FOOTIEMAD RANTS

[alba]

A. James
A. Morton
Alan Ball
Alex Stepney
Alex Young
Alfredo di Stefano
Beckenbauer
Bob Latchford
Bob Wilson
Bobby Charlton
Bobby Moore
Colin Harvey
Denis Law
Dennis Bergkamp
Diego Maradona
Dino Zoff
Dixie Dean
Duncan Edwards
Eric Cantona
Eusebio
Ferenc Puskas
Franco Baresi
Frank Swift
Franz Beckenbauer
George Best
George Young
Gordon Banks
Henrik Larsson
Howard Kendal
Hughie Gallagher
Jim Baxter
Jimmy Greaves
Jimmy Johnstone
Johan Cruyff
John Charles
Kenny Dalgleish
Lev Yashin
Lothar Mattheus
Luis Suarez
Marco Van Basten
Mario Kempes.
Michel Platini
Nat Lofthouse
Norman Hunter
Pat Jennings
Paulo Maldini
Pele
Peter Bonetti
Peter Reid
Ronaldinho
Stan Matthews
Tom Finney
Tommy Smith
Zinedine Zidane
Duncan Ferguson

[Aleck the Dalek]

I'm surprized at some of the omissions from your list....but not nearly as much as some of the selections.
At least you never picked a Cyberman.

Alba, you need to take most of the Brits off the list.

Here's a few obvious ones you missed...I'll think of some more later

Gabriel Batistuta
Zico
Socrates
Ronaldo
Garrincha
Jairzinho
Peter Schmeichel
Ruud Gullit

[McPARvie]

Larsson is completely under rated in my opinion - just cause he wiz playing in a diddy league.

Fantastic player, and one is missed by Scottish Fitba noo - even if he did huv a very annoying habit o no being in gemes then suddenly poppin up wi a winner or a couple o goals, especially against ra Mighty Pars!!

Nae idea when we wull see as guid a player in the EssPeeEll again.

He did pretty guid fur the Barca tae byraway - proved that he is a guid player an kin play at the tap!

[footiemadtony]

To those in red, I would add Alex Young and his grandfather George, however, I would put Mattheus in the black. I see that you rate Der Kaiser so highly that he is included twice (unless, of course, that is Franz and his younger sister Gertie).

Aleck the NUTS and bolts lad, I'm not sure that Batistuta would rank any higher than the top ten born in Argentina the same day he was.

One thing that is fact, the one truth held above all others, God's word......The Lawman was, is and will remain the best to ever play the game.

[Aleck the Dalek]

Agreed Mattheus should be in...but also think you underestimate Bastituta.
One of the relatively few big name players to play with both River Plate AND Boca Juniors.....
Was a sensation with Fiorentina....stayed with them when relgated to Serie B and returned to Seria A the following year and also became top goal scorer that year. Scored 50 odd goals in only 70 odd internationals. Top scorer as Copa America, Serie A championship winner etc, Copa America winner, South American player of the year. A bit like your Thierry Henri only with some actual hardware to his name.

[walker]

Congratulations tae Alba:
After months of viewing clips, reading articles and listening to experts, I hereby declare ALBA the winner.
Walker
WHY ? Yees may well ask, though it is plain tae see.....Alba is the only selector to choose, Gallagher, Morten and James.
Gordon Smith...Gordon Smith...Gordon Smith
PS Did naebdy pick a centre half ? England and Scotland produced two, thit wurnae too bad.

[walker]

Aboot Frank Swift: (Manchester City ?)
ALLEGEDLY......Frank was hit. by the ball, in the chest. The ball rebounded to the centre of the field and Frank was rendered unconcious, no cattied off mind.
Who was the player that kicked the ball ? I do not know the answer but am hoping that Tony, Murren, Joe, Marty ur the irrepressable Alba wull.

[joehawkins]

Musta been some boot to knock out a 14 stone behometh like Swift. Was it Dixie Dean?
Swift died in the Munich plane crash didn't he?

[footiemadtony]

M'Lord Walker, Thane of Perth, re your centre half/centre back question, if I were managing a team and had to perm any two of three from Bobby Moore, Franz Beckenbauer and John Charles I'd be one happy camper, old chap. Add to that your pick, that alba conveniently overlooked, Neil Franklin and you have a very solid backbone to a team. As for the Scot, now that Big George Young has been established as a very fine haggis maker, unless Law added that position to his repertoire, there are a few competent journeymen, but none that scream out 'pick me, pick me' that I recall.

Big Frank Swift, who was a journalist by that time, did die as a result of the Munich crash. Can't recall which paper he worked for, although, if pushed, I might go for the Telegraph (purely a guess). Wouldn't have a clue who supposedly poleaxed him with the ball to the chest though. (Would that be ...big hands, weak chest?)

[moaninmurren]

I do recall that one, Billy Houliston / Queen of the South F.C., did do damage to large Frank's ribs in a typical robust old fashioned centre forward challenge, during Scotland's 3-1 demolition of Inglandia at Wembley, April 1949.

[joehawkins]

They must all be laughing at whats become of the grand old game....