Disco Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 World class is a phrase hoyed around too liberally. Owen was never world class, Shearer was arguably world class but no certainty. If Owen and Shearer weren't world class in their hayday then who the fuck was man? I never said Shearer wasn't but Owen no way. World class to me is someone who performs at the top of their game for a good number years consistantly. Some world class players of recent time IMO - Zidane, Maldini, Xavi, Ronaldo, Messi, C.Ronaldo, Shevchenko Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 I think Owen was a world class striker for a few years, unfortunately they were all before he came here. Add that to the fact he didn't come here willingly and had to be paid a king's ransom to persuade him, it was always going to be a recipe for trouble. At least Sol genuinely seems to want to be in the north east and is looking to set down roots here. Totally different situation when you look at it that way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 World class is a phrase hoyed around too liberally. Owen was never world class, Shearer was arguably world class but no certainty. If Owen and Shearer weren't world class in their hayday then who the fuck was man? I never said Shearer wasn't but Owen no way. World class to me is someone who performs at the top of their game for a good number years consistantly. Some world class players of recent time IMO - Zidane, Maldini, Xavi, Ronaldo, Messi, C.Ronaldo, Shevchenko Owen had a few years where he was Liverpool's main man and England's main man, with some decent competition certainly at international level (not brilliant by any stretch mind). He scored goals at all levels in all sorts of games (some very, very big games) and was quality when not struggling with niggling injuries. Suppose I'm just a bit more liberal with my criteria than you are at the end of the day, because my "world class" definition would extend to more than a dozen or so players in my lifetime. They're world class if they are amongst the best in the world at their time, which Owen was comfortably. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
midds Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Don't think Owen will be remembered as a world-class striker by the generations to come. Fantastic at what he did and had some superb seasons but was never in the same class as Ronaldo, Shearer, Weah etc. More on a level with the likes of Batistuta, Papin, Del Piero. Fantastic, but not quite top, top drawer. All in my opinion anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 World class is a phrase hoyed around too liberally. Owen was never world class, Shearer was arguably world class but no certainty. If Owen and Shearer weren't world class in their hayday then who the fuck was man? I never said Shearer wasn't but Owen no way. World class to me is someone who performs at the top of their game for a good number years consistantly. Some world class players of recent time IMO - Zidane, Maldini, Xavi, Ronaldo, Messi, C.Ronaldo, Shevchenko Owen had a few years where he was Liverpool's main man and England's main man, with some decent competition certainly at international level (not brilliant by any stretch mind). He scored goals at all levels in all sorts of games (some very, very big games) and was quality when not struggling with niggling injuries. Suppose I'm just a bit more liberal with my criteria than you are at the end of the day, because my "world class" definition would extend to more than a dozen or so players in my lifetime. They're world class if they are amongst the best in the world at their time, which Owen was comfortably. Fair enough. I guess I'm someone who views world class as being having more of a rounded game too but thats just my opinion and not be highly reliant of physical power/pace. Owen was one of the best in the world at his peak like I can't disagree with that. EDIT: more or less what Midds has said. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Aye it's all subjective, think both of you have it fairly accurate as well. He's right up there, but I'd certainly agree he isn't in the same class as Ronaldo, Shearer, Weah, etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thespence Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 If your Man Utds "Player of the Century” as Eric The King Cantona was I would say your world class & yet I can find players who can do s*** load more than him but he had that ability to win a game in flash, he also made others play better which is what only the really great can do & he inspired some young Man Utd players like Phil Neville & Nicky Butt who went on to captain s*** northern teams Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Zaius Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Of course Owen was worldclass when we signed him. He'd just come off the back a season as Real Madrid's top scorer. Having previously scored; 24, 28, 28 and 19 goals respectively in the previous 4 seasons before that. He'd also scored 30 international goals at age 25 by then. Cant argue with that like. Maybe he wasnt worldclass in terms of his generation, or throughout history, but he was definitely one of the best in the world out of the players playing at the time we signed him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neesy111 Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Of course Owen was worldclass when we signed him. He'd just come off the back a season as Real Madrid's top scorer. Having previously scored; 24, 28, 28 and 19 goals respectively in the previous 4 seasons before that. He'd also scored 30 international goals at age 25 by then. Cant argue with that like. Maybe he wasnt worldclass in terms of his generation, or throughout history, but he was definitely one of the best in the world out of the players playing at the time we signed him. Real Madrid's Top Scorer, i don't think he was ?!? Owen never scored 20 league goals in a season, how can you consider a striker world class if he doesn't get 20 league goals is beyond me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Prime for prime, Shearer was twice the player Owen was. Neesy's comment above is a fairly decent way of putting it. Owen's only outstanding contribution was his goals tally. And he never hit the heights with it. Even Mark Viduka managed 20 PL goals, and Kevin Phillips got about 30 didn't he? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thespence Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Of course Owen was worldclass when we signed him. He'd just come off the back a season as Real Madrid's top scorer. Having previously scored; 24, 28, 28 and 19 goals respectively in the previous 4 seasons before that. He'd also scored 30 international goals at age 25 by then. Cant argue with that like. Maybe he wasnt worldclass in terms of his generation, or throughout history, but he was definitely one of the best in the world out of the players playing at the time we signed him. Real Madrid's Top Scorer, i don't think he was ?!? Owen never scored 20 league goals in a season, how can you consider a striker world class if he doesn't get 20 league goals is beyond me. So is everyone who has ever scored 20 league goals world class? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 A world class goalscorer manages at least one season of 20 league goals, surely? Unless of course we're looking squarely at Owen's creative genius. His tenacity and vision perhaps? f*** off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilko Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Sol Campbell joins on one-year contract So, anyone care to explain how we've got to "Owen vs Shearer"? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thespence Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 A world class goalscorer manages at least one season of 20 league goals, surely? Unless of course we're looking squarely at Owen's creative genius. His tenacity and vision perhaps? f*** off. He got 19 twice. Call the fucking cops. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Heneage Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Overall I'm happy with this signing. Amazing to think what we've got for under £2m, I thought Sunderland were being the astute ones. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pie Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 A world class goalscorer manages at least one season of 20 league goals, surely? Unless of course we're looking squarely at Owen's creative genius. His tenacity and vision perhaps? f*** off. You rely on stats far too often. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdckelly Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Sol Campbell joins on one-year contract So, anyone care to explain how we've got to "Owen vs Shearer"? boredom? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thespence Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 anyone care to explain how we've got to "Owen vs Shearer"? Ronaldo got NE5's late night slot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 A world class goalscorer manages at least one season of 20 league goals, surely? Unless of course we're looking squarely at Owen's creative genius. His tenacity and vision perhaps? f*** off. He got 19 twice. Call the f***ing cops. And that's his bragging right? 19, twice. Yeah, world class my left nut. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaylorJ_01 Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 It went Sol Campbell ---> world class? -----> who was? ----> Shearer -----> Even Owen -----> was he fuck -----> Pilko Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 A world class goalscorer manages at least one season of 20 league goals, surely? Unless of course we're looking squarely at Owen's creative genius. His tenacity and vision perhaps? f*** off. He got 19 twice. Call the f***ing cops. And that's his bragging right? 19, twice. Yeah, world class my left nut. Too simplistic. It's too late to get into the greatest heavyweight battle of all time, but I had to chip in there. You of all people know that you can't just judge people on their statistics. In his prime Owen was world-class. No Shearer, of course, but still right up there. He was too injury prone, though, and his stats and the length of time he was able to be at the peak of his powers were diminished because of this. That's all I can bite man, I would love to but I'm knackered. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 There's only thing you can judge goalscorers on, Rich. There was nowt else to his game, so that's ultimately what it boils down to. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ketsbaia Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Kluivert was world class too. I really enjoyed his time here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 I'd love to join in, but it would mean agreeing with Ronaldo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
midds Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Wonder how many consider Ian Wright to be world class? He scored a fucking shitload during the same period. Performances > Stats. Owen never did enough to be considered world class. Each to their own though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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