Greatest Player You've Ever Seen In An England Shirt

[Guest Pie]

f*** me, that's a question and a half. 

 

Hoddle was superb, as was Robson.

 

Notable mentions to Shearer, Gascoigne, Lineker and Butcher. Barnes and Waddle were too inconsistent.

Can't ever remember Hoddle being superb for England tbh

 

Really?

 

Personally, I thought Hoddle was sheer class. 

Waddle played well for England a fair bit of the time although he wasnt always great. He was very good indeed at Italia 90. Can't think of any game where Hoddle was particularly outstanding. Great club footballer as he proved at Tottenham and Monaco. He was constantly lampooned thoughout his England career though. Rightly so. There was a time in 1988 when they talked about building the side around him (again). We got humiliated.

[midds]

f*** me, that's a question and a half. 

 

Hoddle was superb, as was Robson.

 

Notable mentions to Shearer, Gascoigne, Lineker and Butcher. Barnes and Waddle were too inconsistent.

Can't ever remember Hoddle being superb for England tbh

 

Really?

 

Personally, I thought Hoddle was sheer class. 

Waddle played well for England a fair bit of the time although he wasnt always great. He was very goo indeed at Italia 90. Can't think of any game where Hoddle was particularly outstanding. Great club footballer as he proved at Tottenham and Monaco. He was constantly lampooned thoughout his England career though.

 

Not what the thread said though was it?

 

Best player in an England shirt, not England's best player. Hoddle was a superb player regardless of whether he did the business in an England shirt or not. 

[Guest Pie]

f*** me, that's a question and a half. 

 

Hoddle was superb, as was Robson.

 

Notable mentions to Shearer, Gascoigne, Lineker and Butcher. Barnes and Waddle were too inconsistent.

Can't ever remember Hoddle being superb for England tbh

 

Really?

 

Personally, I thought Hoddle was sheer class. 

Waddle played well for England a fair bit of the time although he wasnt always great. He was very goo indeed at Italia 90. Can't think of any game where Hoddle was particularly outstanding. Great club footballer as he proved at Tottenham and Monaco. He was constantly lampooned thoughout his England career though.

 

Not what the thread said though was it?

 

Best player in an England shirt, not England's best player. Hoddle was a superb player regardless of whether he did the business in an England shirt or not. 

Question of semantics tbh.

Whichever way you take it he still isnt is he?

He was a very very good club footballer but couldnt hack it at international level. Thus, he wasnt great by any stretch of the imagination.

Exceptional footballers like Gazza, Lineker, Robson could do on it both stages.

Whether they wore an England shirt or not.

 

[midds]

f*** me, that's a question and a half. 

 

Hoddle was superb, as was Robson.

 

Notable mentions to Shearer, Gascoigne, Lineker and Butcher. Barnes and Waddle were too inconsistent.

Can't ever remember Hoddle being superb for England tbh

 

Really?

 

Personally, I thought Hoddle was sheer class. 

Waddle played well for England a fair bit of the time although he wasnt always great. He was very goo indeed at Italia 90. Can't think of any game where Hoddle was particularly outstanding. Great club footballer as he proved at Tottenham and Monaco. He was constantly lampooned thoughout his England career though.

 

Not what the thread said though was it?

 

Best player in an England shirt, not England's best player. Hoddle was a superb player regardless of whether he did the business in an England shirt or not. 

Question of semantics tbh.

Whichever way you take it he still isnt is he?

He was a very very good club footballer but couldnt hack it at international level. Thus, he wasnt great by any stretch of the imagination.

Exceptional footballers like Gazza, Lineker, Robson could do on it both stages.

Whether they wore an England shirt or not.

 

 

You interpret it how you like and I'll do the same. I think Hoddle was top drawer and if you agree then fair enough, if you don't fair enough. Don't care tbh. 

 

Gascoigne, Lineker and Robson were all fantastic but Hoddle stood out for me as one bloke who who had just about everything. 

[Guest Pie]

Fair enough. No doubting his talent, just his heart and he lacked a yard of pace at international level. Still very good though.

He wasnt in Gazza's league though. Or the others. 

Not suggesting that younguns know nowt about football but it colours their judgement more perhaps. And you were 12 when Hoddle retired from international football after the 1988 debacle..

[Guest Toonie]

Big Al in Euro 96,

Haregreaves was also good at this year WC

John Terry

 

[NE5]

Fuck me, that's a question and a half. 

 

Hoddle was superb, as was Robson.

 

Notable mentions to Shearer, Gascoigne, Lineker and Butcher. Barnes and Waddle were too inconsistent.

 

I used to watch England a lot during this time mate, and I can't see how Hoddle was anything other than a passenger with England.

 

Honestly.

 

He had technical ability, but he was a luxury player. Bryan Robson was much better. Hoddle was a poser player, who thought he was better than he was and pranced around the field too much, a bit like his personality which mirrored his attitude to playing.

 

Just an opinion, but Bryan Robson won many more caps and Glenn Hoddle didn't really have too many even half decent games for England.

 

I think Gazza, was miles better, and Hoddle wasn't fit to tie his laces, to be honest.

 

Trevor Brooking was also better than Hoddle, which is why he kept him out of the team for the most part.

 

Glenn Hoddle is an absolutely perfect example of a player with some talent, who doesn't have the desire to fulfill it. Matt Le Tissier is another. At the end of the day, players with real desire will achive more and be better players for you. Football is what you make it, the players who have drive are better, in my opinion, than the players who have technical ability but don't deliver.

 

I thought John Barnes was brilliant with Liverpool, he was a player who played well in a dominant team, because the players around him knew how to play him, he thrived on having a lot of the ball, which is also why he was better with Liverpool than with Watford, and England.

 

As for the best England player, quite a lot of the World Cup team of 1966 must have a shout, as they won the WC !!!! but only one English player has ever won the European Player of the Year Award while playing abroad.

 

Who do you think that was ?

 

 

[Yorkie]

Is it Keegan?

 

(If im wrong i'll be embarrassed)

[Guest Alan Shearer 9]

Yeah that's right. And on a serious note, I don't see how there can be any other contenders to Crouch on this one

[NE5]

Is it Keegan?

 

(If im wrong i'll be embarrassed)

 

Yep mate, it is Keegan.

 

While it is probably slightly difficult to percieve him as Englands greatest player [ which I would go along with ] this is true. He is the only English player to win this award while playing abroad. Keegan may not have had the technical ability of others, but he was better because he delivered.

 

Really, its a great question, and there are loads of candidates, I don;t really know who I think I would choose myself to be honest.

 

 

[Guest KeithKettleborough]

Hurts me to say this as don't have any respect for the fella now but going back in time, has to be Bobby Charlton. 

 

Probably the hardest shot I have ever seen from an England player stands out in my memory and he was truly world class.

[Martin Lol]

Answer me this. Who has a better goals:game ratio than Crouch for England? Answer = NO ONE. NOE ONE IS BETTER THAN CROCUH FOR ENGLAND

 

Answer = Dixie Dean. Who no-one has ever seen. Or Jimmy Greaves. Who someone might have.

 

Saw him on his debut for Chelsea when he scored against Spurs and, not surprisingly, throughout his career.  Easily the most clinical striker England has produced in my lifetime.  But, as I said before, the best English player I've seen (albeit only 7 or 8 times) was Duncan Edwards, absolute quality, better than Bobby Moore imho.  Saw Utd thrash the scum at Highbury the weekend before Munich, that was the best club side I've ever seen, better than the Spurs Double side and far better than anything else since.

 

 

[Tsunami]

Best player seen? Gazza without question. He was simply unplayable in Italia '90. When we played the Dutch he was head & shoulders above anyone else on the pitch. It was his performances that set the tone for the whole team.

[Tooj]

Answer me this. Who has a better goals:game ratio than Crouch for England? Answer = NO ONE. NOE ONE IS BETTER THAN CROCUH FOR ENGLAND

 

Answer = Dixie Dean. Who no-one has ever seen. Or Jimmy Greaves. Who someone might have.

 

Saw him on his debut for Chelsea when he scored against Spurs and, not surprisingly, throughout his career.  Easily the most clinical striker England has produced in my lifetime.  But, as I said before, the best English player I've seen (albeit only 7 or 8 times) was Duncan Edwards, absolute quality, better than Bobby Moore imho.  Saw Utd thrash the scum at Highbury the weekend before Munich, that was the best club side I've ever seen, better than the Spurs Double side and far better than anything else since.

 

 

 

What kind of player was Edwards like? Me granda says he was a real powerhouse and could do absolutely anything on the pitch, absolutely anything.

[macca888]

Bobby Charlton..............................Noone else could touch him, even Gazza

 

Simply the best

[danny_nufc]

Top contributions from the both of you there. 

 

Answer me this. Who has a better goals:game ratio than Crouch for England? Answer = NO ONE. NOE ONE IS BETTER THAN CROCUH FOR ENGLAND

 

David Nugent?

[Guest fraser]

Colin Bell;

 

Paul Gascoigne;

 

Bobby Moore.

 

There are many others.

[Rob W]

Answer me this. Who has a better goals:game ratio than Crouch for England? Answer = NO ONE. NOE ONE IS BETTER THAN CROCUH FOR ENGLAND

 

Answer = Dixie Dean. Who no-one has ever seen. Or Jimmy Greaves. Who someone might have.

 

Saw him on his debut for Chelsea when he scored against Spurs and, not surprisingly, throughout his career.  Easily the most clinical striker England has produced in my lifetime.  But, as I said before, the best English player I've seen (albeit only 7 or 8 times) was Duncan Edwards, absolute quality, better than Bobby Moore imho.  Saw Utd thrash the scum at Highbury the weekend before Munich, that was the best club side I've ever seen, better than the Spurs Double side and far better than anything else since.

 

 

 

What kind of player was Edwards like? Me granda says he was a real powerhouse and could do absolutely anything on the pitch, absolutely anything.

 

Edwards - I saw a bit of him on film when I was a bairn - very stocky, very solid.  Excellent distribution and could "see" the whole pitch

 

he never really played in the era when club sides and England were playing a lot of matches against foreign opposition - it was always the Home Countries - and I have a feeling he would have been caught for pace against the likes of Brazil & Portugual

 

I saw Greaves play a lot  - not just a goal scorer but also could play off the ball as well - on his day he could just dismantle a defence.  Mind there was always something a bit...odd... about him - like his attention wasn't always there - I don't think most peopel were too surprised that he never really hit it off with Ramsey who demanded 100% 100% of the time.  The Greavsie you see on TV these days is much the same - bit of a lad, liked a drink, laid back, not too serious.  But a brilliant forward for sure

[Lenny]

Really suprised I havent seen anyone even mention Mr Beardsley's name!

[toptoon]

Best player in an england shirt - i'd have to say Pele ...........................after he swapped it with Bobby Moore 

 

 

In my lifetime (i'm 31) i'd say Gazza was incredible but for too short a period in all fairness. Although i'd agree it was probably Bobby Charlton.

 

Can't understand why someone would say Hoddle?

[Guest LFEE]

Bryan Robson...reason?

 

Because without him we would not of made most of these finals.

 

Always Superb in the qualifiers... just a shame his shoulder went early at 2 of his 3 world cups. One of the few english players that turned up in 88.

 

Wonder how much he would be worth in todays market. Asisde from maybe a lack of real ball dribbling ability he really had it all in spades.

 

[Cronky]

Bobby Charlton..............................Noone else could touch him, even Gazza

 

Simply the best

 

Apparently Alf Ramsey used to try and introduce an interesting variation to training by having multi-event athletics contests for the squad. He had to abandon the idea because no matter what the event - sprinting, long-distance running, high jumping, throwing whatever - Bobby Charlton would always win.  He was a great athlete.

 

I saw the second half of his career rather than the first half. Unfortunately, he was one of those players that carried on too long. For his last two seasons, he was poor and my view of him is a bit tainted by that.

[Incognito]

Hoddle was superb betrween 85 and 87 when Sir Bobby built the side around him.I dont think you can compare Hoddle with Gazza,2 different types of playmaker-i never saw a better passer than Hoddle whereas Gazzas main strength was taking on players.Hoddle was a proper free kick specialist too.In my opinion they were both great but Hoddle is the best i've ever seen.

[Martin Lol]

Answer me this. Who has a better goals:game ratio than Crouch for England? Answer = NO ONE. NOE ONE IS BETTER THAN CROCUH FOR ENGLAND

 

Answer = Dixie Dean. Who no-one has ever seen. Or Jimmy Greaves. Who someone might have.

 

Saw him on his debut for Chelsea when he scored against Spurs and, not surprisingly, throughout his career.  Easily the most clinical striker England has produced in my lifetime.  But, as I said before, the best English player I've seen (albeit only 7 or 8 times) was Duncan Edwards, absolute quality, better than Bobby Moore imho.  Saw Utd thrash the scum at Highbury the weekend before Munich, that was the best club side I've ever seen, better than the Spurs Double side and far better than anything else since.

 

 

 

What kind of player was Edwards like? Me granda says he was a real powerhouse and could do absolutely anything on the pitch, absolutely anything.

 

Tall and solid centre half, buildwise like Steven Taylor, but also had the ability to play in centre of midfield (in current terminology) and also as a Shearer style striker.  Two footed, superb in the air as you'd expect of a defender, was pretty well able to play any position on the pitch.  In many ways was similar to John Charles, the difference being Edwards was a defender who could play equally well up front, Charles was a striker who was equally as good as a centre half.

 

Edwards was the undoubted star of the Busby Babes, probably followed by Tommy Taylor and David Pegg, all of whom died.  Bobby Charlton by contrast, at 20, had only  just started playing regularly for ManU,  Edwards was 21, had played nearly 200 games for ManU and 18 games for England.  To look at the achievements of Charlton and then realise he was not close to being the best of the Busby Babes gives an indication of just how good Edwards was.

[Guest js]

i'd go with Lineker. always professional, and the best finisher of his generation.

 

Hoddle required a delicate hand to manage and coax the best out of. he had the talent, no doubt. arguably the most talented of any english player ever (i'll get a rollicking for this, but i really believe it), but he was a bit too fragile and lacked the personality to make things happen for himself. just look at beckham and how he's forced himself back into the england picture. hoddle had more talent in his little finger than beckham has in his whole body, but when he wasn't played he'd just sulk and go into his own little corner. we saw a glimpse of what he was capable of when robson was forced to start with him midway through the 86 campaign, when england went from no hopers to sudden contenders. but hoddle never built from that, and i think he has only himself to blame for it. best player in an england shirt? no way. most disappointing player in an england shirt? hands down gotta be him.