Is Gattuso the best player in the World?

We usually judge the so called "best player" in the world on who scores the most goals, can do the most tricks, has the most media friendly appearance, and almost always who can add something to a team's attack.

But Italian World Cup winner Gennaro Gattuso is none of these, yet is such an integral and important part of his team both at club and country level that he must be in the running for the accolade this season, particularly if Milan win the CL to go with his WC winners medal.

People will point to Kaka as Milan's main man, but for me it was the influence and drive of Gattuso which was the main difference, urging Milan on, winning battle after battle in midfield.

No disrespect to Italian fans, but Gattuso is very UN italian in how he plays- graceless yet without the histionics and play acting of say a Totti for example, full blooded and totally dedicated.

Hence why I reckon Im not the only person to bloody love th guy even though Im neither Italian nor a Milanista.

In your opinion, is it fair to say he is THE best player in the World, or do you disagree?

I disagree. Jesus wept, if Steven Carr played a blinder would you go round hailing him to be the world's best?

Milan haven't exactly had the best season in the league have they? And up until Man Utd they've had a pretty easy CL run not really having to face any of the clubs regarded as favourites and scraping through a few times along the way.

Gattuso WAS the best player on the field on wednesday but i can't see why the hell that would suddenly make him the best footballer in the world, after all, he's a typical workhorse with extreme determination - he's hardly 'best PLAYER in the world' material. He's never done anything with a football that has made me leap out of my seat.

I'm a Gattuso every time I play footballer TRWP - I run around wrecklessly like a complete nuthead thats done about ten lines of coke - then only problem with me is that after 5 minutes I collapse in a heap, knackered, stressed and a shadow of the man I once was

I Am Weasel wrote:
In your opinion, is it fair to say he is THE best player in the World, or do you disagree?

In my opinion Gennaro Gattuso is not the best player in the world

Ok, if you consider him to be a "workhorse"- name me a better "workhorse" in the World? You do him an in justice there, he's a fantastic player in my opinion, plays totally to his strengths.

Lets try rephrasing it. Is there a more IMPORTANT player in World football? A WC medal and potential CL medal are hard to come by in one season, and yes he wouldnt be the only Milan player to have achioeved that (ie Pirlo, Nesta etc), however I'd rate him as more important than the rest

Gattuso is perfect for that kind of game, denying attacking players space etc, however when he has to impose his game and start playing attackingly himself he looks poor.

Horses for courses and all that $h!t.

I Am Weasel wrote:Ok, if you consider him to be a "workhorse"- name me a better "workhorse" in the World? You do him an in justice there, he's a fantastic player in my opinion, plays totally to his strengths.

Lets try rephrasing it. Is there a more IMPORTANT player in World football? A WC medal and potential CL medal are hard to come by in one season, and yes he wouldnt be the only Milan player to have achioeved that (ie Pirlo, Nesta etc), however I'd rate him as more important than the rest

Robbie Savage he may not be as fit or as great technically or at tackiling but he IS a better workhorse.

If your judging workhorseyness as your prime criteria for judging someone then Robbie Savage is the worlds best player

In terms of player importance for a club - every club has important players. What makes Gattuso more important than Cech for Chelsea?

This is ridiculous! Gattuso is good, but the hype he is getting in england after these games is absolutely ridiculous....

Forget best player in the world, IMO Gattuso isn't even among the top 3-4 players in HIS position. As for better work horses, IMO Eissen, Cambiasso, Mascherano are better - they do the dirtly work and they link up much better. At their hayday, so were Davids, Makalele and Vieira.

And he wasn't even the best Milan player in either of the two games against ManU.... in the first one, Kaka was the best... in the second leg, it was Seedorf...

Stop this stupid hype...

I Am Weasel wrote:Ok, if you consider him to be a "workhorse"- name me a better "workhorse" in the World? You do him an in justice there, he's a fantastic player in my opinion, plays totally to his strengths.

Lets try rephrasing it. Is there a more IMPORTANT player in World football? A WC medal and potential CL medal are hard to come by in one season, and yes he wouldnt be the only Milan player to have achioeved that (ie Pirlo, Nesta etc), however I'd rate him as more important than the rest

He is a good bully though

I Am Weasel wrote:Ok, if you consider him to be a "workhorse"- name me a better "workhorse" in the World?

as far as workhorses go he is without doubt in the top5. How this makes him the best player in world football I fail to see.

He is the worst of the overrated players IMO. It's fashionable to give praise to players who run around a lot but don't provide much entertainment.

waits for Liverpool comment.......

football wrote:

I Am Weasel wrote:Ok, if you consider him to be a "workhorse"- name me a better "workhorse" in the World?

as far as workhorses go he is without doubt in the top5. How this makes him the best player in world football I fail to see.

He is the worst of the overrated players IMO. It's fashionable to give praise to players who run around a lot but don't provide much entertainment.

waits for Liverpool comment.......

Liverpool comment

Sissoko!!

Thats why I prefer players like Mascherano and Sir Roy Keane, they can do all that and pass a football as well.

no.

he's good in his position, but i'd take essien over him any day.

Gatusso is a great player. He plays to his potential and fill in his task very well but he will never be the "best footballer" in the world!

Only real footballers like Ronaldinho, Kaka, C Ronaldo, Drogba, Van Persie, Messi, Eto'o, Diego etc. can be put in this category when they are playing great football!

IMO a defensive midfielder, defensive defenders, goalkeepers, work horses up front, hard working midfielders are NEVER allowed to win this title because they are not "real footballers" no matter how good these players play on that position. They are only players who stop the opponent to play attractive football. That's how I see it!

wrong ricardo. A really classy defensive midfielder or a defender CAN be the world's best players.

Lothar Mattheus for instance - he won WPOTY.

Beckenbauer, Charlton etc - they were both the world's best players at their peaks.

Charlton was an attacking midfielder/forward, Tweedy.

Beckenbauer and Matthuas though.

Johan Cruijff last year believed Cannavaro should have never won the European Player of the Year award as a defender ..

someone asked him, what about Beckenbauer who won the same award in the past.

Cruijff replied .. Beckenbauer did more than defend, he lead the attack

+ the fact that Cannavaro had been pretty average with the excepotion of 7 world cup games

This may be your opinion, dude, for me a defender is as much of a REAL FOOTBALLER as a striker/AM.

Sometimes they play a more critical role, and deserve the credit for that. They don't necessarily stop opponents from playing attractive football, that is rubbish, they actually force teh opponent to play football at a higher level to win. A game with poor defenses and lot of easy goals is a POOR game of football. Thats how I see it.

Ricardo Jol wrote:
Only real footballers like Ronaldinho, Kaka, C Ronaldo, Drogba, Van Persie, Messi, Eto'o, Diego etc. can be put in this category when they are playing great football!

IMO a defensive midfielder, defensive defenders, goalkeepers, work horses up front, hard working midfielders are NEVER allowed to win this title because they are not "real footballers" no matter how good these players play on that position. They are only players who stop the opponent to play attractive football. That's how I see it!

I agree, it should have been Buffon if you ask me.

Rai Krol wrote:Johan Cruijff last year believed Cannavaro should have never won the European Player of the Year award as a defender ..

someone asked him, what about Beckenbauer who won the same award in the past.

Cruijff replied .. Beckenbauer did more than defend, he lead the attack

does "Jesus wept" replace some sort of swearword for you, Tweedle?

Nah, 'jesus wept' is now a popular term in england toon, made populat by the ever comical Peter Kay.

Ricardo Jol wrote:Gatusso is a great player. He plays to his potential and fill in his task very well but he will never be the "best footballer" in the world!

Only real footballers like Ronaldinho, Kaka, C Ronaldo, Drogba, Van Persie, Messi, Eto'o, Diego etc. can be put in this category when they are playing great football!

IMO a defensive midfielder, defensive defenders, goalkeepers, work horses up front, hard working midfielders are NEVER allowed to win this title because they are not "real footballers" no matter how good these players play on that position. They are only players who stop the opponent to play attractive football. That's how I see it!

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The best player in the world has to be a creator not a destroyer, its easier to run arond hustling and kicking people than it is to play inch perfect through balls or score beautiful goals. Its like the difference between a demolition man and a Architect.

PS as well as Gattuso played on wednesday, if the ref wasnt a Milan fan he would have been booked after 15 minutes and sent off after 60 minutes, if he carried on playing the way he did. Somehow he managed to get away with 1 yellow card, despite making at least 2 yellow card tackles and persistent fouling. Savage would have looked world class if the ref gave him carte blanche to do what he wanted.

Parks lives wrote:Gattuso is perfect for that kind of game, denying attacking players space etc, however when he has to impose his game and start playing attackingly himself he looks poor.

Horses for courses and all that $h!t.

bluenine wrote:This is ridiculous! Gattuso is good, but the hype he is getting in england after these games is absolutely ridiculous....

Forget best player in the world, IMO Gattuso isn't even among the top 3-4 players in HIS position. As for better work horses, IMO Eissen, Cambiasso, Mascherano are better - they do the dirtly work and they link up much better. At their hayday, so were Davids, Makalele and Vieira.

And he wasn't even the best Milan player in either of the two games against ManU.... in the first one, Kaka was the best... in the second leg, it was Seedorf...

Stop this stupid hype...

He's very good at that job - and dishing it off, but he's far more inconsistent than people realise.

Even though Essien is not a classical DMC(box to box player) I would still put him over Gattuso as DMC.

Aye, I'd pick Essien every time.

Nobody's mentioned Hargreaves...

Makalele seems to be feeling his age a bit now but up till last season I think he'd have got a lot of people's votes.

yes, i think he is the best in the world in what he is doing

Hargreaves isn't as good as Essien though.

Makelele has had a poor season, however I thought he was excellent the other night vs Liverpool.

I would say Essien is the benchmark this season. He certainly has more going forward than Gattuso.

I am surprised (pleasantly) to see the number of people including Mascherano in the top echelon in that position. He has certainly been superb for us. I think he needs to put in a whole season before he's judged however.

In your opinion, is it fair to say he is THE best player in the World

nice knee jerk thread TRWP