Bale- how do you define Britains best ever player.?

[malwayne]

The media , plus the opinions of Welsh football fans seem to think that Bale is Britains best ever player. There is no arguing about his haul of trophies that will fill his cabinet for years to come. But what makes a great player great ? Is it their honours, is it what they do on and off the field, is it the way they represent themselves and their club, is it the fact they’ve scored some timely match winning goals in ***** games ? I suspect all of these ,plus a bit more on top. If I was more patriotic I’d agree with the media , but I’m not. I can think of several of my favourites who would fall into the “ great” catergory., for various reasons , including the likes of Dalglish, Bobby Moore and Wales own Gentle Giant ,John Charles. ( I cannot think of any footballer who would literally stop the traffic in central Turin , just by walking down the road) This is a discussion that could go on and on, and there probably is no clear definition either.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

George Best would have had Bale on toast.

One club legend and World Cup winner Bobby Charlton would get my vote.

[Supersub6]

George Best would have had Bale on toast.

One club legend and World Cup winner Bobby Charlton would get my vote.

Tom Finney for me. Played in lots of different positions and fitted this in between fixing peoples' plumbing problems and serving the country with the Royal Armoured Corps in Egypt and Italy from 1942 to 1945.
One club man who scored 210 goals in 474 appearances and played for England 76 times, scoring 30 goals in a time when all the young people today think that football was rubbish, how little they know!

[Untinted Glasses]

Only watching from the 80s onwards. The only other names that I could think might have a say in it would be Dalglish. I can't think of any other British players other than him who could give him a run for his money as the best British player. My favourite British player would have been Brian Robson. I would pick him in a team before Bale but Bale has achieved a lot more and on different stages. So yea Bale for me from the 80s

[army88]

The media , plus the opinions of Welsh football fans seem to think that Bale is Britains best ever player. There is no arguing about his haul of trophies that will fill his cabinet for years to come. But what makes a great player great ? Is it their honours, is it what they do on and off the field, is it the way they represent themselves and their club, is it the fact they’ve scored some timely match winning goals in ***** games ? I suspect all of these ,plus a bit more on top. If I was more patriotic I’d agree with the media , but I’m not. I can think of several of my favourites who would fall into the “ great” catergory., for various reasons , including the likes of Dalglish, Bobby Moore and Wales own Gentle Giant ,John Charles. ( I cannot think of any footballer who would literally stop the traffic in central Turin , just by walking down the road) This is a discussion that could go on and on, and there probably is no clear definition either.
I’d tend to come away from Bale tbh and only saw Best as a kid , but if you want quality look no further than Scholes and Giggs, Paul scholes was different gravy had it all in his pomp , shearer a genius who won nothing really but never the less a machine of a footballer.

[kritichris]

Lineker had his moments too, better as a player than a pundit, but if you want a Welshman our Taffy was a standout player in my youth.

[outwoodclaret]

Bale was certainly a top player for club and country and one of Wales’ finest single figure handicap golfers to boot but not I think Britain’s best ever player and arguably not Wales’s best ever either.

[barrie_burn]

Great player when fit but I think he retired now before he was pushed out.

[Claret_Matelot]

The modern culture is to base success on the amount of silverware that you have helped to win. There is no doubt Bale has achieved close to, if not more silverware than any other 'British' Player both for various clubs and country. Been in the Wales squad since 2006 and played 111 times scoring 41 goals.

6 x Footballer of the Year (Wales)
1 x Player of the Year (12/13) (Tottenham)
5 Champions Leagues, 4 Club World Cups, 3 European Super Cups, 3 LaLiga titles, 1 Copa del Rey and 3 Spanish Super Cups. (Real Madrid)
1 x English League Cup Winner (Spurs)
1 x MLS Cup Champions (MLS)
1 x Supporters Shield Winner (MLS)
Captain of a World Cup finals team (Wales)
2 x Best Young Player (FA)

[sinkov]

If we're talking in my living memory, he might make the top 25, but probably towards the bottom end of it.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

First season back after Coyle and Wembley we played Spurs on the Turf. I think we got whacked 3-0 and Bale was up and down the left wing like a rocket, but the player who captured my eye was Modric.

23196

Another Welshman who was bloody awful to watch us play against was our very own Craig Bellamy, he was lethal and I'm not sure Bale was even better than the alleged serial bird beater Ryan Giggs. :O