Another day, another My Favourite XI, and this time it’s a collaborative affair from our good friends at Picklive. Fond nostalgists, read on. The chaps have added their own twist too, and we’re all for that. Read, absorb, enjoy.
Previous Favourite XI: Ben Shave
Next Favourite XI: Michael Park
Goalkeeper: Neville Southall
Could often be seen: pulling off astounding full-length flying saves / suing his daughter for medals he’d previously given her.
Big Nev MBE seemed to be Everton’s No. 1 for an absolute age. Always looked rough as a badger’s arse, like he’d woken up late and had to rush to the match without having a shower. Along with Peter Schmeichel, one of the most imposing ‘keepers in one-on-one situations we’ve ever seen.
Right Back: Paul Parker
Could often be seen: deflecting free kicks over Peter Shilton / staring jealously at Lee Dixon from the substitutes bench.
Italia ’90 or, as it’s otherwise known, the Last Great World Cup, gave us many memorable moments and players, not least of which was England’s right back, Paul Parker. Not an automatic selection before the tournament, nor a certain pick afterwards, the tournament was a career high point. His through ball to Gary Lineker against Germany will remain indelibly etched on our brains forever.
Left Back: Clive Wilson
Could often be seen: roving up and down the left hand side for Chelsea and Spurs / ignoring a request to appear at the NOPAs last December. We’re not bitter or anything…
Wikipedia might say that Wilson formed part of a “rock solid defensive unit alongside the likes of Stuart Nethercott, Justin Edinburgh and Gary Mabbutt”, but we remember him more for his role in a handy QPR side from the early 90s. Never spectacular, but always dependable.
Centre Back: Jim Gannon
Could often be seen: scoring tons of goals for Stockport from centre-half / winding Mark Stein up something chronic.
Gannon was a wind-up merchant before Genaro Gattusso could even reach Joe Jordan’s head. Mark Stein, Paul Trollope and Paul Ince were all wound up something chronic during his years with Stockport County. He also managed to consistently reach double figures in the goalscoring charts from centre half; every single one a header from a set piece.
Centre back: Paul McGrath
Could often be seen: being the best player on the pitch whilst hanging out of his backside from the night before / making Ledley King’s knees look positively sturdy.
McGrath was one of those defenders that made the game look effortless, which in hindsight is even more astounding when you hear about the state that both his body and his private life were in at the time. It’s been said before, but when you see his performance against Italy in ’94, you realise you’re watching someone truly special.
Central Midfielder: Aaron Ramsey
Can often be seen: looking like the best midfielder to come out of Wales in a very long time / getting clattered by Ryan Shawcross. Poor guy.
Having moved from Cardiff and impressed in the Arsenal first team, it was horrid to see Ramsey get so badly injured at a point when he was really starting to progress and hint at fulfilling his potential. Ramsey is Wales’ great hope in the middle of the park and, along with Gareth Bale, hints at a more dynamic and youthful Welsh team to come.
Central Midfielder: Andrea Pirlo
Can often be seen: Popularising the ‘quarterback’ role in modern football / scoring goals from ridiculous distances.
A sensational mix of technique and vision, Pirlo established himself as one of the eminent European playmakers during the early part of the 00s. As a playmaker from deep, he went against the grain, dropping back in front of the back four at a time when most creative players plied their trade in the attacking third of the pitch. A player of true class, he is always a pleasure to watch.
Central Midfield: Georgi Kinkladze
Could often be seen: chipping ‘portly welsh stopper’ Neville Southall / being beaten to Goal of the Season by THAT Tony Yeboah strike.
As a youngster, we all wanted to imitate certain footballers exploits. Yeboah, Lee Sharpe, David Beckham. But there was always one kid that wanted to be Kinkladze. We thought him strange at the time, but looking back, we think that kid probably had it right. Kinky was a frustrating but outstanding talent, going missing in some games, but scoring goals of superb calibre in others. A genuine luxury player.
Striker: Roberto Baggio
Could often be seen: Refusing to take penalties against his beloved Fiorentina / scoring bewildering goals, like the mesmeric effort against Czechoslovakia in Italia ’90.
Roberto (no relation to Dino) was a class act. Good with both feet and a mesmerising dribbler, we remember his goal against Czechoslovakia in 1990 through childish eyes. That tournament produced many iconic goals, notably Lothar Matthaus’ strike against Yugoslavia and David Platt’s swiveling volley against Belgium, but we can still remember watching it and thinking that Baggio’s twisting run and dinked finish was something out of this world.
Striker: Adebayo Akinfenwa
Can often be seen: playing several games with a broken leg / crossing his fingers every time he hops onto the scales before pre-season training.
This is the reason he is in our Favourite XI:
Striker: Lee Trundle
Could often be seen: going through his lifetime’s repertoire of tricks in the space of five minutes / thinking long and hard over each chapter in his best-selling book ‘More Than Just Tricks’.
An extract from Tim Morgan’s article on The Equaliser: “To sum him up, he was the only player I have ever seen that I can honestly say was consistently worth the entry fee alone. Now I know it’s only League 1 or 2 and the entry fee isn’t much, but I’ve watched loads of football over the world at the very highest level and I’ve never seen someone who is consistently worth the entry fee alone.”
Substitutes:
Marco Van Basten
Could often be seen: scoring goals left, right and centre with the most sublime technique / cursing his glass ankles for a career cut desperately short.
Take one look at his goalscoring record and tell us that this guy wasn’t the real deal. One of the iconic footballers of our youth, when we think of him we are reminded of the hazy dream and just-out-of-reach continental glamour of the late 80s. His goal against Russia in Euro ’88 ranks amongst the very best.
Eric Cantona
Could often be seen: dispensing rough justice to leather blouson-wearing Crystal Palace fans / calling the French manager a ‘bag of sh*t’.
Cantona, maybe more than any player of the time, embodies Manchester United’s resurgence and dominance of the last 15 years in English football. The upturned collar, the nonchalant goal celebrations, and the early retirement all sealed his legacy as an Old Trafford and Premier League legend.
Ramon Vega
Could often be seen: scaring the life out of Spurs fans / trying and failing to buy Portsmouth FC
Long-suffering Spurs fans look back on Ramon and wince. A defender most notable for his absolute inability to defend, he at least attempted to rectify this by banging in plenty down the other end. Remembered with a mix of pain and fondness. A bit like Gary “the Doc” Doherty.
Roger Milla
Could often be seen: mugging off Rene Higuita five yards from the halfway line / becoming the forefather for modern goal celebrations with his corner flag dancing for Cameroon.
Playing in the World Cup at the age of 40 is impressive enough, just ask Peter Shilton. Only Shilts wasn’t popping in the goals and dancing around corner flags to celebrate. For many, Milla was a first glimpse into African football and a more global game outside of Europe and South America.
Attilio Lombardo
Could often be seen: standing out a mile (in more than one way) for an otherwise distinctly average late 90s Crystal Palace team / rivalling Yordan Letchkov as Picklive’s favourite bald 90′s footballer.
Attilio was an unspectacular footballer, but he carries a rare affection in the Picklive office. In the era when Premier League teams scrambled for a foreign name on their teamsheet, Lombardo wound up at Palace and impressed in an unspectacular Eagles team. What he thought of lining up alongside Dave Tuttle, Neil Shipperly and Marc Edworthy is anybody’s guess.
Tags: Aaron Ramsey, Adebayo Akinfenwa, Andrea Pirlo, Attilio Lombardo, Clive Wilson, Eric Cantona, Georgi Kinkladze, Jim Gannon, Lee Trundle, Marco van Basten, Neville Southall, Paul McGrath, Paul Parker, Ramon Vega, Roberto Baggio, Roger Milla
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