Ewanandmoreagain Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 (edited) Just as a counterpoint to our " all time goal scorers " who do we think are our best defenders ? Off the top of my head ; Tierney , Hendry ( Colin ) , Levein and Gough Edited November 20, 2023 by Ewanandmoreagain 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Ewanandmoreagain said: Just as a counterpoint to our " all time goal scorers " who do we think are our best defenders ? Off the top of my head ; Tierney , Hendry ( Colin ) , Levein and Gough Levein! Craig '16 caps' Levein? He was a prospect at one point certainly before injury killed his career but top four in an all time best defenders list? No. Did you deliberately miss Alex McLeish or forget him? He's not our most capped defender without good reason. And his pairing with Willie Miller for club and country is likely as good as we've been in the middle. Hendry & Calderwood was a very good pairing for a few years too. And Davie Weir worth throwing in the mix too. Going back further John Greig & Billy McNeill? Danny McGrain at full back? Edited November 20, 2023 by Skyline Drifter 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurkst Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 Levein a tad over promoted there 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewanandmoreagain Posted November 20, 2023 Author Share Posted November 20, 2023 9 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said: Levein! Craig '16 caps' Levein? He was a prospect at one point certainly before injury killed his career but top four in an all time best defenders list? No. Did you deliberately miss Alex McLeish or forget him? He's not our most capped defender without good reason. And his pairing with Willie Miller for club and country is likely as good as we've been in the middle. Hendry & Calderwood was a very good pairing for a few years too. And Davie Weir worth throwing in the mix too. Going back further John Greig & Billy McNeill? Danny McGrain at full back? I did not forget McLeish and Miller. IIRC Hendry and Calderwood played in a good back three. John Greig and Danny McGrain definite contenders 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTChris Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 In my lifetime I'd say the best defenders to play for Scotland would have to be Willie Miller Alex McLeish Colin Hendry Andrew Robertson Garry Kenneth. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 (edited) Miller and McLeish probably the best central pairing,with Gough at right back. Left back was Malpas. I'd have Robertson or Tierney at leftback. Gough McLeish Miller Robertson Edited November 20, 2023 by jagfox 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General dissaray Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 McGrain Jardine McLeish Miller Hansen McQueen Greig McNeil Nicol Malpas Narey Gough Robertson Tierney Last two happy to have in the conversation with those names 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 46 minutes ago, Ewanandmoreagain said: I did not forget McLeish and Miller. IIRC Hendry and Calderwood played in a good back three. John Greig and Danny McGrain definite contenders So you deliberately didn't list Miller or McLeish and think they are less worthy of mention than Levein? All about opinion but that's a considerably left field one. 46 minutes ago, ICTChris said: In my lifetime I'd say the best defenders to play for Scotland would have to be Willie Miller Alex McLeish Colin Hendry Andrew Robertson Garry Kenneth. I see what you did there. There's a debate about what constitutes a "defender" these days of course. The modern full back / wing back is a very different player to the full backs of the McGrain / Jardine era. I wouldn't have Andy Robertson anywhere near a conversation about "best defenders". He's improved a bit over the years but he's not naturally a magnificent defender. He still loses his man from time to time or gets caught out of position (see the recent England game). His big assets are his energy levels and creativity from wide. Patterson and Hickey are of the same ilk. Tierney can do that too but there's more actual defensive nous from him too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General dissaray Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 2 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said: So you deliberately didn't list Miller or McLeish and think they are less worthy of mention than Levein? All about opinion but that's a considerably left field one. I see what you did there. There's a debate about what constitutes a "defender" these days of course. The modern full back / wing back is a very different player to the full backs of the McGrain / Jardine era. I wouldn't have Andy Robertson anywhere near a conversation about "best defenders". He's improved a bit over the years but he's not naturally a magnificent defender. He still loses his man from time to time or gets caught out of position (see the recent England game). His big assets are his energy levels and creativity from wide. Patterson and Hickey are of the same ilk. Tierney can do that too but there's more actual defensive nous from him too. Only cos when they played you could tackle if you put Tierney and Robertson back in there day they could handle dishing it out and being on the receiving end you don't play at the top in any era if you haven't got that toughness about you physically and mentally 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewanandmoreagain Posted November 20, 2023 Author Share Posted November 20, 2023 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said: So you deliberately didn't list Miller or McLeish and think they are less worthy of mention than Levein? All about opinion but that's a considerably left field one. Agreed ! How about McQueen and Martin Buchan ? Better than McLeish and Miller ? Edited November 20, 2023 by Ewanandmoreagain 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General dissaray Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 1 minute ago, Ewanandmoreagain said: Agreed ! Levein was good but no better than McPherson and McManus the later also had a career ending injury 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 1 minute ago, General dissaray said: Only cos when they played you could tackle if you put Tierney and Robertson back in there day they could handle dishing it out and being on the receiving end you don't play at the top in any era if you haven't got that toughness about you physically and mentally I've no idea why you're rattling on about tackling. Nobody mentioned tackling and I specifically said Tierney can defend. Robertson's not a natural defender though. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 Just now, General dissaray said: Levein was good but no better than McPherson and McManus the later also had a career ending injury Are you confusing Stephen McManus with John Kennedy here? I don't recall McManus having a career ending injury. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General dissaray Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 Just now, Skyline Drifter said: I've no idea why you're rattling on about tackling. Nobody mentioned tackling and I specifically said Tierney can defend. Robertson's not a natural defender though. Nay bother that is why he is at Liverpool and won titles and champions leagues obviously back in the day when you could fly into tackles it was easier when players were alloud to be hardmen 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennie makevin Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 McGrain Dave Mackay Jim Holton Tommy Gemmell John Greig George Young Billy McNeill 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General dissaray Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said: Are you confusing Stephen McManus with John Kennedy here? I don't recall McManus having a career ending injury. Alan McLaren Edited November 20, 2023 by General dissaray 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 Just now, General dissaray said: Nay bother that is why he is at Liverpool and won titles and champions leagues obviously back in the day when you could fly into tackles it was easier when players were alloud to be hardmen Yeah, again you're havering on about something nobody else is discussing. He's not at Liverpool for his defensive qualities particularly despite not even being the weakest Liverpool full back defensively ! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewanandmoreagain Posted November 20, 2023 Author Share Posted November 20, 2023 (edited) 5 hours ago, General dissaray said: McGrain Jardine McLeish Miller Hansen McQueen Greig McNeil Nicol Malpas Narey Gough Robertson Tierney Last two happy to have in the conversation with those names Sorry forgot Jardine , Greig , Nicol , Narey Edited November 20, 2023 by Ewanandmoreagain 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 1 minute ago, General dissaray said: Alan McManus Oh, you're talking club football? Levein was better than Alan McManus. Way better. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General dissaray Posted November 20, 2023 Share Posted November 20, 2023 Just now, Skyline Drifter said: Oh, you're talking club football? Levein was better than Alan McManus. Way better. Aye he was but actually neant Alan McLaren hence ne mentioning McPherson 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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