Top 10 of the week – Golden Oldies
February 17th, 2010 | Author: Shaw
After listening to these lyrics: “Our youth is fleeting, old age is just around the bend and I can’t wait to go gray”, I was inspired to do a top ten based on Premiership footballers on the cusp of old age, looking down the barrel of retirement. By the way, I’m going to leave out keepers because all the best ones are hitting forty anyway. Also I will let you guess where these lyrics are from just for some fun, but top ten of the week, over 33′s only, here we go…
10. Kanu, 33
Kanu made his name in the Premiership with Arsenal and was voted 13th in the “Gunners’ Greatest 50 Players” poll in 2008 after 5 years at the Gunners. Kanu then moved to West Brom on a free transfer, In a match against Middlesbrough on 14 November 2004, Kanu was guilty of an incredible miss in injury time, with Albion 2-1 down. Kanu had sent a low cross over the bar from a yard away from the goal line. Manager Bryan Robson was seen in TV footage mouthing the words “How did he miss that?”, and Kanu’s howler was crowned ‘Miss of the Season’. Now the former African Player of the Year is zimmer-framing it up in Pompey, but a fan’s favorite after winning them the FA cup.
9. Sol Campbell, 35
When I first heard that Sol was slated for an Arsenal return last month I thought it was some kind of joke. The has-been, who thought it was a good idea to go to Notts County did however go back to Wenger. Crazy!
8. Rory Delap, 33
Delap has singlehandedly changed football because he can take a throw-in as if it were a corner. In fact since Stoke have been in the Premiership 16 of Stoke’g goals have come as a result of his set pieces, amazingly Stoke have only lost two of those games. Other than that he is an average player.
7. Sylvinho, 35
The Brazillian left back made his name in the Premiership with Arsenal, but in his second season he lost his place to Ashley Cole and subsequetly moved to Celta Vigo, then Barcelona; were he proved rather successful. Now he is a mere understudy to Bridge, but showed that he still has it after a scorcher in the FA cup 5th round against the mighty Scunthorpe.
6. Paddy Viera, 33
Another golden oldie brought by Man City for some needed experience and cover, paddy was always a Premiership great. At Arsenal he won the Premiership and FA cup, while as a French international he won the World Cup and Euro’s. Now he’s back to see if he can still cut it….we will see.
5. Hermann Hreiðarsson, 35
Another Portsmouth player on the fringes of attaining a free bus pass, Hermann in his career has proved to be an astute and reliable full back. But, If Portsmouth are relegated it will be the fourth club he will experience the drop with. (Wimbledon, Ipswich, Charlton)
4.George Boateng, 34
Despite being the ripe old age he is, George has been described by Phil as the player who is always top of his team sheet. In fact at every team he has played at he has proved to be nothing short of Mr. reliable, with earlier long stints at; Coventry, Villa and Middlesborough.
3. Nicky Barmby
When Barmby moved to Hull in 2004 (then a League one team) after Leeds got relegated, it looked as if his Premiership career was over. But low and behold the former England International was back in the top flight after 2 seasons. The most interesting fact about Nicky is that he was the first player since striker Dave Hickson in 1959 that Everton had sold a player to Liverpool. Risky business indeed.
2. Paul Scholes, 35
Still going and still vitally important to Manchester United. I don’t know what the’re feeding him up there but it must be good considering ginge can still crack a 3o yard volley without any of his bones crumbling away mid swing. I would go into detail about Paul but i’m sure you know what he is all about. Oh, and apparently this is his last season…we’ll see about that.
1. Ryan Giggs, 36
Still going and still vitally important to Manchester United…hmm sounds familiar. I think this result could not have been more obvious. Everyone should aspire to be him, everyone should at least like him, he deserves all the accolades and all the trophies he has won. Except he should have played for England over Wales.
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