The greatest Manchester United player

I don't think the word potential applies in a debate like this.

We're talking about george best, his whole career and performance is there for us to see. Potential is for something we have yet to see.
 
charlton66 said:
When I think of 'greatest" player it implies more to me than just what you did on the pitch. Sure that goes a long way, but it also includes your overall impact on the club. Who is that one player that when you think of Manchester United you also think of them? George was and probably always will be my favorite player, he even has a dog in the race for best player too, but George almost achieved "anti-hero" status. He smoked too much, he drank too much, and was a serial womanizer. He was a legend "on the pitch", but Bobby is more than that. He is 79 years old and made his debut for the club over 60 years ago and yet still he is talked about as that one player that people most associate with the club. I said it earlier. There's only one answer to who is the greatest player that's ever played for Manchester United. It's Sir Bob - it just is.
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I get youre saying but then there needs to be two ways of thinking about it. 1. Who is the 'best' player, as in out and out footballing genius. And 2. Who is the greastest embodiement of Manchester United and its values.

Framing it that way gives you two different answers.

Because techincally, in footballing terms only, George Best was a better footballer at his peak than Charlton.
 
Denis79 said:
Why? He played as many seasons in Juventus as in Real? Or am I missunderstanding something?
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Platini is the best french player ever and a Juventus legend. Zidane is neither.
 
Green_Red said:
I get youre saying but then there needs to be two ways of thinking about it. 1. Who is the 'best' player, as in out and out footballing genius. And 2. Who is the greastest embodiement of Manchester United and its values.

Framing it that way gives you two different answers.

Because techincally, in footballing terms only, George Best was a better footballer at his peak than Charlton.
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He wasn't better, just a different kind of player.
 
Green_Red said:
I get youre saying but then there needs to be two ways of thinking about it. 1. Who is the 'best' player, as in out and out footballing genius. And 2. Who is the greastest embodiement of Manchester United and its values.

Framing it that way gives you two different answers.

Because techincally, in footballing terms only, George Best was a better footballer at his peak than Charlton.
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Going against my grain here. Best was the greatest. If your a United fan he got you of your seat.
 
Sir Bobby, for everything he achieved with us through such adversity.
 
Jaybomb said:
What puts Edwards over Ronaldo? Genuine question.

Edwards died when he was 21. Before he could really set the world alight.
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He played for five seasons...won two championship titles, two charity shields, youngest ever England player, third in Ballon D'or at 20 years old...also reached FA Cup Final and semi-final of European Cup twice.

Over 150 games for United.

Roughly same longevity as Cantona, Van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo...

He deserves his place in consideration regardless of how stupidly brilliant everyone from Di Stefano, Charlton, Venables, Robson, Busby and others thought he would get.

They already said he was the finished article.
 
based on video and other players testimony that saw him play and train. I would have to say George Best is the greatest player to Play in in England much less United. Probably one of the 3 best players to play the game.
 
Billy Blaggs said:
Have you seen him play? My grandad is 80 and he still says Best
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Firstly, Bobby Charlton reckons he was the ebst he ever played with. Secondly, sadly my father is dead but he was alive up untiil Cantona's era. He reckons that Duncan was the best, followed by Sir Bobby. Dad always reckoned that Bestie could have been the best in the world but pissed it all away. I have only ever seen Dunc on news reels. He was a monster . Jack Charlton would probably never have won a WC medal if Duncan had still been alive. Duncan could play anywhere along the back, through the middle and he also scored great goals. He had the ability to grab a game and bend it to his will. I wish I had seen him in action.
 
trevor newnham said:
Firstly, Bobby Charlton reckons he was the ebst he ever played with. Secondly, sadly my father is dead but he was alive up untiil Cantona's era. He reckons that Duncan was the best, followed by Sir Bobby. Dad always reckoned that Bestie could have been the best in the world but pissed it all away. I have only ever seen Dunc on news reels. He was a monster . Jack Charlton would probably never have won a WC medal if Duncan had still been alive. Duncan could play anywhere along the back, through the middle and he also scored great goals. He had the ability to grab a game and bend it to his will. I wish I had seen him in action.
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Sorry for your you dad. I really am.

I haven't seen them live. I can only go with my grandad and he has dementia. He reckoned Best was the greatest player he's ever seen. Charlton was the greatest United player until Giggs.
My grandad was a stretford ender until he could not remember how to get there any more
 
giorno said:
Zidane is a juventus legend and the second best french player ever
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Platini, Scirea, Zoff, Del Piero, Buffon, Charles and a handful of other players are legends. Zidane in my opinion was a very good player for them like Trezeguet and Nedved.
 
In terms of greatest United careers, I'll have to go for Giggs or Scholes, as I haven't watched Charlton, Edwards, Best etc.

In terms of ability of the players I've watched in my lifetime, I'd have to say Ronaldo.
 
JPRouve said:
Platini, Scirea, Zoff, Del Piero, Buffon, Charles and a handful of other players are legends. Zidane in my opinion was a very good player for them like Trezeguet and Nedved.
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No, i'm telling you, Zidane is a juventus legend. Ask any juventus fan. Ask anybody involved with the club

Nedved and Trezeguet are club legends as well

@Sky1981 Zidane is a real madrid legend, too
 
Eh, I dunno, maybe? What's Cantona's status for you compared to other legends?
 
Heh, than no. Raul and Cristiano come before him. Maybe even Iker. Although when you take into account what he's already accomplished as a manager, that might change
 
giorno said:
Heh, than no. Raul and Cristiano come before him. Maybe even Iker. Although when you take into account what he's already accomplished as a manager, that might change
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You see that's why I disagree and I admit that it's on me but I really think that people throw words like legend too easily. At Real season can eventually be in a top 10 but not at Juventus. I also know Juventus fans that don't consider him like a legend because he hasn't marked the history of the club in terms of results and because he left for Real during his prime while others will put him in a top 50 of "legends", they also put Deschamps.

Now, once again I understand, I have had the same problem with Ronaldo and United.
 
Our top scorer not even on top 10 on most lists :rolleyes: the whole negligence thing is just boring anyway.:boring:
 
1. George Best
2. Bobby Charlton
3. Ryan Giggs
4. Denis Law
5. Paul Scholes
6. Wayne Rooney
7. Eric Cantona
8. Peter Schmeichel
9. Duncan Edwards
10. Cristiano Ronaldo

That list is about right isn't it???
 
Offside said:
1. George Best
2. Bobby Charlton
3. Ryan Giggs
4. Denis Law
5. Paul Scholes
6. Wayne Rooney
7. Eric Cantona
8. Peter Schmeichel
9. Duncan Edwards
10. Cristiano Ronaldo

That list is about right isn't it???
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I'd agree with the first 7 (not with the order mind). The last 3 are debatable imo.
 
Offside said:
1. George Best
2. Bobby Charlton
3. Ryan Giggs
4. Denis Law
5. Paul Scholes
6. Wayne Rooney
7. Eric Cantona
8. Peter Schmeichel
9. Duncan Edwards
10. Cristiano Ronaldo

That list is about right isn't it???
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Mine:

1. Ryan Giggs
2. Bobby Charlton
3. George Best
4. Denis Law
5. Wayne Rooney
6. Paul Scholes
7. Eric Cantona
8. Peter Schmeichel
9. Rio Ferdinand
10. Cristiano Ronaldo

I was tempted to put Rooney over Denis Law but I don't want to ruffle too many feathers around here. I think there is a sentimental effect to players from our history that puts current or recent players at a disadvantage. 20-40 years into the future, and the SAF era with all the main players in it will be idolized more than any other era in the club's history.
 
JPRouve said:
I also know Juventus fans that don't consider him like a legend because he hasn't marked the history of the club in terms of results and because he left for Real during his prime while others will put him in a top 50 of "legends", they also put Deschamps
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Not italians, not people who lived the club day to day for their whole lives. Zidane is a juventus legend. This isn't an opinion, it's a fact. Deschamps is ALSO a juventus legend
 
giorno said:
Not italians, not people who lived the club day to day for their whole lives. Zidane is a juventus legend. This isn't an opinion, it's a fact. Deschamps is ALSO a juventus legend
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Yes italians but that's not important. He isn't close to be their greatest player, you can agree on that?
 
JPRouve said:
Yes italians but that's not important. He isn't close to be their greatest player, you can agree on that?
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Depends. In terms of ability/performances, he's top 3. In terms of status, no, he's not close to Del Piero, Boniperti, Scirea, Sivori or Platini(the two greatest players to play for them)
 
It is ridiculously difficult to compare old players with the players of the modern era. Compare the pitches. Even up to the 70's half the time the pitches were like puddings. The ball weighed a ton when it was wet. You could get away with decapitation before you got a red card. The diets are more scientific. The training regimes more scientific. One can only hazard a guess how good the likes of Tommy Taylor, Edwards, even Bestie, would be like in the modern era, protected by the ref, eating and training properly, and playing on the billiard tables we have now. My dad reckons Tommy Tatlor was the best English centre forward of that time by miles.Wonder what he would have made of the game now. Sadly we will never know. You can only speculate. So really to compare the players of then to nowadays is really pointless. It would be more worthwhile to place their worth in the different eras.
 
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