Interesting Best XI

I just had a thought that I hope it wasn't me who had made those comments with those 4 line-ups as 'Anonymous' lol! Because then I'd just have accidentally highlighted my own selections - I think maybe it wouldn't have been, but hard to be sure so many years later maybe and they do seem similar to what I feasibly could have selected. Anyway, apologies if so, but I couldn't really be sure either way I suppose!

 

Sorry as well Isaias and moodiomemo - I wrote that Isaias posted the XIs by mistake in my hasty replies earlier (replying to Isaias too)!

Kudos to moodiomemo for finding and posting them.

 

I realise/remember the Finney XI moodiomemo posted was compiled by Finney during an interview in 2014 now (probably I had noticed it, but it wasn't in mind as much as the one on the site I linked). He does have a few differences between his 1989 and 2014 selections then (not only the formation, and not only because of the formation), but as well as himself (at least once that was pre-determined before he made his own selections) Neil Franklin, Billy Wright, Wilf Mannion, Stanley Matthews and Tommy Lawton are all in both times. Bobby Charlton is a sub (the only one in 1989) both times, with Finney having preferred Mannion in his teams.

This page is a pretty good and informative one about Finney himself (to scroll down it's necessary to use the keyboard I think)
JEFF POWELL: Sir Tom Finney was a genius who thrilled fans and bewildered opponents| All Football (allfootballapp.com)
(Note on the Matthews comment - as already discussed a bit on the forum that quote doesn't necessarily translate into his all-time vote, and once or twice he's seemingly placed Cruyff on top of everyone as his choice of best ever player)

Here is the IFFHS England team - maybe that has already been posted on the forum too but I forget right now:
Preston North End legend named in England's all-time greatest XI - here's the full line-up (lep.co.uk)
Gordon Banks; Jimmy Armfield, Bobby Moore, Billy Wright, Ashley Cole; Bryan Robson, Bobby Charlton; Stanley Matthews, Jimmy Greaves, Gary Lineker, Tom Finney
Subs: Peter Shilton; Rio Ferdinand, Tony Adams, Gary Neville, Ray Wilson, Duncan Edwards, Paul Gascoigne, Chris Waddle, John Barnes, Kevin Keegan, Alan Shearer
(I've written the subs positionally from defence to attack, but the first XI as presented on that site without checking whether for example the system was 4-4-2 with IFFHS rather than 4-2-4, or whether Moore was to Wright's left, Robson was to Charlton's left or Greaves was to Lineker's left in the IFFHS diagram - I would probably be inclined to think those would all be good changes but it's splitting hairs as they are the central players anyway).

 

The People's Super Sport panel of judges pick 1945-1975 British XIs:



Joe Mercer's team: Gordon Banks; Johnny Carey, John Charles, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson; Peter Doherty, Duncan Edwards, Dave Mackay; Tom Finney, Tommy Lawton, George Best

Matt Busby's team: Gordon Banks; Johnny Carey, John Charles, Duncan Edwards, Ray Wilson; Danny Blanchflower, Bobby Charlton, Dave Mackay; Tom Finney, Denis Law, George Best

Billy Shankly and Tom Finney's team: Gordon Banks; Paul Madeley; John Charles, Colin Todd, Ray Wilson; Billy Bremner, Duncan Edwards, Bobby Charlton; Tom Finney, Denis Law, George Best (Shankly perhaps having the most influence here, considering comparing to Finney's England XIs we've seen? - the 4-3-3 formation perhaps relevant too in terms of some selections?)

Sam Bartram's team (4-2-4 unlike the other ones): Gordon Banks; Johnny Carey, John Charles, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson; Duncan Edwards, Dave Mackay; Tom Finney, Tommy Lawton, Jimmy Greaves, George Best
Bartram did only put Banks 5th here though (just ahead of Bert Williams, with Swift number 1 but possibly for what he did before 1945):
https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/british-football-best-xis-1863-1939.2124483/page-6#post-41246659

 

Playing plus coaching career's XI

-----------------------------Zoff---------------
-------Ramsey---Beckenbauer---Happel---
Ancelotti---Guardiola---Deschamps---Zagallo
---------Heynckes---Bianchi---Cruyff-----


Some alternatives/ bench : Trapattoni - Del Bosque - Simeone - Capello - Liedholm - Zidane

?

 

Possibly Gyorgy Sarosi comes to mind (thinking about Juventus, though his success was brief of course, and it was a case of reviving a team that had done well before). I guess in a way the XI might be more balanced if he went into the back 3 (meaning all 3 could take it in turns to advance into midfield maybe?! - Happel was known to go forwards and shoot from distance at times I think wasn't he?). Maybe Ramsey at Ancelotti's position, leaving out Ancelotti or Deschamps (or even Guardiola)? Off the top of my head (and not having seen much/any footage of him playing) I guess Johnny Carey could be an alternative to Ramsey possibly (if favouring the apparently better player over the ultimately more successful manager).

Brian Clough comes to mind for me of course (he did score a lot of goals, albeit in the 2nd tier not the 1st Division), though it'd be difficult not to say on balance Kenny Dalglish's claims are greater I think to be fair (maybe Dalglish and/or Cruyff in the hole behind the forward/s works?).

I haven't thought too deeply about options, but you've got a good selection already obviously and I like the idea!

EDIT - I did notice the other famous Hungarian Gyorgy (Orth) was credited with a positive role in Peru's upturn in the 1950s, in newspaper archives. But I find it very difficult (in modern terms at least) to really estimate just how good a player he was, pre-injury (which affected him quite significantly apparently), let alone how good he really was as an innovative coach (and I haven't really seen much in the way of highlights of Peru from that time). Some old footage (such as from Olympic finals) can make me feel doubtful about just how good an Orth, or Vivian Woodward or whoever could have been, but some people at least did continue to hold such players in the highest regard among the greats into the 1930s/1940s and beyond it seems at least. Didi did well with Peru too of course (maybe you are not quite going for that type of player in midfield in any case in the XI though, and the ones you have in it do have more significant managerial careers -it'd be a stretch I guess to suggest a parallel with Beckenbauer unless looking at it in terms of relative success - putting out Argentina and then going on to do impressively in the World Cup itself....).

 

Great addition and details.
Obviously, after Clough, behind, we can think of other strikers, forwards or whatever one names it, like Alex and Ottmar who had a playing career that, as modest as it can be perceived, is still something that can be weighted in addition to their coaching careers.
Carey crossed my mind then I forgot about it and that's better you explain the details, in comparison to Ramsey. One I completely forgot about was Didi, indeed.

Also, from Yugoslavia, I had in mind Cajkovski who made of Beckenbauer a centre-half from the back or libero. And another one with few titles who was valued I think, in the person of Ivan Osim.
From there and in-between, yes, there are surely other names that can enter. In terms of specific playing style, innovation/ impact, charisma, relationship with the players etc.

But the squad is well enlarged already with the well-targeted additions you made.

While it crosses my mind and before to forget about him, perhaps Helenio Herrera could have a spot in the squad as the defender/ utility player that is lacking ?

And yes, Cruyff in the hole behind the two. With Dalglish as the back-up.
Platini was unbeaten in the Euro '92 qualifiers (sigh) and it's not enough, sure (sigh again, but this is as it is).

I have no other idea for the goalkeeper. Thinking about Zoff, Cesare Maldini also comes to mind now, as a nice complementary player for such a squad. Franz Beckenbauer also won the UEFA Cup as a coach (for people who never noticed it).

 

After seeing the mention of Cajkowski, Branko Zebec came to mind too (like Sarosi he could be available for many different roles I guess).

 

Deschamps could be on the right (as he was in the early 90's French team) so Ancelotti can be in the middle.

 

Really cool idea.

Great/good brazilian players with relevant/meaningful coaching career's:
Leão (GK - Atlético Mineiro, Santos and São Paulo)
PC Carpegiani (CM - Flamengo and Paraguay NT)
Didi (AM - Fluminense and Peru NT)
Tim (AM - Fluminense, San Lorenzo and Peru NT)
Evaristo de Macedo (SS - Bahia e Grêmio)
Telê Santana (RW - São Paulo and Brazil NT)
Zagallo (LW - Botafogo, Flamengo and Brazil NT)

Outsider:
Fleitas Solich: Historical CH from Paraguay and one of the best coachs from Flamengo's history.

 

I've ordered this book, at a very reasonable price, today, and apparently inside will be an All-Time XI by all of the (as per the end of 1997) Football Writers Players of the Year, from English football
Golden Heroes: Celebrating 50 Seasons of Footballer of the Year: Amazon.co.uk: Giller, Norman: 9780233991634: Books

I don't remember it from the time (I wouldn't have been reading my Grandad's copy of the Nottingham Evening Post so regularly by then, as compared to a couple of years earlier for example) but I saw on Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk a link to a Nottingham Evening Post article which shows the selection of Kenny Burns (1977/78 award winner) - he's picked players just from Britain (not only ones who played in England though), but I don't know whether all the players did that and it doesn't say anything about it being mandated in the article:
Here is the XI Burns picked (and in the write-up it's confirmed his Forest and Scotland team-mate John Robertson is selected as substitute)

Pat Jennings; Viv Anderson, Alan Hansen, Norman Hunter, Terry Cooper; Jimmy Johnstone, Glenn Hoddle, Jim Baxter, Liam Brady; Kenny Dalglish, Denis Law (Sub: John Robertson)

 

Here are the 1940s and 1950s FWA award winners' selections:

Stanley Matthews XI - Pat Jennings; George Hardwick, Eddie Hapgood; Danny Blanchflower, John Charles, Bobby Moore; George Best, Wilf Mannion, Tommy Lawton, Jimmy Greaves, Tom Finney
(also mentioned were Gordon Banks, Neil Franklin, Cliff Bastin, Raich Carter, Peter Doherty, Alex James, Bobby Charlton, Paul Gascoigne, Alan Shearer, Nat Lofthouse, Stan Mortensen)

Johnny Carey XI - Pat Jennings; Alf Ramsey, Roger Byrne; Danny Blanchflower, John Charles, Duncan Edwards; Peter Doherty, George Best; Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Tom Finney
(also mentioned were Frank Swift, Bert Trautmann, Bert Williams)

Joe Mercer XI - Frank Swift; Johnny Carey, Eddie Hapgood; Bill Shankly, Stan Cullis, Ron Burgess; Stanley Matthews, Tommy Lawton, Dixie Dean, Peter Doherty, Tom Finney
(also mentioned were Alf Ramsey, Billy Wright, Billy Liddell)

Harry Johnston XI - Frank Swift; Roy Goodall, Ernie Blenkinsop; Alex James, Neil Franklin, Ron Burgess; Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortensen, Tommy Lawton, Peter Doherty, Tom Finney
(also mentioned were Raich Carter, Wilf Mannion, Ted Drake, Nat Lofthouse, Jimmy Hagan, Cliff Bastin, Billy Liddell, Len Shackleton, Alf Ramsey, Sam Barkas, Tommy Taylor and he specifically said he only picked players from 'his era')

Billy Wright XI - Gordon Banks; Jimmy Armfield, Roger Byrne; Danny Blachflower, Neil Franklin, Duncan Edwards; Stanley Matthews, Wilf Mannion, John Charles, Bobby Charlton, Tom Finney
(as with the previous teams above I think, it's probably meant to be a WM but was presented in the 2-3-5 template so that's how I've written it too)
(also mentioned were Frank Swift, Alf Ramsey, Ray Wilson, George Best, Tommy Lawton, Raich Carter, Stan Mortsensen, Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Moore)

Nat Lofthouse XI - Gordon Banks; Alf Ramsey, Roger Byrne; Billy Wright, Neil Franklin, Duncan Edwards; Bobby Charlton, George Best; Stanley Matthews, Alan Shearer, Tom Finney
(also mentioned were Tommy Taylor, Tommy Lawton, Gary Lineker, Frank Swift plus Stan Mortsensen but not necessarily as a close miss but moreso commenting that Matthews plays down the 'Matthews FA Cup Final' because he says he unfairly got plaudits rather than Mortensen - I do remember seeing some comments about the 'Matthews Funeral' when Mortensen died...but Lofthouse is full of praise for how Matthews played in that FA Cup Final anyway)

Tom Finney XI - Gordon Banks; George Young, Ray Wilson; Bobby Moore, Neil Franklin, Dave Mackay; Stanley Matthews, Wilf Mannion, Alan Shearer, Peter Doherty, George Best
(again, a WM system basically I think in effect but the diagram shows it like above anyway rather than 3-2-2-3)
(also mentioned were Bobby Charlton as 'first substitute', John Charles, Danny Blanchflower, Joe Mercer, Matt Busby, Duncan Edwards, Johnny Carey, Jimmy Armfield, Eddie Hapgood, Roger Byrne, Alan Hansen, Raich Carter, Tommy Lawton, Nat Lofthouse and he says that maybe he could name himself as a reserve)

Don Revie XI - Bert Trautmann; Jeff Hall, John Charles, Roger Byrne; Raich Carter, Duncan Edwards, Wilf Mannion; Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortensen, Tommy Taylor, Tom Finney
(also mentioned were Nat Lofthouse, Tommy Lawton)

Bert Trautmann XI - Gordon Banks; Alf Ramsey, Billy Wright, Duncan Edwards, Roger Byrne; Danny Blanchflower, Bobby Charlton; Stanley Matthews, Nat Lofthouse, Denis Law, Tom Finney
(also mentioned was George Best who "didn't get into the team because I never played against him")

Danny Blanchflower XI - Pat Jennings; Roger Byrne, John Charles, Duncan Edwards, Alf McMichael; Jimmy McIlroy, Dave Mackay; George Best, Denis Law, Jimmy Greaves, Cliff Jones
(also mentioned were Peter Doherty, Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney)

Syd Owen XI - Frank Swift; Alf Ramsey, John Charles, Norman Hunter, Roger Byrne; Billy Bremner, Duncan Edwards, Johnny Giles; Stanley Matthews, Tommy Lawton, Tom Finney

 

Continuing with the 1960s and 1970s

Bill Slater XI - Peter Shilton; Don Howe, Ray Wilson; Billy Wright, John Charles, Duncan Edwards; Stanley Matthews, Raich Carter, Tom Finney, Gary Lineker, Bobby Charlton
(he does say 'in the old 2-3-5 formation' actually, though I don't know whether the diagram should show the final 3 names as Lineker at centre forward, Charlton at inside left and Finney as left winger because that fits what he says in the write-up in terms of how he would envisage the team playing)
(also mentioned were Danny Blanchflower, Dave Mackay, Gordon Banks, Frank Swift, Bert Williams, Malcolm Finlayson, Wilf Mannion, plus Wolves wingers Johnny Hancocks, Jimmy Mullen and Norman Deeley but just out of reminiscence it seems)

Jimmy Adamson XI - Gordon Banks; Johnny Carey, John Charles, Duncan Edwards, Roger Byrne; Danny Blanchflower, Jimmy McIlroy; Stanley Matthews, Jimmy Greaves, Denis Law, Bobby Charlton
(He 'stuck with players I either played with or against' but he mentions George Best, Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Bryan Robson, Glenn Hoddle, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer too, as well as Tom Finney)

Bobby Moore XI - Gordon Banks; John Greig, Mike England, Dave Mackay, Ray Wilson; Jim Baxter, Bobby Charlton, Johnny Haynes; George Best, Denis Law, Jimmy Greaves
(he also said he stuck with players he played with or against but mentions 'past masters' Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney, Duncan Edwards and John Charles, and he also mentions Pat Jennings, Peter Shilton, Alan Mullery)

Bobby Collins XI - Gordon Banks; George Young, John Charles, Ray Wilson; Billy Bremner, Bobby Charlton; Kenny Dalglish; Stanley Matthews, Tommy Lawton, Denis Law, George Best
(also mentioned was Bobby Moore)

Bobby Charlton XI - Gordon Banks; Danny McGrain, John Charles, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson; Danny Blanchflower, Duncan Edwards, Johnny Haynes, Jim Baxter; George Best, Denis Law
(also mentioned were Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney, Billy Wright, Jimmy Johnstone, Bobby Lennox, John White, Dave Mackay, Ryan Giggs)

Jack Charlton XI - Gordon Banks; George Cohen, John Charles, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson; Jimmy Johnstone, Bobby Charlton, Bryan Robson, Tom Finney; George Best, Denis Law
(also mentioned were Paul Reeney, Terry Cooper, Danny McGrain, Stanley Matthews, Nat Lofthouse)

George Best XI - Pat Jennings; Danny McGrain, Billy McNeill, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson; Pet Crerand, Bobby Charlton; Kenny Dalglish, Denis Law, Jimmy Greaves, Ryan Giggs

Tony Book XI - Gordon Banks; Jimmy Armfield, John Charles, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson; Tom Finney, Duncan Edwards, Dave Mackay, George Best; Jimmy Greaves, Kenny Dalglish
(also mentioned were Alan Hansen, Denis Law, Colin Bell, Bobby Charlton, Jim Baxter)

Dave Mackay XI - Gordon Banks; Danny McGrain, John Charles, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson; Roy Keane, Jim Baxter; George Best, Alan Shearer, Denis Law, Tom Finney
(also mentioned were Jimmy Johnstone, Willie Henderson, John White, Jimmy Greaves, Peter Shilton, Pat Jennings, Stanley Matthews)

Billy Bremner XI - Gordon Banks; Danny McGrain, John Charles, Duncan Edwards, Ray Wilson; Johnny Giles, Bobby Charlton; George Best, Tommy Lawton, Kenny Dalglish, Tom Finney
(also mentioned were Stanley Matthews, Peter Doherty, Bobby Moore, Raich Carter, Hughie Gallacher, Danny Blanchflower, Denis Law, Jimmy Greaves, Dave Mackay, Graeme Souness, Alex Young, Jimmy Cowan, George Young, Alan Shearer)

Frank McLintock XI - Gordon Banks; Danny McGrain, John Charles, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson; Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Duncan Edwards, George Best; Kenny Dalglish, Jimmy Greaves
(also mentioned were Pat Jennings, Dave Mackay, Jim Baxter, Denis Law, Tom Finney)

Gordon Banks XI - Pat Jennings; Jimmy Armfield, John Charles, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson; Duncan Edwards, Bobby Charlton, George Best; Tom Finney, Alan Shearer, Jimmy Greaves
(also mentioned were George Cohen, Dave Mackay, Maurice Norman, Brain Labone, Roy McFarland, Mike England, Jack Charlton)

Pat Jennings XI - Gordon Banks; Danny McGrain, Mike England, Dave Mackay, Ray Wilson; George Best, Glenn Hoddle, Bobby Charlton, Liam Brady; Denis Law, Jimmy Greaves
(also mentioned were David O'Leary, Peter Shilton, Ray Clemence, Neville Southall, Cyril Knowles, Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Martin Chivers, Johnny Giles, Jim Baxter)

Ian Callaghan XI - Gordon Banks; George Cohen, Ray Wilson; Duncan Edwards, Bobby Moore, Dave Mackay; Stanley Matthews, George Best, Kenny Dalglish, Bobby Charlton, Tom Finney
(he does say he's playing Bobby Moore in an old-style centre-half role in a 2-3-5)
(also mentioned was John Charles)

Alan Mullery XI - Gordon Banks; Roger Byrne, Paul McGrath, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson; Bobby Charlton, Duncan Edwards; George Best, Jimmy Greaves, Denis Law, Tom Finney
(also mentioned was Pat Jennings)

Kevin Keegan XI - Gordon Banks; Danny McGrain, Dave Watson - the one who played for Man City, Southampton etc, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson; Billy Bremner, Bobby Charlton; Peter Beardsley; Jimmy Johnstone, Geoff Hurst, George Best
(says it's picked from those he played with or against but mentions Alan Shearer, Paul Gascoigne, Ryan Giggs, and also mentions Peter Shilton, Pat Jennings, Ray Clemence)

Emlyn Hughes XI - Gordon Banks; Danny McGrain, John Charles, Bobby Moore, Tommy Gemmell; Martin Peters, Graeme Souness, Bobby Charlton, George Best; Jimmy Greaves, Kenny Dalglish
(also mentioned were Geoff Hurst, Denis Law)

Kenny Burns XI (re-posting because there are more mentions outside the XI I didn't know about) - Pat Jennings; Viv Anderson, Alan Hansen, Norman Hunter, Terry Cooper; Jimmy Johnstone, Glenn Hoddle, Jim Baxter, Liam Brady; Kenny Dalglish, Denis Law
(also mentioned were Peter Shilton, Gordon Banks, John Robertson)

Kenny Dalglish XI - Ronnie Simpson; Danny McGrain, Alan Hansen, Mark Lawrenson, Willie Donachie; Jimmy Johnstone, Graeme Souness, Terry McDermott, Ray Kennedy; Ian Rush, Denis Law
(restricted to those he played with)

 

Finally the 1980s and 1990s years (which makes it even clearer the players are just picking from British football):

Terry McDermott XI - Ray Clemence; Phil Neal, Tommy Smith, Ray Kennedy, Joey Jones; JImmy Case, Ian Callaghan, Emlyn Hughes, Terry McDermott; Kevin Keegan, Steve Heighway
(Not picked by McDermott though - he declined to pick so the authors made a 'team that will live ever in his memory')

Frans Thijssen XI - Gordon Banks; Viv Anderson, Terry Butcher, Bobby Moore, Kenny Sansom; Kevin Keegan, Glenn Hoddle, Bryan Robson, Bobby Charlton; Alan Shearer, George Best
(also mentioned were Gary Lineker as sub, and Arnold Muhren who he says he would have been tempted to select but his understanding was he should select only British players - obviously Steve Perryman didn't have the same impression as you can see from the next XI with Ardiles in there)

Steve Perryman XI - Pet Jennings; Danny McGrain, Roy McFarland, Alan Hansen, Cyril Knowles; Martin Peters, Glenn Hoddle, Graeme Souness, Ossie Ardiles, George Best; Kenny Dalglish
(Also mentioned was Alan Gilzean - he was deciding between 4-4-2 with him up front and 4-5-1 with Ardiles in midfield apparently - plus Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton as goalkeepers, and Dave Mackay but only to say Souness was 'in his mould')

Ian Rush XI - Neville Southall; Danny McGrain, Alan Hansen, Paul McGrath, Kenny Sansom; Bryan Robson, Graeme Souness; Kevin Keegan, Ryan Giggs; John Charles, Kenny Dalglish
(Also mentioned was Denis Law as sub)

Neville Southall XI- Pat Jennings; Ron Harris, Mike England, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson; George Best, Nobby Stiles, Bobby Charlton, Charlie Cooke; Denis Law, Wyn Davies
(also mentioned were Jimmy Johnstone as sub, and Ian Rush)

Gary Lineker XI - Peter Shilton; Viv Anderson, Bobby Moore, Alan Hansen, Kenny Sansom; Glenn Hoddle, Bryan Robson; George Best, Bobby Charlton; Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush
(also mentioned were Des Walker and Paul Gascoigne, plus Jimmy Greaves who he suggests he thinks he'd have picked alongside Dalglish if he'd seen him play...live maybe he means - he does say he watched Best and Charlton play vs Leicester the first time he went to a game as a 7 year old)

Clive Allen XI - Pat Jennings; Danny McGrain, Bobby Moore, Dave Mackay, Kenny Sansom; George Best, Graeme Souness, Glenn Hoddle, Bobby Charlton; Kenny Dalglish, Jimmy Greaves
(he mentioned that Gordon Banks, Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence were outstanding goalkeepers - he seems to suggest he picked Mackay because of what his Dad told him about him and that he picked him in the role he played at Derby but he is assured his greatest performances were in midfield)

John Barnes XI - Peter Shilton; Phil Neal, Bobby Moore, Alan Hansen, Kenny Sansom; Glenn Hoddle, Liam Brady, Bobby Charlton, George Best; Ian Rush, Kenny Dalglish
(Also mentioned were Gordon Banks and Alan Shearer, and also Eric Cantona and Andy Cole but basically as an example of a strike partnership when discussing Rush and Dalglish)

Steve Nicol XI - Peter Shilton; Danny McGrain, Mark Lawrenson, Alan Hansen, Stuart Pearce; George Best, Graeme Souness, Ray Kennedy, John Barnes; Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush
(also mentioned as subs were Denis Law, Ian St John and Ron Yeats - he suggests a save by Shilton from Dalglish in an England-Scotland game he saw as a youngster on TV in Scotland was a big factor in his goalkeeper choice)

Gordon Strachan XI - Pat Jennings; Danny McGrain, Bobby Moore, Gary Pallister, Stuart Pearce; Bryan Robson, Bobby Charlton; Jimmy Johnstone, Kenny Dalglish, Alan Shearer, George Best
(only from players he'd seen (live?), played with or played against so no John Charles, Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney he says)

Chris Waddle XI - Gordon Banks; Alan Hansen, Bobby Moore, Dave Mackay; Bryan Robson, Paul Gascoigne, Glenn Hoddle. Bobby Charlton, George Best; Gary Lineker, Kenny Dalglish
(also mentioned were Peter Shilton, Ray Clemence, Pat Jennings, Denis Law)

Alan Shearer XI - Peter Shilton; Jimmy Armfield, John Charles, Bobby Moore, Stuart Pearce; Billy Bremner, Kevin Keegan; Stanley Matthews, Jackie Milburn, Kenny Dalglish, George Best
(he seems to indicate the older players are picked on a mixture of what clips he'd seen, including black and white film of Milburn who he says was incredibly quick and could finish with both feet and his head, and what people have said about them)

Jurgen Klinsmann XI - Pat Jennings; Alf Ramsey, Jack Charlton, Bobby Moore, Roger Byrne; Kevin Keegan, Bobby Charlton; Stanley Matthews, George Best; Gary Lineker, Jimmy Greaves
(also mentioned were Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton)

Eric Cantona XI - Peter Schmeichel; Gary Neville, Gary Pallister, Duncan Edwards; David Beckham, Roy Keane, Bobby Charlton, Bryan Robson; George Best, Denis Law, Ryan Giggs
(deliberately a Manchester United XI apparently)

Gianfranco Zola XI - Ray Clemence; George Cohen, John Charles, Bobby Moore, Terry Cooper; Bryan Robson, Bobby Charlton; Stanley Matthews, Kevin Keegan, Geoff Hurst, Chris Waddle
(sub Gary Lineker)

 

Some of those selections must have been made several years before the book was published in 1997 though, as some of the players had died several years before.

The book has a dedication to the memories of Johnny Carey (died 1995), Joe Mercer (died 1990), Harry Johnston (died 1973), Billy Wright (died 1994), Don Revie (died 1989), Danny Blanchflower (died 1993) and Bobby Moore (died 1993).

I guess with some of the other players, if they'd picked an XI years before, it could potentially have been adjusted/updated and maybe they'd be asked about that. Zola obviously will have picked his XI very recently at the time the book was published anyway; with some of the other 90s winners I suppose it's a bit unclear if they'd have been asked to do it around the time they won the FWA award or around the time the book was published. Anyone that includes Shearer (which includes some of the early winners) will have picked a team recently anyway, so probably most of them had done.

 

What I should add too maybe is that the teams the players were picking were labelled 'Dream Teams' not All-Time XIs (but it does seem like most of them, with some caveats about only picking from own eras etc sometimes, were in effect making attempts at pretty much best XIs, and even if teams had been labelled All-Time XI there could still be elements of favourtism deciding some calls and suchlike I guess).


Some of the interesting descriptive comments about players (from the Dream Team selection write-ups - there were also three or four quotes/tributes about the FWA winner themselves by other players/managers, as well as a write-up about the year they won the award by the player themselves, except for McDermott):

Stanley Matthews about Jimmy Greaves - "The way the game is played today, little Jim would probably earn his team as many penalties as goals"

Johnny Carey on his inside forwards (note that the diagram showed Best at inside left, but judging by the comment I could have switched them around) - "George Best would have a free role at inside right, while Peter Doherty would set up the goal chances with his inch-perfect passes"

Joe Mercer on Johnny Carey - "Johnny got my vote because he had such polished all-round ability" and on Peter Doherty "the old Irish maestro...who had beautiful ball control and could penetrate the tightest defence with his precise passes"

Harry Johnston on Peter Doherty "Irish master....whose body swerve, ball control and non-stop energy makes him a must for my team" (he also says Carter and James would be too similar, and James/Doherty has a better balance) and on Len Shackleton "He was so unpredictable that none of his team-mates would have known what he was going to try next. He was without doubt the greatest of all entertainers" (Johnston does make clear he is using in effect a WM-varient with Burgess as like a partner for Franklin by the way, and James as conductor of the attack from deep, as opposed to the use of Burgess as standard left half-back in more of a traditional WM with Culis as stopper centre-half in Mercer's XI)

Billy Wright on Danny Blanchflower "He was all silken skill and made Spurs' outstanding Double team tick."

Nat Lofthouse on Duncan Edwards - "A powerhouse of a half-back, and could be influential in defence and attack"

Tom Finney on George Young "a colossus in the centre of defence or at right-back. He was very quick for a big guy and so hard to play against", and on Stanley Matthews "the best ball player I ever saw, an artist and an entertainer...nobody could match him for dribbling"

Don Revie on Bert Trautmann - "He played a procession of extraordinary games for Manchester City, and made impossible saves look easy. There was a bravery about his work that just took your breath away" and on Duncan Edwards vs Scotland in 1955 "The barnstorming performance by Edwards stays etched in the memory. It was astonishing to think he was only 18"

Bert Trautmann on Gordon Banks - "Everything about him was right for a goalkeeper. He had natural athleticism, good safe hands, lightening reflexes and a great awareness of his angles" and on Tom Finney (I have taken this one from the Finney page, not the Trautmann one) "I remember him with awe for his skill and with fondness for his sportsmanship"

Danny Blanchflower on Roger Byrne - "Roger was a majestic player at left back for Manchester United, and was talented enough to play at right back without weakening the team. He would also be my choice as captain" and on his wingers Best and Jones (selected over Matthews and Finney in the end because of "more thrust and speed") - "George was far and away the greatest British footballer of his generation, while Cliff Jones was fast enough to catch pigeons"

Syd Owen on his full-backs, Ramsey and Byrne - "Alf was a thinking man's right back and always used the ball with intelligence. Roger was an exceptional player....was skillful and could also tackle with authority"


I'll continue like before, with the next post having quotes from the 1960s and 1970s sections....

 

Bill Slater on Don Howe - "a thinking player who was always looking for an opportunity to turn defence into attack" and on Raich Carter and Wilf Mannion "Both could pull apart any defence with their probing passes and clever ball control"

Jimmy Adamson on Danny Blanchflower "a beautifully composed player" and Jimmy McIlroy "a composed schemer"

Bobby Moore on Mike England - "He was powerful in the air and had delicate skills for such big man" and on Jim Baxter "as skillful a player on the ball as I have ever seen" and Johnny Haynes "....could land the ball on a handkerchief from 40 yards"

Bobby Collins on Billy Bremner - "....noted for the competitive edge to his game and his ability to win the ball, but he was also a fine positional player and was often in the right place at the right time to snatch crucial goals" and on George Best "He could turn full-backs inside out with his twisting, jinking runs, could score goals, create goals, get back and defend when necessary and could look after himself....complete player"

Bobby Charlton on Jim Baxter - "magical....would float through for goals and can conduct affairs from midfield"

Jack Charlton on Tom Finney - "has always been a big favourite of mine....automatic choice"

George Best on Paddy Crerand - "He used to make up for a lack of speed with instinctive positional sense and his passing was just tremendous - 50 yard balls right into your path" "The midfield linking of Crerand and Charlton made that United team something special"

Tony Book on Kenny Dalglish - "...ever bright and alert, knew how to hurt defences and where the goal was, even when facing the wrong way" and on Jimmy Greaves "...could poach goals out of nowhere...had pace and one on one with a goalkeeper you could back him 99 times out of 100"

Dave Mackay on Bobby Moore - "a great reader of the game and always seemed to have so much time..." and on Jim Baxter - "a fantastic entertainer and had lashings of skill"

Billy Bremner on Bobby Charlton - "...gave me more trouble than anyone I faced. He could go either way at you, was quick over a short distance and had a tremendous shot. A truly world class player"

Frank McLintock on Danny McGrain "...had everything. He bombed forward and had pace and a good delivery" and Ray Wilson "so quick and hard to beat"

Gordon Banks on Ray Wilson - "Even if I was picking a world team I would have Ray in the number 3 shirt....beautiful balance and quick recovery powers" and on George Best "bemused defences with his ball control and changes of pace and direction"

Pat Jennings on Dave Mackay - "born leader and the best all-round player I ever saw"

Ian Callaghan on Tom Finney - "only saw him play at the end of his career, but he was at home on the right as on on the left and scored goals from centre forward....on my team on merit - it is me picking him, not deal old Shanks (Bill Shankly)"

Alan Mullery on Paul McGrath "ultimate ball-playing centre-half" and on Bobby Moore "complete defender, and so commanding and composed that he always seemed to have time to get his tackle in or make a defensive clearance while everybody around him was in a state of panic. You never saw him waste a ball out of defence. It was always cleared to a team-mate"

Kevin Keegan quoting Gerd Muller on Gordon Banks (Muller's comment apparently) "He is the one goalkeeper who makes me feel unsettled. He has incredible concentration and such fine positional sense that he gives you little glimpse of the goal" and Keegan on Bobby Moore "...made up for his lack of speed with uncanny positional sense. He was always immaculate with his passes out of defence that continually prompted counter-attacks"

Emlyn Hughes on Graeme Souness "always wanting to play a forward ball to get the attack going. He only played it square when there was no other option"

Kenny Burns on Norman Hunter "He could use the ball intelligently with that left foot of his. Good luck to anybody trying to go past him!"

Kenny Dalglish on Danny McGrain - "Without argument one of the finest right-backs of any era"

 

And finally again from the 1980s and 1990s pages:

Frans Thijssen on the central defensive partnership he selected, Butcher and Moore - "Terry would be the master in the air and Bobby would tidy up everything on the floor before triggering counter attacks with those penetrating passes of his...."

Steve Perryman on Hoddle and Ardiles - "I was always amazed at the different permutations they could come up with when we used to play together at Tottenham (he's talking specifically about free-kicks initially here after saying those two would be in charge of dead-ball situations) - they were continually a thought ahead of the opposition"

Ian Rush on Kenny Dalglish "...made me a much better player with his unselfish running, clever decoy play and accurate touch-off passes" and on Neville Southall "His positioning is rarely wrong, and when he is caught out he gets himself out of trouble with his brave diving and reflex saves" and from Southall's page too "certainly one of the world's greatest goalkeepers. At his peak there was no-one better"

Neville Southall on Pat Jennings - "He could make difficult saves look easy by his perfect positioning, and all his work was carried out without fuss" and on Charlie Cooke "...always on the look-out for the chance to run at the defence and cause panic with his bewildering ball control"

Gary Lineker on Glenn Hoddle "an awesome talent" and on Bryan Robson "...if he had avoided injuries he would have qualified as one of the all-time greats. He had everything; good technique, a strong tackle and he could find the net"

Clive Allen on his midfield choices, Souness "a perfect midfield player, tenacious and with flair" and Best, Hoddle and Charlton "I cannot believe any defensive system in the world would be able to keep out a team that has Charlton blitzing in long-range shots, Hoddle chipping the defenders silly and George Best just running them dizzy"

John Barnes on Glenn Hoddle and Liam Brady (he says he was a fan of both) - "Liam, with his Claw left foot, and Glenn with his deadly right, would unlock the tightest defence with inch-perfect passes"

Steve Nicol on Danny McGrain "...No-one got passed him. He surged forward, he had pace, he had ability" and on John Barnes "...just walked past players in his prime and if you had put 'Joe Bloggs' in the centre when he was on song, Joe Bloggs would have managed 25 goals a season" (Joe Bloggs is a name used to refer to any regular/random guy)

Gordon Strachan (who mentioned Alan Rough by the way - maybe I hadn't noted that before) on Stuart Pearce "shuddering power of tackles...would frighten life out of opposition" and on Bobby Charlton "He would be certain to provide accurate delivery, and will also worry goalkeepers with his crashing shots" and Jimmy Johnstone "His dribbling runs would cause havoc in the tightest of defences"

Chris Waddle on Kenny Dalglish - "....shielded the ball so well, was unselfish and could turn a half-chance into a goal"

Alan Shearer on Kenny Dalglish - "...magnificent shielder of the ball, who could make room for himself in confined space"
(I'll also slot in what Tom Finney said about Shearer himself here as I might have done that in the 1940s/50s section "He is the complete striker, as they are called today. Alan is brave, strong, good in the air, moves about well, shows intelligence on the wing and gets in accurate crosses - and the way he finishes!")

Jurgen Klinsmann on Kevin Keegan - "....always worked hard for his team. There was nothing selfish about his game" and on Stanley Matthews "Those baffling tricks that I have seen on old black and white films will be worth travelling a long way to say"

Eric Cantona (who 'signs off' by wishing good health to everyone in the world, after talking about the 95/96 season) on Bobby Charlton "I have witnessed enough of his performances on film to know that he will be the ideal playmaker in midfield and with the added responsibility of coming through as s support striker" and on Bryan Robson "He had a balanced mixture of power and skill, and could make a team function better by his forecful contribution"

Gianfranco Zola (who says he and his Dad were delighted to sit next to Stanley Matthews at the awards ceremony) on Chris Waddle - "one of the finest controllers of the ball the game has seen" and on Ray Clemence - "...calm and very brave and making his saves with a minimum of showmanship"

 

Adding some of the comments about the foreign FWA award winners too, from their own pages:

Gary Mabbutt on Jurgen Klinsmann - "There is not a weakness in Jurgen's game. He is strong in the air, has two good feet and can finish with power and accuracy. There are few players who can match him for creating goals from apparently impossible situations."

David Beckham on Eric Cantona - "All Eric had to do was give one of those winks of his and it made you feel ten foot tall. There has never been a player quite like him. He could bring the best out of his team-mates with his performance."

Dennis Wise on Gianfranco Zola: "You can tell that Gianfranco was an understudy to Diego Maradona because there is something of the great man's magic in his game. He can turn a game in a split second with an incredible bit of skill"

Gary Mabbutt on Gianfranco Zola: "Gianfranco is so difficult to mark because he is so inventive. He makes his small physique work for him by clever footwork and creating space for himself in confined spaces"

 

Juventus All time XI - la gazetta Dello sport ilustrata 1979

Combi,varglien,Umberto Callegari,Rossetto,Luigi Bertolini ,Carlo parola, Causio, Renato Cesarini , Raymundo orsi,boniperti , sivori

 

Milan ALL time XI rivista Dello sport 1985

Cuduccini ,colovatti,schnellinger, Rosato,schiaffino,Kurt hamrin, Gunnar Green ,Rivera , nordhal,liedholm,carapellese

 

Milan ALL time XI gazetta Dello sport ilustrata 1979
Buffon, Silvestri , Rosato, aldo maldera ,Cesare Maldini, Kurt hamrin,Gunnar nordhal , liedholm , schiaffino, Rivera , pratti

 

Very interesting realize in these all time elections in all teams and National teams the chosen XI belongs to the last 3 decades
For example some names you cant erase in a team because they build a legacy (as Pelé in santos ,Zico in flamengo )and transform the institution(as beckenbauer in Bayern or Cruyff in Ajax)
You can erase and forget Zamora, Puskas Di Stefano and gento in real Madrid , beckenbauer and maier in Bayern, Obdulio varela (Penarol), pedernera labruna and moreno (River) , Pancho varalo and rojitas(boca) ,Pelé and the biggest part of santos 62-63 , Zico ,zizinho and domingos guia in flamengo, etc
I feel Sad when i Saw these all time elections today and i Saw for example Messi in Barcelona and Maradona in barcelona too
Messi = titles . He not build legacy in Barcelona
Maradona the same. In Barcelona he was not good but in Napoli and Argentina nt we cant deny wgat they did for the club and nt

 

So what constitutes a legacy if not the titles you helped your team win?

 

i put the correct words
You cant and what