The Person you most like in football ...

Jan_de_Bakker

Following on from the person you hate most in football thread, I decided I'd start this one - sure you can list the obvious club legend of your own club, but what about someone in theory you should have disliked but just loved.

For me - Roy Keane, I should have hated the guy with me being a Chelsea fan but just always had the utmost respect for him and still love watching him talk about football today - his latest on Jose Mourinho was hilarious.

I'd love to have a pint with Keano!!

Armchair Andy

Bobby Robson. End of.

Vanolder

Luis Suarez... Born winner.

Dirty Dingus McGee

I love Luis Suarez.He has an unbelievable desire to win and when he's on top form it's brilliant to watch the intensity he plays at.I don't blame him for his numerous indiscretions as I genuinely think he's completely insane when he gets on the field and doesn't actually know what he is doing he'll just do anything to win, which is what you want from great players.

Jan_de_Bakker

Vanolder wrote: »

Luis Suarez... Born winner.

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

I love Luis Suarez.He has an unbelievable desire to win and when he's on top form it's brilliant to watch the intensity he plays at.I don't blame him for his numerous indiscretions as I genuinely think he's completely insane when he gets on the field and doesn't actually know what he is doing he'll just do anything to win, which is what you want from great players.

Trolls!!

Dirty Dingus McGee

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

Trolls!!

No.My post is 100% genuine.

Vanolder

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

Trolls!!

He is the greatest player to play the game... he'd be the first guy anyone would pick given a choice, he'll do anything to win and most of the time it's pure magic.

adox

Vanolder wrote: »

He is the greatest player to play the game

You can't really believe that.

Harry Palmr

Well Gary Lineker obviously.

Vanolder

adox wrote: »

You can't really believe that.

Why?

Damien Richardson.

A real gent.

Turtyturd

Neil Warnock.

enzo roco

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

I'd love to have a pint with Keano!!

And He would hate to have one with you, because he is so narky and insane.

Dunphy seems like a bit of crack.

Arghus

Johnny Giles.

beertons

John O Shea.

BBDBB

Ian Holloway

Whatsisname

I'd love to smoke a loada cigars with Berbatov.

Wilberto

Answering the question the OP actually asked, someone I, in theory, should hate, but actually love is....brace yourselves....Thierry Henry. Just a fantastic footballer and always loved watching him.


I don't get the agro regarding the Paris incident. If that was Damien Duff handling to keep it in play and squaring it to Richard Dunne to tap in do you think we'd care? Not in the slightest. It was a failing of the officials, nobody else.

gormdubhgorm

Martin O'Neill
Stephen Kenny
Claudio Raneiri
Jack Charlton

Top of the list though, is Manuela Spinelli - Trapatoni's former translator

Wilberto

Another guy I've always loved (but had no reason to hate him in the first place so isn't really answering the OP's question) is Jimmy Bullard. I don't think I need to say why! :pac:

Hollister11

Ryan Giggs Seems like a down to earth family man.

HalloweenJack

Gianfranco Zola. The man who made me fall in love with football and Chelsea.

Always played with a smile on his face, was a true gent on and off the pitch, remember him bringing coffee to journos when he got sacked from West Ham. Went back to his first club when he left Chelsea at 36, got them back into Serie A and played one more year with them.

His managerial career has stuttered, unfortunately.

Nalz

Denis Irwin

Unearthly

Patrice Evra. Stands up to unacceptable behaviour

mikeym

Sepp Blatter loves the rub of the green

CSF

I haven't thought about this in huge depth so someone else could come to mind but Mick McCarthy is a great lad.

rightyabe

Dennis Irwin

dfx-

Iniesta

His changes of pace and his glide is glorious. The ball moves with him as if it belongs there rather than him running after it or trying to catch up with it.

The way he set up for Neymar against PSG a couple of years ago was the goal of goals. He is also able to blast the ball into the net like at Chelsea which is a plus.

niallo27

adox wrote: »

You can't really believe that.

You will never understand until he plays for a team you love. He will give everything to win and doesn't care who he ****s over. Give me this kind of player any day instead of your Pogba Johnny hairstyle or sanchez laughing on the bench. This guy will die for the cause and cheat for the cause. I still love him.

Giggsy11

niallo27 wrote: »

You will never understand until he plays for a team you love. He will give everything to win and doesn't care who he ****s over. Give me this kind of player any day instead of your Pogba Johnny hairstyle or sanchez laughing on the bench. This guy will die for the cause and cheat for the cause. I still love him.

Biting is also for the cause?

I'm ignoring the other **** thing just to avoid all the **** posts that will follow up.

niallo27

Giggsy11 wrote: »

Biting is also for the cause?

I'm ignoring the other **** thing just to avoid all the **** posts that will follow up.

Ya the bloke is bat **** crazy but he is a winner.

Bret Hart

Demba Ba.

adox

niallo27 wrote: »

You will never understand until he plays for a team you love. He will give everything to win and doesn't care who he ****s over. Give me this kind of player any day instead of your Pogba Johnny hairstyle or sanchez laughing on the bench. This guy will die for the cause and cheat for the cause. I still love him.

That all has nothing to do with the guy thinking he is greatest player to ever play the game, which is what I was questioning so your post above is totally irrelevant to my point.

brevity

Rafa Benitez.

greendom

Arcane Wenger. Yes I know his time is up but his passion for the game is unrivalled.

Such an eloquent man too and there is no need to mention how he transformed both Arsenal and English football.

niallo27

adox wrote: »

That all has nothing to do with the guy thinking he is greatest player to ever play the game, which is what I was questioning so your post above is totally irrelevant to my point.

Sorry your right I misread your post.

Drumpot

Dirk Kuyt.. I'm a united fan but this guy is just a great example of grounded, decent footballer and a rare character for children to look up to... the charity work he has done is quite remarkable.

From a football perspective he was grossly undervalued by pool fans.I Was at a united v pool game (one where idiotic mascherano talked himself into a red) and Kuyt was the only Liverpool player who showed up. All the big names hid or flopped. He was popular with managers but not so popular with fans. The unappreciated kind of player who is not fancy or statastic, but effective and team grounded.

blueser

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

Following on from the person you hate most in football thread, I decided I'd start this one - sure you can list the obvious club legend of your own club, but what about someone in theory you should have disliked but just loved.

For me - Roy Keane, I should have hated the guy with me being a Chelsea fan but just always had the utmost respect for him and still love watching him talk about football today - his latest on Jose Mourinho was hilarious.

I'd love to have a pint with Keano!!

Brick Top says hello!

LiamoSail

Kevin Kilbane. Comes across as a really genuine guy, always gave 100% for Ireland, does a lot of work for Downs Syndrome charity's.

Interesting that Jimmy Bullard was mentioned on this thread. IIRC Bullards huge contract left Hull in serious difficulty at a time when the club was really struggling financially. I'm pretty sure that it was at this time that Kilbane agreed to half his salary for the remaining year on his contract, and extend it by one year. Effectively he did two years at Hull for one years salary. Whether his motivation was the extra year as a player or the good of the club is irrelevant, he's an admirable guy

LeeJM

Dennis Irwin - A great professional who never seemed to have a bad game. One of the good guys who doesnt say controversial things just to get noticed.

Cristiano Ronaldo - Gets a lot of hate but his dedication to becoming an all time great is to be admired. Also does a tonne of charity work.

Claudio Ranieri - How can ye not love the guy.

Paulo Maldini - Purely for the career he had. One of the best defenders to ever play the game.

LiamoSail

LeeJM wrote: »

Cristiano Ronaldo - Gets a lot of hate but his dedication to becoming an all time great is to be admired. Also does a tonne of charity work.

He speaks about himself in the third person. No amount of charity work or dedication can right that wrong

machiavellianme

Craig Bellamy for his contributions to golf and Africa (OK the latter didn't work out but at least he tried)

Brian Kerr. He just so obviously loves football.

ricero

Drumpot wrote: »

Dirk Kuyt.. I'm a united fan but this guy is just a great example of grounded, decent footballer and a rare character for children to look up to... the charity work he has done is quite remarkable.

From a football perspective he was grossly undervalued by pool fans.I Was at a united v pool game (one where idiotic mascherano talked himself into a red) and Kuyt was the only Liverpool player who showed up. All the big names hid or flopped. He was popular with managers but not so popular with fans. The unappreciated kind of player who is not fancy or statastic, but effective and team grounded.

Dirk kuyt was and is still loved by us lfc fans such a work horse who loved a big goal.

Himself and xabi alonso seem like two sound men

Duff

Pirlo and Buffon - Two class acts whose careers speak for themselves.

Brian Kerr - His passion is great and he's also very knowledgeable when you get past the accent. He's the final evolution of Robbie Keane.

brianregan09

I get where people are coming from with the Suarez love, Sanchez at Arsenal has that same insatiable desire to win .

Would love to sit down with either and pick there brains

garra

LiamoSail wrote: »

Kevin Kilbane. Comes across as a really genuine guy, always gave 100% for Ireland, does a lot of work for Downs Syndrome charity's.

Interesting that Jimmy Bullard was mentioned on this thread. IIRC Bullards huge contract left Hull in serious difficulty at a time when the club was really struggling financially. I'm pretty sure that it was at this time that Kilbane agreed to half his salary for the remaining year on his contract, and extend it by one year. Effectively he did two years at Hull for one years salary. Whether his motivation was the extra year as a player or the good of the club is irrelevant, he's an admirable guy

Great shout, Kilbane is a solid analyst and was a genuine honest footballer who always give everything to Ireland and his clubs. His longevity of playing days will be matched by his career in media as he has an articulate gift of the gab, he is always engaging on radio and he does it all without the smug self-satisfied smarm of a Lineker or brain-dead presentation of most others.

Fr Tod Umptious

The late Noelle Feeney of Cork City.

https://www.google.ie/amp/amp.irishexaminer.com/ireland/tributes-to-cork-citys-mrs-football-noelle-feeney-442257.html

GavRedKing

Arsene Wenger.

Please never leave.

tastyt

Paul McGrath

David ginola

The real ronaldo