Top 10 Foreigners in the English League

[C C Csiders]

After Thierry Henry's departure I was thinking he is IMO the best foreign player ever to play in the English Leagues. So, as a discussion point I thought I'd post my 10 top Foreign players who played in this country. This does not include Irish players. I have based my top 10 not only on ability, but the impact that they made on the English game.

My top 10:

1. Thierry Henry
2. Eric Cantona
3. Ossie Ardiles
4. Jurgen Klinsmann
5. Gianfranco Zola
6. Peter Schmeichel
7. Dennis Bergkamp
8. Cristiano Ronaldo
9. Ruud Gullit
10. Arnold Muhren

just missing out: Patrick Vieira, Gianluca Vialli, David Ginola, Marc Overmars and Shaun Goater.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

After Thierry Henry's departure I was thinking he is IMO the best foreign player ever to play in the English Leagues. So, as a discussion point I thought I'd post my 10 top Foreign players who played in this country. This does not include Irish players. I have based my top 10 not only on ability, but the impact that they made on the English game.

My top 10:

1. Thierry Henry
2. Eric Cantona
3. Ossie Ardiles
4. Jurgen Klinsmann
5. Gianfranco Zola
6. Peter Schmeichel
7. Dennis Bergkamp
8. Cristiano Ronaldo
9. Ruud Gullit
10. Arnold Muhren

just missing out: Patrick Vieira, Gianluca Vialli, David Ginola, Marc Overmars and Shaun Goater.

Wot no Lars Unger or Sada N'Daye? :D

Cor, coming up with a list of 10 is tricky. Leave it with me.
I'd put Bergkamp higher up your list personally.
Always though Frans Thijssen was the better player of the 2 Dutch guys at Ipswich in the early 80s!

 

[Pubey]

boumsong?!?

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

boumsong?!?

Comedy post of the week there Jon! :hilarious:

Next thing, you'll be advocating Titus Bramble for England captain!

 

[Pubey]

Comedy post of the week there Jon! :hilarious:

Next thing, you'll be advocating Titus Bramble for England captain!

Titus Bramble - 'World Class' Defender

 

[C C Csiders]

Always though Frans Thijssen was the better player of the 2 Dutch guys at Ipswich in the early 80s!

To some extent I agree, but Muhren was a far more enduring character playing for Man U after leaving Ipswich, and was still playing international football in the victorious Dutch Euro 88 team. So for that reason I went with Muhren - and as one of the first really successful foreign imports I have him in the top 10 for hs trail-blazing!

Another who could have been included was Dan Petresu, so successfully adapting from his right-back role to introducing a midweek tea-time animal welfare programme on Channel 4.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Titus Bramble - 'World Class' Defender

Quality, although I fear you also stumbled across Tilly & Brush's defending "playbook" for last season there :(

 

[Napster]

Another who could have been included was Dan Petresu, so successfully adapting from his right-back role to introducing a midweek tea-time animal welfare programme on Channel 4.

I liked his stint on the X-Files

 

[Jam_Man]

My top 10:

1. Thierry Henry
2. Eric Cantona
3. Ossie Ardiles
4. Jurgen Klinsmann
5. Gianfranco Zola
.

Id put Cantona top personally.

Some of the things he used to do where absolutely astonishing, add the fact he drop kicked that Chav makes him even more memorable.

 

[carter_true_blue]

Don't forget ozzy ardiles and his f.a cup song solo moment!

In the cup for totting-ham

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

Not a bad list, however, I would have Bergkamp higher up, and Overmars and Vieira would both make it for me

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

Dont think Gullit can be in there, his best years were behind him when he came over here

 

[BoyWonder2]

Zola would be top and Cantona 2nd.

 

[Southendsleeper]

Id put Cantona top personally.

Some of the things he used to do where absolutely astonishing, add the fact he drop kicked that Chav makes him even more memorable.

An amazing player

Definitely my top foreign player

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

After Thierry Henry's departure I was thinking he is IMO the best foreign player ever to play in the English Leagues. So, as a discussion point I thought I'd post my 10 top Foreign players who played in this country. This does not include Irish players. I have based my top 10 not only on ability, but the impact that they made on the English game.

My top 10:

1. Thierry Henry
2. Eric Cantona
3. Ossie Ardiles
4. Jurgen Klinsmann
5. Gianfranco Zola
6. Peter Schmeichel
7. Dennis Bergkamp
8. Cristiano Ronaldo
9. Ruud Gullit
10. Arnold Muhren

just missing out: Patrick Vieira, Gianluca Vialli, David Ginola, Marc Overmars and Shaun Goater.

Its interesting to see how few of those were genuine world stars at their peak, other than really Schmeichel (and possibly Ardiles and Muhren, who were both before my time).

Players like Zola, Klinsmann, Guillit, Vialli were at the end of their careers but other than Gullit you'd have to question how good they actually were (they were very good, but I'm not sure whether they would have made a World XI at any stage during their career).

Bergkamp flopped in Italy; Terry Henry has flattered to deceive on the international stage; Cantona's impact was minimal outside of England, not able to get into the French team and not producing much in Europe; Ginola was another not able to regularly get into his national team, not much of a club career in terms of trophies.

Ronaldo is still young, Overmars was very good rather than great, so I'd actually say that other than Schmeichel, Vieira arguably had the biggest impact whilst playing in England, outside of England.

 

[grayhound]

Ginola - Absolute class in his peak.