Truly world class.........?

[Tel001]

We will have to agree to disagree. In his prime I think he would of got in to most teams and always seemed to hold his own in major tournaments for Australia and score some absolute crackers.

He never played for a team in the CL so has never played that level and he wouldn’t get into any of the title winning teams in Europes big leagues or the prem.

 

[MarkK1988]

Following on from one of @Joey66 recent pictures, he described Ray Wilson as “a great left back in the world”! Got me thinking about the truly world class players I’ve seen play for Everton.

So here’s my small but classy list of the the ones i’ve actually seen and would deem to be world class..............

Alex Young
Ray Wilson
Alan Ball
Neville Southall
Andre Kanchelskis

All depends I suppose on the definition of World Class - so i’ll sit back and wait for the Tony Hibbert, Leon Osman and Ashley Williams shouts!

Baines was for a few years for me

 

[Steve Wigan]

Kendall and Harvey; either one could've slotted into the 1970 Brazil team no problem.

And working on the theory that a team starts with a spine; Keeper, Centre Half, Striker.
Southall, Ratcliffe and Lineker could've been transplanted into Any International team of the time and Improved it or been just as good as those they replaced.

There are certain players, (maybe not considered 'sexy' enough ) no matter how high up the food chain they go, when surrounded by 'better' players. They are players who, at their peak, always fit in, do their job, never look out of place.
Like John McGovern, Hartlepools to double European Cup winner.
Anyway, imo, Bobby Collins was one and Peter Reid another.

The thing about Bobby Collins is that he was the signing at Everton that heralded the 'modern 'era ..a versatile player in his position and one who was the fulcrum of everything we did ...not particularly quick but an amazing positional sense and game reading talent(Ball was similar in this respect). A lot of his time was spent in the centre circle controlling the game(something the late period Rooney did, but not quite as well) At the time, I would say that peak Collins was bordering on genuine World Class. Collins could be the fox in the box when needed, and I remember one lovely back heeled goal at the Park End. Unlike Young, Collins could mix it with the hard defenders and had a touch of snide about him. One of the absolute key signings in the history of Everton.

 

[Cameron Manning]

The thing about Bobby Collins is that he was the signing at Everton that heralded the 'modern 'era ..a versatile player in his position and one who was the fulcrum of everything we did ...not particularly quick but an amazing positional sense and game reading talent(Ball was similar in this respect). A lot of his time was spent in the centre circle controlling the game(something the late period Rooney did, but not quite as well) At the time, I would say that peak Collins was bordering on genuine World Class. Collins could be the fox in the box when needed, and I remember one lovely back heeled goal at the Park End. Unlike Young, Collins could mix it with the hard defenders and had a touch of snide about him. One of the absolute key signings in the history of Everton.

One of my all round Everton favourites Bobby Collins, dragged Everton up from a very poor team to the edge of greatness, before he was sold too soon, one of Harry Catterick’s rare mistakes, still a bit short of world class, but it is all about opinions.

 

[Cameron Manning]

View attachment 59232

Fair enough, still sticking to my opinion, and that is all it can be, opinions

 

[KaiserEFC]

I don’t think we’ve had one in at least the past 20 odd years if I’m honest

 

[evertonarntwe]

never seen a truly world class everton player in my life time

rooney hit his world class peak at united, we had him before and after it

Baines at the time was one of the best in the world, maybe he could be in with a shout I just don't think he's ever been a world class defender though, maybe world class dead ball specialist ( free kicks, pens, crosses etc )

 

[Yarrgh]

Southall almost definitely. He'd have fitted into a world XI to save the planet against the Alien Invaders XI at the time.

Linekar at his peak and with us? I couldn't think of a better goalscorer at the time than him to slot against anyone in a game of any importance, so he gets in.

I like plenty of players from the last couple of decades, and they may have been world class but it would be unprovable for their time at Everton - they don't have proof via international or top tier club football (not just league but European performances) for me.

I would think that Ratcliffe could have an argument for his inclusion.

The title wining teams of the 80's though were a world class team. They could have beaten any club team at the time.

 

[Lelouch]

Baines was always great going forward, but defensively the best he ever was was 'good ish'. In fact didn't Ashley whatsisname keep him out of the England team for long periods. Baines was never brilliant for England, one reason being that Gerrard played in front of him and never showed for the ball.

While I agree about his defensive game the modern full back has changed so much imo, It's more about the attacking side than the defensive side you can get away with being an average full back or doing a standard job defensively but you'll get the plaudits if your forward game is spot on at least in my view. I honestly don't remember saying in the last couple of years yeah that fullback is a proper solid defender.

 

[Verbal Kint]

Southall was the only one I've seen and to be honest my memories of him are vague. I mainly remember him playing on too long and seriously out of shape.

 

[MarkK1988]

jags and lescott were for me the best centre half pairing in the league at the time, neither were world class tho. lescott is probs the best cb weve had since the 80's id say

 

[Nymzee]

jags and lescott were for me the best centre half pairing in the league at the time, neither were world class tho. lescott is probs the best cb weve had since the 80's id say

Was that not around the time Ferdinand and Vidic were partners?

 

[peteblue]

Wilson, Ball, Southall would certainly have got into any team on the planet. Rooney probably.....

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

What is the definition of "World Class" at the end of the day?

I'd say Rooney was probably World Class (Not whilst actually at us of course), as well as Big Nev, Andrei and maybe Martyn

Not been that many since I've been watching to be fair (90's)

Eto'o was probably World Class at one stage, but not whilst he was here

 

[Joey66]

One of my all round Everton favourites Bobby Collins, dragged Everton up from a very poor team to the edge of greatness, before he was sold too soon, one of Harry Catterick’s rare mistakes, still a bit short of world class, but it is all about opinions.

He had an allustoris career with Celtic and Scotland too being deselected for Scotland twice.