Underrated great players

[Shaggy]

...if that makes any sense? Obviously there's been a lot of great players but some tend to get forgotten about and/or don't get the praise they deserve.

Ruud Gullit, IMO, is one of them.

He was doing some punditry the other night and I got thinking what a mindblowing player he was, and how easy it is to forget that now he's become a rubbish pundit sitting alongside that moron Richard Keys.

In 1988 I was 11 years old and completely obsessed with football. I'd never seen a player like Gullit before, I was in awe of him. Obviously Maradona was around, but Gullit was different. Could play in midfield, as a striker, either leading the line or dropping off. Power, great vision, a superb striker of a ball and obviously phenomenal in the air.

What a ****ing player Ruud Gullit was.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=701XpfoBd7s"]YouTube - Ruud Gullit[/ame]

[PTP]

i'm not quite sure how this works?? haha - do you mean class players that never got the accolades they deserved?

because i'd say ruud gullit wasn't underated by anyone was he - he was pretty much thought off as top class player throughout his career??

or do you mean - great players, that aren't as remembered as some - ie - everyone knows all about Pele, Maradona, Cruyff through to Zidane, but what about the George Weah's and Fernando Redondo's of the world?

[Tee]

Van Basten.

Arguably the greatest striker ever. Cut down in his prime, he maybe should get more credit than he does.

[Shaggy]

i'm not quite sure how this works?? haha - do you mean class players that never got the accolades they deserved?

because i'd say ruud gullit wasn't underated by anyone was he - he was pretty much thought off as top class player throughout his career??

or do you mean - great players, that aren't as remembered as some - ie - everyone knows all about Pele, Maradona, Cruyff through to Zidane, but what about the George Weah's and Fernando Redondo's of the world?

Yeah Gullit was rated by everybody....but, maybe it's me, he barely ever seems to get a mention these days.

And yeah, the Redondo's of this world. Clearly great players who don't get as much as praise as you feel they ought to.

Obviously no Pele, Maradona, Cruyff etc. For me Gullit can't be far off that group but I seldom hear him mentioned as one of the greats.

[JohnDoe]

Fernando Redondo. One of the most brilliant midfielders I've ever seen. He was a Xabi Alonso who could dribble past players. Beast of a player.

Edit: Funny that he's already been mentioned before I managed to post.

[Fredo]

I don't think he was underrated though, he is considered one of Holland's greatest players. As you said, he was an exceptional player - he even played as a libero for Chelsea and could influence games from that deep.

[PTP]

see i agree with nigellg - gullit is highly regarded. - where as my mention of fernando redondo seems to have stirred up much more valid responses

[Shaggy]

I don't think he was underrated though, he is considered one of Holland's greatest players. As you said, he was an exceptional player - he even played as a libero for Chelsea and could influence games from that deep.

Not underrated at the time, no, but it seems he's been quickly forgotten to some extent. I bet a lot of youngsters don't know much about him and/or don't appreciate just how good he was.

Redondo is a great call. A lot of kids I bet have never even heard of him.

[Tee]

Ian Rush.

Underrated by so many other than Liverpool fans. The best striker I have ever had the privilege of watching. My hero and my idol as a kid growing up.

[Shaggy]

see i agree with nigellg - gullit is highly regarded. - where as my mention of fernando redondo seems to have stirred up much more valid responses

[red g]

I am not sure there are many Under rated great players......I agree Gullit is not under rated imo. I think most people would put him up there jutt behind the maradona and messi's of this world.

although redondo is a good shout and I am sure people will come up with many more rendering my post useless.

[Shaggy]

Ian Rush.

Underrated by so many other than Liverpool fans. The best striker I have ever had the privilege of watching. My hero and my idol as a kid growing up.

Great call. Some mates of mine openly laughed when I said Rush was better than Lineker. I was ****ing fuming let me tell yer.

[red g]

was thinking of doing a similar thread but just under rated players in general your Ronnie Whelan and Sammy Lee's of this world.

[Fredo]

Not underrated at the time, no, but it seems he's been quickly forgotten to some extent. I bet a lot of youngsters don't know much about him and/or don't appreciate just how good he was.

Redondo is a great call. A lot of kids I bet have never even heard of him.

I get what you mean now, I think in hindsight you shouldn't have used Gullit as an example.

I'd say that our own Barnesy was underrated. I remember at the time the canning he got when he played for England. Yes, he could possibly have done better but England were never at the races and wasn't the ideal platform to show his talents.

Barnes was arguably our most gifted player ever. Yes, I think he was better than Kenny.

[Shaggy]

Okay so I texted my 12 year old football-obsessed cousin and said "tell me what you think of Ruud Gullit the footballer" and here is his reply:

"Well he's terrible on Sky Sports, wasn't he a good player?"

Which illustrates my point. Us 30 somethings know fine well how good Gullit was, but it hasn't been passed down. Kids know all about Maradona, Pele.....they don't all know about Gullit. And I'm sure he's never even heard of Redondo.