I really want to agree with him. He is just factually wrong in this case
Fergie - "I only ever had 4 world class players"
- Thread starter Eyepopper
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Isn't that quote ancient?
So true. The hiring of Moyes was another. In fact, as time has gone on, he has contradicted himself so many times on that nightmare.
I think you can take 2 things out of that quote
1) He had an incredibly high bar of what world class was but also that he required the players to have an aura and a strong relationship with him. Players like Van Persie come to mind being world class in the eyes of the public when we signed him but evidently he didnt have a long enough relationship with SAF for him to be added to the list
2) He absolutely loves Cristiano as a person haha
1) He had an incredibly high bar of what world class was but also that he required the players to have an aura and a strong relationship with him. Players like Van Persie come to mind being world class in the eyes of the public when we signed him but evidently he didnt have a long enough relationship with SAF for him to be added to the list
2) He absolutely loves Cristiano as a person haha
If in all his time he only had 4 World class players, imagine what he'd make of our current squad. He'd probably say that every single one of them is Championship level, at best.
I remember seeing something like that ages ago.
Don’t know his definition, but if someone like Rio wasn’t world class then football isn’t for me
Care to explain how your opinion on his opinion being wrong stands? I'm sure he's very well qualified to judge a player. What makes you more qualified?
Given that Fergie mentions Ronaldo, the quote isn't too old to be relevant.
Not sure about Rio and Keane. But he's arguably right about Rooney. Rooney would look out of place at Barcelona and Real for his technical limitations. Because of his style he was loved by fans and a big hero (and rightly so for his contributions) but he would look bang average technically wise if put next to Xavi, Iniesta, Messi. Giggs and Scholes were closer to that level.
Not sure about Rio and Keane. But he's arguably right about Rooney. Rooney would look out of place at Barcelona and Real for his technical limitations. Because of his style he was loved by fans and a big hero (and rightly so for his contributions) but he would look bang average technically wise if put next to Xavi, Iniesta, Messi. Giggs and Scholes were closer to that level.
What's common between the 4 players mentioned by Fergie is ability on the ball. Maybe he meant that among the midfielders/attackers who were great players for United only those 4 were world class on the ball. There were technically gifted players like Veron who weren't great at United. Or other great players who weren't special on the ball.
If he'd said that he would be closer to being correct than he was with this statement (this quote is prehistoric).
It was discussed to death ages ago.
https://www.goal.com/en/news/1862/p...ferguson-explains-four-world-class-players-at
He did qualify his comment.
He did qualify his comment.
There isn't a single season in Giggs career where he reached Messi Best Pele levels.
Schmeichel
Keane
Irwin
Cantona
Beckham
Giggs
Scholes
Van Nistelrooy
Ferdinand
Vidic
Ronaldo
Rooney
Van persie
These lot were world class for me
edit: Also Stam and De Gea
Keane
Irwin
Cantona
Beckham
Giggs
Scholes
Van Nistelrooy
Ferdinand
Vidic
Ronaldo
Rooney
Van persie
These lot were world class for me
edit: Also Stam and De Gea
Not this again.
He explained his reasoning, read the book.
He explained his reasoning, read the book.
Sorry Sir Alex but you are wrong on this.
Throw what he said here in with the Moyes takeover, signing Bebe, Dong, Bellion, Poborsky, Cruyff, Djemba Djemba, Kleberson etc.
Even the great SAF is wrong from time to time.
Throw what he said here in with the Moyes takeover, signing Bebe, Dong, Bellion, Poborsky, Cruyff, Djemba Djemba, Kleberson etc.
Even the great SAF is wrong from time to time.
I do think a lot of us fans throw the phrase “world Class” about too often, in such a way it’s lost it’s value. I agree with the 4 he’s mentioned in that they could have played for any team at anytime in the world if they wanted to, where Keane for example was a great player for us, his value was more in his leadership rather than just his pure ability on a ball, that wasn’t to shabby either.
I would add Rio in with that 4, I’m really surprised he left him out
I would add Rio in with that 4, I’m really surprised he left him out
If you read the whole page he makes it clear he is only talking about offensive creative players.
The term world class is so subjective. For me, it means that you are in the top 2 or 3 in your position in the world at that time.
Someone else would think completely differently.
Someone else would think completely differently.
Rooney may not have been the greatest technically but in his prime he was the best CF in the world. He was unplayable. When you say 'technical' you mean he couldn't pass a ball like them, not a great first touch and couldn't dribble like Messi and Iniesta (Not many players could/can). Setting the bar at Xavi, Iniesta, Messi is ridiculous as not many players are/were/ will ever be as good as them 3.
Rooney scored some absolute blinding goals, some of his volleys were unbelievable and Messi couldn't pull off some of them strikes, no one could actually. Rooney was a far better striker of the ball than both Xavi and Iniesta. Shooting is a technical aspect and Rooney was amazing at it. You also don't score 260 goals for Manchester United and become England's all time national top scorer if you are 'average technically'. You also don't do that if you are not World Class.
Keane would have got in any midfield in the world in his prime. Schmeichel was the best GK in the world for a while so that makes him World Class.
This might be controversial but he says Giggs and Scholes because they were like loyal pets to him. He mentions Ronaldo because of what he became after United and SAF wants to be credited for what Ronaldo turned into so is kind of up Ron's arse a bit. He says Cantona because of being the catalyst to help SAF win his first PL Title and more.
He doesn't say Keane because the don't like each other. He doesn't say many others because SAF was clearly being controversial in his book to create something for people to be gob smacked about which then is all over the news etc and thus sells more books.
No chance does SAF really think the likes of Robson, Keane, Schmeichel, Ferdinand, Irwin, Stam, Rooney were not World Class.
It is.
He did, but I don't agree that its just attacking players who can be considered world class within football. Each position in the game has a ranking in terms of who is best and therefore you are going to have a small number of players in each position who are the best in the world and therefore world class.
That and their longevity, which is fair enough but perhaps not in most peoples' thoughts when considering 'world class'.
Neither Giggs or Scholes ever hit the heights that Keane did from 98-02, RVN did from 01-04, or Schmeichel from 92-96. And I would argue Rio from 06-09.
One question these comments ask is how on earth Fergie thought the club could cope with losing 3 of the only 4 world class players he worked with, in quick succession, replacing them with the likes of Nani, Anderson, Obertan, Owen, Valencia et al?
I agree, if Giggs and Scholes were WC then a lot more United players should be.
Fergie for all his absolute brilliance and unrivalled success has always talked shite.
He once said he’d never played for a draw in life. We all know that to be a lie.
He once said he’d never played for a draw in life. We all know that to be a lie.
Of course he is so wrong.
That was a very short prime then. One can say the same for Diego Costa: outscored Messi and Ronaldo and won the title in La Liga. And?
Rooney was an excellent footballer but his top level wasn't exactly breathtaking. Many forwards have had better seasons than him. E.g. Salah had a much better season than Rooney ever had.
This is a years old quote, and i remember it caused a fall out with Schmeichel who was annoyed at not being named.
Rio definitely would have been added to that list, along with RVN. Both at there peak would have gotten into any team in the world with ease in my opinion.
Not really. It sounds similar to how I think about it. World Class meaning the player is in the top 2 or 3 in their position in the world and would get into a first team squad if you could pick from any footballers on the planet with no restriction on finances.
But with the added part that Sir Alex himself is working with the players he's talking about and knows how much he himself and his tactics were a factor on how the players performed.
Clearly Sir Alex believes that if he had other players around at the same time of Rio, Vidic, Evra, etc. that he'd have got just as much or more out of them. And I don't think thats far fetched at all. Its not easy getting the very very best in the world in their positions signed to United. We had money and trophies but a lot of foreign players prefer warm weather, or if they come to England being around the Capital. So its telling that the World Class players that Sir Alex feels he had, 2 were youth products, 1 more was foreign but scouted and secured extremely young and the other was a foreign player already playing in the English league.
Edit - Actually, just googled it and he was specifically talking about attacking players.
https://www.goal.com/en/news/1862/p...ferguson-explains-four-world-class-players-at
So he meant he had 4 world class attacking players. Defenders and keepers are therefore not on the list
My definition of worldclass is top 3 or at worst be top 5 in his position. Simply put, if you form a world 11, he would be in fierce contention for most pundits and neutrals. That said, i would never consider Giggs and Cantona close to that category. Both were never close to that bar consistently enough and are incredibly overrated by our fans. Schmeichel is a shoo-in, with Keane, Rio and Vidic in the next tier, and Giggs in the following tier.
I remember reading that one in his book, he's too old school, according to his definition of world class you've gotta be better anyone else for a couple of years, not just in terms of quality, but also longevity and attitude, with an emphasis on the latter.
You've got to be kidding?
I'm not sure Cantona makes the top 3-5 in his position at any time (fierce competition), but to say Giggs didn't at anytime during his career is serious revisionism.
I'm ok with those 4. I think all the others being mentioned are a level below. If I were to add someone else it would be big Pete but he's a GK and probably more difficult putting the world class label on goalies.
Totally agree, just posting for info/clarity on comments.
Personally, a players position will never dictate whether I think they're good, great, awful.... for example, I think Stam was world class (and a few other United players in the last 30 years too).
Fergie knows fine rightly who was world class during his tenure. Letting his feud with Keano cloud his judgement on this.
More like 15
Just a personal opinion. Perhaps i should be clearer. He isn't worldclasss as a player but as a left winger, he probably reigns due to a lack of competition other than Nedved, Figo, Pires etc.