Davidsmith1
Well-Known Member
For about a year and a bit before the leg break he was definitely there or thereabouts.With all due respect, when?
For about a year and a bit before the leg break he was definitely there or thereabouts.With all due respect, when?
One of the last conversations I had with my Dad before he passed was who was his all time fav Rangers player.
I expected him to say Baxter, Greig or Henderson but without a blink he said Dave Smith.
I know the way you're thinking, but consider the fact that if these guys were playing nowadays, there would be no achilles killing tackles from behind to worry about, or straight leg bone shakers.A key phrase.
To me though, Sixties superstars wouldn’t, with a few exception, survive in today’s game. Way
I’m not saying this is a good thing but, I believe it to be the truth.
The best? No way mate. (no offence) but Gazza (my time) had it all.Barry ferguson.
A key phrase.
To me though, Sixties superstars wouldn’t, with a few exception, survive in today’s game.
I’m not saying this is a good thing but, I believe it to be the truth.
And although he was only with us for a short time, I would like to give a mention although not for the best, but for a level of excellence and a player I loved, Mr Ray WilkinsBaxter,
Baxter,
Baxter
My favourite Rangers player of all timeIan Ferguson
Albertz rarely played centre midfieldOk please give me 10 players you would play ahead of Albertz in central midfield. And from '94 onwards please as I am only going on players that I have actually seen
I loved Ian Ferguson but there was no point in his entire Rangers career when he was the best central midfielder at the club.My favourite Rangers player of all time
Barry Ferguson, Durrant, Gascoigne, Ian Ferguson, Davis, van Bronckhurst.Ok please give me 10 players you would play ahead of Albertz in central midfield. And from '94 onwards please as I am only going on players that I have actually seen
Respect your opinion mate but we clearly have a very different opinion on this particular player.Barry Ferguson, Durrant, Gascoigne, Ian Ferguson, Davis, van Bronckhurst.
That’s six based on playing quality, longevity and success.
For me, other than his tremendous shooting, Albertz was no better than a good player.
To this end, I’d add Tugay and Mendes as better quality footballers and McCall as a player you’d want in the trenches before your choice.
So, nine since 94.
I go back a bit further and could easily add more post Souness like Wilkins and Derek Ferguson and further back again for Russell and even Johnstone.
Thanks for this.Albertz rarely played centre midfield
Advocaat played him left side if McCann was injured. Or benched
Barry and Gio in the centre
Tugay even kept him out centre midfield at times
Walter Smith played him left back at times when he first arrived
Was a good player but no even close to one of the best i have seen in centre midfield
He and Gio rotated a lot throughout the game. His best position was CM.Albertz rarely played centre midfield
Advocaat played him left side if McCann was injured. Or benched
Barry and Gio in the centre
Tugay even kept him out centre midfield at times
Walter Smith played him left back at times when he first arrived
Was a good player but no even close to one of the best i have seen in centre midfield
Albertz and Gio rotated constantly throughout a match. I watched him at left wing back under Walter and saw Advocaat leave him on the bench plenty but, in my opinion, he was a central midfielder and a top class one at that. I'm picking him ahead of Barry.Albertz rarely played centre midfield
Advocaat played him left side if McCann was injured. Or benched
Barry and Gio in the centre
Tugay even kept him out centre midfield at times
Walter Smith played him left back at times when he first arrived
Was a good player but no even close to one of the best i have seen in centre midfield
No way and I saw both of them.Better than Baxter?
Genuine question.
If you're talking around 1962/63? better than Di Stefano, Puskas, Pele, Eusabio, Greaves, Law, I really don't think so.
With all due respect, when?
Thanks for posting. Fair brought back some memories of Slim Jim tormenting the poets
Yep, I’m born in 82 and its Gascoigne for me.Born in 83 so don't remember Durrant pre-injury, but even after he came back he was a hell of a player. Loved Ian Ferguson growing up as well.
But then along came Gazza in 95 and I've not seen a better footballer in central midfield for us before or since.
I don't think Claudi Reyna ever got the credit he deserved. I thought he was a fantastic signing. 1.2M???? From wolfsborg.I liked gio and reyna
Souness was a better midfielder than Gazza.
Souness potentially, although at Liverpool not us. As big a winner as you will ever see and vastly underrated as a footballer because he was physically dominant.Baxter was possibly the best player in the world for a year or so, none of the others were.
In modern times, definitely Baxter. Can't really comment on players before that.
Baxter was possibly the best player in the world for a year or so, none of the others were.
With all due respect, when?
For about a year and a bit before the leg break he was definitely there or thereabouts.
Again, with all due respect, Baxter was without doubt, a genius, and a wonderful Player, but outside of our own support, I very much doubt that anyone ever considered Baxter thee best player in the world, at any time.
Not once in those years (62-64) was Baxter ever considered for the Ballon d'Or
In fact, he did not even make it into the Top 25 players voted for, in any of those three years.
And that is just Europe.
I would say Josef Masopust, who led Czechoslovakia to the World Cup Final in 62', defeating Scotland (and Baxter) 4-0 and 4-2 along the way, and won the Ballon d'Or, was considered better.
I would also say that Gianni Rivera (AC Milan) and Luis Suarez (Inter Milan) were rated much higher.
Baxter left Rangers just six months after his leg break, and the only teams queuing for his signature were Sunderland and Stoke City.
Anyway, getting back on topic (best Central Midfielder), I would consider Baxter more of a Left Sided midfielder as opposed to a Central Midfielder.
Much in the same way as your namesake (Dave Smith) was, before being converted into a Central Defender/Sweeper.
I see that Rangers team (62-64) as a three man midfield, with John Greig Central, with McMillan on the right, Baxter on the left.
If we are talking most gifted Midfielder for Rangers, then it would have to be Baxter, or possibly Gascoigne, in my lifetime,
but if we are talking best Central Midfielder then for me it has to be John Greig.
Greig of course did not have the talents of the aforementioned two, but he had everything else in abundance, and despite being voted the Greatest Ranger, is still in my opinion, vastly underrated as a Player.
JG in the sixties team was a right half (defensive mid).
By the time we won our three league titles in the seventies I'm pretty sure he was playing left back.
As always i bow to your superior knowledge as your posts are phuckin brilliant
Yes John Greig was a Right Half in the sixties, but he could play anywhere, and was excellent wherever he played, Inside Right, Right Half, Left Half, Right Back, Left Back, Central defender, Sweeper, man marker, Greig could play comfortably and well in any of those positions.
Although the teams were still listed as 2-3-5, I think that by the sixties, we were operating more of a 3-3-4 formation, with McKinnon central in defence, and Shearer and Caldow, right and left of him.
In Midfield, Greig would be central, with McMillan, and Baxter right and left of him.
McMillan and Baxter were the creative ones, so to speak, with Greig the central holding midfielder, but despite being the 'defensive' midfielder of the three, you will still find that he probably scored more goals than any of the more attack minded midfielders.
I started going around the same time, and I'm probably a lot lot younger than you .As always an excellent explanation.
I started attending around 63 but I wa a child with no understanding of the game.
The classic team of Richie, Shearer, Caldow I often wondered who sat in beside McKinnon. I know football was based on attack back then but surely we had two central defenders. JG was 4 and Baxter 6. Did JG sit in beside Ronnie McKinnon?
His brother Elliot was better. Absolutely untouchable at times.
Of course they would,with the benefit of modern day Sports Science, in fact they'd flourish.A key phrase.
To me though, Sixties superstars wouldn’t, with a few exception, survive in today’s game.
I’m not saying this is a good thing but, I believe it to be the truth.
I’m not having that. Albertz’ passing ability is criminally underrated and I’ll include his set pieces in terms of crossing from free kicks and corners too, add to that I’d have trusted him to do it in the biggest games as much as if not more than the other players mentioned there. You’re making Albertz sound like Gavin Rae with a good shot.Barry Ferguson, Durrant, Gascoigne, Ian Ferguson, Davis, van Bronckhurst.
That’s six based on playing quality, longevity and success.
For me, other than his tremendous shooting, Albertz was no better than a good player.
To this end, I’d add Tugay and Mendes as better quality footballers and McCall as a player you’d want in the trenches before your choice.
So, nine since 94.
I go back a bit further and could easily add more post Souness like Wilkins and Derek Ferguson and further back again for Russell and even Johnstone.
He should be on the list for sureIan Ferguson
Albertz indeed was much more than just goal scorer. He could read the game, an amazing passer of the ball, maybe lacked a bit of mobility.I’m not having that. Albertz’ passing ability is criminally underrated and I’ll include his set pieces in terms of crossing from free kicks and corners too, add to that I’d have trusted him to do it in the biggest games as much as if not more than the other players mentioned there. You’re making Albertz sound like Gavin Rae with a good shot.