Lionel Messi
 

Where does Lionel Messi rank alongside the all time great footballers? He's still only 24, but he has already achieved spectacular success with Barcelona. Some of the goals he has scored have been breathtaking - I remember one goal he scored in La Liga this season against Malaga. He danced through the defence as if it wasn't there, and reminded me of George Best in his heyday.

And Tommy Docherty reminded us this morning of the wonderful attitude he has to the game, never getting into trouble and also playing with the right spirit. He compared him to Tom Finney in that respect.

There can be no greater compliment than that.

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Have to say Gynn, fer my money Messi is as good as owt ive seen in me time.;)

Re: Lionel Messi
 

He's a marvelous player in my eyes, I watch Barca every opportunity I get, can't say I've seen anything better, at 24 he is Barca's leading goal scorer of all time and has already broken the scoring record in a seasons champions league with a possible 3 matches to go, I heard the Doc this morning too and he was correct in every department

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Unfortunately, he's a bit out of Cooky's price range Cashy !!!;)

Messi is an awesome player, frightening to think he's only 24 and probably has the best years of his career in front of him yet!!:eek:

Have to say though, I had this discussion with my step-father and a few others at the club I go to at the weekends, and (given that they're older than me and well versed / qualified to comment ) they didn't rate Messi in their "top three".

They went on to rate Pele, Finney, Puskas and Best to mention but a few....( given that these guys saw all these players in the flesh and not on T.V. !!! ) above Mr Messi. And how did I regret mentioning Maradonna in that exalted company.....cheating git I know, but for me...."hand of god" aside, he has to rank up there with the best.

The best I've seen in the flesh....Frank Worthington ( when he played for P.N.E. at the end of his career ) He was knocking forty when I saw him.....And John Barnes...went downhill after "that" goal against Brazil !!!

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Have to say Finney n Best are the best english players ive seen in flesh n fer me Messi is up yon wi em, only saw Puskas @ Pele on t.v. Tell em thing is a lot of folk are guilty of the "Those were the days syndrome":D have been guilty of that meself.;)

Re: Lionel Messi
 

One always has to say would these players be the same into today's football, we now have grounds like billiard tables, nothing like the Baseball Ground or Burnden Park on a wet Wednesday night, they often show a clip of Besty running riot through the Spurs defence, even Old Trafford got a bit heavy underfoot in those days, plus the games a lot faster today

Re: Lionel Messi
 

It's always hard to compare players from the past with those playing today..Mathews, Pele, Maradona, Best, Finney, Puskas etc all skillful players... Maradona being the best I've seen.. but as a goal scorer Messi really does have the edge.

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Thats true, gotta say most skillful imho has to be Best, shame it wasn't fer as long as it should have been. Messi though is up yon wi anyone in my opinion.:)

Re: Lionel Messi
 

*cough* :D

Beckenbauer for me...hideous as a man, exquisite as a footballer

Re: Lionel Messi
 

I'd have to say I've never seen any player in the 18yrd box as good as Messi.

Re: Lionel Messi
 

*Cough* he was a German:D

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Erm....the *cough* was a gentle poke at Cashman for referring to Best as English :)

My mention of Beckenbauer was made as my opinion as the best footballer I've seen 'in the flesh'.

Re: Lionel Messi
 

I regard Northern Irish prods as english Guinness. in fact i once told Bestie that n we had a good laugh about it.;)

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Ooh .... you name dropper you ! :D

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Charlton was as good as they come and don,t mention that fat little get in the same breath

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Have to say, although I never saw him in the flesh, "der kaiser" was probably the best defender I've watched. Calm & composed with the ball, solid in the tackle and liked to get forward.

If we're adding names to the " great players list" I'll throw a few names into the debate...Johann Cryuff & Booby Moore.One enduring image that sticks in my mind is Moore & Beckenbauer shaking hands after the game in Mexico '70. A great moment where two greats acknowledged each other in mutual appreciation after a great game...great football.....not so great result !!:(

Cryuff to me had perfect balance and touch and couldn't half put a chance away. Encapsulated the "total football" ethic that the Dutch played in that era!!

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Ya beat me to it:D

Re: Lionel Messi
 

I can go with that, they played some great football also I'd commend Johnny Rep & Johan Neeskins, from the same era some classic players.

Re: Lionel Messi
 

The World Cup from 74 was probably my first football memory which now is etched into football folklore

Johan Cruyff biography

To come back to Messi he is nothing short of a magician with a football but how much of that is down to the Barca way?

Barcelona's secret to soccer success

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Fer me thats a real hard question, Skill N Temperament that Messi has got, i would say he always had.

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Quite right cashy people like Messi are born with talent, but they don't always use it to its full extend, thankfully Messi has taken his talent and turned himself into a football genius, they don't come round very often

Re: Lionel Messi
 

I don't think you can compare players from different eras. Different ball, boots(now shoes), better playing surfaces, different training methods, so much has changed. I consider myself fortunate to have seen so many great players from Mathews (first in 1947(?) at Ewood for Stoke), Finney, Lofthouse, Shackleton. through Puskas, Gento, Pele, Charlton, Best, Law, and so on. Messi must rate very high but one must also give credit to the players that are alongside him at Barca. He doesn't shine as well for Argentina.
We each have opinions as to who is/was the best but really your choice is your favourite player - my own choice is split between two - naturally both United - Edwards & Coleman, unfortunately I only got to see them a few times

Re: Lionel Messi
 

The other big difference is the officiating and players, today we have a bunch of "divers and cryers" in the past we watched men play. If they were kicked they didn't show it, just got up and played twice as hard. As good as Messi is he is protected by todays game. not that that's wrong, just different.

Re: Lionel Messi
 

I have to agree there Barrie, I think both would have gone on to be greats of the game, but they were sadly cut down before they cut make a real impact on the game, especially Edwards

Re: Lionel Messi
 

I agree with Barry on all he says apart from his choice of player,never saw the Manchester players,I saw Matthews play at Burnley and Finney at Preston, and with Matthews only playing on the right wing for Blackpool and England, Finney filling all the five forward positions both for Preston and England when required and scored many goals, He would be my choice.

Re: Lionel Messi
 

They had to move Finney from his best position or Matthews would never have got a game fer England,Simple As.;)

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Once saw a program about tom finney, he was telling a tale about playing for England in Italy. He said he was approached by the chairman of one of the Milan teams , they offered him a deal to play for them saying that all his family would be looked after schools homes etc. They also offered him £5000 pounds to sign, when tom heard that he said in a surprised voice "£5000" the chairman thinking that tom thought it was to little an amount quickly said £10000 then, tom said i couldnt believe it £5000 was more money than i had ever thought i'd see as pro footballer. How times have changed with this lot today being greedy money grabbers:eek:A true great of the game, i have only seen him playing on the tv though bit young to have seen him live unfortunately.

Re: Lionel Messi
 

A few years ago I had a visit at home from former Rovers and England Winger Bryan Douglas, he was a friend of my Fathers and was in his prime back in the 60s when I was travelling around the country watching Rovers every week. We talked about the old days, Bryan was a one club man, like Finney and we talked about just how much players are paid today as opposed to his day, he just said he had earned much more money outside football than when he was playing, £120,000 is stupid money in anybodies book.

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Hey don,t forget his couple of seasons at Gt Harwood?? But I hear you, he was a great player and club man.

Re: Lionel Messi
 

I know John, when finney was playing he was still working as a plumber as well, when he had a Saturday home game he used to work on a Saturday morning and go to the match on the bus with the supporters:eek:

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Ya could you see Rooney doing that today, or even cleaning Finney's boots

Re: Lionel Messi
 

Mortensen had a newsagents and Mathews had a boarding house. Even Dave Wagstaff in the '70s had a boarding house - sorry Private Hotel, while he was still playing pro football. Pretty sure he then played for Bispham Jnrs as an amateur in '79 or so.