he scored a hat-trick and made it look easy. http://youtu.be/PMkrastnXxE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banana Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Tried to think of a few less obvious ones that I've really loved over the years. Cani - Honestly think this guy is the most underrated footballer of his generation. Regularly cited by other players as one of the most talented players they've played with. Never heard of him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dryhorce Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 I totally forgot to add the late, great Davie Cooper to my initial post. Legend. Mind watching him against Petershill in the centinary game years ago pure tanner baw player he was Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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