31/05/2024
I get a tad uncomfortable at the discussion of football 'legends.'
Because it is often a biased discussion that negates a lot of good things done by one footballer just to place the other one on top. Many times, it uses club loyalty and stat padding to trash one legend and glorify another.
Take, for example, a comparison of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard. Two stalwarts, no doubt.
But someone will just pop up a premier league medal to trash Stevie G -who is celebrating his birthday, btw. Happy returns, Stevie!
If Paul Scholes is introduced into the debate, Stevie sinks even lower going by superficial elements.
There's also John Terry vs Vidic or Rio Ferdinand. Or cross-border, English vs Spanish midfield cores. Or Theirry Henry vs Drogba or Wayne Rooney.
It gets worse if you do it cross-generation, like comparing Virgil van Djik to, say, Tony Adams.
Its all good for banter, but I still feel like a load of disrespect goes into this discussion.
Again, less talented players with great leadership qualities tend to get the shorter end of the stick. Gerrard, for instance, might not have had the talent of Iniesta or Busquets, but he sure as hell had that Liverpool engine running! Other players in this mould include Granit Xhaka and Gerrard's own replacement, Jordan Henderson.
But as all is fair in love and war, maybe everything goes in football and banter - especially in the off-season.
