Growing up, who was your footballing idol?

[Saj]

In the playground at school, who was the player whom you immitated, the player you wanted to be, when you "grew up".

Mine was Kenny Dalglish.

The way he shielded the ball, the way he brought other players into the game, the way his quick thinking meant that he was always ahead of the opposition.

Brilliant player.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Stan Collymore

[hasbeen]

roy keane

[w4s1m786]

Luis Ronaldo

[TAK]

Peter "lash" Lorimer

there were 2 outstanding number 7's in english football when a were a lad

lorimer and keegan

[ZM]

alan shearer.

[adi 101]

Dwight Yorke

[12thMan]

Maradona and Rossi. There was a French guy and I can't remember his name

[Gunner786]

eric cantona

[Geordie Ahmed]

Originally Posted by 12thMan Maradona and Rossi. There was a French guy and I can't remember his name

so much for being an idol then

[adz]

Maradona.

[Oxy]

Kenny Dalglish - one of the greatest ever footballers in my eyes for Celtic, Liverpool, and Scotland.

Maradona - for Napoli and Argentina.

Michel Platini - France

[Nakhuda]

ZICO!.The best forward i've ever seen!!

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by Nakhuda ZICO!.The best forward i've ever seen!!

Me and another poster on PP have this on-going debate about Zico.

We grew up watching the great Brazilian sides in the 80s - but exactly what was the deal with Zico.

[TAK]

Originally Posted by Oxy Me and another poster on PP have this on-going debate about Zico. We grew up watching the great Brazilian sides in the 80s - but exactly what was the deal with Zico.

post pele he was the footballing equivalent of the great white hope

having said that he wasn't half bad, pretty fly for a white guy

that brazil team (socrates, junior, facao etc etc) along with holland 74 (cruyff, neeskens etc.) are the best 2 teams not to have won the world cup

[Oxy]

TAK - would you say Zico was a GREAT (of the level of a Platini, Maradona or any other GREAT NO 10s)

[Nakhuda]

Get a hold of the 1982 world cup finals DVD or video to see how brilliant Zico was!.Those were pre satellite/cable days so he didn't get the exposure and recognition he deserved.

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by Nakhuda Get a hold of the 1982 world cup finals DVD or video to see how brilliant Zico was!.Those were pre satellite/cable days so he didn't get the exposure and recognition he deserved.

Saw them LIVE from start to finish Great Brazilian side (one of the greatest)

[Nakhuda]

Originally Posted by Oxy Saw them LIVE from start to finish Great Brazilian side (one of the greatest)

...and Zico was the jewel in the crown!!!!

[TAK]

Originally Posted by Oxy TAK - would you say Zico was a GREAT (of the level of a Platini, Maradona or any other GREAT NO 10s)

maradonna won the world cup, platini won the european championship

zico?

i would say zico is on a par with platini

for me , off the top off me head and bearing in mind it's late:

1/2) pele/maradaonna

3/4) zidane/cruyff

others, best. platini, zico....

[Waqar's inswinging yorker]

Luis enrique/romario

[Has]

Probably Sol Campbell, an immense defender, he is probably the player I tried to be the most like but Steve Mcmanaman was a player who loved to watch play.

[Daoud]

Well since I was in goal most of the time, no one really

But my favourite player when I was younger was Bergkamp

[Rob H]

Paul McGrath - Villa legend

[Oxy]

By 'growing up' - I assume we mean, when we first got into football or at the age of about 10-11-12 etc?

If thats the case, then my choice remain as above.

But as a teenager - it was Marco Van Basten and Romario and Ian Rush

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by Rob H Paul McGrath - Villa legend

One of the most underated players of all time.

Deserved to be playing in this era! And they might have sorted his knees out!

[Has]

Originally Posted by Daoud Well since I was in goal most of the time, no one really But my favourite player when I was younger was Bergkamp

Bergkamp is defo one my Idols one of the most valuable players when performing towards the top end of his game, shame he couldent do it more often.

[Oxy]

I'm restating my choices:-

1) As growing up: Maradona, King Kenny Dalglish, Michel Platini

2) As a teen: Marco Van Basten, Romario, Ian Rush

3) As an oldie: Robbie Fowler, Gian Franco Zola

[Has]

Originally Posted by Oxy I'm restating my choices:- 1) As growing up: Maradona, King Kenny Dalglish, Michel Platini 2) As a teen: Marco Van Basten, Romario, Ian Rush 3) As an oldie: Robbie Fowler, Gian Franco Zola

How about as a OAP?

[Has]

JUST KIDDING!

Before I get banned!

[Luton Bad Boy]

John Barnes!

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by Has JUST KIDDING! Before I get banned!

Come on guys - you know I can take it

As an OAP.

Probably Maldini Jnr

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by Luton Bad Boy John Barnes!

Amazing choice - around about 1987 he was one of the best in the world!

[dblock]

Eric Cantona

Gabriel Batistuta

Rivaldo

Ronaldinho (esp before he was famous)

[The Godfather]

zidane

[Straight Bat]

Goalkeeper but I had great respect for Figo. I guess he was just the first player to catch me eye and I realised that he had skill when I first started watching football.

[hasbeen]

Originally Posted by dblock Eric Cantona Gabriel Batistuta Rivaldo Ronaldinho (esp before he was famous)

4 brilliant players there. batistuta was lethal up front. united missed out on him

[PlanetPakistan]

Roberto Baggio- He was quite brilliant in that 1994 world cup.

[Oval]

Originally Posted by Saj In the playground at school, who was the player whom you immitated, the player you wanted to be, when you "grew up".

The earliest I can remember is Kevin Keegan.

I can remember playing footy in the park, never enough players for a full two sided game, usually around 5 or 6 of us, so we used to play "headers and volleys" (one goal, had to score with a header or volley) or "Wembley" (one goal, last play to score is knowcked out, until there is one player left).....

Anyway, back to the point. probably because of TV and school playground stuff, I can remember 'being' only two players when playing football as a little'un. One was Kevin keegan. He was 'God'. The best. No questions asked.

The other was Peter Currie. Not sure why he was famous in the circles/school I hung out. I guess most youngsters here won't have even heard of him! I think he was a Hoddle-esque type player, with high skill and technique.

Also, Ray Clemence and Pat Jennings were the two keepers I remeber we pretended to be when we took out (innevitable) turn in goal. I rememmebr referring to Ray Clemence as Clay Clemence, and finding it hilarious!! (Never did like Liverpool ).

[Easa]

When I was growing up, Ronaldo was making news for Milan and Brazil.. before his first injury..

[Medic]

Bergkamp

[James]

Shearer, probably because of Euro 96

[TAK]

Originally Posted by Oval I can remember playing footy in the park, never enough players for a full two sided game, usually around 5 or 6 of us, so we used to play "headers and volleys" (one goal, had to score with a header or volley) or "Wembley" (one goal, last play to score is knowcked out, until there is one player left).....

we only ever played wembley till i was about 9

i remember the first time i played a proper match and thinking eh there are goals at both ends!

p.s. pat jennings - what a goalie he was

[w4s1m786]

i remember we used to play cupsies, a good 6 of us used to play and the loser would have to go in goal

[Oval]

Originally Posted by TAK we only ever played wembley till i was about 9 i remember the first time i played a proper match and thinking eh there are goals at both ends! p.s. pat jennings - what a goalie he was

Yup, Wembley was very common as a kid.

So was " 3 'an in". Score 3 and you got to go in goal (not a great incentive to score three I guess, but that was the game!!)

[karachiite]

Originally Posted by PlanetPakistan Roberto Baggio- He was quite brilliant in that 1994 world cup.

USA 94 was when i first watched a footy tournament and watching him missing THAT penalty is etched in my mind. Since then I always had a soft spot for him.

[hasbeen]

Originally Posted by karachiite USA 94 was when i first watched a footy tournament and watching him missing THAT penalty is etched in my mind. Since then I always had a soft spot for him.

he missed it on purpose apparently

[Jimmy two-times]

Roberto Baggio, Hagi and Bergkamp.

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by Geordie Ahmed so much for being an idol then

someone named him later. Platini. it has been a long time

Zico was another famous player then. there were I think 3 fair skinned players in Brazil team then. maybe the captain, zico and the goal keeper??? maybe the reason as media might be talking a little more. I was in Pakistan then and we had whoever was commentating internationally but probably not that reason and he had something or not much competition. I don't remember any of thoes players or even Rossi or Platini

[Amir]

Since I am still growing up, I would say Ryan Giggs. The man isa great player and a just a great fighter. People said he was finished but he came back this season just to prove how good he truly is. Another one of mine would have to be Paul Scholes. Two guys who know how to fight when the odds are against them!

[BD-fan]

There was only one idol for me while growing up and that was Pele even though I didn't watch him live.

But in each world cup I would have players who would be rated very high on my list.

74 - Mullar, Cruyff, Duglish (Liverpool fan - so)
78 - Platini, Kempes
82 - Brazil (Socrates, falcao, Edar, Junior, Zico), Germany (Rummenigge, Littbarski), Boniek (Poland), Italy (Altobelli, Rossi, Zoff, Maldini)
86 - Maradona, Robson, Enzo Chifo (sp), Linekar, Butragueno (Spain), Donadoni
90 - Gullit, Van bastan, Roger Millar, Valderama, Mattaus, Brehme, Klinsmann, Schillaci, Gascoigne
94 - hagi, Baggio, Dunga, bebeto, Nobab Shahjada Romario, Bergkamp
98 - Ronaldo, Owen, Henry
02 - Rivaldo, Klose, Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Del Piero, Raul, Hidetoshi Nakata, Hakan Sukur
06 - Messi, Kaka, Cannavaro, Crespo

Out side the World cup it had be Ian Rush.