Gersnet Rangers All-time XI | Day 5: Defensive-midfield / Half-back

[weebluedevil 1,172]

John Greig.

I know he played various positions throughout his career but I'd have him in this position as he could defend as well as surge forward and score goals. By selecting him here, it also frees up space for some legendary midfielders and forwards in the GOAT team. 

[Gribz 743]

23 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

It doesn't have to be a purely defensive choice, hence the half-back: I thought Davis should get a mention and he is a deep-lying playmaker. 

I just read this therefore options open up so I might switch to Tugay or even Barry Ferguson. 

 

This is getting more difficult than my Higher Accounts exam.

 

Tugay was great and probably a better player but surely cant make an all-time team ahead of McCall or Ferguson again due to longevity and service plus success. 

 

Im sticking with McCall, he did all the dirty work to let Gascoigne and Laudrup do their magic.  

[Scott7 5,170]

1 hour ago, compo said:

yes it’s John Grieg.

Haud on. We don’t need a piano player in the middle of the park.

[compo 6,141]

3 minutes ago, Scott7 said:

Haud on. We don’t need a piano player in the middle of the park.

The old English master would have been giving me the cane for my spelling 

[Scott7 5,170]

5 minutes ago, compo said:

The old English master would have been giving me the cane for my spelling 

In mitigation, Honest John often played a concerto on Jimmy Johnstone’s shinbones.

[CammyF 6,787]

1 hour ago, Rousseau said:

I wanted to bring in different types of midfielders. 

 

I considered just having one striker and bringing in another central-midfielder (4-2-3-1), but I thought most would want the front two. 

My two centre midfielders were going to be Ian Durrant and Gazza, your formation doesn't allow for this so I'm raging😀

 

I was wondering how I could get JG into the team, so this is the best way for me to do so, buy who drops out, Durrant or Gazza? 

 

John Greig for me but as Gribz said, a honorable mention to Stuart McCall and maybe Nigel Spackman

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by CammyF

[Rousseau 9,374]

3 minutes ago, CammyF said:

My two centre midfielders were going to be Ian Durrant and Gazza, your formation doesn't allow for this so I'm raging😀

 

I was wondering how I could get JG into the team, so this is the best way for me to do so, buy who drops out, Durrant or Gazza? 

 

John Greig for me but as Gribz said, a honorable mention to Stuart McCall and maybe Nigel Spackman

 

We can drop a striker for another midfielder?

[26th of foot 5,836]

Harold Davis was tougher than bullets, literally. He served with the Black Watch in Korea and took three rounds, two to the foot and leg, the other was abdominal. Two years of operations and recovery before being signed by Scot Symon at East Fife. Symon moved to Rangers and Harold follow followed for eight seasons. No nonsense on and off the field, including hanging his fellow Black Watch comrade, Jim Baxter from a dressing room hook. Davis was the, 'Iron Man'.

 

Ian Ferguson and Stuart McCall were a central midfield pairing, they were both box to box bringing good energy by the truckload. Both had other excellent attributes but, an old Arthus Montford phrase best summed up the pairing, "tenacious tenacity".

 

Hemdani glided across the surface in European games and was a must in Walter's UEFA Cup final appearing side. I thought the Scottish game exasperated him although he never gave up, best illustrated by his last kick of the ball equaliser against ra Sellik at Ibrox. He read the game extremely well.

 

A player who read it better is current Bar'72 season ticket holder, the octogenarian Dave Smith. I included him as a possible centre back because he appeared as Sweeper in the ECWC winning side of 1972. Dave was a stroller, always had time. He was the definitive front sweeper when Matthias Sammer was being wheeled into kindergarten. At the end of season'72/73 he was deservedly awarded Scot's Player of the Year. A heads up, sweet left footed elegant baller, what's not to like?

 

755 appearances, 120 goals and, won three domestic Trebles are the statistics. Eighteen seasons as a Rangers player where Jock Stein's Celtic won nine in a row and both Hearts and Killie won the league too. John Greig achieved what he did because of force of personality. He imposed himself on both fellow and opposition players, the epitome of determination. He skippered the club and held it together through dark days on and off the pitch.

Often in bigger games against top range Euro' opposition or ra Sellik, he was tasked with a man marking role, always carried out selflessly. He was as tough in the tackle as he was on himself. He played through injuries particularly in Barca'72 and securing the league at Easter Road'75. His presence on the park was a necessity for Rangers.

Defensive midfielder, I vote for ham and egg.

[Bill 13,717]

It's John Greig of course, any other choice would be ridiculous.

 

(except for the juveniles amongst us who never saw him play and wouldn't feel right voting for him 😉)

[Bill 13,717]

6 hours ago, Rousseau said:

 

[LCF - Day 9] - [RCF - Day 9]

 

[LW - Day 6] - [AM - Day 7] - [RW - Day 8]

 

[DM - Day 5]

 

Robertson - Butcher - Gough - Jardine

 

Goram

The defence has turned out quite well, all things considered. I managed to vote for 3 of the 5, another I can happily accept and only 1 of the 5 seems to me to be way off target. I think midfield is going to be chaos 🤣