Reply With QuoteOriginally Posted by thehumblegringo
Jimmy Hill
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Currently reading his Autobiography and you are left with an impression of how thoughtful and intelligent he was.
Has anyone one individual had the same level of impact on the game of football as he has?
Jimmy Hill
Good shout mate. I was thinking more of on the field legacy where i would say that the majority of Hill's acheivements were with regard to football governance etc
Leyton Maxwell?
Doing well at Cardiff Dracs i believe!
Michel Platini although sadly not in a positive way the greedy kent.
Good shout.
I'd also add George Best, who was arguably the British game's first superstar, as well of course as Pele who did it on a global stage.
Ronaldinho. Never seen a more skillful player than him, and that includes Messi and Ronaldo. Also for the British game, I'd have to say Alex Ferguson. He revolutionised the game over here, and showed British clubs how to b competitive in Europe again in the modern era....and he done it with a lot of British players
Brian Clough, who had one of the best goals per game records before injury cut his career short and took Forest to 2 European Cup wins with all British players.
A great achievement, but not much lasting impact on the game of football.
Agree with you about Ronaldinho.
I was lucky enough to see him play for Barca about 10 years ago and it was worth the entrance fee to see him warm up. I'm sure he had the ball on a string.
Disagree with you about Fergie.
Yes he was a great manager but also a very lucky one. Everyone forgets that he was one game away from the sack in 1990 after not winning a trophy in his first 4 years.
Also he got lucky with the class of 92 all coming through the ranks at the same time.
Again he was lucky with the treble in 99. If it wasn't for Bergkamp missing that penalty in the final minutes of the semi final they would have been out.
He got out of Utd at the right time. He knew his time was up.
If he was still Utd manager today would he have won anymore titles?
I don't think so.
You certainly have a point about Fergie mate, I do think a lot of his success was down to having great number 2s by his side and I suppose you are always gonna need a bit of luck when you win a trebble, not only the arsenal game, but if I remember, they were 1-O down against Liverpool in the quarter final with 90minutes gone, untill ole came on and scored, also the Juventus game in the champions league when Roy Keane dragged them back from the brink, and of course the final. I think that's what Fergie done best, he instilled a never die attitude in his teams, whether it's was through fear, or having a knack at getting players in with that mental toughness. And yes, if Fergie was about now, I think he may struggle, but imo, that would be down to him loosing his appetite, through age. A younger Fergie however with the money united now have at there disposal, I think he would dominate
Rinus Michels
I think Fergie was an absolute genius. He continually reinvented Man United in the face of the changing modern game.
You could argue he got out at the right time but he also got his team to over acheive time and time again in my opinion.
He shouldn't really have got his last team to the title. That was done on fergie power alone as they were not that special.
If he'd left a couple of years before as he'd wanted (the aguerooooo season -or was that his penultimate? Can't be bothered to check) then man u would probably have been in better shape for the next manager. So he overstayed his welcome to make sure he went out with a title.
But saying that, he knew he could win the title again. He knew what he was doing. Never liked him but we won't see another as bloody good as him.
Also, you may say it was a fluke to have the Neville's, scholes, Nicky butt, David Beckham etc coming through at the same time, but how many managers would've had the balls to throw them in at the deep end all at the same time? Especially when they got thumped by Aston Villa, and a certain person made his famous quote "you won't win anything with kids" I mean it's almost unheard of, to throw so many kids in at the deep end. But Fergie somehow new it would work, when most doubted him. Love him on hate him, I don't think there is any doubt, the bloke was a visionary when it came to football
I can't believe some of the nonsense I've seen written about Fergie here.
You don't win the amount he's won, over such a long period , by being "lucky".
As for his number 2s they were more lucky to have worked with him than he was them. They may have been good sounding boards but there's no doubt who the boss was and who picked the team, motivated the players.etc
It doesn't go unrecognised that they all tried their own hand in management and failed miserably.
Similar to Ronaldo in the other thread, like him or loathe him, the guy is a winner and will go down as one of the greats.
Last edited by J R Hartley; 03-05-17 at 16:24.
Agree with you mate. That's what I meant by having great number 2s. Fergie picked them, because he new they were the right people. He didn't want them to be managers, he wanted them to be number 2s. To relay what he wanted and make sure it was implemented. He had to have the right man by his side, and if he didn't, then things wouldn't get done the way he wanted it to. Like you mention Ronaldo. It's interesting to listen to him when he speaks about Fergie. Those to are cut from the same cloth. Both born winners.
Most of his ex players who don't have an axe to grind with him still speak about him like a crossed between a father and a headmaster
He mellowed in later years but perhaps he had to as the modern player got more power.
I think he would have adapted to today's game and certainly given the money united have spent since he left would have built another title challenging team.
That Bosman fella must be up there
Good shout, although I don't think that's what Gringo had in mind in his OP, he certainly re shaped football massively l
LFW and Tarki.
Intelligence - verbal or physical or both.
Cruyff's football capability undoubted ... very few to reach his standard during his time.
Intelligent movement, passing, outwitting an opponent etc.
Many others have replicated this capability up to present day.
For intelligence on the pitch: Pele, Maradona, Beckenbauer, Messi, Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic, Lahm, Pirlo, and as someone mentioned last night Marcelo
For intelligence on the pitch and as a manager then: Ferguson, Guardiola and Warnock
I was just thinking of his influence on football tactics and the modern game.
He was very influential on the total football of Ajax and Holland and I'd say he has been the most influential figure in the way Barcelona have played during the last 10 years
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