Imagine the scene: you and a few friends sitting around a table littered with empty pint glasses after Sky Sports “Super Sunday” when yet another spanner was thrown into the Premiership title race and it’s now anybody’s guess as to where the crown will end up this time around. Then, as with everything else amongst friends, the debates begin: “Is Rooney a better all round player than Torres?” “Who would you have as your captain, Ferdinand or Terry?”
These are the questions that seem to plague gatherings of fans throughout the nation whilst they sit sipping on their latest pint that everyone seems to have lost count of. The question of whose round it is, is somehow lost and tempers flare when debating the ins and outs of Premiership football.
I have personally seen grown men storm off and leave the pub in anger over something so ‘trivial’ as the Keane vs Vieira discussion. Despite sounding childish and nonsensical it has taken up hours of thousands of fans’ time and, to be honest, most would refer to such debates as merely part and parcel of what makes an afternoon watching the footie with the lads great. As the mountain of glasses pile up on the table and the bar staff have decided to leave well enough alone as opposed to clearing them away the question is inevitably asked:
“Lads, if you had to name one, who would be your greatest Premiership team of all time?”
As foolish as this sounds it isn’t quite as vague and random as it first seems. Firstly the Premiership is only in its infancy in terms of League status as the first Premier League campaign only came into effect in 92/93 season and as such is less than seventeen years old, which narrows the pool down considerably. Also, true football genius and greatness are so rare that those worthy of mention or even inclusion in the team are few and far between. Finding those who “left their mark” on the League itself narrows down the field even further. After much discussion it was decided that I write this article and try to put across the consensus of all those who found it necessary to offer their two cents worth of info (and let’s be honest, there were a lot of you).
So here’s the definitive list of the greatest Premiership team of all time (4-3-3).
Goalkeeper
Peter Schmeichel
There’s no question here. His last game for Manchester United was the infamous Champions League Final and the final game to win the Treble.
He often tops polls for the greatest goalkeeper of all time with five Premier League titles, one Champions League, three FA Cups and one League Cup. Definitely the greatest keeper to grace the Premiership, no argument whatsoever.
Right Back
Gary Neville
Neville has had 383 League appearances for Manchester United dating back to the 93/94 season and has been at the top of the game for almost all sixteen years. He’s the current club captain of Manchester United (85 caps) and is the most capped right back on the English squad. His honours include: eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups, three Community Shields, one League Cup, two Champions League, one Intercontinental Cup and one Fifa World Club Cup. He was also included on the PFA Team of the Year five times.
Centre Half
Sol Campbell
Campbell has had 485 league appearances for Tottenham, Arsenal and Portsmouth. I realise this inclusion will spark massive discussion but I feel I really can justify this. Campbell came through the academy at Tottenham becoming club captain in the mean time before joining arch rivals Arsenal on a free transfer. He made his debut aged eighteen in 1992 and became England’s second youngest captain in 1998.
He also was part of the ‘invincibles’ the infamous Arsenal team that went an entire League season unbeaten and a solid defence are the foundations on which such success is built. His honours read rather impressively: three PFA Team of the Years, two Premier Leagues, four FA Cups as well as one League Cup. Finally he was part of the Arsenal Team that reached the Champions League in 2006.
Centre Half
John Terry
I realise that there will be calls for Pallister, Bruce, Adams and even Rio Ferdinand. However, after checking the stats and discussing it with other people well educated on the subject, I feel it would be completely wrong of me to leave Terry out.
Terry has won two Premier League titles and in a team where money is no object he still managed to come through the youth system and establish himself as the mainstay of the team’s defence as well as club captain.
His own individual honours speak the loudest: Fifa Best Defender three times, one PFA player of the year award and three Uefa team of the year awards. I think those honours themselves say it all.
Left Back
Denis Irwin
Those of you clambering for the inclusion of Ashley Cole will undoubtedly be disgusted by this decision.
However I feel justified in placing Irwin in this squad for two reasons: the honours he won and his versatility. His honours include seven Premier League titles and a Champions League. With regards to his versatility, Irwin can play either side of defence and do so with minimal fuss.
Maybe I am blinded by the need to have an Irish player in defence however I think his record speaks for itself.
Right Wing
Cristiano Ronaldo
I can hear the daggers being drawn at this very moment. Never before has a player been so wildly hated and despised by a huge majority of the populace. Some will say he disappears on the big occasions but let’s just look at facts: 292 Manchester United appearances, 118 goals (that’s good for a striker, never mind a mid-fielder).
He was and is the only Premiership player to win World Player of the year, the highest individual honour there is. His forty-two goals in one season earned him the Golden Boot from midfield. He won three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, two League Cups and a Champions League, as well as the Fifa World Club Cup Championship. He made a telling contribution to Manchester United’s dominance over the past three years.
Central Midfield
Roy Keane (c)
It may be the fact that he’s Irish but I just can’t leave Keano out. Some may call for Steven Gerrard to be included but with the balance of this team already looking very attack minded I think Keano is a safer bet. Could you have a better captain than Keane, a man who leads by example, dragging everyone else’s performance around him up to a different level. (Just remember that semi final against Juventus.)
Others will call for Patrick Vieira, but I think the statistics speak for themselves: Seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups, one Champions League, four Community Shields and the personal honours of PFA Player of the Year and FWA Player of the Year. Keane has made the Fifa 100 list of the greatest living players as well as being inducted into the FA Hall of Fame in 2004.
Left Midfield
Ryan Giggs
Giggs is the most successful player in the history of the English game has won eleven Premier League titles, two Champions League and three League Cups as well as a host of other smaller cups. He also holds the record for number of appearances by a Manchester United player with over 800.
In an age where player turnover is at its greatest Giggs longevity is something to be admired and he holds the record of playing in every single Premier League season. In these his later years he still plays a pivotal role in Manchester United’s march for a fourth consecutive title. I think there is only one player who could challenge Giggs for this position and that’s Robert Pires, but even then Giggs wins this by a country mile.
Forward (Right)
Eric Cantona
Many people forget that Cantona only graced the world of the Premiership for five seasons, yet he is still spoken about with a little bit of wonder by those who saw him play. Those who were lucky enough to see him strut his stuff at Old Trafford realised they were witnessing greatness.
The infamous Alan Hansen quote “you don’t win anything with kids” may have not have been too far from the truth were it not for Cantona taking them under his wing. He will of course be remembered for his kung fu kick on a Crystal Palace fan but it is a goal he scored where he delicately chipped into the far top corner after he weaved his way through the defence that I hope history chooses to remember him for. Where would Manchester United be were it not for the genius of that mercurial Frenchman. Four Premier League titles and three FA Cups in his five years at old Trafford says it all really.
Forward (Left)
Thierry Henry
When I originally wrote this article ‘‘the incident’’ had yet to occur but excluding his cheating ways and looking purely on a footballing basis I can’t see anyone arguing with this decision. Fantastic with both feet, great touch, pace, strength. He had it all. He has sullied his name over the past week but his genius can never be called into question.
He only won two Premier League titles in his time with Arsenal and three FA Cups but the fact that he was part of the PFA Team of the Year for six consecutive years from 2001 to 2006 says everything that needs to be said about the class he oozed once he crossed the white lines. He also topped the scoring charts four times during his time in North London not to mention the number of chances he created for his teammates. Arguably the best player of the noughties (were it not for Zidane), definitely the best striker of the noughties – without question.
Striker
Alan Shearer
Not the most talented player, not the most loved either but this man could put the ball in the net. He is the Premiership’s all time leading goal scorer with over 250 goals and over 370 career goals in total for Southampton, Blackburn Rover and Newcastle United.
The best way to describe his brilliance is that it was his goals that single-handedly dragged a not very fancied Blackburn side to the title in 1995. It is certainly no coincidence that Blackburn went downhill when Shearer left to play for his boyhood club. In 2002 he was named Overall Player of the Decade, Domestic Player of the Decade, Outstanding Contribution to the Premier League and Top Goal scorer. Those awards and accolades themselves surely cement his place as this team’s figurehead striker.
On the bench
Goalkeeper: David Seaman
Arsenal stalwart only beaten by Schmeichel.
Full Back: Ashley Cole
Best full back in the country for the past five years.
Centre Half: Rio Ferdinand
Fantastic ball playing centre half who plied his trade with West Ham, Leeds and Manchester United.
Midfield: Patrick Vieira
Arsenal midfield enforcer and fantastic captain. Only Keane is more worthy of the position of captain.
Midfield: Steven Gerrard
The sole Liverpudlian. A natural talent and the only reason Liverpool have been anywhere near the top of the table for the past five years.
Winger: Robert Pires
Arsenal winger and FWA and PFA player of the year. Capable of playing on both flanks hence why he beats Beckham to this spot.
Striker: Gianfranco Zola
The mercurial Italian captured the hearts and minds of fans around the country. Quite possibly the most universally liked foreign player in the Premiership. Currently manager at West Ham.
At this stage many of you reading may think that in leaving out the likes of Matt Le Tissier, Denis Bergkamp and Tony Adams this article should be declared null and void. However, all these decisions were carefully discussed and the choices analysed to give a well balanced team.
This squad is very much dominated by Manchester United players, both old and current. Yes, I will admit I am a United fan however in the seventeen seasons so far United have won eleven titles and as such their players are naturally going to dominate this particular team. Purists from Merseyside will claim that my position as a United fan has swayed my decision making ability hence why only one Liverpudlian (Steven Gerrard) has made the squad. However Liverpool have never won the Premiership title and on current form don’t look likely to do so any time soon. Also, no Liverpool player (bar Gerrard) is worthy of mention, not even Torres who has the undoubted ability to one day be mentioned in the same breath as Henry. He simply hasn’t been plying his trade in the Premiership long enough.
After countless hours of consultation, one of the greatest pub debates has come to a close. What is it about these topics that leads to shouting matches across the empty glasses that by now flood the table. This argument will rage on into the night and will never come to a satisfactory conclusion but after careful consideration this is as close as we are ever going to get before this paper goes to print.
So there you have it. After seventeen long and memorable years you have just seen the best of the best, the crème de la crème of English football.
