After an injury plagued last few seasons, Gavin McCann’s retirement was announced back in May 2011. I say announced but really it was little more than a whisper. It typified the lack of recognition that McCann achieved in what was in fact a very respectable career. Fans of clubs that don’t get the media attention of the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea will be able to site many examples of great players who just never got the credit they deserved.
There have been lots of talented players in the Prem who aren’t going to hog many minutes on MOTD or earn the praise of leading TV pundits but are appreciated by their own club’s fans or the real ones anyway. That’s not to say that fans of the same club don’t disagree about players, but in my experience there have been a few genuine club legends that nobody else seem to rate much.
Gavin McCann is a typical example. Due to his hard-man image, I had long considered him to be just a worker and probably not much else. Then he moved to Aston Villa and the opportunity to see the central midfielder live changed my perception. Gavin showed he was one of the best tacklers in the premiership but also had more to his game. Good vision with the passing ability to go with it he quickly became a key player for the club. Many fans were disappointed when he left for just £1 million and I hoped he showed at least some glimpses of what he was capable of at Bolton before the injuries started to take their toll. The signing of the more athletic Nigel Reo-Coker for £8.5 million as an ‘upgrade’ certainly didn’t have the impact that was hoped for at Villa Park. After struggling to cement a place in the side until his final season, Reo-Coker was released this summer after a pretty ordinary four years at the club.
I’m just one of the many fans who will fail to notice some real heroes at other clubs outside the new ‘super six’. After doing some research I have tried (emphasise on tried) to compile a small list of just some of the players I feel have been largely overlooked by the pundits and journalists.
– Leon Osman – Everton. The impish midfielder has displayed creativity and skill in abundance for several seasons. Deceptively old, (he’s turned 30!) he could make his 300th club appearance before the coming season ends.
– Steed Malbranque – Fulham and Spurs. The little Belgian now at Sunderland impressed me several times. Classy and hard-working, I’m told he’s been a bit of fan favourite wherever he’s played. He hasn’t netted many at Sunderland but notched up 44 goals in 202 games for The Cottagers.
– Martin Laursen – Aston Villa. The retired colossus of a defender was outrageously good in the air and thankfully the only thing he lacked was an ego. Greatest Villa player this century.
– Robbie Savage – Birmingham city. I can’t vouch for his form at Blackburn or beyond but he was superb for the Blues. His gut-busting runs took them to a surprising 13th place league finish in their first premiership season in 2002/03. Hated by many, the energetic midfielder’s persona distracted pundits from his ability.
Mortan gamst pederson
Dean Kiely
Steve harper
Dennis irwin
just some good decent footballers who never get or got the limelight
Park Ji Sung