Under rated players in Europe...

[RoyalMan]

Who are the most under rated players in Europe? If i had to pick from the 4 main leagues i would go for:

EPL - Sami Hyypia or Nolberto Solano
Serie A - Zambrotta or Eriberto(spelling)
La Liga - Ivan Helguerra or Valeron
Bundesliga - Bernt Schneider or Jens Nowotny.

[bojendyk]

I'd say Senegal's defender, Colly. (Not sure of the spelling of his name or his team . . . he plays in France.) In the African Cup of Nations final & the WC, he was solid.

Jari Litmanen (not sure of the spelling there, either), who seldom plays for Liverpool because he's not boring enough.

[sydtheeagle]

I don't think anyone under-rates Hyypia. In fact, you never stop hearing about how he's the lynchpin around which the "new" Liverpool have been built (and fair enough. He's good.) As for Solano, I think his reputation as it presently stands is about accurate, which is to say that he's appreciated as a very good player, but perhaps for various reasons a step short of the very top tier.

Under-rated? Kevin Phillips, for one. Everyone writes him off as a goal hanger in a one-horse show, and when he has a year with poor returns, he gets a royal slagging. Never mind that Phillips puts in 100% every game. Never mind that he plays week in, week out, especially last season, through injuries which would have most players missing half the year because he's loyal to both his team and the game. Phillips is NOT an international standard footballer in my opinion, but he is thoroughly unappreciated by many who follow the game (although take it from he, his manager knows how valuable he is).

Another under-rated player is Paul Williams of Southampton, and previously of Coventry. A nothing signing the Saints fans were less than enthused about at first, but those I know say he more or less singlehandedly sorted out the defense and turned that team around. He's kept two crap clubs in the Premiership for years, or at least has made a major contribution to doing just that.

And a more obvious under-rated player? Gary Neville. A footballer's footballer. Why is it that those in the game think he's an automatic choice for England, and supporters persistently leave him out of the team? Versatile, intelligent, everything you'd want in a defender except, perhaps, spectacular.

[thepremierleague]

Originally posted by sydtheeagle
And a more obvious under-rated player? Gary Neville. A footballer's footballer. Why is it that those in the game think he's an automatic choice for England, and supporters persistently leave him out of the team? Versatile, intelligent, everything you'd want in a defender except, perhaps, spectacular.

Two reasons. Romario and Edmundo.

[LordR]

Marcio Amoroso, Giovane Elber, Ze Roberto and Marcelinho.
I wondered why the didnt play for brasil in the WC.

[Cokane]

They didn't exactly need them did they?

[minorthreat]

Originally posted by LordR
Marcio Amoroso, Giovane Elber, Ze Roberto and Marcelinho.
I wondered why the didnt play for brasil in the WC. Elber is an atypical Brazilian forward. He fits perfectly into Bayern's system, and would be an automatic choice if Brazil played like Bayern, but as it is now he's pretty much useless for the verdeamarelha due to his style of play.

I'll second whoever brought up Jari Litmanen, though. He was magnificent at Ajax, and at that point was undoubtedly Europe's most underrated player, but two seasons of mistreatment and benchings at Barcelona ruined his career. The fact that his talent is totally wasted at Liverpool hasn't helped much either.

I'll also second Juan Carlos Valeron, although I think people rate Ivan Helguera these days - he's more or less proved that he's what holds up both Real Madrid and Spain's defenses. Another player in Spain whom I can't believe not many people rate is Santiago Solari. A European Cup winner at a young age and good enough to displace both Steve McManaman and Savio from the Real Madrid squad and yet nobody even looks twice at him.

[Syncope]

Originally posted by C-towner
Elber is an atypical Brazilian forward. He fits perfectly into Bayern's system, and would be an automatic choice if Brazil played like Bayern, but as it is now he's pretty much useless for the verdeamarelha due to his style of play.I can understand putting the "Three R's" in there, but bringing Edilson instead of Elber as a backup striker to the WC was just dumb. Then again, I don't think much of Scolari.

As to underrated players, I think Cacau (Nürnberg) could become a stand-out player.

[calcioplaya]

Mido (ajax)

[NullPointerException]

Marians Pahars (Southampton)

[Boro_lad]

pahars sucks....

most underated player is Maccarone....He was our biggest signing yet there has been little media coverage.....More about TLF

I think he will shine over the next few seasons for boro

[vflkirwan]

Tomislav Maric

[Elninho]

Originally posted by Boro_lad
pahars sucks....

most underated player is Maccarone....He was our biggest signing yet there has been little media coverage.....More about TLF

I think he will shine over the next few seasons for boro

Sorry, but a club's biggest signing is ipso facto not underrated.

Only Scolari underrates Romario.

Litmanen is, IMO, the most underrated player in Europe. Solari is also underrated - is his Division 3 college career is coming back to haunt him?

Also consider Mohamed Kallon, who can't seem to stick with any club despite scoring consistently in Serie A...

[NullPointerException]

Originally posted by Elninho


Sorry, but a club's biggest signing is ipso facto not underrated.

Only Scolari underrates Romario.

Litmanen is, IMO, the most underrated player in Europe. Solari is also underrated - is his Division 3 college career is coming back to haunt him?

Also consider Mohamed Kallon, who can't seem to stick with any club despite scoring consistently in Serie A...

Sorry, elnino, The question was regarding under rated players in europe, not Southampton. The guy just goes on consistently putting them in the net. managers ought to be knocking down the door to get him. i stand by my statement.

[jp77]

capucho (fc porto)
puyol (Barcelona)
neuville (leverkusen)

[condor11]

Originally posted by sydtheeagle
As for Solano, I think his reputation as it presently stands is about accurate, which is to say that he's appreciated as a very good player, but perhaps for various reasons a step short of the very top tier.

true to a point
but the fact remains that many people say beckam is the ultimate stricker of the ball best crosser etc
but to me solano has been the best crosser in the pl for the last 2 seasons and one of the top passers of the ball over a long distance
he just dosnt get the recognition he deserves

[minorthreat]

Originally posted by jp77
capucho (fc porto)
puyol (Barcelona)
neuville (leverkusen) I'd hardly call Carles Puyol underrated - he's proved himself as one of the best defenders in Spain and was a rock at the World Cup despite the fact that he's only 24. To not rate him would be foolish.

[sydtheeagle]

Originally posted by condor11

true to a point
but the fact remains that many people say beckam is the ultimate stricker of the ball best crosser etc
but to me solano has been the best crosser in the pl for the last 2 seasons and one of the top passers of the ball over a long distance
he just dosnt get the recognition he deserves

I don't know how you come to this view. He is extremely well rated in everything I read, watch, and listen to. Outside Shearer (over-rated?) he is probably the second most talked about Newcastle player, possibly excepting Bellamy last year. No argument that he's good, just that how can anybody that well recognised as being good be under-rated. I just don't see it?

[Vampeta]

Originally posted by Syncope
I can understand putting the "Three R's" in there, but bringing Edilson instead of Elber as a backup striker to the WC was just dumb. Then again, I don't think much of Scolari.



Well really a moot point isn't it? :D

Elber has shown that he really wasn't
interested in playing for the verde e
amarilho, and frankly neither he, Amoroso,
ZeRoberto or Marcelinho P. aren't
really good enough. Very good players
for their respective clubs, but internationally,
a different story.

[deejay]

Erwin 'Platini' Sanchez

He is one of the best reasons why Boavista become a rather decent team at the European level.

Nonetheless, Benfica bought him years ago (for 15,000 !) and had no idea what to do with him.