22 Jul 2016 06:41:19
A wee debate here fellow bears and I'd like to involve the ed aswell in this discussion, talking amongst workmates yesterday we got onto the subject of how good paul gascoigne was, I defined gazza as the best attacking midfielder I'd clapped eyes on in a rangers jersey and the best english midfielder in his generation who imo literally could have played for ANY team in the world! My question here is how highly do all you fellow bluenoses out there regard gazza as a rangers midfielder and where did he stand against other world class midfielders for you? I would also like the ed's opinion on this, with the transfer fees now I would class gazza in the 100million quid bracket going on todays going over inflated rate!
{Ed001's Note - not a chance, due to his lifestyle. Quality wise he was world class, but he lived the life of a party animal, he was simply not professional enough. I can remember being at a preseason training session for Middlesbrough, and we were sat down by the training pitches watching the players come out for an early session. They were quite a way from us, but this one guy came out and we all looked at each other and were asking who the hell is the fat guy? We actually questioned whether Jimmy Five Bellies had come along to train with the team or something. It was only when they got closer we realised it was Gazza, who was a good few stone overweight. It really did look like a darts player, rather than a football player. If he could have lived right, he could have been the best in the world. Shame, he is a genuinely nice lad.}
22 Jul 2016 07:57:51
I agree with both WB15th and ED001, Gazza is my favourite ever Rangers player, in my eyes he was the most gifted player ever to wear a Rangers shirt and that's saying something considering the likes of Laudrup, Cooper, Baxter etc. But he also should have achieved more than he did, with his gifts he should have spent the best years of his career with Barcelona or Real Madrid rather than, with all due respect, playing against Kilmarnock and St. Mirren in Scotland. Never mind, Barcas loss was our gain.
22 Jul 2016 07:58:34
better than most we've had but not on the level of laudrap, if guys like Barkley (good player right enough) are quoted at 40 million plus then gazza would be about 50 million imo. but then again we are all going to be biased lol.
22 Jul 2016 08:20:39
Baring in mind I'm younger I always felt that Mols had the potential to do it all before his injury. He's the best player I can ever remember seeing he did stuff with the ball I still haven't seen anyone else do.
22 Jul 2016 09:11:35
Mols was unreal when at Rangers before that big tube of a german keeper Kann? wrecked him with a terrible tackle from about 30 yards from goal if I remember right. He was outstanding that night against B Munich in the champions league and they could not handle him, so the keeper then thought he would mince him to try and slow him up "dirty b******. If it had not been for injury I really think Mols would have became one of the top players in the world, unbeliveable skill with the ball at is feet, could beat a player, could run with the ball and could finish. "he gets the ball and he scores the goals, Michael Michael Mols"
22 Jul 2016 10:01:43
Gazza was a good player but nowhere near Cooper, baxter, wee bud, Willie Henderson. Jardine, souness and as a consistent performer I would have had Trevor Steven over him any day. No doubting the guys genius but he never produced in Europe for us and by his time Scottish football was well into its decline plus looking back with hindsight we wasted money when we should have been developing youngsters gazza was hardly the shining example to youngsters like Kenny Miller, davie weir or sandy Jardine. With the team that we had the money we spent then and the zero impact in Europe when he was there I would say we never even needed the guy. How much money was he payed weekly to love our club a dam sight more than any of the true greats, and to see him drinking himself to death is sad but when given help he falls of the wagon the guy craves attention which I just wouldn't give him I grew up with heavy drinker my fondest moment was the day I knocked him out so I have no sympathy for him my sympathy lies with his family.
22 Jul 2016 10:10:31
Gazzas hat trick at Ibrox against Aberdeen for 8 in a row is still to this day the best performance I've ever seen in a Rangers shirt! He won that game on his own! His Cruyff turn for the fist was sublime, His run from deep in his own half skinning 3 or 4 players was even better and the coolness for the penalty jus summed him up!
In today's money in Gazza was fit and lived a professional lifestyle would be up there in the 100 millions.
Legend.
22 Jul 2016 10:18:55
One word that describes Gazza perfectly, on the pitch at least, is genius. The best player I have ever seen at a Scottish club, Gazza could undoubtedly have played with any club in the world and would have stood out. I met him once and found him to be warm and very funny with a great sense of humour and also generous to a fault. So sad to see him now, caught in the grip of alcohol like so many others before and after. I fear for him, I really do.
22 Jul 2016 10:42:21
Good discussion W15. I thought Gazza was fantastic player but have to agree with Ed that like Best and Baxter he falls into that category of flawed genius that did not make the best of their talents. Having said that we were fortunate having him at Ibrox whilst he was still just about at his best and was unstoppable. Remember 8 in a row season against Aberdeen bursting from own have and holding off challenges to score. My other favourite Gazza moment was the dentist chair goal against Scotland at wembley in 1996. If a young Gazza was playing now he would be valued at £100m plus. Great memories.
22 Jul 2016 11:18:57
Gazza is the best player in my lifetime. My da used to take me to see Cooper, but I was too young to remember it properly. He actually called his dog Cooper so that's how much he loved him. My Granda actually took me to a Scottish Cup final when Motherwell beat Dundee Utd just because Copper was playing.
Laudrup will always have a special place as well, and to be honest he was more consistently brilliant but Gazza just had that something else that you just can't quite explain. Genius I suppose.
Never forget when we signed him and he had the short blonde hair and half of Scotland had the same haircut. I was lucky, mine was that colour anyway when a was that age, just had to get it cut and I was ready to go. Brilliant days to be a Rangers fan, as are they all!
22 Jul 2016 12:28:29
In my opinion Gazza was a great but not just at the same level as the like of Laudrup and Cooper. He did win us games at times but so did a lot of players. I disagree regarding Mols, I think he was a good player before his injury but would never have made it as a 'World Class Player'. As Rangers fans we have been really lucky to see some fantastic players grace our football pitch. To think Goram, Gough, Butcher, Numan, Gio, Cooper, Gazza, Laudrup, Klos, Mols, Ricksen, Bazza and many more have graced our stadium playing in the red white and blue is incredible. Sky TV has ruined the chances of ever seeing players of there qualities ever playing in Scotland unless we can unearth a gem. let's hope Rossiter or Dodoo live up to there expectations.
22 Jul 2016 13:01:51
Mols would have hit they heights imo.
22 Jul 2016 13:45:44
I think all the comments kind of summarise Gazza.
Had he sorted his head out he would have been a £100m player.
He would have been head and shoulders above Rooney (for comparison) and he was mooted as £50m upwards a few years back.
As for Mols I thought he was outstanding when he arrived and could turn like no-one in the game.
However to say he would have become world class is a stretch as he was actually 28-29 when he signed so was at his peak.
It did puzzle me though how a player with such talent was still at Utrecht for so long?
22 Jul 2016 15:50:40
Yeah I'm with you recbob, Never seen the likes of gazza play at the time although I've seen plenty clips I feel can't really comment but Michael Mols for me was messi before messi. I remember watching him in a fives tournament (cant remember the name) where they won comfortably and no one could live with him even now. A true entertainer could do everything will the ball Where he differs from gazza is he didn't have the mental health issues that he did and was a fairly humble and level headed guy. I feel mols will always be my favourite Ranger I can't talk about the likes of cooper, Laudrup ect although I have paintings of them all on my walls.
22 Jul 2016 17:58:49
People mature and develop at different rates for me mols was denied the opportunity to become one of the greatest ever Rangers his consistency before injury and his ability for me points in that direction although he was unfortunate, in a way you are right because on bad injury finished him but for me you can't say his age was a factor everyone agrees the injury ruined him and with a team like we had back then he could have accomplished anything.
22 Jul 2016 18:00:20
Although may I add the mental health issues where part of what made gazza so special on the field if he was a normal person he probably would have been a normal footballer.
23 Jul 2016 09:03:18
I agree that gazzas performance in that Aberdeen 8 in a row game is the best I've ever seen in a rangers jersey! Sublime! He also had an outstanding second half in the cup final against hearts (I'm sure we were getting beat) he came out and ripped them to shreds 2nd half.
Laudrup was consistently unbelievable too, will always remember his run from inside his own half to set up Duncan Ferguson against dundee United and think holy f**k who's this guy.
Good times folks!