01. Harms:- Giovanni Trapattoni - 1. Platini 2. Scirea 3. Boniek 4. Bergomi
02. AngeloHenriquez/Stobzilla:- Fabio Cappello- 1. F. Baresi 2. Gullit 3. Van Basten 4. Hierro
03. Jayvin:- Carlo Ancelotti - 1. Davids 2. Kaka 3. Cannavaro 4. Shevchenko
04. Paolo Di Canio:- Louis Van Gaal - 1. Rijkaard 2. Rivaldo 3. Guardiola 4. Ribéry
05. Skizzo:- Udo Lattek - 1. Maradona 2. G. Müller 3. Breitner 4. Rummenigge
06. MJJ:- Marcello Lippi - 1. R. Baggio 2. Thuram 3. Del Piero 4. Vieri
07. Joga Bonito:- Udo Lattek - 1. Beckenbauer 2. Schuster 3. Vogts 4. Brehme
08. Balu/PedroMendez:- Béla Guttmann - 1. Bozsik 2. Puskás 3. C. Maldini 4. Grosics
09. Raees:- Vicente Del Bosque - 1. Ronaldo 2. Figo 3. M. Laudrup 4. C. Seedorf 5. M. Sanchis
10. Cutch:- Alex Ferguson - 1. Beckham 2. Stam 3. Van Nistelrooy 4. Cantona 5. Ferdinand
11. Gio:- Giovanni Trapattoni - 1. Matthäus 2. Batistuta 3. Tardelli 4. Kohler 5. Cabrini
12. Edgar Allan Pillow:- Fabio Capello - 1. P. Maldini 2. Nedved 3. Redondo 4. Desailly 5. Savićević
13. The Red Viper:- Pep Guardiola - 1. Lahm 2. Robben 3. Puyol 4. Xavi 5. Iniesta
14. DanNistelrooy:- Carlo Ancelotti - 1. C. Ronaldo 2. Nesta 3. Pirlo 4. Gattuso 5. Bale
15. Annahnomoss:- Vanderlei Luxemburgo - 1. Zidane 2. Cafu 3. R. Carlos 4. Raul 5. Gamarra 13. Romario
16. Crappycraperson:- Rinus Michels - 1. Migueli 2. Cruyff 3. Neeskens 4. Krol 5. Asensi
@Balu
Manolo Sanchis,,
Manuel Sanchis story begins December 3, 1983 at the Estadio de La Condomina, one the first of the cohorts to debut in the first team, a prodigious talent he alongside Rafael Martín Vázquez (another member) were handpicked by the legendary Alfredo Di Stéfano, then coach from Real Madrid Castilla. Things couldn’t have started any better for the 18-year-old. A Real Madrid side including Juanito, Santillana, Chendo and José Antonio Camacho, were being held goalless.
The young defender in the end proved to be the difference, on one hand he showed nerves of steel, on the other he came up with the all important winning goal. His impressive performance saw him play a further 17 times that season, despite leading the league going into the winter. They would relinquish it to Athletic Bilbao, who triumphed albeit by a single goal. Sanchís in the following two seasons, showed maturity beyond his years, he’d play a total of 58 games, in his second the first of his eight Primera División titles were won. By now he was joined by Emilio Butragueño – the leader of the gang – Míchel and Miguel Pardeza Pichardo to complete the set. However Pardeza would spend much of the 1985/86 season on loan at Real Zaragoza.
If goals are the elixir for strikers, then clean sheets is the same for defenders, he would keep eight in the 28 league games played in the championship win. A disappointment, but the hallmarks that would make him the finest defender Spain has produced, was starting to be shown. An impeccable reader of the game, Sanchís perfectly timed his tackles even to the last second, his wonderful intuition gave him the advantage over forwards especially those with great pace. Standing at 6ft, he made himself an imposing figure. Opposition forwards on more than one occasion would surrender aerial supremacy to him. At times he could be best described as a one man wrecking crew in defence.
His first taste of glory on the European stage came a season prior in the 1984/85 UEFA Cup. Real Madrid, an institution, had gone 19 years without a success on the continent. Things changed when they reached the 1985 final, a turnaround against Internazionale in the semi-final being one of the notable highlights, 2-0 down from the San Siro, Michel and a brace from Santillana made sure Luis Molowny’s men would face Hungarian side Videoton FC in final winning 3-1 over two legs. Los Blancos would defend their crown the following season, again overcoming Inter spectacularly, beating FC Köln 5-3 on aggregate, Sanchís missing both games.
Still 21, Sanchís was part of the victorious Spanish under-21 side in the 1986 European Championships, defeating Italy on penalties. His imperious performances earned him the player of the tournament title. The same year he would début for Spain in their Euro 88 qualifier against Romania in Seville. The elegant centre-half would only add 47 more caps in an international career that spanned for six years. Incidentally his last coach with the national team was former teammate, and member of the defence, José Antonio Camacho.
On the domestic front, Los Blancos in were establishing a dynasty, one that could even rival their greatest under Miguel Muñoz. Between 1985 and 1990 they were the undisputed number one side across the land, but dominance at home unfortunately could be translated in Europe, as Real Madrid came across sides of equal stature including PSV, Bayern Munich and AC Milan who would all eliminate the Spanish champions in the latter stages. Each disappointment was hard to swallow, arguably one of the greatest sides not to taste glory in the competition, when Sanchís came to collect the trophy as skipper in the Amsterdam ArenA he could be forgiven for thinking of his former teammates. They would have been pleased for him no doubt, but there’s a sense at least once, a moment they should have all shared.
The youngest player to ever reach 200 appearances for Los Blancos, in his fifteen seasons at the club only in two of them he played less than 30 games, he would end his career with another European Cup in 2000, albeit playing marginally that season. Sanchís would end on 711. Only Raúl González on 741 appeared more.
The only member of La Quinta del Buitre to spend his entire career in Madrid he remains a beacon and an example to those especially in the Cantera that even at an illustrious club as Real Madrid you can forge the most exceptional of careers. Sanchís is a true marvel. He was born to be great, he achieved greatness through hard work and resilience, and most importantly as leader he enabled his team to become great. His name belongs with those amongst the stars. It may be a long time before a player of his stature takes to the field again.
