Who's The Best Ever 'value For Money Player'?

[Jim's_a_Thai_Fox]

Hi,

In all of football, who do you reckon has been the best value for money player ?

State your case!

Personally, I'm not a Red Devil, but I'd find it hard to argue against Monsieur Eric Cantona being the best ever footy deal at a million quid. Arrogance, skill, inspirational, un-PC.

Bargain.

(not sure about the truth behind that rumour about him having a fling with Leslie Ash, the Leed's striker's missus and TV star.... but 'plus grand' respect if it's true).

Cheers

James

[nev]

was going to add cantona you beat me too it.

[mrbojangles]

Monsieur Eric Cantona being the best ever footy deal at a million quid. Arrogance, skill, inspirational, un-PC.

And good at Kung-<deleted>

I'll have to think about my vote

[Seapok]

Gianfranco Zola - simply one word.........Genius.

[EastSaxCol]

From a West Ham perspective it'd be Alan Devonshire, bought for £5,000 from Southall. Anyone who ever saw him play would understand my reasoning.

[farangconnection]

Giofranco Zola..............................probably the most under-rated player the World has ever seen. Maybe because of his stature. He was a gentleman on and off the pitch. Why he is never mentioned in the same context as all the other greats is anybodies guess. True genius. Wonderful to watch.

[bendix]

From my team's perspective (at least in the modern era), Lucas Radebe. Bought for 125,000 from a South African team and became on of the all-time great central defenders and a true ambassador for the club. And happy to stay at Leeds when presented with much more lucrative offers from Spain and Italy, because we gave him his chance.

And a fine gentleman too, donating a proportion of his salary each month to AIDS charities in JoBurg. What a man.

[ThaiPauly]

Giofranco Zola..............................probably the most under-rated player the World has ever seen. Maybe because of his stature. He was a gentleman on and off the pitch. Why he is never mentioned in the same context as all the other greats is anybodies guess. True genius. Wonderful to watch.

Yesterday, he was the only other player I could think of apart from Cantona.....I dd not post as I don't know how much he cost....but what a player, just wonder how good Chelsea would be if He was in the team instead of Roben?

[Jim's_a_Thai_Fox]

Spooky, 'the little man with the big heart' was my #2... chose Eric though simply because United won more stuff.

That goal 'the mighty midget' scored against Norwich (?) - the

half-volley flick/backheel from a corner into the top corner... umph.

Thinking Shevy or Veron for biggest rip offs...

[mrbojangles]

Uwe Rosler

[EastSaxCol]

No one mentioned Luther Blisset yet?

I don't know why but any mention of the bloke brings a smile. There was an anarchist goup in Italy named after him "we're all Luther's now" and loads of cheques bounced under the name of Luther Blisset. The guy's a legend.

[keddy]

No one mentioned Luther Blisset yet?

I don't know why but any mention of the bloke brings a smile. There was an anarchist goup in Italy named after him "we're all Luther's now" and loads of cheques bounced under the name of Luther Blisset. The guy's a legend.

He has the same birthday as me so he must be alright. As for the anarchist group I can see why he's a symbol of it as he always did do his own thing with the ball.

[Bredbury Blue]

Uwe Rosler

Nah, Ali Bernabia - wished we'd picked him up earlier in his career.

[keddy]

Uwe Rosler

Nah, Ali Bernabia - wished we'd picked him up earlier in his career.

What happened to him? Did he get injured, get old or couldn't he deal with the old premier league. I remember running into a few Mancs who were drooling over him and expected him to set the world alight once they got promotion but he vanished before I got to see him play.

[mrbojangles]

Uwe Rosler

Nah, Ali Bernabia - wished we'd picked him up earlier in his career.

What happened to him? Did he get injured, get old or couldn't he deal with the old premier league. I remember running into a few Mancs who were drooling over him and expected him to set the world alight once they got promotion but he vanished before I got to see him play.

Yeah, he was a top player but towards the end of his career he just got embarrassingly slow (a slower version of Robbie Fowler, if that's possible) . He just got put out to pasture in the end.

[Mossfinn]

Ronnie Whelan- £35,000 from Home Farm.

I think you would have to go a long way to better that bargain.

Moss

[soap]

my vote goes to alan ball

when he signed for everton i think for 110,000 pound from blackpool (record at the time).

every game he covered every glade of grass and never stopped working

what a player

[ThaiPauly]

Kevin Doyle...('ere we go)...25,000 quid from Cork City 18 months ago, Villa bid 5m in January.

Nicky Shorey 25,000 from Leyton Orient

Steve Sidwell Free from Asenal.......although he has gone to Chelsea free if he had not say 8m

Ibrahama Sonko Free from Brentford

Stephen Hunt Ditto

Glen Little Free from Burnley

Leroy Lita 1m from Bristol Rovers

Marcus Hanneman Free from Fulham

The combined transfer value of these playes now is well over 30m

Shrewd transfers....but then I am biased !!!

[EastSaxCol]

I suppose it could be argued that Paulo Di Canio wasn't exactly overpriced at £1.7 mill either

[jumbo]

From an in all of football perspective Johan Cruyff came 'for free' to Ajax, he played there all his life

untill he was sold to Barcelona. So Ajax even made money on him......

Pele only played for Santos

[sumrit]

Got to agree with Cantona, but how much would Manchester United have won without the driving force of Roy Keene in their side.

[swindonabroad]

Think I would agree with Cantona.

For another though how about Henry? Not too sure how much they paid for him (9m?) but consistently quality and scored 20 plus goals for 5 seasons in a row.

[johnh101]

The question was "Best value for Money Player"

Surely that would have to be David Beckham ?

He was brought up through the Man U youth policy and sold for 24.5m pounds

Real Madrid paid 24.5 Million for him and yet his earning contribution (shirt sales etc) for the club is stated at in excess of 200 Million pounds. The R Madrid Manager won the league but ultimately was fired because of the way he treated Beckham resulting in Madrid losing the greatest source of income they had ever had.

I agree with most of the other players quoted but from a business point of view, I would have to say it is Mr Beckham.

Edited June 29, 2007 by johnh101

[mrbojangles]

I agree with most of the other players quoted but from a business point of view, I would have to say it is Mr Beckham.

If you go off the topic title, a fair point, well made John.

[swindonabroad]

I am obviously bored at work. Too much tome thinking about this.

How about Peter Schmiecal (spelling?).

ManU got him off a Scndanavian club for peanuts and was there for so long and a real intregal part of thier success.

[scousemouse]

My vote , though a bit biased , has to go to king Kenny Dalglish. 700,00 squid from Celtic , wonder how much he would go for today ?? .

[scousemouse]

Uwe Rosler

Nah, Ali Bernabia - wished we'd picked him up earlier in his career.

pardon my ignorance , Ali who ?? .

[farangconnection]

Uwe Rosler

Nah, Ali Bernabia - wished we'd picked him up earlier in his career.

pardon my ignorance , Ali who ?? .

BABA

[keddy]

Uwe Rosler

Nah, Ali Bernabia - wished we'd picked him up earlier in his career.

pardon my ignorance , Ali who ?? .

BABA

I you sure you're not talking talking about those Swedish internationals with the long hair and beards. I always thought they were a bunch of dancing queens.

[mrtoad]

Leroy Lita 1m from Bristol Rovers

No, he was not a GASHEAD. He was a Bristol City player.

I have to agree with most of the posts here, there have been some great VFM players.

Cantona for a million quid was good business. Beckham, Scholes, Giggs and Neville all products of the youth team, so again good value.

Scmheical for about 650,000 if I remember rightly was a great buy. Zola at Chelsa, I don't think he casme realy cheap, but boy he was good value. It was good to hear some lesser recognised players like Radebe mentioned by Bendix, who stayed at Leeds for a long time, and who was a teriffic defender, but was so unlucky with injury.

Bad signings, have to include Massimo Taibi, anyone remeber him? 4.5 mil - oh dear. Thomas Brolin -in the end he looked like a beachball, a guy who did waste his talent in the pursuit of pies. Veron, can't believe that Chelsea spent 16.5 mil on him after seeing him play at United and how he was totally unsuited to English football. Cisse at Liverpool, expensive, overated and terrible fashion sense.