World class players?

[Kenshin]

Rooney was world class, in that between 2004 and 2010 he could have walked into any side in the world. He just didn’t have long enough with us.

Lukaku isn’t world class, but bizarrely there’s probably not a side in the world who wouldn’t take him if he was in top form.

There was a period around 2012 when Baines was easily amongst the 2 or 3 best left backs in the world. Not sure if that would count as world class or not but his peak was right in the gap between Cole declining and the likes of Alaba And Jordi Alba starting out.

I'd argue lukaku is world class.

Injuries permitting he will end his career with world class striker figures.

We are probably the only fan base to call a 20 plus goals a season striker crap.

 

[Eggs]

For about 4 odd years Baines was world class, he’s probably our last world class player.

....and yet he wasn’t first choice for England. I love Baines but he wasn’t even considered the best LB in England during those 4 years, hardly supports a claim for him being world class.

 

[Saint Domingo]

....and yet he wasn’t first choice for England. I love Baines but he wasn’t even considered the best LB in England during those 4 years, hardly supports a claim for him being world class.

There was a period where Cole’s legs had gone and he was just getting in the England team on name alone whereas Baines was setting assist records in the prem for a full back (which he still holds for a single season and overall).

 

[Eggs]

I'd argue lukaku is world class.

Injuries permitting he will end his career with world class striker figures.

We are probably the only fan base to call a 20 plus goals a season striker crap.

...a top goalscorer but anybody who compared him to a very old Zlatan Ibrahimovic when Manchester United visited Goodison or saw him meander through certain games would know he’s some way short of being world class.

 

[Eggs]

There was a period where Cole’s legs had gone and he was just getting in the England team on name alone whereas Baines was setting assist records in the prem for a full back (which he still holds for a single season and overall).

...as I say, I’m a big Baines fan but I couldn’t have him as world class. Maldini was a world class LB, that’s the standard. Baines was terrific, but I’d actually have him behind Van de Hauwe in my pecking order at Everton.

 

[sageyefc]

I'd argue lukaku is world class.

Injuries permitting he will end his career with world class striker figures.

We are probably the only fan base to call a 20 plus goals a season striker crap.

He’s a strange one because he is a world class goascorer but not so much a world class player. Will always just fall short of being able to get in the worlds best sides

 

[sageyefc]

Eto’o just not when he was with us. Last world class player when they were with us was maybe kanchelkis. Baines and pienaer were a world class partnership though

 

[Lloydystark]

Idan tal

 

[dow1978]

Nyarko

 

[Darth Toffeeman]

....we’ve had a similar thread before. I think it’s important to define ‘world class’. For me;

- A player who would play for any team on the planet at the time they played for us.

- i also suggest they need to have played for more than one season (therefore, Rooney, Lineker and Kanchelskis not included in my reasoning).

During my lifetime (I’m 63), I’ve seen 3 world class players at Everton;

Alan Ball
Ray Wilson
Neville Southall

I can fully understand just those 3.

Hard to distinguish excellence and World Class.

I still think Cahill was, as his ability to find space and score headers, whilst not playing in an elite side, was amazing.

He is the best player to emerge from Australia too.

I guess it is how high and what criteria = World Class though. For me he was.

 

[DOMNOLAN]

....and yet he wasn’t first choice for England. I love Baines but he wasn’t even considered the best LB in England during those 4 years, hardly supports a claim for him being world class.

At the time, he was the best left back in the world alongside Marcelo. I was stunned that he didn’t play for England.

We always cry about the big club bias on here, and this was one of those times. If he played for another club, he would have been first choice. We can’t pick and choose when we use the big club bias thing.

 

[Eggs]

I can fully understand just those 3.

Hard to distinguish excellence and World Class.

I still think Cahill was, as his ability to find space and score headers, whilst not playing in an elite side, was amazing.

He is the best player to emerge from Australia too.

I guess it is how high and what criteria = World Class though. For me he was.

...probably my favourite player of the modern era too. I think the a World Class players also had real attitude, which meant they delivered when most needed, Cahill was certainly not lacking when it came to that attribute.

 

[Aberblue]

I'd say the truly World Class players I've seen playing for Everton are Alan Ball and Neville Southall.

Lineker, Kanchelskis, Rooney are possibles.

 

[d34noj]

...as I say, I’m a big Baines fan but I couldn’t have him as world class. Maldini was a world class LB, that’s the standard. Baines was terrific, but I’d actually have him behind Van de Hauwe in my pecking order at Everton.

Maldini is quite possibly the best left back ever - that's like saying unless you're as good as, for example Baresi, you're not a world class centre half. I think Baines in his prime would have slotted into any team in the world, so I'd say he was world class.

World Class for Everton? As fairly recent players (in their prime playing forn us or not), I'd go Southall, Gascoigne, Lineker, Kanchelskis, Baines, Etoo, Rooney, (Lukaku I'm still unsure about).

As far as being able to play in any team, Gravesen left us to join arguably the best team in the world (toss up between Madrid and Barca) although I wouldn't call him world class - what does denote a world class player?.

 

[Eggs]

At the time, he was the best left back in the world alongside Marcelo. I was stunned that he didn’t play for England.

We always cry about the big club bias on here, and this was one of those times. If he played for another club, he would have been first choice. We can’t pick and choose when we use the big club bias thing.

....Baines was a little maestro but I’d genuinely have him some way behind Pat van de Hauwe even in the Everton reckoning. Van de Hauwe was magnificent at both ends of the pitch playing LB, he had a Rolls Royce engine and won a league winners medal playing most of the season at CB.