Greatest ever player under Sir Alex - Results

How I voted________________How the caf voted

1. Cantona ________________Cantona
2. Keane ________________Keane
3. Giggs ________________Giggs
4. Robson ________________Ronaldo
5. Beckham_________________Scholes
6. Ronaldo _________________Schmeichel
7. Scholes _________________Robson
8. Schmeichel________________Beckham
9. Ferdinand_________________Ferdinand
10. Irwin __________________Irwin


Can't complain really, all my 10 made the top 10.
 
Good job Law of Denis, excellent thread and nice write-ups.
 
The Law of Denis said:
The best of the rest

11) Rooney: 86.5
12) Ruud: 59.5
13) Bruce: 57
14) 20LEGEND: 46
15) Hugues: 26

Some things that I noticed

Where would Ince be if he wasn't a scumbag ?
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Still wouldn't be top 10, but I think he'd have been in the top 20 or so, were it not for his being a knob.

Many consider Evra to be better than Irwin, but Evra gets one vote

Rio leaves Vidic in his trail, Bruce does the same to Pallister
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I wonder where Vidic will be in another 4 years time though? And Bruce was just more... United, he was captain, he encapsulated the team spirit in a way that Pally never did - though Pallister too was a great player for us.

And Evra is wonderful, and again I think perhaps there is an element of his being too close to judge properly - maybe when he's gone we'll judge him properly. But Denis was a true United legend, I suspect we'll look back at Pat in the same way.

Would Yorke have been higher if he kept his focus ?
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Perhaps, but I think he just wasn't at the club for long enough, and never appeared to care enough...

Where would Ronaldo have been two months ago ?
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Undoubtedly higher, but for me 5th is about right, personally I don't think he deserves to be ahead of Scholes.

Finally, my biggest query - where's Gary Neville? I know he's never set the world alight with his skill or flair, but he's been an integral part of Fergie's United for well over a decade (alongside Scholes and Giggs - both in top 5), he's been the Captain and shop steward for years and has been Mr.United, a true Manc through and through - and yet he doesn't even register in the top 15?
Why?
 
The Law of Denis said:
The best of the rest

11) Rooney: 86.5
12) Ruud: 59.5
13) Bruce: 57
14) 20LEGEND: 46
15) Hugues: 26

Some things that I noticed

Where would Ince be if he wasn't a scumbag ?

Many consider Evra to be better than Irwin, but Evra gets one vote

Rio leaves Vidic in his trail, Bruce does the same to Pallister

Would Yorke have been higher if he kept his focus ?

Where would Ronaldo have been two months ago ?


REDCAFE XI

GK: The Great Dane

RB: Neville
CB: Ferdinand
CB: Bruce
LB: Irwin

RW: Beckham
MF: Keane
MF: Scholes
LW: Giggs

CF: Cantona
CF: Ronaldo
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Good stuff TLOD

Interesting to see the 5 who nearly made it - which other players got mentions?

and anyone who thinks Evra is better than Irwin obviously never saw Irwin play.
 
roodboy said:
so you dont rate any of the defenders who have played under Fergie?
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Of course I rate them Rood

I just rate 10 attacking players higher I guess! In fitting with the fact football is a low scoring game, and crafting a goal is tougher than preventing one

Just personal opinion. Great to see the likes of Irwin on other peoples lists. Magnificent reliable player
 
SecondFig said:
Finally, my biggest query - where's Gary Neville? I know he's never set the world alight with his skill or flair, but he's been an integral part of Fergie's United for well over a decade (alongside Scholes and Giggs - both in top 5), he's been the Captain and shop steward for years and has been Mr.United, a true Manc through and through - and yet he doesn't even register in the top 15?
Why?
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Gary Neville got 11 votes which places him around 17th, I was surprised by this actually. I thought he would crack the top 15 as well.
 
The Law of Denis said:
Gary Neville got 11 votes which places him around 17th, I was surprised by this actually. I thought he would crack the top 15 as well.
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Yeah, I could see him not being Top 10 - we all know he's gotten where he is through sheer hard work, determination and passion, rather than jaw dropping ability.
But I do find it strange that one of our most reliable players for over a decade (last couple of years injury has defeated him), our club captain for years, the man who did such a great job pissing off Alan Green with his badge-kissing - but people don't seem to rate him
 
Brad said:
Of course I rate them Rood

I just rate 10 attacking players higher I guess! In fitting with the fact football is a low scoring game, and crafting a goal is tougher than preventing one

Just personal opinion. Great to see the likes of Irwin on other peoples lists. Magnificent reliable player
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Fair enough - i know everyone has their own personal favorites and different reasons for the choices !

ecantona7 said:
Same here. I had Irwin there too.

After reading brad's post I'm ashamed to have forgotten about ole. :(
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Good man!

I didnt forget Ole - he was never a contender for my Top10

and I havent been in the poker thread for a while so hope things are looking better for you and your family mate
 
Your conclusion is a good read TLOD...All in all, great work, especially the suspensefull countdown...you had us all going for ages there too...nice one.

For interests sake, I voted almost entirely on talent...70% ability, with 30% influence...I always see these kind of Greatest lists as just that, who the 'best players where' as opposed to a popularity contest..

Schmikes was the only non attacking player to make my list...Irwin & Rio were the ones not included on mine, but I wouldn't argue with them (certainly not Irwin who would have been my 11th)

All in all, I think it's a good list...fair, balanced and with a good representation of all the successfull era's

Top Job Mate
 
SecondFig said:
Yeah, I could see him not being Top 10 - we all know he's gotten where he is through sheer hard work, determination and passion, rather than jaw dropping ability.
But I do find it strange that one of our most reliable players for over a decade (last couple of years injury has defeated him), our club captain for years, the man who did such a great job pissing off Alan Green with his badge-kissing - but people don't seem to rate him
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If Neville had made it into top 10, I would have singed out of Caf permanently and never looked back..

It's great to work hard, and have determination and passion, but that's not equal to other aspects that the top ten listed here had. End of.
 
I dont agree... Ronaldo has to be higher... I mean this was "GREATEST PLAYER UNDER SAF ERA" not "the most loyal one" Ronaldo had it all.. Tricks, shooting, header, left foot, right foot, winning mentality, Confidence, EVERYTHING.... Dont get me wrong I love Giggsy and for me he represents United and so does Keane and Beckham but Ronaldo was..... PHENOMENAL
 
This was a GREAT thread mate. nice one. Must say, I found it very hard to select and then prioritize a top 10. Very hard choices like having to leave out my current favorite player Rooney because even he does not make it!

How many people submitted votes? ie, do you have a robust sample for it to be statistically sound? Think the mods should grab this idea and run it across the entire membership and the get it published in one of the daily newspapers.

Im very surprised Rio & Irwin git in ahead of Steve Bruce and that Scholes is ahead of Robbo but otherwise the results make alot of sense. I'm so happy The King has been given his rightful place at the top of the table where he always belongs. Long live King Cantona.
 
ntripunovski said:
I dont agree... Ronaldo has to be higher... I mean this was "GREATEST PLAYER UNDER SAF ERA" not "the most loyal one" Ronaldo had it all.. Tricks, shooting, header, left foot, right foot, winning mentality, Confidence, EVERYTHING.... Dont get me wrong I love Giggsy and for me he represents United and so does Keane and Beckham but Ronaldo was..... PHENOMENAL
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I guess it depends on what you term greatest.

If you go on raw talent, and things they did in games, then Ronaldo and Cantona have to vie for the top spot.
 
Nistelrooy10 said:
If Neville had made it into top 10, I would have singed out of Caf permanently and never looked back..

It's great to work hard, and have determination and passion, but that's not equal to other aspects that the top ten listed here had. End of.
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True. We've been so blessed with gifted player that there is no shame in not getting into the top 10. The top 25 are easily all fantastic players in their own right.
 
Nistelrooy10 said:
I guess it depends on what you term greatest.

If you go on raw talent, and things they did in games, then Ronaldo and Cantona have to vie for the top spot.
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Cantona had more to his game than Ronaldo. He was a divine inspiration sent to us from God himself unlike Ronaldo who came from a shany town on a Portuguese island!
 
Nistelrooy10 said:
I guess it depends on what you term greatest.

If you go on raw talent, and things they did in games, then Ronaldo and Cantona have to vie for the top spot.
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I'm just saying that if Ronaldo stayed with us and sign a new 10 year contract he would be at least second or maybe even on the top of the list... So my saying is that loyalty is on very high note for most of the voters but in fact loyalty has notheng to do whether you are great or bad player... I assure you that the ANGER or HURT did the job for this list... We will make the same list 5 years later and you will see what I'm talking about
 
sammsky1 said:
This was a GREAT thread mate. nice one. Must say, I found it very hard to select and then prioritize a top 10. Very hard choices like having to leave out my current favorite player Rooney because even he does not make it!
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I'm sure by the time Rooney has finished his United career, a lot of these lists will have been altered

We're talking about a player who's been an absolutely integral part of us winning three league titles on the trot, but also reaching two consecutive European Cup finals. Maybe if he'd performed better in both finals that'd have swayed folk already, at the same time on both occasions he was playing roles not particularly suited to him. Against Barca it wasn't even funny, couldn't believe Fergie didn't even try switching him through the centre

I guess it just shows what cracking players we've had at OT under Fergie
 
SAF has three phones on his desk, the white one is a direct line to Madrid I bet ;)
 
Brad said:
Just personal opinion. Great to see the likes of Irwin on other peoples lists. Magnificent reliable player
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I've always hated this. Irwin seems to be constantly called a reliable player rather than a great one, as if he was always a 7/10 player. I think it was Hansen who (at the end of the last decade) said something along the lines of both fullback positions in a team of the decade would be taken up by our Dennis, and I couldn't agree more. He was reliable, for sure, but his ability to always perform as such a high level seems to have had an adverse affect of his legacy.

It really does make me happy to hear that he made the top 10 here, because he more than deserves it.
 
Here's what I sent on Tuesday.

Schmeichel; G Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Irwin; Ronaldo, Keane, Scholes, Giggs; Cantona, Van Nistelrooy. Robson misses out because his 'under Fergie' career was shorter than Keane's. Stam pushes Vidic very close. Beckham and Rooney are also unlucky. I know I have missed others.

Best players/most important/most influential.
1. Giggs 2. Keane 3 Ronaldo 4 Cantona 5 Schmeichel 6 Scholes 7 Ferdinand 8 Robson 9 G Neville 10 Beckham. Can I have Rooney at 10A?

There wasn't a great deal of thought with the team because I was happy with the quality of players. McGrath and Bruce also run Vidic and Stam close.

In terms of the top ten, the first four all have strong claims for top spot. I had Giggs first due to longevity. Ronaldo was the most gifted. Cantona was influential bringing through the kids, Keane was the central player in our greatest period. Neville made my list due to his influence rather than his ability - did I really put him ahead of Beckham?
 
Best - Cristiano Ronaldo

Most important - Eric Cantona

Most influential(in terms of a match) - Roy Keane
 
ecantona7 said:
Same here. I had Irwin there too.

After reading brad's post I'm ashamed to have forgotten about ole. :(
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I figured a lot of people would have, which is unfortunate.


ntripunovski said:
I dont agree... Ronaldo has to be higher... I mean this was "GREATEST PLAYER UNDER SAF ERA" not "the most loyal one" Ronaldo had it all.. Tricks, shooting, header, left foot, right foot, winning mentality, Confidence, EVERYTHING.... Dont get me wrong I love Giggsy and for me he represents United and so does Keane and Beckham but Ronaldo was..... PHENOMENAL
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I factored longevity and dedication to the cause into the equation, rather than simply raw talent. Ronaldo may quite possibly have been the most talented player in the history of the English game, but he was never United through and through, nor was he willing to leave it all on the pitch. He had three very good years and three stratospheric years, but he'll never match Keane or Cantona as club legends.
 
Wandering Red said:
I figured a lot of people would have, which is unfortunate.




I factored longevity and dedication to the cause into the equation, rather than simply raw talent. Ronaldo may quite possibly have been the most talented player in the history of the English game, but he was never United through and through, nor was he willing to leave it all on the pitch. He had three very good years and three stratospheric years, but he'll never match Keane or Cantona as club legends.
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I disagree with you there, but agree with your last point, although in 2007-8 he was so good he broke into orbit
 
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