Who do you think are the hardest players?

leonidas83

super_furry wrote: »

He wasn't hard, he was a thug.

well since the likes of Keano & Terry are getting mentions, I dont see why this scumbag shouldnt be mentioned either

grenache

super_furry wrote: »

He wasn't hard, he was a thug.

+1

His victim Patrick Battiston, lost the ability to blink in unison, after that assault in the WC semi. Schumacher didn't even get a booking. Boils my blood.

Rekop dog

super_furry wrote: »

He wasn't hard, he was a thug.

You'd get a sense in this thread that these are mutually exclusive, they're not. Not saying Schumacher was or wasn't but its perfectly possible to be both.

Moneymaker

bullvine wrote: »

Stefan Effenberg was pretty tough in the modern game, I'd say the only player never to look really intimidated by Roy Keane.

Franny Lee was meant to animal!

Effenberg was a hero of a man.

His autobiography is comedy gold.

It has a chapter 'Lotthar Matthuas's Knowledge of Football.'

It's a blank page.

Dcully

Moneymaker wrote: »

Effenberg was a hero of a man.

His autobiography is comedy gold.

It has a chapter 'Lotthar Matthuas's Knowledge of Football.'

It's a blank page.

As much as i agree about Effenberg whats with the Matthaus has no knowledge?
I couldnt give a toss if he had knowledge or not but fcuk me what a player.

Martin Skrtel is pretty hard if you can call any footie player hard.
FFS i see harder guys every week on our local GAA and Rugby pitches.

geeky

If taking tackles and hits counts as a hard man then why not include Xabi Alonso? In one season with Liverpool I lost count of the amount of times someone went in two feet on him and got sent off. And of course, who could forget De Jong's 'tackle'? He's taken more than his fair share of bad tackles and played on, so by that rationale he should get a mention too
[/QUOTE]

That's a point. TBH, I think it does demonstrate a certain 'hard'ness if you're able to stand up to roughhousing.

In that vein, Scotty Parker is probably worth a mention: last season, I remember marvelling at the senseless violence that could be doled out to the poor man in 90 minutes. His habit of 'getting on with the game', while admirable, let certain players feel confident getting some nasty digs in.

It might seem odd, but Chelsea's Ramires is no shrinking violet either. Considering they had to get him a kid's shirt from the club shop when he arrived, he's consistently in the middle of more physical exchanges.

Also, Ryan Shawcross. Whether or not he's 'that sort of player', I wouldn't like to be up against him for 90 minutes.

PhlegmyMoses

Dcully wrote: »

As much as i agree about Effenberg whats with the Matthaus has no knowledge?
I couldnt give a toss if he had knowledge or not but fcuk me what a player.

Martin Skrtel is pretty hard if you can call any footie player hard.
FFS i see harder guys every week on our local GAA and Rugby pitches.

Of course you can call football players hard. They have to act within the laws of the game, which are more biased against contact than Rugby. There are basketball players who would scare the **** out of Rugby players and that has less contact that football.

Magill

Hardmen and professional football... lol Maybe pre 2000 !

darced

This post has been deleted.

Dcully

PhlegmyMoses wrote: »

Of course you can call football players hard. They have to act within the laws of the game, which are more biased against contact than Rugby. There are basketball players who would scare the **** out of Rugby players and that has less contact that football.

I dont watch Basketball :P hence why i didnt mention it but yeah they are massive.

leonidas83

darced wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Yes, but I think Battison ended up having an affair with Schmaucher's wife, that was the rumour at the time anyway

Cienciano

leonidas83 wrote: »

Yes, but I think Battison ended up having an affair with Schmaucher's wife, that was the rumour at the time anyway

Good

Pro. F

Seans_Username wrote: »

Abuse I'd say. Derogatory term like w*nker

If taking tackles and hits counts as a hard man then why not include Xabi Alonso? In one season with Liverpool I lost count of the amount of times someone went in two feet on him and got sent off. And of course, who could forget De Jong's 'tackle'? He's taken more than his fair share of bad tackles and played on, so by that rationale he should get a mention too

My vote would go to Gattuso. He could put the fear of God into any opponent.

The thing about defenders like those pictured is that they put themselves in the way of danger by throwing themselves into any collision to make the block. Players like Alonso deserve credit for taking a kicking and getting on with it, but defenders who put their bodies on the line to stop the opposition are another level imo.

leonidas83

Cienciano wrote: »

Good

In all fairness, whatever about what happened on the pitch, Schmaucher didnt deserve that, scummy thing for Battison to do if true

SoulTrader

Dickerty wrote: »

Stam for me was like Hyypia - imposing and hard to get change from, but not typically "hard".

Souness (as with Giles) gets passed off as hard man like Chopper Harris or Bates, but he was a supreme footballer - great passer, great leader, had a thunderous shot. He was a great all around footballer, hence why the Italians took a shine to him.

Jaap Stam and the embodiment of fear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEGL1s16zxQ

wandatowell

Martin Keown for me, tough out. Ugly as fcuk too which helps

Corholio

Stam was the last real tough guy who just did what was needed, and did it superbly. Never remember him being involved in petty going down easy that Terry does quite often actually if he's under pressure.

EdenHazard

Prob someone like Messi, or some creative player in the lower leagues throughout the world who gets kicked to bits every game but keeps playing on.

AdamD

Mario Gotze

Seans_Username

EdenHazard wrote: »

Prob someone like Messi, or some creative player in the lower leagues throughout the world who gets kicked to bits every game but keeps playing on.

I think your definition of 'hardman' is different from the norm.

Example:
Jaap Stam gives you a kick after you take the ball past him. Let's say you're cheesed off and you get up and give him a shove and go to square up to him. I'd say when you look in his eyes you'll realise how wrong it was to pick a fight with him.
Now let's say Messi (or one of the small fast, skillful, tricky wingers/playmakers) gives ya a kick. It'd be hard to find someone who would be afraid of standing up to Messi or those players.
Is he a hardman? I don't think so. Fair play to him for taking all the kicks that he does, but to me, a hardman has to give it as well as take it.

eyescreamcone

And still no mention yet of the dirtiest player in modern times
Paul Scholes

Strongbow10

some peoples definition of "Hardman" is a pure joke.

The players who go out of their way to play up to the tag are automatically disqualified

Hardman is kind of a self given title by way of their behaviour.

"tough" is a whole different category. Souness is an obvious example, he gave as good as he got in those days in order to earn the right to play his football which was simply magnificent.

Keane also, although Keane did play up to being a hardman to a certain extent.

Of the modern day, Pablo Zabaleta is a tough, no nonsense footballer, no rolling around after being tackled, he can play, and he is a born competitor too.

Will I Amnt

eyescreamcone wrote: »

And still no mention yet of the dirtiest player in modern times
Paul Scholes

Why not make a thread with the title "who do you think are the dirtiest players"
Maybe he will appear in that :rolleyes:

starviewadams

Paul McGrath.

miralize

Coming from a Barca fan I have to say Busquets

inmyday

super_furry wrote: »

He wasn't hard, he was a thug.

Same with Roy Keane.

Paully D

Mick Harford.

In more recent times Duncan Ferguson.

wonga77

darced wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

http://news.yahoo.com/patrick-battiston-ive-forgiven-harald-schumacher-dont-want-122100342--spt.html

Richard Hillman

Love him or hate him, John Terry is one tough mofo

stiffler123

Gennaro Gattuso.

daRobot

Joe Cole

Hard to move on.

The_Kew_Tour

inmyday wrote: »

Same with Roy Keane.

If he was a thug then I hate to think what you would call Neil Ruddock

Where To

Francis Benali.

He couldn't run, he couldn't pass, he couldn't tackle (fairly), he couldn't score (apart from own-goals)

But he was the first name on the teamsheet every week, after Le Tiss.

A proper hard man.

Degag

Lack of Edgar Davids tbh.

dreamers75

Not sure what HARD is in the football sense ?

A player who doesnt dive like a little fcuking bitch at the slightest contact? A player who generally gets on with the game and all its possible contactnes........

or a player with little or no skill whose entire footballing skill is kicking other players?

Can someone define HARD in the football sense?

Benimar

Paully D wrote: »

Mick Harford.

In more recent times Duncan Ferguson.

Mick Harford was one tough b**tard ok. Probably the correct definition of a hard man, could dish it out and take it.

inforfun

Johan Neeskens (13).
Honorable mention: Willem van Hanegem (3)
They dont make them like that anymore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfuD282WiWM

Turn down the sound of that clip. Terrible "music"

EdenHazard

he just seems like a terrible tackler. its so funny at like 1.25 he makes a big dash for the player and attacks him from behind only for him to be the one who ends up on his back. the typical football hardman

Cienciano

Paully D wrote: »

Mick Harford.

In more recent times Duncan Ferguson.

A mate used to go to Luton matches, he said he sat behind the goal and you could hear what Mick Harford was saying to defenders to wind them up. Put it like this, if you went to matches with your kids, you'd be advised to sit a few rows back

The_Kew_Tour

Cienciano wrote: »

A mate used to go to Luton matches, he said he sat behind the goal and you could hear what Mick Harford was saying to defenders to wind them up. Put it like this, if you went to matches with your kids, you'd be advised to sit a few rows back

He actually looks tougher now then when he was a player.

Tough nut.

Cienciano

Funny, google image him and you get this. This is mick harford done up for a wedding.



Looks like someone from a Guy Richie gangster movie

Gringo180

Joe Jordan and an honourable mention must go to former Coventry keeper Steve Ogrizivic, think he broke his nose every week in goal.

Paully D

Benimar wrote: »

Mick Harford was one tough b**tard ok. Probably the correct definition of a hard man, could dish it out and take it.

Cienciano wrote: »

A mate used to go to Luton matches, he said he sat behind the goal and you could hear what Mick Harford was saying to defenders to wind them up. Put it like this, if you went to matches with your kids, you'd be advised to sit a few rows back

You lads might like this:

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/richard-keys-and-andy-gray/blog/2011-08-30/mick-harford-looks-back-his-career-and-talks-all-things-football

Some canny stories there. Unfortunately the interview is with Keys and Gray but still some good craic from Harford on there. 25 minute long interview.

Collibosher

Surprised Terry Hurlock hasn't been mentioned.

I saw him a good few times in the late 80's, and he wasn't one to shy away from a tackle

Sir Gallagher

Come on lads.. no shout for Richard Dunne? The performance against Russia alone has to put him in the mix. In the vein of Terry, Carragher etc. never afraid to put his body on the line for his team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSbIVoy3XWw

Gotta mention big Git Samba too, not known for being your typical "hard man" but certainly not a bloke to be fcked with.

Richard Hillman

Where To wrote: »

Francis Benali.

He couldn't run, he couldn't pass, he couldn't tackle (fairly), he couldn't score (apart from own-goals)

But he was the first name on the teamsheet every week, after Le Tiss.

A proper hard man.

So hard he was able to wear vests and white pants and still look the dogs bollix

efb

Where To wrote: »

Francis Benali.

He couldn't run, he couldn't pass, he couldn't tackle (fairly), he couldn't score (apart from own-goals)

But he was the first name on the teamsheet every week, after Le Tiss.

A proper hard man.

that would be second name then...

efb

Is 'hard' a good thing or a bad thing?

oldyouth

Back in the day, it would be Kevin Moran. A man who could take it as well as dish it out without complaint. In LOI, at present, my favourite is Patsy Malone at WYFC. His team mates even dread being on the opposite side during training 5 a sides

J Cheever Loophole

Moneymaker wrote: »

Effenberg was a hero of a man.

His autobiography is comedy gold.

It has a chapter 'Lotthar Matthuas's Knowledge of Football.'

It's a blank page.

Funny but not original. Len Shackleton's autobiography The Clown Prince of Football had a chapter in it entitled The Average Director's Knowledge of Football which consisted of a blank page.

As for hard men, three Juve players that come to mind are,

Romeo Benetti



Claudio Gentile



and Paolo Montero




whilst no self respecting Leeds follower would deny the claims of Norman Hunter



seen here "shaking hands" with Frannie Lee.

Last but by no means least, a mention for Daniel Passarella