BEST England player

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Michael Owen should have gone on to become Englands record goal scorer and by an absolute MILE.

What a player, when fit.

 

[jevs]

Mark Barham....awesome.

However, the one player who i thought was just superb as a defender (i only ever saw him live once at England v Italy B at the Goldstone) was Tony Adams. Can't ever remember seeing a more accomplished player.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

Yes he was, I just can't resist any opportunity to call him a prick.

Well then fire away old chap, I won't be correcting you on that one!

 

[5mins-from-amex]

Paul Scholes for me.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I find this a hard one to have much of an opinion on as the players I've seen during my lifetime don't include a lot of the legendary names being thrown around.

All I remember of Gazza in an England shirt is THAT goal, Beckham has THAT performance
against Greece (not saying he's an all time best player but I refuse to believe there have been many better individual performances in the shirt than that one) and Shearer is Shearer.

Historically I'd imagine Charlton, Greaves, Finney, Wright and Moore all have a claim to it, but having never seen them play I don't feel I can really put much of a fight up for them.

All the being said, if you define 'best' by longevity, reliability and consistency rather than by personality or the position on the pitch then it would be remiss to overlook Ashley Cole. I have no liking for him but he's been the most solid, whilst being one of the few world class, English players of recent times.

Good call re Ashley Cole, I'd forgotten all about him, reason being l suspect, because he was a defender, and so much of his better work went largely unnoticed.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

I thought Leon had been called up.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

Good call re Ashley Cole, I'd forgotten all about him, reason being l suspect, because he was a defender, and so much of his better work went largely unnoticed.

I think that's probably it if I'm honest, of all positions on the pitch it takes something really special to stand out as a full back, especially when compared to strikers or midfielders.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Lineker for me. His goals ratio is excellent, he did it over a long period of time, he scored against the best, he did it in tournaments, he was clean, fair, he played with a smile, great team player.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

Lineker for me. His goals ratio is excellent, he did it over a long period of time, he scored against the best, he did it in tournaments, he was clean, fair, he played with a smile, great team player.

And not too many are that committed that they follow through in the cause of the Three Lions.