Football
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30 Sep 10
16:49
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Date Joined:
12 Aug 08
Goalkeeper: David Seaman
It would be very close between him and Peter Schmeichel
but I would say David Seaman because in England training, he proved to be a tough opponent – you knew you had to put the ball right into the corner to beat him. He frustrated plenty of strikers over the years - myself included.
I remember playing for Millwall at Loftus Road in the late 1980s when Seaman was in goal for QPR. On the edge of the penalty area, I teed up the ball with my right thigh and then hit a dipping volley with my left boot towards the far corner. Sometimes, as a footballer, you just know when you hit the ball if it is going in – somehow, though, Seaman just tipped the strike over the crossbar. He made it look so easy. I was astounded that he had got there, let alone stopped it. And he made everything look so easy, too. That’s how he kept goal. Nothing was ever flash. It was done with the minimum of fuss.
Right-back: Gary Neville
My first introduction to Neville was during his first training session with England many years ago. The ball was delivered from the wing and I was preparing to head it. Yet he gave me a shove just at the right time; not so much that it would have been a penalty but one that certainly put me off my stride. For a young pro to be able to do that made me think: ‘That is a proper defender there.’
I quickly realised that he was indeed going to be a good player. That moment made me take notice of his talent – and he ended up being England’s best right-back for a ten-year period.
Centre-half: Jaap Stam
What a colossus of a player. If centre-forwards encouraged him out to the wings, with the intention of running past, Stam would just get his body in front and pick them off with one arm whilst shepherding the ball out of play. He was absolutely frightening in the 1998-99 treble-winning season for Manchester United.
For such a large, imposing man, Stam was surprisingly quick, read the game well and a good passer, too. During my time in Manchester, I played against him every day in training. And that was enough for me!
Centre-half: Tony Adams
This position would be a decision between Adams and Gary Pallister – the latter was underrated, if not underused, by England management – but the Arsenal defender would edge it, given that he was the main man for England during my time. Adams would mop things up and move onto the next aspect of the game, whatever that was, without wanting to take the limelight.
I played at England under-17 level with him. That is how we first met. We became firm friends from that day. You knew he would be there or thereabouts every time the opposition attacked. In fact, Adams was a much better player than people gave him credit for.
Left-back: Denis Irwin
Mr Consistent. Every week, Irwin would score 8 out of 10. Sometimes he would be a 9 or 10 out of 10 player, but never lower than 8. I don’t remember ever seeing him get ripped by a right winger in all my time with United. Not only did he develop a great understanding with Ryan Giggs on the left, but he could score free-kicks and penalties – indeed, he was often the best finisher in training.
Away from the pitch, he was quiet and unassuming. So much so you would never believe he was a footballer. Whatever he turned his hand to he did consistently well; whenever he would pick up a golf club, he would hit the ball straight down the middle of the fairway.
Right-winger: Darren Anderton
Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres have this understanding at Liverpool where if one of them has the ball, the other knows where they are going. I had that same understanding with Anderton. It was uncanny really, the best understanding I had in my career. As soon as Anderton had the ball I knew where he was going; as soon as I had it, I knew he would be available.
To those who say ‘how can you put him in?’ the biggest compliment I could pay to ‘Shaggy’, as he was known, was that all the Man Utd boys on England duty would say: ‘He’s great. Let’s sign him up.’ He was rated that highly. Sir Alex Ferguson tried but a transfer never materialised.
Defensive-midfielder: Roy Keane
My first pick in midfield. Every time there was a five-a-side match, you would want him on your side. Perhaps Keane was not the most gifted of footballers but because he demanded so much of everybody around him, he became the kingpin of the dressing room. The Irishman was the one that kept the team ticking along, made sure that you didn’t slip below your normal performances.
The match that sticks in the memory was that 1999 semi-final second leg at Juventus. Even though he was booked, thereby missing the Champions League final, he demanded something from everybody in pursuit of victory. He drove us on. I don’t think he was inconsolable afterwards. Maybe inwardly he might have been but he never showed it to anyone else. He had achieved his goal.
Attacking-midfielder: Paul Gascoigne
In his prime, Gazza was unbelievable: he was strong, quick, always wanting the ball, the scorer of wonderful goals and free-kicks; his enthusiasm overflowed during every match. Even though he probably wasn’t at his best at Euro 96, he was still an inspirational player. It was a shame that he didn’t stay fit and clear of injuries because he could have been some player. I am including him in my team for the player he was, in spite of the knee operations.
Gazza was infectious. He could sit at the back of the coach and by talking out loud he would usually have everybody in laughter. I don’t think I ever fell victim to one of his pranks. But he was always up to something comical.
Left-winger: Ryan Giggs
One of those rare players that could play in any position. If anything, football was too easy for him at times. I can remember hitting 100mph balls in his direction that would take a ricochet or a deflection, thinking 'he’s never going to control that’, and yet somehow he would bring it down in an instant. Sometimes the easier balls would catch him out because it wouldn’t test him as much.
Giggs managed to fulfil his talent because of the direction of Ferguson and his own mindset. He understood what talent he had been given. He looked at how many people had wasted it over the years and thought: ‘there’s no way I’m going to do that.’ Will he play beyond the age of 42 like me? Probably not. He probably wants to go out on a high. Only from what he’s talking about, he’ll probably go out at the end of next year.
Forward: Alan Shearer
The top striker of my generation. He could score goals for fun. Admittedly, his left foot was poor – he maybe scored two-three goals with it in 15 years – but his right foot was awesome. Why did we establish such a great partnership? I suppose we moved into different areas. We were never in each other’s way. I think we were perfect in that sort of scenario really. I remember a (World Cup) qualifier against Georgia at Wembley (in April 1997) when he scored one, I scored one and we set up each other’s goals. It’s only because we played so many games together that I can look back and think ‘that was a good partnership’.
We still meet up now to play the odd game of golf. He’s normally my partner when we take on the ‘West Indies’ pair of Brian Lara and Dwight Yorke. And Shearer has been useless. He has been no help whatsoever. We play fourballs. We might beat Lara and Yorke – but it is not down to Shearer!
Forward: Jurgen Klinsmann
I don’t know if Klinsmann and Shearer would be the ultimate pairing but in terms of those that I played alongside, the German has to be up there. He joined Tottenham having won the World Cup with Germany – he could have said to us ‘look at my winners’ medal’ and then enjoyed a **** on the pitch. Instead, he wanted to earn his money and show us his talents. I just remember this blond wig-like hair, bouncing all over the pitch, smashing in volleys and overhead-kicks. He was phenomenal. A lot of strikers need two or three chances. Klinsmann didn’t.
He was also a great lad to have around the dressing room. I remember him scoring on the opening day of the (1994-95) season at Sheffield Wednesday and then diving full length in celebration. Here was a guy who had scored in the World Cup finals but you would never have believed it by the joy on his face.
Manager: Terry Venables
I have been so lucky to have had the right manager for my football at every stage of my career but if I was asked to pick one – and Fergie ain’t going to be happy – I would say Terry Venables. He was my manager at Tottenham and with England. In terms of his man-management skills, he had an understanding of what it takes to make footballers work.
It would be very close between him and Peter Schmeichel
but I would say David Seaman because in England training, he proved to be a tough opponent – you knew you had to put the ball right into the corner to beat him. He frustrated plenty of strikers over the years - myself included.I remember playing for Millwall at Loftus Road in the late 1980s when Seaman was in goal for QPR. On the edge of the penalty area, I teed up the ball with my right thigh and then hit a dipping volley with my left boot towards the far corner. Sometimes, as a footballer, you just know when you hit the ball if it is going in – somehow, though, Seaman just tipped the strike over the crossbar. He made it look so easy. I was astounded that he had got there, let alone stopped it. And he made everything look so easy, too. That’s how he kept goal. Nothing was ever flash. It was done with the minimum of fuss.
Right-back: Gary Neville
My first introduction to Neville was during his first training session with England many years ago. The ball was delivered from the wing and I was preparing to head it. Yet he gave me a shove just at the right time; not so much that it would have been a penalty but one that certainly put me off my stride. For a young pro to be able to do that made me think: ‘That is a proper defender there.’
I quickly realised that he was indeed going to be a good player. That moment made me take notice of his talent – and he ended up being England’s best right-back for a ten-year period.
Centre-half: Jaap Stam
What a colossus of a player. If centre-forwards encouraged him out to the wings, with the intention of running past, Stam would just get his body in front and pick them off with one arm whilst shepherding the ball out of play. He was absolutely frightening in the 1998-99 treble-winning season for Manchester United.
For such a large, imposing man, Stam was surprisingly quick, read the game well and a good passer, too. During my time in Manchester, I played against him every day in training. And that was enough for me!
Centre-half: Tony Adams
This position would be a decision between Adams and Gary Pallister – the latter was underrated, if not underused, by England management – but the Arsenal defender would edge it, given that he was the main man for England during my time. Adams would mop things up and move onto the next aspect of the game, whatever that was, without wanting to take the limelight.
I played at England under-17 level with him. That is how we first met. We became firm friends from that day. You knew he would be there or thereabouts every time the opposition attacked. In fact, Adams was a much better player than people gave him credit for.
Left-back: Denis Irwin
Mr Consistent. Every week, Irwin would score 8 out of 10. Sometimes he would be a 9 or 10 out of 10 player, but never lower than 8. I don’t remember ever seeing him get ripped by a right winger in all my time with United. Not only did he develop a great understanding with Ryan Giggs on the left, but he could score free-kicks and penalties – indeed, he was often the best finisher in training.
Away from the pitch, he was quiet and unassuming. So much so you would never believe he was a footballer. Whatever he turned his hand to he did consistently well; whenever he would pick up a golf club, he would hit the ball straight down the middle of the fairway.
Right-winger: Darren Anderton
Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres have this understanding at Liverpool where if one of them has the ball, the other knows where they are going. I had that same understanding with Anderton. It was uncanny really, the best understanding I had in my career. As soon as Anderton had the ball I knew where he was going; as soon as I had it, I knew he would be available.
To those who say ‘how can you put him in?’ the biggest compliment I could pay to ‘Shaggy’, as he was known, was that all the Man Utd boys on England duty would say: ‘He’s great. Let’s sign him up.’ He was rated that highly. Sir Alex Ferguson tried but a transfer never materialised.
Defensive-midfielder: Roy Keane
My first pick in midfield.
Every time there was a five-a-side match, you would want him on your side. Perhaps Keane was not the most gifted of footballers but because he demanded so much of everybody around him, he became the kingpin of the dressing room. The Irishman was the one that kept the team ticking along, made sure that you didn’t slip below your normal performances.The match that sticks in the memory was that 1999 semi-final second leg at Juventus. Even though he was booked, thereby missing the Champions League final, he demanded something from everybody in pursuit of victory. He drove us on. I don’t think he was inconsolable afterwards. Maybe inwardly he might have been but he never showed it to anyone else. He had achieved his goal.
Attacking-midfielder: Paul Gascoigne
In his prime, Gazza was unbelievable: he was strong, quick, always wanting the ball, the scorer of wonderful goals and free-kicks; his enthusiasm overflowed during every match. Even though he probably wasn’t at his best at Euro 96, he was still an inspirational player. It was a shame that he didn’t stay fit and clear of injuries because he could have been some player. I am including him in my team for the player he was, in spite of the knee operations.
Gazza was infectious. He could sit at the back of the coach and by talking out loud he would usually have everybody in laughter. I don’t think I ever fell victim to one of his pranks. But he was always up to something comical.
Left-winger: Ryan Giggs
One of those rare players that could play in any position. If anything, football was too easy for him at times. I can remember hitting 100mph balls in his direction that would take a ricochet or a deflection, thinking 'he’s never going to control that’, and yet somehow he would bring it down in an instant. Sometimes the easier balls would catch him out because it wouldn’t test him as much.
Giggs managed to fulfil his talent because of the direction of Ferguson and his own mindset. He understood what talent he had been given. He looked at how many people had wasted it over the years and thought: ‘there’s no way I’m going to do that.’ Will he play beyond the age of 42 like me? Probably not. He probably wants to go out on a high. Only from what he’s talking about, he’ll probably go out at the end of next year.
Forward: Alan Shearer
The top striker of my generation. He could score goals for fun. Admittedly, his left foot was poor – he maybe scored two-three goals with it in 15 years – but his right foot was awesome. Why did we establish such a great partnership? I suppose we moved into different areas. We were never in each other’s way. I think we were perfect in that sort of scenario really. I remember a (World Cup) qualifier against Georgia at Wembley (in April 1997) when he scored one, I scored one and we set up each other’s goals. It’s only because we played so many games together that I can look back and think ‘that was a good partnership’.
We still meet up now to play the odd game of golf. He’s normally my partner when we take on the ‘West Indies’ pair of Brian Lara and Dwight Yorke. And Shearer has been useless. He has been no help whatsoever. We play fourballs. We might beat Lara and Yorke – but it is not down to Shearer!
Forward: Jurgen Klinsmann
I don’t know if Klinsmann and Shearer would be the ultimate pairing but in terms of those that I played alongside, the German has to be up there. He joined Tottenham having won the World Cup with Germany – he could have said to us ‘look at my winners’ medal’ and then enjoyed a **** on the pitch. Instead, he wanted to earn his money and show us his talents. I just remember this blond wig-like hair, bouncing all over the pitch, smashing in volleys and overhead-kicks. He was phenomenal. A lot of strikers need two or three chances. Klinsmann didn’t.
He was also a great lad to have around the dressing room. I remember him scoring on the opening day of the (1994-95) season at Sheffield Wednesday and then diving full length in celebration. Here was a guy who had scored in the World Cup finals but you would never have believed it by the joy on his face.
Manager: Terry Venables
I have been so lucky to have had the right manager for my football at every stage of my career but if I was asked to pick one – and Fergie ain’t going to be happy – I would say Terry Venables. He was my manager at Tottenham and with England. In terms of his man-management skills, he had an understanding of what it takes to make footballers work.
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Interesting, Seaman over Schmeichel and El Tel above Fergie and Clough.
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Yes, interesting is one word for those...
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Darren Anderton [>o]
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