wish we could do the same now
World Class players under Alex Ferguson
- Thread starter tentan
- Start date
Schmeichel
De Gea became WC
Stam
Rio
Vidic
Evra
Keane
Scholes
Beckham
Ronaldo
Tevez
Rooney
RVN
Cole / Yorke combo was wc during 99
De Gea became WC
Stam
Rio
Vidic
Evra
Keane
Scholes
Beckham
Ronaldo
Tevez
Rooney
RVN
Cole / Yorke combo was wc during 99
I mean that's not totally true though, and he certainly tried to
Tevez was never World Class, can probably sub him out and put Giggs in. Would also add RVP
Agree. Tevez had his moments but for most parts was a very frustrating player to watch, similar to Berbatov or Nani.
VDS was definitely world class for us tbh.
I’d add Carrick and swap RvP for Tevez.
Dont get some of the comments about RvP not having longevity, especially compared to some of the players people suggest to swap him with in lists. If the measure is longevity with United alone people maybe have a pt but despite the injuries etc and also considering there were many games he didnt play as the lone striker his stats are absolutely world class over many seasons.
Which world class players did he buy? I mean you could probably put RVP in that bracket.I mean that's not totally true though, and he certainly tried to
Define world class?
I see some folks on here trying to act like Giggs wasn't world class same folks think Vinicius and Bellingham are world-class. Giggs was wanted by every club in Europe and he chose to stay at United every time. He gave his all for this club and maintained a high standard into his late 30s even 40s. Man at his peak was unplayable. Multiple world class performances on the biggest stage too. I get it's cool to now rip him for all his private antics but that has absolutely nothing to do with is ability on the pitch.
Was Robson world class late 80s? Slightly before my time
Robson
Schmeichel
Irwin
Giggs
Keane
Cantona
Scholes
Beckham
Stam
Van Nistelrooy
Ferdinand
Vidic
Van Der Sar
Ronaldo
Rooney
Schmeichel
Irwin
Giggs
Keane
Cantona
Scholes
Beckham
Stam
Van Nistelrooy
Ferdinand
Vidic
Van Der Sar
Ronaldo
Rooney
Yes, its ridiculous. At the time of their retirements there really wasn't much doubt that Giggs had the better career than Scholes and was generally considered to have been the better player but in the years since Scholes has been elevated to the elite of the elite and Giggs is now seen as a long service workhorse, a James Milner. Even remember in a previous thread some had Damien Duff as a better player, Damien Duff FFS.
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Most of them who say that haven't watched Giggs play and are basing it on the subsequent post playing personal career that unfolded.
World Class A Team v World Class B Team (all time)
16 of the 22 played under Alex Ferguson and only one failed to win a league title.
A = Schmeichel, G. Neville, Byrne, Stam, Ferdinand; Best, Robson, Edwards, Charlton; Ronaldo, Law (442)
B = Van der Sar, Irwin, Evra, McGrath, Vidic; Keane, Scholes; Giggs, Rooney, Rowley; Van Nistelrooy (4231)
Others like Carey, Taylor, Dunne, Cantona, Hughes and Beckham could all have decent arguments.
Some are obvious and others personal/subjective.
16 of the 22 played under Alex Ferguson and only one failed to win a league title.
A = Schmeichel, G. Neville, Byrne, Stam, Ferdinand; Best, Robson, Edwards, Charlton; Ronaldo, Law (442)
B = Van der Sar, Irwin, Evra, McGrath, Vidic; Keane, Scholes; Giggs, Rooney, Rowley; Van Nistelrooy (4231)
Others like Carey, Taylor, Dunne, Cantona, Hughes and Beckham could all have decent arguments.
Some are obvious and others personal/subjective.
Bought RVP and Veron, wanted Ronaldinho, Batistuta, Shearer, Del Piero, Gascoigne etc.
It's not like he strictly went after youngsters or something. It just turned out that we had a freakish youth class that all turned into huge contributors for a decade together so it wasn't necessary to constantly buy top players.
Like Busby in 1947, 1957 and 1967.
Tevez it's the defintion of World Class...another thing it's to like him as player, as a fella or whatever.
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Tevez was world class.
Forgot to add RVP. Carrick I think was very good but not really world class imo.
Not at Utd he wasn't. He was in far better shape physically at City and Juventus. He was good for us in his first season and scored some important goals, but I wouldn't say his performances were world class.
How is Beckham not world class?
To me it’s if a player can get into any team in the world, I also have a GOAT tier for players that would get into any team in history.
Schmicheal
VDS
Neville
Irwin
Evra
Ferdinand
Vidic
Stam
Keane
Scholes
Robson
Beckham
Ronaldo
Giggs
Cantona
RVN
RVP
Rooney
I agree with all of these except for Neville, he had too many physical and technical flaws to be in that category.
He also wasn’t getting anywhere near some of the teams at the time.
Not sure what version of Neville you’re referring to, but lets say late 90’s or early 2000’s.
You had Thuram, Zanetti, Cafu who are all time greats in that position.
You had the likes of Sagnol, Angloma, Panucci, Pessotto, just off the top of my head who were as good if not better than Neville.
I’d argue Brown during 07-08 was as good as prime Neville who was playing behind Beckham for most of his career who was a hard working winger, and did his defensive duties well most of the time.
Don’t know, he definitely was.
From 98 to about 2001 he was one of most effective players in the world and the numbers he produced playing as a wide player in a flat 4-4-2 were incredible.
Such an important and clutch player for us at the time.
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That is a pretty good list but I don't think Neville or Vidic makes mine.
I would have Pallister in front of Vidic in a Utd team but I still would not call him world class.
Neville was really good but I think a player needs a bit more to be in a world class bracket.
He indeed played a more secondary role in United, I absolutely agree, but he still was a world class player.
Even as dubious and evasive such term is, Tevez was in many ways the epithome of world class, of playing HIS WAY (with higher or lesser level regarding himself) anywhere under any circumnstance.
There are very few players that trully played in so many situations against all odds and got their head above the water and even triumph in great manner like him.
Of course Carlos being Carlos and due to his own knowledge of his talent and personality, would do very Carlos things jeopardizing the view people have of him. Even in situations like the Mancini bench stuff that it was proven that Mancini was on the wrong side and the City players asked Mancini to called him back, he didn't even care to clarify it and just went with the "narrative", that's fecking weird; but it talks also about the confidence and talent of the bulky rascal in himself.
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As soon as Neville and Valencia are included, we know how World Class this can be. You might as well include ALL Utd players on his 2nd contract, because they are goof enough to stay/extend, hence must be world class, that include Martial.
On VDS, a great player of course, but if not recruited by Utd in his twlight years, would probably be remembered as a good player playing for a mid-table / bottom club.
DDG on the other hand, was hunted by RM, if not for that unreliable & treacherous fax machine (from DDG's perspective), probably made in Manchester.
On VDS, a great player of course, but if not recruited by Utd in his twlight years, would probably be remembered as a good player playing for a mid-table / bottom club.
DDG on the other hand, was hunted by RM, if not for that unreliable & treacherous fax machine (from DDG's perspective), probably made in Manchester.
Bahaha surely you can't be serious?
DDG was great for us no doubt, but hasn't done much outside of United and in no way has anywhere close to the legacy VdS has had.
Edwin van der Sar
**Career Statistics:**
- Clubs: Ajax, Juventus, Fulham, Manchester United
- Total Appearances: 820 (club level)
- International Caps: 130 for the Netherlands
**Titles and Trophies:**
- Ajax:
- Eredivisie: 4 (1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98)
- KNVB Cup: 3 (1992–93, 1997–98, 1998–99)
- UEFA Champions League: 1 (1994–95)
- UEFA Cup: 1 (1991–92)
- UEFA Super Cup: 1 (1995)
- Intercontinental Cup: 1 (1995)
- Juventus:
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1 (1999)
- Manchester United:
- Premier League: 4 (2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11)
- League Cup: 2 (2005–06, 2009–10)
- FA Community Shield: 3 (2007, 2008, 2010)
- UEFA Champions League: 1 (2007–08)
- FIFA Club World Cup: 1 (2008)
**Individual Awards:**
- Best European Goalkeeper: 2 (1995, 2009)
- UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year: 2 (1995, 2009)
- PFA Team of the Year: 3 (2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11)
- Premier League Golden Glove: 1 (2008–09)
- UEFA Team of the Year: 1 (2009)
David de Gea
**Career Statistics:**
- Clubs: Atlético Madrid, Manchester United
- Total Appearances: 683 (club level)
- International Caps: 45 for Spain
**Titles and Trophies:**
- Atlético Madrid:
- UEFA Europa League: 1 (2009–10)
- UEFA Super Cup: 1 (2010)
- Manchester United:
- Premier League: 1 (2012–13)
- FA Cup: 1 (2015–16)
- EFL Cup: 1 (2016–17)
- FA Community Shield: 3 (2011, 2013, 2016)
- UEFA Europa League: 1 (2016–17)
**Individual Awards:**
- Manchester United Players' Player of the Year: 4 (2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18)
- Manchester United Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year: 4 (2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18)
- PFA Team of the Year: 5 (2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18)
- Premier League Golden Glove: 1 (2017–18)
- FIFA FIFPro World XI: 1 (2018)
Players that would have gotten in any team in the world during their prime.
The others would have always had somebody else better than them during their time.
The only one below that is a bit controversial is Scholes as there were a few others around his level when he was in his prime (2001-2008)
Schmeichel (1994-1999)
Stam (1998-2000)
Rio (2006-2009)
Keane (1998-2002)
Scholes (2001-2005)
Giggs (1996-1999)
Ronaldo (2007-2009)
RVN (2002-2004)
That is all.
The others would have always had somebody else better than them during their time.
The only one below that is a bit controversial is Scholes as there were a few others around his level when he was in his prime (2001-2008)
Schmeichel (1994-1999)
Stam (1998-2000)
Rio (2006-2009)
Keane (1998-2002)
Scholes (2001-2005)
Giggs (1996-1999)
Ronaldo (2007-2009)
RVN (2002-2004)
That is all.
What team in the world was Rooney not getting into between say 08-2012?
Chelsea? Not as a 9 but surely just behind Drogba or off wide?
Barcelona? Maybe, Rooney wasn’t your “typical” Barcelona player but no shot he’s not getting ahead of Pedro.
Real Madrid? He would’ve been elite in that great counter attacking Mourinho Madrid, he was better than Benzema and Higuian at the time, Benzema peaked years later.
Ronaldo
Rooney
RVN
Yorke/Cole (Im counting as one)
Beckham
Cantona
Solskjaer
Keane
Scholes
Giggs
Robson
Irwin
Stam
Rio
Vidic
VdS
Schmeichel
Feels odd leaving Neville, Bruce and Pallister out. Payers like Ince and Kanchelskis just missing out.
Rooney
RVN
Yorke/Cole (Im counting as one)
Beckham
Cantona
Solskjaer
Keane
Scholes
Giggs
Robson
Irwin
Stam
Rio
Vidic
VdS
Schmeichel
Feels odd leaving Neville, Bruce and Pallister out. Payers like Ince and Kanchelskis just missing out.
I can't comment on Pallister but Vidic was absolutely immense. No doubt world class for me.
Fernando Torres wouldn't agree with you.
Not that old myth again.
The bloke had one good game against Vidic when he was knackered, had a flu, a bad dream just the night before, and didnt feel like it at the time. But it shall be echoed throughout the history of mankind that Torries exposed him for being a fraud CB
Vidic was a great defender, I just don't put him in the world class bracket.
Simple as.
I am obviously not a Man Utd fan but for me, I'd go with Schmeichel, Irwin, Rio, Stam, Keane, Robson, Scholes, Ronaldo Rooney, RVN. Alot of the others mentioned already were, top, top players but not world class in my opinion.
Maybe the flaw in my thinking but I was comparing late 90’s Neville to players of today, rather than the late 90’s, but even then you can move Zanetti in midfield or left back and Thuram to CB to fit Neville in at RB, and Cafu is in my GOAT tier.
You define it and make your list based on that.
Carrick 07/08 was world class. Guardiola voted him the best midfielder in the world.