All-time XIs by country

That was an enjoyable read PDG! lol

 

Antoni Jan Szymanowski

 

Yeah, 4-3-3 worked pretty well in the 1974 World Cup (after Lubanski had been injured vs England in the qualifier he played a starring role in, in Poland)! Lato played more as right winger/midfielder in 1982 didn't he, but yeah I guess a front 3 with him on the right and Lubanski coming from the left would work pretty well in theory wouldn't it.

I'll stop my suggestions there lol, as a) I'd be in danger of going a step further and thinking put in Gadocha on the left and take out Lewandowski haha - and then the modern vs old player debates can start...., or b) for once I'd be thinking of recommending "more balance" or "adding an anchor or more defensive player to the midfield" to go in with Boniek and Deyna, but I say stick with the ultra attacking line-up if you want to!!

 

Thanks. You can blame (or hopefully thank!) Peterhrt for starting it, with the post above mine!

In a round about way, maybe we both did an ok (or lets say very good in his case, and hopefully ok in response in mine!) job of considering what sort of selections these legendary managerial figures of the English game might have been making...partly based on previous comments and expressed preferences etc!

 

I was watching some of that Poland vs England 1973 qualifier game yesterday actually and thought Musial was doing pretty well at left back. I should leave you to pick for Poland really lol, but maybe he can be considered for left back in your XI too. But you might feel, or know, that overall Szymanowski was regarded as better I guess, and to suddenly become a recommender of modern players again I can understand the Piszczek choice certainly on the right, given his form in recent years for Dortmund.

 

England's a hard one. To me, it comes down to whether we stick with the classic 442, but not have Bryan Robson/Gerrard, or 4231, and have Bryan Robson/Gerrard, but making someone like Greaves a less ideal selection.

Duncan Edwards gets an automatic place in my England all-time XI simply because I think he's the only truly world-class DM in their history, even though I think he is severely overrated.

I don't think we can leave out Sir Tom Finney. Matthews always seem to be an automatic choice, but there is actually very little separating the two. Plenty of people rate Finney over Matthews, since the former was the most complete player.

Right back is interesting in that there isn't a standout player. Neville is obviously the most successful, but people who prefer older players prefer Jimmy Armfield.

The leftback I have much stronger opinion on. I've seen some suggest Eddie Hapgood, but from what I understand about early tactics, Hapgood would actually be more of a CB today, than a LB. Personally, I think Ashley Cole deserves the nod here. A serial winner of the highest level (multiple EPL and FA Cups, and also the UCL) someone who actually plays well for the NT, and unlike Pearce, he was generally regarded by non-English fans as the best in the world for a certain period.

The CB is a debate I'd rather stay out of. Between Wright, Franklin, Terry, Campbell, and Adams, there are quite a few to choose from. Personally, I agree that Campbell probably suits Moore (the automatic choice) better. Neither Terry nor Adams leadership and organizational skills are required with Moore already there. Wright is too short. Campbell brings the physical dominance that should compliment Moore best, even if he's not necessarily the best of the lot. Ferdinand doesn't get a shout because he plays the same role as Moore.

 

The thing about Sol is ex players don't seem to regard him as highly, when motd picked an epl dream team Shearer dismissed him out of hand, he regarded him as a defender he could bully.

 

One factor is the change in attitude towards international tournaments. Before 1966 the English attitude was a mixture of low expectation and disinterest. Matthews said that in his time the English football authorities were only interested in competitions they themselves had organised.

It is difficult to imagine now how insular the game was in Britain. When the 1963 European Cup Final between Benfica and AC Milan was held at Wembley, the ground was less than half full. Just as many spectators had turned up at the same venue a fortnight before to watch the FA Amateur Final between Wimbledon and Sutton United.

Prior to 1966 English players were judged mainly by their careers in domestic football. Not what they won, but how they were perceived week in week out. Matthews and Finney won one FA Cup between them, and represented England teams that achieved nothing in international tournaments. Their lofty reputations remained unaffected.

After the World Cup winning generation retired, expectations soared dramatically. The reputation of every English footballer since has been blighted by failure to reach a major tournament final. Gascoigne gets an easier ride than most because he appeared in two semi-finals (as did Pearce and Platt).

Perhaps a fairer way to compare English players past and present would be to judge them all purely in domestic football. This is what @comme has done in his lists that have been recently reproduced by @Gregoriak .

Taking the leading English-qualified footballer in each playing position from comme's rankings, the following all-time England XI emerges:


-----------------------Shilton----------------------

Neal-----Billy Wright-----Terry-----Hapgood

Matthews-----Charlton-----Needham-----Finney

----------Billy Walker-------Greaves---------

 

Second XI from comme's rankings includes more modern players in defence and midfield:

-----------------------Banks----------------------

Armfield-----Ferdinand-----Campbell-----Cole

Crooks-----Lampard-----Bryan Robson-----John Barnes

----------Dean-------Goodall---------

 

Yeah, not having Lubanski alongside Lewy is a travesty. You could also argue Szarmach as well.

 

And also Wilimowski, who could have been one of the best strikers ever if not for WWII.

 

What about Ernest Pohl? (Also known as Ernst Pol)

39 goals in 46 games for Poland. Leading all-time Polish first division goalscorer.

And has a stadium named after him.

 

Maybe, but he needs to mature. He has some very good games, and some really bad ones. Most of the bad ones seem to be for the Poland NT, perhaps he has been thrust into the playmaker role too early in his development.

 

No Rivaldo ??

 

As it is, he is the 12th highest official goalscorer from all countries (source rsssf), having only recently been overtaken by Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi. This includes his goals for both Polish and German teams.

 

In 1969 Gerard Cieslik was voted the greatest Polish footballer up to that time in a wide-ranging national poll. That would place him ahead of Pol, who was well-known in England for a long range goal for Gornik against Tottenham in the European Cup.

Wilimowski would probably have been excluded from the vote on political grounds.

 

And a country! Unless it's named after one of the Telly Tubbies, despite that they only became well known in the late 90s.

Sorry, no seriously I thought about him too. Not so easy to see great footage of him maybe - I think I saw some once (seem to remember he had blonde-ish hair but could be wrong). I think I had the impression that Lubanski had overtaken him (and Wilimowski I guess) as 'legend' and being rated higher as a player. Maybe the choice of Uefa Golden Player (which can be debated and disputed among those selecting it of course) leads me too much though I don't know.

 

Hungary - it would of course be the team from the 1950s.

-------------------Puskas----------------------Kocsis------------
--------------Czibor-----------Hidegkuti----------Budai II------
---------------------Zakarias-------------Bozsik-----------------
------------------------------------Lorant----------------------------
------------------------Lantos---------------Buzanszky----------
------------------------------------Grosics---------------------------

 

Surely, it's not that simple? I don't know much about Hungarian historic players, especially in defense, but surely, a team from just one period of time can't have all the best players? Has there been no better defenders since then? What about someone like Kubala or the Ballon D'or winner, Florian Albert?