The Overlaap - Jaap Stam

[Redplane]

The biggest thing I'm getting from this thread is that it's clear we need to have a street fight between Vidic and Stam to determine who is right about who is the toughest guy. Nothing else will get people to agree.

Lets make it happen.

 

[Sandikan]

I always look at how much of a threat are CB's on corners.

For all his pace and strength Stam wouldn't stick his head in there like Vidic or Bruce.

Threat from corners doesn't necessarily make you a tougher player. Unless you think Van Dijk and Maguire are two of the toughest centre backs ever?

 

[JediSith]

Vidic was excellent but Stam had it all. All the strength and power of Vidic but with pace on top.
A critical part of our treble win and went way too soon.

We'll never know the truth of whether it was the book, knowing about his impending drug ban or actually his level dropping a bit.

But letting him go and bringing in an immobile vet Laurent Blanc was so upsetting.

I think the truth is, at Stam said, the club needed the money. Carrington was being built for £100m, getting £30m for Stam was probably something to appease shareholders. Remember we were a PLC at the time. Only reason why I can see SAF replacing him with a past it Blanc on a free.

 

[T_Model101]

Didn't exactly see any of Stam at Lazio, but he was still quality when he was at Milan at like 35

 

[Sandikan]

I think the truth is, at Stam said, the club needed the money. Carrington was being built for £100m, getting £30m for Stam was probably something to appease shareholders. Remember we were a PLC at the time. Only reason why I can see SAF replacing him with a past it Blanc on a free.

30m? Ferdinand came for that a year or so later with English tax, age in his favour etc

We got about half of that fee for Stam.

 

[GueRed]

Vidic and Stam were both World Class. Both United legends in my eyes...I think it comes down to personal preference.

If you look at it closely Stam was a better all-round athlete. Vidic was a strong leader, better aerially and more aggressive. Stam only scored one goal in his three years at the club and it was with his right foot!

Nemanja though had the benefit of playing alongside another world class centre-back in Rio Ferdinand and was part of a defensive unit which was the best in Europe for a good couple of years...

Stam spent most of his three years playing alongside a terrible Mikael Silvestre and still looked world class.

 

[JediSith]

30m? Ferdinand came for that a year or so later with English tax, age in his favour etc

We got about half of that fee for Stam.

Could have been that SAF already identified Rio. Also could be a mixture of the two. One thing I know United were, at the time, the only club in the world who were debtless and we managed to expand the stadium several times, build a new training ground, while still keeping shareholders happy. So even £15m at that time to budget things out makes sense.