[Archived] Euro 2008

[philipl]

Shearer was at his peak 1993-1995 when he was undoubtedly the best in the world.

[Bazzanotsogreat]

Shearer was at his peak 1993-1995 when he was undoubtedly the best in the world.

Talk about changing the goalposts, the original post was in reference to Euro 1996.

How many World or European awards did he win

[LeChuck]

How many World player noms did shearer get? & To re-iterate you believe that Alan Shearer was better than Ronaldo, George Weah , Romario & Gabriella Batistuta?

I don't understand the world player nominations thing. The only reason Shearer didn't get those was because he was playing for us. If he had been scoring at that rate for A.C. Milan then he would gotten a lot more. Edit: I've just seen he came 3rd in 96, so at least he wasn't completely overlooked.

So, to re-iterate, I believe Shearer was better than Weah, Romario and Batistuta as a leading striker. Ronaldo is a close one, that choice is probably down to personal choice. They both scored at pretty much the same rate, it just depends you whether you want Shearer's work-rate and aerial ability, or Ronaldo's flashes of sheer genius. I personally preferred Shearer because he was easier to integrate in to a team, whereas Ronaldo often played for himself. However, if you prefer Ronaldo I can't argue with that too much...but I strongly disagree on the others.

[philipl]

There has never been a World player of the Year from an EPL club.

In fact the concentration of World Player of the Year awards between Real Madrid and Barcelona is so extreme that Blackburn Rovers rank the 16th most successful club because of Alan Shearer's 3rd place vote in 1996.

[Bazzanotsogreat]

I don't understand the world player nominations thing. The only reason Shearer didn't get those was because he was playing for us. If he had been scoring at that rate for A.C. Milan then he would gotten a lot more.

So, to re-iterate, I believe Shearer was better than Weah, Romario and Batistuta as a leading striker. Ronaldo is a close one, that choice is probably down to personal choice. They both scored at pretty much the same rate, it just depends you whether you want Shearer's work-rate and aerial ability, or Ronaldo's flashes of sheer genius. I personally preferred Shearer because he was easier to integrate in to a team, whereas Ronaldo often played for himself. However, if you prefer Ronaldo I can't argue with that too much...but I strongly disagree on the others.

In pure mathematical terms Ronaldo is streets ahead in terms of goal scoring, batistuta also has a far-better Goal scoring ratio. But don’t let the these facts get in your way:

Ronaldo

Games 424

Goals 303 Ratio 71.4

Shearer

Games 725

Goals 376 Ratio 51.8

Batistuta

Games 519

Goals 305 Ratio 58.6

[den]

In pure mathematical terms Ronaldo is streets ahead in terms of goal scoring, batistuta also has a far-better Goal scoring ratio. But don’t let the these facts get in your way:

It's not just about goalscoring though, as someone has already pointed out.

Those three season of Shearer at Ewood, he was the best centre forward/target man in the world. - IMO.

[LeChuck]

In pure mathematical terms Ronaldo is streets ahead in terms of goal scoring, batistuta also has a far-better Goal scoring ratio. But don’t let the these facts get in your way:

...

To coin a phrase; talk about changing the goal-posts.

We were on about Shearer (and the others) as they were in 1996. Shearer's goal-scoring record is about equal to Ronaldo's (who was playing in Holland then anyway). They were averaging something near a goal-a-game. Shearer post-injury was a very different player, I probably wouldn't choose him ahead of the others, but then we're not talking about that period.

[Bazzanotsogreat]

To coin a phrase; talk about changing the goal-posts.

We were on about Shearer (and the others) as they were in 1996. Shearer's goal-scoring record is about equal to Ronaldo's (who was playing in Holland then anyway). They were averaging something near a goal-a-game. Shearer post-injury was a very different player, I probably wouldn't choose him ahead of the others, but then we're not talking about that period.

Shearer’s goal-scoring was never at any point of career ( its obvious you are choosing to ignore the stats) , anywhere near as good as Ronaldo , in 1996 he was voted world-player of whilst at PSV.

Shearer was my idle and is one of very few players that can deemed as World-Class who have played for the blue & white halves. However to suggest that was the best player in the world; better than the likes of Baggio, Ronaldo, Romario and George Weah is preposterous imo.

The greatest test of a players ability is at the international Level; Shearer for this is a poor relation to both Ronaldo, Romario and Batistuta.

[Eddie]

Best player in the world is a purely subjective title, anyone who tries to seriously argue it is wasting their time.

The players mentioned are were all amongst the best at that time, picking one out of the bunch is impossible. For some Shearer would have been the best, others may like Ronaldo more. On different teams they would have been more or less effective, although I will somewhat agree with the earlier point that Shearer was perhaps the easiest to fit into any side.

Shearer will benefit on this site from the fact that he was a Rovers player and that we got to see the best from him. At the same time he suffers from the fact that he is English, which makes his footballing skill less attractive and his name less special, I think this is something that he suffers from for Bazza.

They were all a great bunch of players though, we were lucky to have one of them playing for us.

[philipl]

Ok lets compare Shearer at Rovers with Ronaldo

Shearer Rovers career 112 goals in 138 appearances in four seasons

Ronaldo PSV 42 goals in 46 games

Barcelona 34 in 37

Making a total of 76 in 83 games in three seasons.

Thereafter Ronaldo played only 196 games at Inter and Real Madrid, scoring 111 goals spread over 11 seasons- an average 10 goals from 17 club games each season.

I don't think making the claim for Shearer looks ridiculous.

[LeChuck]

Shearer’s goal-scoring was never at any point of career ( its obvious you are choosing to ignore the stats) anywhere near as good as Ronaldo

I'm not ignoring anything.

Ronaldo's time at PSV brought him 42 goals in 46 games - a ratio of 1.09 goals-per-game.

Shearer's league goal-scoring over the same two seasons from 94-96 was 65 in 77 games - a ratio of 1.18 goals-per-game.

What am I missing Bazza? There's very little to choose between those two ratios.

[Tris]

Take off your roe-tinted spectacles for a minute; Shearer was in the top 10 maybe even top 5 strikers in the world between 1994-97. He was never the best striker

Cod you must be blind, if you can't see that Shearer was the best.

[LeChuck]

Thanks for backing up Tris. He just can't see that everyone else was carp compared to Shearer.

[blue phil]

It's not just about goalscoring though, as someone has already pointed out.

Those three season of Shearer at Ewood, he was the best centre forward/target man in the world. - IMO.

Sorry Bazza but I also have no hesitation in agreeing with Den and co in saying that Shearer was the best player in the world during this period .

Not only his finishing , but his holding play was truly exceptional - head and shoulders above any of his contemporaries . On the occasions when he wandered out to the wing he was of a quality that somebody Bentley could only ever dream about emulating .

All in all he was the best player I have ever seen - by a long way . He could have excelled and held his own , I believe , in any position on the field (bar the keeper) at international level . For a while after we won the league and were on the downward slide he was still an awesome player in a otherwise failing team - a remarkable testament to his top drawer temperament . Can anyone remember the Great Man ever going through the motions or letting his head drop ?

One question you should ask yourself - at any time he played for us , would you seriously have swapped him (for purely football reasons and ignoring sentiment) with any other player on the planet ?

[Ozz]

Wish I'd never mentioned him now...but for what it's worth my opinion Shearer was the best centre forward, in the British snese in the world for those three magical years. Just at look at the goals he scored, both in number and variety (bullet headers, glancing headers, tap ins, 35 yard blockbusters, delicate curlers, off his arse etc the lot) and then look how many he created as well.

[den]

On the occasions when he wandered out to the wing he was of a quality that somebody Bentley could only ever dream about emulating .

Yep. he was also the best right winger we had. Rippers was good at that time, but he couldn't cross a ball like Shearer.

[elwaxo]

Back on topic, and this will probably be an unpopular choice, but it's the 'Hun' all the way for me in Euro 2008 (I lived there for a while).

Oh...and by the way!

Shearer, shearer, shearer, shearer.

THE GREATEST!!!!

[b12_simon]

Just support us oranges. I'm a rover, so you must support my national squad now. That makes sense, right?

Shame we're alongside Benzema & Toni, who'll kill us. Italy for the win.

You sort've have a point as Ooijer is Rovers' only representative at the party (I doubt he'll be off til after the Dutch get knocked out).

I'm supporting Turkey though.

Don't feel too robbed though - it'll be half-assed support

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Is Vogel not there then?

[b12_simon]

Is Vogel not there then?

Not according to the Grauniad's preview

[Hasta]

What better than Ronaldo ( in his absolute pomp aged 20), George Weah, Davor Suker , Gabriella Batistuta, Romario, Del Piero, Eric Cantona , Roberto Baggio & Predrag Mijatovic?

Ronaldo probably not. Nor Batistuta.

The rest yes I would say Shearer was better.

I wonder what Shearers goalscoring record would have been like during his Rovers career had he been playing for PSV? I'd guess he'd have scored more in the dutch league.

Whilst we weren't a one man side in 1995, we all know Shearer was instrumental in that success. It wasn't just his goals but his all round game. His ability to hold the ball, link play up, cross and work for the team was nearly as good as his scoring record. Had we swapped him, with his all-round contribution, for any of the strikers quoted in the quote above would we have still won the league?

[Hasta]

Just to add interest in the tournament I've backed the Czechs at 25/1 to win it.

I'm not going to pretend I know loads about their form and their players. I do know they topped Germanys group, won 3-0 away in Germany and are 25/1 whilst the Germans are 4/1 favourites.

Price is surely too big, especially as their group isn't the hardest.

[den]

His ability to hold the ball, link play up, cross and work for the team was nearly as good as his scoring record. Had we swapped him, with his all-round contribution, for any of the strikers quoted in the quote above would we have still won the league?

NO.

One point that's been missed so far - Shearer was a leader of men, something non of the above were. That point accompanied by his fantastic form and all round ability, meant he was the best in the world. IMO.

[philipl]

Absolutely agreed Den. Rovers had a fantastic spine- Flowers, Hendry, Sherwood, Shearer.

Not everyone's choice as social companions but they made Rovers an extraordinariy tough and uncompromising competitive force which drove the club to that title.

Shearer's three consecutive 30+ goal hauls in the Premier League will always stand as far greater achievement than any World Player of the Year Vote. To give you an idea of how daft these awards are, Liverpool are currently world number one club based on the past five years' cumulative votes. Every season any forward is on a goal scoring spree in the World's most competitive League , the benchmark will always be Alan Shearer.

Ronaldo is only one third of the way there.

Back to Euro 08 and the Maltese Bar owners are bewailing the lack of English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish participation- they are expecting a thin time of it during the tournament.

[rover6]

Ronaldo wasn't a goal poacher back then. I know Shearer scored his fair share of spectaculars - but it should be remembered that he was a more orthodox box striker.