Amazon Search and Bookmark
AFFILIATE SEARCH | Shop Amazon.co.uk using this search bar and support WHO!

Best player you’ve seen live

West Ham Online's Football Forum
Post Reply
Nutsin
Posts: 2674
Old WHO Number: 274983
Has liked: 166 times
Been liked: 283 times

Best player you’ve seen live

Post Nutsin »

I saw Zidane play for Rael Madrid in a friendly against Beckhams L A Galaxy. He stood out amongst a group of all stars.

In a competitive top flight match I’d have to say Liam Brady, 

Best West Ham player was Trevor Brooking, although I always enjoyed watching Billy Bonds.

who stood out to you on the terraces.
Massive Attack
Posts: 5720
Old WHO Number: 321955
Has liked: 3318 times
Been liked: 1647 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Massive Attack »

He's a ball-on-a-string playground cսnt but could actually do that shit on the biggest world stages of all. 😱

The Greatest
User avatar
kylay
Posts: 564
Old WHO Number: 232751
Has liked: 65 times
Been liked: 104 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post kylay »

Messi, and not for dribbling or pace or shot. What struck me the most was his first touch to place the ball exactly where he wanted and simultaneously unbalance a defence. That would cause a scramble that opened a blind pass that he never seemed to miss. 
Bonzo56
Posts: 2
Has liked: 2 times
Been liked: 3 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Bonzo56 »

GK Banks 
Defence Moore
Midfield Beckenbauer,  Dev, Brooking Charlton 
Forwards Best,, Barnes, Paulo,Payet Dalglish, Law
Greaves 

What about a team of good reliable players who always gave 100 per cent? 
Ludo
Parker 
Dicks
Bowen 
Ginge 
Nobes
Bonds 
Lomas...
Pablo 
.......all.spring .to mind . 
The fact that dozens don't immediately come to mind either says I'm a forgetful old git or that we lacked these guys to cement things together.
yngwies Cat
Posts: 445
Old WHO Number: 17468
Has liked: 125 times
Been liked: 101 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post yngwies Cat »

Gary Breen
,
Posts: 1093
Has liked: 11 times
Been liked: 109 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post , »

In the sixties for me Moore was head and shoulders above all others he had no peers. The only foreigner I saw play who ranked highly for me was Eusebio.

In the seventies, looking back, the best WHU player overall was Brooking by a country mile. As for foreigners two stood out to me firstly Cruyff and secondly a German called Gunther Netzer who I saw at Wembley completely destroy England.

In the eighties Devonshire stood out for me at West Ham. As for foreigners I did not see any of the really top players, Maradonna etc, but as someone has mentioned already David Kipriani turned up at Upton Park and mesmerised us playing for Tibilisi showing us a level of skill and perception that won over the whole of the spectators. A rare occasion where us fans gave the visiting team a prolonged standing ovation.

Nobody really stands out at West Ham in the nineties and the best Foreigner I saw play was Klinsmann.

Much the same in the naughtiest as far as WHU was concerned we were busy, early on being Browned and Redknapped. The sublime, fancy Dan DiCanio, to the ridiculous, Titi Camara. The outstanding foreigner for me was Zinadine Zidane. What a midfielder, we have never had a player in his position that comes anywhere near his level.

In the last fifteen years we have had no player at WHU that I would put in an all time best eleven. Rice, if he had stayed longer might have made my list, Noble a good one club man but not outstanding and Bowen who will probably be our best player of this decade all come to mind but don’t make the cut. We’ve all seen foreign players aplenty Modric and Kante come to mind as two outstanding individuals.

All the players mentioned are ones that I have seen play.




 
User avatar
Far Cough UKunt
Posts: 1550
Has liked: 380 times
Been liked: 625 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Far Cough UKunt »

Hammer I am" wrote: 26 Aug 2025, 09:22
Mr Anon" wrote: 26 Aug 2025, 07:54 Some no name in a sunday league player, better than any professional I've seen, no one could get the ball off him all game, god knows what he was doing playing down there
Every now and then you see that, probably extreme versions of a Ravel Morrison type, had all the talent but no desire to put the work in past a weekly kickabout
Robin Friday could be in that category?
User avatar
stubbo-admin
Posts: 1391
Old WHO Number: 12009
Has liked: 295 times
Been liked: 644 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post stubbo-admin »

It's hard to judge 'best'.  An argument can be made, as an example, that Bowen is a better player than Di Canio...more consistently impactful, more longevity, more hard working.  But he's not as talismanic or entertaining, or intrinsically gifted.

So who is 'best'.
Massive Attack
Posts: 5720
Old WHO Number: 321955
Has liked: 3318 times
Been liked: 1647 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Massive Attack »

Hammer I am" wrote: 26 Aug 2025, 09:24 Probably Ashton for me, was so excited to see him kick on with us and become the new all time premier league top goal scorer. oh well....
His injury was the most devastating for me knowing how special he was. What might have been....
Hammer I am
Posts: 323
Old WHO Number: 22726
Has liked: 76 times
Been liked: 69 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Hammer I am »

Probably Ashton for me, was so excited to see him kick on with us and become the new all time premier league top goal scorer. oh well....
Hammer I am
Posts: 323
Old WHO Number: 22726
Has liked: 76 times
Been liked: 69 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Hammer I am »

Mr Anon" wrote: 26 Aug 2025, 07:54 Some no name in a sunday league player, better than any professional I've seen, no one could get the ball off him all game, god knows what he was doing playing down there
Every now and then you see that, probably extreme versions of a Ravel Morrison type, had all the talent but no desire to put the work in past a weekly kickabout
Mr Anon
Posts: 707
Old WHO Number: 254103
Has liked: 146 times
Been liked: 173 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Mr Anon »

Far Cough UKunt" wrote: 26 Aug 2025, 08:33
Mr Anon" wrote: 26 Aug 2025, 07:54 Some no name in a sunday league player, better than any professional I've seen, no one could get the ball off him all game, god knows what he was doing playing down there
Ringer?
possibly!  obviously the standard of the rest of us helped make him look like Messi
Massive Attack
Posts: 5720
Old WHO Number: 321955
Has liked: 3318 times
Been liked: 1647 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Massive Attack »

violator wrote: 26 Aug 2025, 08:28 Watching Messi bag a hat-trick at the Nou Camp against a Pellegrini managed Malaga was pretty special, his movement off the ball on another planet.

The only time I watched him at the Nou Camp was when he scored a hat-trick against Catalan rivals Espanyol. Involved in the build up for another. You just knew you were watching greatness at work. For me, the greatest of them all.

What amazed me was when watching him like a hawk, he would often look disinterested hovering around the centre circle. He looked tiny and unassuming, then as soon as the ball got played anywhere near him, he'd burst in to life and then the magic happened. Every single decision he made was the correct thing to do and he executed every touch to perfection. It was that ridiculous and an absolute privilege to witness as a Football purist. 


 
Last edited by Massive Attack on 26 Aug 2025, 09:17, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Far Cough UKunt
Posts: 1550
Has liked: 380 times
Been liked: 625 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Far Cough UKunt »

Mr Anon" wrote: 26 Aug 2025, 07:54 Some no name in a sunday league player, better than any professional I've seen, no one could get the ball off him all game, god knows what he was doing playing down there
Ringer?
violator
Posts: 713
Old WHO Number: 15360
Has liked: 215 times
Been liked: 205 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post violator »

Watching Messi bag a hat-trick at the Nou Camp against a Pellegrini managed Malaga was pretty special, his movement off the ball on another planet.
Mr Anon
Posts: 707
Old WHO Number: 254103
Has liked: 146 times
Been liked: 173 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Mr Anon »

Some no name in a sunday league player, better than any professional I've seen, no one could get the ball off him all game, god knows what he was doing playing down there
John Drake
Posts: 136
Has liked: 4 times
Been liked: 73 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post John Drake »

It would be heresy not to go for Bobby Moore

Another memorable name from the past was Eusebio who played at the Boleyn in Geoff Hurst's testimonial
User avatar
Takashi Miike
Posts: 3396
Old WHO Number: 233644
Has liked: 783 times
Been liked: 1172 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Takashi Miike »

Massive Attack" wrote: 25 Aug 2025, 21:31
Takashi Miike" wrote: 25 Aug 2025, 21:19
Massive Attack" wrote: 25 Aug 2025, 21:17 One of my favourite Premier League players that I would have loved seen play for us was Le Tissier. Liquid Football who ran his own goal of the month competition with himself. It would have been a really good fit as well if he ever did leave Southampton for us. 👌
I remember us singing one game "He's got a fucking big nose" at him, and of course he scores. A genius player
I remember that!
 
 
He mentioned it in an interview in the last couple of years and pissed himself laughing about it, he was next level talented and not one England manager had a clue how to use him. Criminal to neglect such a star
Percy Dalton
Posts: 355
Old WHO Number: 276654
Has liked: 204 times
Been liked: 46 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Percy Dalton »

Anyone for George Best a genius especially as he was half pissed most of the time
Massive Attack
Posts: 5720
Old WHO Number: 321955
Has liked: 3318 times
Been liked: 1647 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Massive Attack »

Takashi Miike" wrote: 25 Aug 2025, 21:19
Massive Attack" wrote: 25 Aug 2025, 21:17 One of my favourite Premier League players that I would have loved seen play for us was Le Tissier. Liquid Football who ran his own goal of the month competition with himself. It would have been a really good fit as well if he ever did leave Southampton for us. 👌
I remember us singing one game "He's got a fucking big nose" at him, and of course he scores. A genius player
I remember that!
User avatar
Takashi Miike
Posts: 3396
Old WHO Number: 233644
Has liked: 783 times
Been liked: 1172 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Takashi Miike »

Massive Attack" wrote: 25 Aug 2025, 21:17 One of my favourite Premier League players that I would have loved seen play for us was Le Tissier. Liquid Football who ran his own goal of the month competition with himself. It would have been a really good fit as well if he ever did leave Southampton for us. 👌
I remember us singing one game "He's got a fucking big nose" at him, and of course he scores. A genius player
Massive Attack
Posts: 5720
Old WHO Number: 321955
Has liked: 3318 times
Been liked: 1647 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Massive Attack »

One of my favourite Premier League players that I would have loved seen play for us was Le Tissier. Liquid Football who ran his own goal of the month competition with himself. It would have been a really good fit as well if he ever did leave Southampton for us. Outrageous effortless talent.👌
User avatar
Takashi Miike
Posts: 3396
Old WHO Number: 233644
Has liked: 783 times
Been liked: 1172 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Takashi Miike »

Massive Attack" wrote: 25 Aug 2025, 21:08 Henry is right up there for me too. Bergkamp was another shithot player, although a snide. Goon cunts.
yes, Bergkamp could be a spiteful cսnt but back then forwards didn't get the same level of protection so I could understand that nasty edge
User avatar
Takashi Miike
Posts: 3396
Old WHO Number: 233644
Has liked: 783 times
Been liked: 1172 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Takashi Miike »

the thing about Brady, he was 31 when he turned up and had just completed a brilliant seven year spell in Italy. it could have been quite easy for him to go through the motions and not give a shit, but his professionalism was top class. he was great from day one, and though he may have lost a yard in his legs, his brain still worked quicker than most of the teams he faced. an absolute legend, and all time great
Massive Attack
Posts: 5720
Old WHO Number: 321955
Has liked: 3318 times
Been liked: 1647 times

Re: Best player you’ve seen live

Post Massive Attack »

Henry is right up there for me too. Bergkamp was another shithot player, although a snide. Goon cunts.
Post Reply