Should Man Utd Retire NO.7

blu_sonic

In the wake of George Best's passing should mufc retire the no.7 jersey in the vien of seria a teams as a mark of respect (franco barisi's no.6 was retired when he retired)

i know his star didn't shine long at man u but by christ did it shine bright.

KdjaCL

I dont think any club or country should retire a number ever, if they did its not very fair on the other jerseys they didnt retire.
If they did they would run out fo jerseys very quickly, i like replacements i know its a cliche but if a new player wears number X he is instantly associated with an older legend who also wore the jersey.
Wear a number 9 with liverpool and score a goal and your the next ian Rush etc:




kdjac

cournioni

Absolutely not. If United kept doing that for every great player that has passed away and worn the red shirt Ronaldo, Rooney, Giggs, etc. would be wearing shirts like 50 and 90. Remember, Best wore numbers 8, 11 and sometimes even 10.

I think great players should be remembered in other ways like statues, stands etc. named after them rather than retiring numbers.

wheres me jumpa

KdjaC wrote:

i like replacements i know its a cliche but if a new player wears number X he is instantly associated with an older legend who also wore the jersey.
Wear a number 9 with liverpool and score a goal and your the next ian Rush etc:




kdjac

yeah it means the legend lives on. generally retiring a jersey is only considered when a current player dies. even then i dont think its happened in soccer. did it happen for cormac macanallen?

cournioni

wheres me jumpa wrote:

did it happen for cormac macanallen?

Yeah, I think Enda Gormley/Chris Lawn wore number 31 for a year after Cormac's death. They brought back number 3 this year.

blu_sonic

No

although i'm not mad on it in general but i only sujest it as best was one of 2 of the greatest players the world has ever seen forget giggs, ronaldo, rooney, rush etc. i just mean it in HIS reverane but i agree with kdjacs point of relating back from the "new no x" to the original etc

merlinsmerryman

Can see both sides to retiring/not retiring the number, personally I think the idea of emulating a memorial outside Old Trafford would be more fitting. One for the greatest manager why not one for the greatest player?

Thanx 4 The Fish

Oh come on, One of the best two players the world has ever seen.... Pele, Maradonna, Garrincha, Socrates - Best was good but one of the best two in the world. Sorry lad, I would have to disagree there.

As regards retiring a jersey, if they did that for every great player at a club who was a hero there there would have to the room for three numbers on the back of jerseys.

Hobart

Thanx 4 The Fish wrote:

Oh come on, One of the best two players the world has ever seen.... Pele, Maradonna, Garrincha, Socrates - Best was good but one of the best two in the world. Sorry lad, I would have to disagree there.

As regards retiring a jersey, if they did that for every great player at a club who was a hero there there would have to the room for three numbers on the back of jerseys.

I think it's a fairly subjective decision. Nobody can really say that x was the best player in the world or y was the best player in the world. Pele said that Best was the best player he had ever seen. Maradonna had a certrain respect for him, insiting on having his photograph taken with Best as part of his contract to play in a game at wembley in the 90's.

The other 2 you name were greats also. A lot more you could add to that list, Cryuff, Van Basten, Eusebeo, etc... The list could go on and on. Even if a vote was taken of players and managers as to who they would rate as the best 2 players "ever", you would have people disagree. Actually, there is probably no such thing as the best player in the world, as we would have no yardrstick to measure them by. So it's a moot argument TBH. For the record Best would be in my top 5 and no they should not retire any jersey.

blastman

On one hand, it's a nice tribute to a player, but on the other hand, as mentioned, you would have players wearing three digit numbers before long. I don't particularly like squad numbers as it is (too bloody American football!)

Perhaps a compromise would be to retire the jersey for a certain period of time, as Tyrone did for Cormac McAnallen.

PHB

I don't think they should do it years after aplayer leaves a club.
That said, when Keano left United, I wouldn't have minded seeing the number 16 shirt retired.
Or when Giggs does retire, after all his time spent, I wouldn't mind at all seeing the shirt retired.

Rikand

Nah, the shirt must pass on!

Davei141

The people have spoken, 23:NO 2:YES.

mchurl

you cant retire the shirt mainly because of th epoints that people have already said, if you were to retire the shirt of every great player at a club, then you wouldnt have many jerseys left, would you?

Villain

I voted no, but you could do what we did at our Sunday league team when our captain died and retire it for the following season only. But I don't think they should retire it for ever, I'm sure during my life time we see some great players wear the No7 jersey at Utd.

gimmick

Perhaps if he played for United in the recent past, maybe? But considering he hasnt played for them in 25+ years, its a stupid idea.

And I agree with Kdjac, retiring jersies is a silly idea in general. Maybe for one season as mark of respect, but other than that, screw it.

Steve_o

Maybe retire it for the rest of the season or something but retiring the number 7 for good is a ridiculous idea!!

Juan Pablo

wheres me jumpa wrote:

generally retiring a jersey is only considered when a current player dies. even then i dont think its happened in soccer.

Man City have retired the number 23 jersey in respect of Marc Vivian Foe.

bullrunner

blu_sonic wrote:

although i'm not mad on it in general but i only sujest it as best was one of 2 of the greatest players the world has ever seen forget giggs, ronaldo, rooney, rush etc. i just mean it in HIS reverane but i agree with kdjacs point of relating back from the "new no x" to the original etc

how can you say best was one of the 2 greatest players ever?? what about pele, maradona, puskas,cruyff etc etc?

The Rooster

bullrunner wrote:

how can you say best was one of the 2 greatest players ever?? what about pele, maradona, puskas,cruyff etc etc?

Well Best was up with those as one of the best ever. As has been previously mentioned, Pele is on record as saying that Best was the greatest he ever saw - so anyone who does think Best is among the best 2 or 3 in the world would not be alone - its a valid opinion, though of course it won't be shared by everyone.

LostinBlanch

Best also wore no's 8 and 11. So is Beckham saying that we should retire those as well? Wait, David didn't wear that number so we shouldn't retire those :rolleyes:

chiller

we should remember george best 4 is football skills as they will never b forgoten no need need to retire the shirt just put him up there bside sir matt or name the new extention of old trafford in his honour the man was the best!

scuba steve

Juan Pablo wrote:

Man City have retired the number 23 jersey in respect of Marc Vivian Foe.

That is fairly different tho, he did die while playing a soccer match and the number 23 wouldnt usually have a "bigger name" as a number 7 jersey at a club like Man Utd. I think there should be a statue maybe built in his memory outside Old Trafford or something, but i think the jersey should just be passed on, shouldnt be retired

Jimi-Spandex

Deffo shouldn't retire the 7.

What about the other players past, present and future to inherit the shirt? The most fitting tribute is to keep the shirt on the pitch on the back of another future great.

Also, as people mentioned, He also wore 11 alot.

blu_sonic

No

LostinBlanch wrote:

Best also wore no's 8 and 11. So is Beckham saying that we should retire those as well? Wait, David didn't wear that number so we shouldn't retire those :rolleyes:

beckham - best? not a patch on best not fit to lace his boots!!!!

just that no7 was the jersey he was remembered for thats all

el rabitos

beckham - best? not a patch on best not fit to lace his boots!!!!

thats funny, i could have sworn i overheard man u fans in the past say they actually saw rays of sunlight shine out of beckham's arse

beckhams contribution to united was far greater than that of bests tbh.

there are bigger legends playing football now than george best. a soccer acadamy in his name would be the best way to remember his talent, something for kids to aspire to.

franco baresi and paolo maldini, if your ever going to retire a jersey for a player, theres 2 worthy of it if its going to be done. but in general its an over sentimental idea. retiring a number for a season or 2 would be enough

Chardee MacDennis

afaik fifa have outlawed the retiring of numbers....

el rabitos

theres nothing to force a team to use a squad number, for example no. 11 at liverpool is vacant right now, theres nothing that says liverpool have to give that number to a player

Spider_Baby!

I think Benfica retired the number that Miklos Ferher wore...27 or something, but he died on the pitch in that jersey. I think number 7 should still be used, as it is a common number used by someone who is usually in the starting 11...as with foe's 23, and fehrer's 27, they are quite unusual numbers and wouldnt have been used too often anyway.

CountryWise

Keep the shirt alive, Give somebody else to chance to become a legend like players who have worn it in the past, players in the future should be proud to wear it, wouldnt mind taking it off ronaldo though not sure if he is the character for it but then again everyone is different i guess!

MrPillowTalk

el rabitos wrote:

beckhams contribution to united was far greater than that of bests tbh.

Ok dont agree with this at all, Best had everything, Becks allthough a great player for utd was overly one footed and couldnt beat anyone. Best was the driving force behind a european cup win as well.

Also never heard Pele say he thought Becks was best in the world.

The most important way for utd to commemorate Geoge is to go out and put up a meaningful challenge to Chelseas dominance.

blu_sonic

No

el rabitos wrote:

thats funny, i could have sworn i overheard man u fans in the past say they actually saw rays of sunlight shine out of beckham's arse

beckhams contribution to united was far greater than that of bests tbh.

there are bigger legends playing football now than george best. a soccer acadamy in his name would be the best way to remember his talent, something for kids to aspire to.

franco baresi and paolo maldini, if your ever going to retire a jersey for a player, theres 2 worthy of it if its going to be done. but in general its an over sentimental idea. retiring a number for a season or 2 would be enough

im not a man utd fan, best was BETTER than beckham, beckham contributed more? maybe, best played in one of the poorest man utd teams post 1968, all old fading stars ie. charlton. best is said to have single handedly hold utd in the 1st division

el rabitos

Ok dont agree with this at all, Best had everything, Becks allthough a great player for utd was overly one footed and couldnt beat anyone. Best was the driving force behind a european cup win as well.

Also never heard Pele say he thought Becks was best in the world.

did beckham not win a european cup with united too? seems like a major contribution to me, oh and a treble and a few doubles. beckham contributed a major part to uniteds most successful era

just because pele says something, that makes it true? does the world hang on pele's opinion? everyone has an opinion, just because its pele doesnt mean it happens to be true.

the speed that united fans have forgot about beckhams contribution is amazing, when he's dead though he'll be the best player ever and there'll be calls to retire number 7 again

blu_sonic

No

but hes no george best, no matter what you say

el rabitos

but hes no george best, no matter what you say

sounds like an arguement i used to hear when i was in school :rolleyes:

Thanx 4 The Fish

As for the Pele saying george best was the best he had ever seen. How many of those people think that El Hadj Diouf was ever in the best 400 players in the world let alone the top 40 as Pele said.
Pele will say whatever he has to say, he advertises impotence pills FFS.

George best was a great player, he was a driving force behind Uniteds first European Cup win and he should be honoured in some way but retiring a jersey is a bit much.

Guy:Incognito

No

Jimi-Spandex wrote:

What about the other players past, present and future to inherit the shirt? The most fitting tribute is to keep the shirt on the pitch on the back of another future great..

What if the next Djemba Djemba gets it?

Guy:Incognito

No

el rabitos wrote:

did beckham not win a european cup with united too? seems like a major contribution to me, oh and a treble and a few doubles. beckham contributed a major part to uniteds most successful era

Beckham was'nt the heart and soul of that Utd generation, the team was able to function just fine without him.

Djimi Traore won a CL medal with Liverpool, is he better than best aswell?

el rabitos wrote:

just because pele says something, that makes it true? does the world hang on pele's opinion? everyone has an opinion, just because its pele doesnt mean it happens to be true.

Aworld renowned nurosurgeon (sp?) would generally be believed to have a valid and educated opinion on the workings of the brain as he is one of the best in his field. Pele was one of the best in his field so is much better qualified to pass judgment.

el rabitos

Beckham was'nt the heart and soul of that Utd generation, the team was able to function just fine without him.

Djimi Traore won a CL medal with Liverpool, is he better than best aswell?

let me just get my calculator out there now and see how many leagues and european cups united have won without beckham....none? 1 fa cup as far as i can remember...

there are better left backs in the phoenix park than traore ffs. did i say george best was a cr@p players or something? no, i've already said he was a top player. but obviosly, common sense is over-looked when people are glorifieing (sp?) the man.

Aworld renowned nurosurgeon (sp?) would generally be believed to have a valid and educated opinion on the workings of the brain as he is one of the best in his field. Pele was one of the best in his field so is much better qualified to pass judgment.

your comparing a footballer to a neurosurgeon? enough said i think

The Muppet

el rabitos wrote:

your comparing a footballer to a neurosurgeon? enough said i think

He's not and you're missing his point . Any person at the top of their profession would be better able to judge the abilities of fellow professional better that armchair experts like ourselves.

Pele gets paid to promote potency pills I doubt he got paid to promote George Best.


I don't think the shirt should be retired, naming a stand after Best would be a much better idea IMO.

Thanx 4 The Fish

True, pele did get paid to promote potency pills. But the man who people are putting all of their faith in as regards best player he had ever seen has also gone on record as saying that El Hadj Diouf is one of the best living football players. Does he really know all that much about football...

The Muppet

Thanx 4 The Fish wrote:

True, pele did get paid to promote potency pills. But the man who people are putting all of their faith in as regards best player he had ever seen has also gone on record as saying that El Hadj Diouf is one of the best living football players. Does he really know all that much about football...

I can't argue with that.

Jivin Turkey

The Muppet wrote:

He's not and you're missing his point . Any person at the top of their profession would be better able to judge the abilities of fellow professional better that armchair experts like ourselves.

In a lot of cases, yes.

The reality of it though is I'd say a lot more people on here do a lot more research into football than plenty of players around today.

Take David Beckham for example, hardly reknowned for pearls of wisdom of the game is he?

blu_sonic

No

i think its the fact its pelé and everyone equates his openion with his prowess as a footballer.

pelé just made the statment best was the best player he'd evey seen, which when you think of the players pelé has played with its a huge complement, although i wouldn't pay too much heed to pelé current footballing views, all in all is he even around the gme that much any more?

The Muppet

Jivin Turkey wrote:

In a lot of cases, yes.

The reality of it though is I'd say a lot more people on here do a lot more research into football than plenty of players around today.

Take David Beckham for example, hardly reknowned for pearls of wisdom of the game is he?

We talking about Pele. I still think Beckham would know a good player from a bad one (he might have difficulty articulating it) which is the extent of knowledge required in this instance.

Jivin Turkey

The Muppet wrote:

We talking about Pele. I still think Beckham would know a good player from a bad one (he might have difficulty articulating it) which is the extent of knowledge required in this instance.

But as T4TF pointed out, Pele is another example of just because one is/was a good (or even great) footballer does not make them a guru on football.

I'm sure Beckham can tell a good player from a bad one, as I'm sure Pele can, I still wouldn't take whatever they say regarding football as gospel, which some people here seem to be doing.

AARRRGH

blu_sonic wrote:

In the wake of George Best's passing should mufc retire the no.7 jersey in the vien of seria a teams as a mark of respect (franco barisi's no.6 was retired when he retired)

i know his star didn't shine long at man u but by christ did it shine bright.

No. Man U is a business. Retiring a number makes no sense whatsoever.

blu_sonic

No

then why do clubs retire numbers?

The Muppet

Jivin Turkey wrote:

But as T4TF pointed out, Pele is another example of just because one is/was a good (or even great) footballer does not make them a guru on football.

I'm sure Beckham can tell a good player from a bad one, as I'm sure Pele can, I still wouldn't take whatever they say regarding football as gospel, which some people here seem to be doing.

Who said anything about taking "everthing they say as Gospel"? Pele said George best was the best Player he has seen. Is Pele not entitled to his opinion?

blu_sonic

No

who cares what pelé said? really what does it have to do with anything? so what if pelé sain georgie or diouf were class players it makes not difference to man utd retiring a jersey or not and it adds no weight to anyones arguments, pelé was a great player who cares what he has to say about anything now? he's no more an expert on football matters than most posters here

Jivin Turkey

The Muppet wrote:

Who said anything about taking "everthing they say as Gospel"? Pele said George best was the best Player he has seen. Is Pele not entitled to his opinion?

A couple of people have used the example that Pele thought GB was the best ever in support of their argument that GB actually was the best player ever. I don't dispute that this was Pele's opinion or that he is or is not entitled to his opinion.

What I implied is that Pele's opinion is irrelevant (supported by his claim that El-Hadji Diouf is one of the best players in the world) yet people (including yourself) seem to think it is because he is one of the most celebrated players ever.

Professional footballers don't do the same study/research into their own "profession" as the likes of neuro-surgeons or doctors, hence their opinions are not as valid.