60's, jimmy greaves, amazed by his scoring record, sad he missed out on the wc final

70;s, cruyff(spelling), just looked amazing watching old videos back

80's maradona in his pomp

60s and 70s - Cruyff and Best (both played between mid 60's and mid 70s)

80s - Maradona

Greaves
Cruyff
Hoddle

Eusebio
Cruyff
Zico

comment by United_kaz (U9943)
posted 17 minutes ago
60's, jimmy greaves, amazed by his scoring record, sad he missed out on the wc final

70;s, cruyff(spelling), just looked amazing watching old videos back

80's maradona in his pomp
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Difficult to argue with any of that

Shouldn't you lot be collecting your pension from the post office?

Gonna try and steer clear of the obvious names because that would be far too easy.

60's - Florian Albert. Watch his display against Brazil at the 66 World Cup - in fact, watch any display he gave at the 66 World Cup and tell me that isn't 1) a player playing years ahead of his time in terms of technique, ball control and out and out majesty and 2) doesn't look like something of a precursor to a Johan Cruyff who would of course go on to surpass him and pretty much every footballer before or since. Albert was just a beautifully balanced and balletic player that floated in the days when plodding was the norm. Gluiding in and out and in again he never shied away, never went into hiding and constantly made things happen as the spear or the orchestrator in that final third. With the rebirth of the number 10 in the last decade, his athleticism and speed of thought would be Taylor made for today's game of cluelessly implanted defensive plans. I honestly think he'd be the most productive player in world football.

Hinerabke mention for Franz Beckenbauer for being my favourite incarnation of der kaizer when he was an entire midfield unit on his own in a way even Patrick vieira would struggle to replicate. Literally not one thing he couldn't do if and when his talent and iq deemed it necessary. His destruction of the Soviet Union in '66 is proof of the pudding.

70's - Johan Neeskens. Cruyff's right hand man and an all action, all committed, ball playing central midfield fulcrum for whom you could be speared by or caroselled around. Intellect for days, adapts ability for years abdvthe right combination of controlled swagger and aggression. Wasn't flash in skillset, but was flash in just how effectively he could cause impact to any given on field situation. It's why he was such a success ofvthe whole total football philosophy. Put him in a team today and he barely breaks sweat concentrating fully on any number of roles he could perform. Phillip Lahm esque.

Honourable mention to Gunter Netzer for being possibly the prototype deep lying playmaker nobody bar xavi and pirlo have come close to since.

80's - Bryan Robson. I honestly don't think it's properly appreciated just how good a player he was and how completely he often dragged talented but dysfunctional and incomplete Man Utd sides singkehandky through the proverbial mire. Was everything Stephen Gerrard was and then some as he had the intellect, awareness and selflessness to play his midfield role at the benefit of both himself and the collective. He scored, he created, he protected and he was as brave and as tough a week later as their ever was. His brilliance can be highlighted in the fact that he outplayed the two best players of the decade when facing them head to head in a big time environment; Maradona for Barca in '84 and Platini for France in '82. The man could have competed in any era and played in any kind of team he was that adaptable and that adept at every aspect of the game. A truly complete player unfortunately hampered by injury and poor supporting casts.

Neeskens is a great shout too, though if I'm honest it was always Cruyff and Johnny Rep that I idolised

comment by Vertonghen Groove *100% WUM free* (U1546)
posted 3 minutes ago
Neeskens is a great shout too, though if I'm honest it was always Cruyff and Johnny Rep that I idolised
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Can't think of a better side to watch than the dutch in 74/78 world cup finals

Is it true that George Best is like Messi-esque? I wish I could see him play.

Beckenbauer

Maradona

comment by Herbie (U7136)
posted 33 minutes ago
Gonna try and steer clear of the obvious names because that would be far too easy.

60's - Florian Albert. Watch his display against Brazil at the 66 World Cup - in fact, watch any display he gave at the 66 World Cup and tell me that isn't 1) a player playing years ahead of his time in terms of technique, ball control and out and out majesty and 2) doesn't look like something of a precursor to a Johan Cruyff who would of course go on to surpass him and pretty much every footballer before or since. Albert was just a beautifully balanced and balletic player that floated in the days when plodding was the norm. Gluiding in and out and in again he never shied away, never went into hiding and constantly made things happen as the spear or the orchestrator in that final third. With the rebirth of the number 10 in the last decade, his athleticism and speed of thought would be Taylor made for today's game of cluelessly implanted defensive plans. I honestly think he'd be the most productive player in world football.

Hinerabke mention for Franz Beckenbauer for being my favourite incarnation of der kaizer when he was an entire midfield unit on his own in a way even Patrick vieira would struggle to replicate. Literally not one thing he couldn't do if and when his talent and iq deemed it necessary. His destruction of the Soviet Union in '66 is proof of the pudding.

70's - Johan Neeskens. Cruyff's right hand man and an all action, all committed, ball playing central midfield fulcrum for whom you could be speared by or caroselled around. Intellect for days, adapts ability for years abdvthe right combination of controlled swagger and aggression. Wasn't flash in skillset, but was flash in just how effectively he could cause impact to any given on field situation. It's why he was such a success ofvthe whole total football philosophy. Put him in a team today and he barely breaks sweat concentrating fully on any number of roles he could perform. Phillip Lahm esque.

Honourable mention to Gunter Netzer for being possibly the prototype deep lying playmaker nobody bar xavi and pirlo have come close to since.

80's - Bryan Robson. I honestly don't think it's properly appreciated just how good a player he was and how completely he often dragged talented but dysfunctional and incomplete Man Utd sides singkehandky through the proverbial mire. Was everything Stephen Gerrard was and then some as he had the intellect, awareness and selflessness to play his midfield role at the benefit of both himself and the collective. He scored, he created, he protected and he was as brave and as tough a week later as their ever was. His brilliance can be highlighted in the fact that he outplayed the two best players of the decade when facing them head to head in a big time environment; Maradona for Barca in '84 and Platini for France in '82. The man could have competed in any era and played in any kind of team he was that adaptable and that adept at every aspect of the game. A truly complete player unfortunately hampered by injury and poor supporting casts.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Great post. Great footballing knowledge

Eusebio maradonna cruyyf

Dalglish

or

Platini

60s George Best
70s Pele
80s Maradona

Great post Herbie.
I'm a United fan so
George
Kenny
Robbo
I just didn't see enough of Cruyff etc to know how good they were week in week out.

Cruyff 70s Maldini 80s

Never watched football in the 60s but from a few clips and book reading Eusebio

Pele from the 1970 World Cup although I actually think Bobby Moore is a really good shout too. Moore's professionalism contrasts rather well with the likes of Best, and later Maradona.

But Best and Maradona were geniuses, so I suppose this depends on whether you're a Roundhead or a Cavalier type person. By which I mean, do you historically rate the occasional moments of pure genius flair over the nailed on consistency of people like Maldini. Way too many people to choose from here. I haven't even mentioned the Dutchmen and Germans. Some of the German guys were absolutely ruthless winners as well as being class too.

Maradona was different gear.

In an era of defensive brutality and negative football, he stood out. He would be nigh on impossible to knock off the ball in this protected era for forwards.

comment by West London Express (U5874)
posted 4 hours, 38 minutes ago
comment by United_kaz (U9943)
posted 17 minutes ago
60's, jimmy greaves, amazed by his scoring record, sad he missed out on the wc final

70;s, cruyff(spelling), just looked amazing watching old videos back

80's maradona in his pomp
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Difficult to argue with any of that
----------------------------------------------------------------------
have to throw Best in there 60/70s

comment by Freedom FC (Welcome to Texas) (U7214)
posted 4 hours, 18 minutes ago
Is it true that George Best is like Messi-esque? I wish I could see him play.

Beckenbauer

Maradona
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You tube?

I think younger people may not know that Best could tackle as well as anyone and was a terrific header of a ball as well. The forwards who survived in that era had to be tough.

comment by HRH King Ledley (U20095)
posted 2 hours, 30 minutes ago
Maradona was different gear.

In an era of defensive brutality and negative football, he stood out. He would be nigh on impossible to knock off the ball in this protected era for forwards.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

True but in today's game he'd have to have, errrrr let's just call it a 'different' approach to physical fitness!

Maradona was different gear.
-----
Apt description.

I'd probably go with Best, Beckenbauer and Maradona for our current team.

Dalglish

Best, Cruyff, Maradona.