Nb. I am basing my selections only on the list of options given - there are other players I may have liked to mention in this article but cannot pick them!
For my team, goalkeeper is one of the easiest selections; Peter Schmeichel had it all. He had such presence, such personality and such a wide range of attributes. His distribution was phenomenal, particularly that half-pitch throw that launched a thousand counter attacks. He made stunning saves, including his trademark star jump that utilised ever inch of his giant frame. Of all the top players that Sir Alex Ferguson has had to say goodbye to over the years, the Great Dane arguably proved hardest to replace, with a succession of highly-rated signings floundering in his lumbering presence. Edwin van der Sar finally proved capable of stepping out of that shadow, and was arguably even more reliable than Schmeichel, but he lacked that special something that made Schmeichel every bit as watchable as an outfield player. Special mentions are also warranted for David Seaman, as safe a pair as hands as you could hope for, with his nightmare moments against Nayim and Ronaldinho not happening in Premier League action; Shay Given, who has been a top class performer for the last 15 years without ever being rewarded with the silverware his talent deserved; Petr Cech, who was sensational in his early years at Chelsea, and has also managed to recover his form after some understandably patchy spells following his unfortunate head injury; and Brad Friedel, who has performed at a very high level consistently for a succession of clubs and has remarkably played over 300 successive games in the league.
At right back, Gary Neville just pips Lee Dixon for me. Dixon was part of one of the tightest defensive units around at Arsenal, but Neville was so effective going forward and had a huge impact on Manchester United as club captain in recent years. At left back, the likes of Denis Irwin and Patrice Evra could have continued the Red Devils' domination of this team so far, and a similar mention for Dixon's colleague Nigel Winterburn is deserved. However, I must opt for Ashley Cole who has raised the bar in his position over the last decade. I'm no fan of his as a person, but he has been performing at the highest level for longer than Evra and has had to play against the cream of the world's talent regularly which perhaps was not the case in the days of Irwin and Winterburn. Centre back is a very tough choice, with some outstanding candidates from the last 20 years. Steve Bruce and Paul McGrath were coming to the end of their glittering careers at the beginning of the Premier League era so I am going to look elsewhere, despite the respect I have for both. Jaap Stam, Nemanja Vidic and Marcel Desailly are three rock-hard Europeans who made extremely successful transitions to the fast-paced and physical Premier League. Stam did not stick around for long enough, the one player Fergie admits to having sold too soon, and Desailly was already in his 30th year by the time he arrived at Chelsea. Vidic has been a giant for United in recent seasons, but I feel the need to overlook him for a couple of English centre backs hewn from granite. I could have picked John Terry, I could have picked Rio Ferdinand. Instead, I have gone for Tony Adams, who was John Terry-like before it was possible to be like John Terry, and Sol Campbell, who was a vital part of the only team to go unbeaten for a season.
The list for right midfield is less inspiring than I had imagined, and full of players who never made it to the top of their profession, let alone to be the best in their position over the last 20 years. Cristiano Ronaldo would be an easy pick based on a couple of sensational seasons that blow away anything achieved by any one else on the list. However, he opted to move to Real Madrid rather than staying to become a genuine Premier League legend, and so I must call on David Beckham for his delivery, spectacular goals and his medal haul. The left wing has more quality to select from, with the likes of Robert Pires, Marc Overmars and David Ginola up for grabs. As thrilling as they were to watch, I can only see myself picking Ryan Giggs. Longevity isn't always a guarantee of greatness, but in the case of Giggs it just makes his career all the more remarkable. He has featured heavily in every season of the Premier League, he has scored in every season. He has won the title more times than any other player, Premier League era or before, and could well add another medal this season too. He has gone from being a devastatingly fast winger in to a cultured central player, has extended his career by embracing yoga, and largely kept himself out of the papers for the wrong reasons, the last 12 months and Imogen Thomas excepted. In the centre of midfield, I want to pick nearly every player off the list. I can't believe I am not picking Paul Scholes, who has had a similar career to that of Giggs, only two league winners' medals behind his colleague, and having changed from a striker when he first broke through in to a classy midfielder. He is Sir Bobby Charlton's favourite player, which is as glowing a reference as is available. His passing is as good as anyone, he has a tremendous shot, and he has proven how key he has been to the way United play by the transformation in their season since he returned from retirement. Steven Gerrard also fails to win a place, despite at times being a one-man team for Liverpool, and Frank Lampard does not make the list despite a stunning goals return for a midfielder. Instead, I must go for a pairing of Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira, two of the fiercest competitors the Premier League has ever seen and the driving forces between the two best sides that have played in the competition. The highlight of a season was always Manchester United versus Arsenal and the main attraction was the battle between Keane and Vieira. Games between the clubs are still a good watch, but it is just not the same without these two war horses on show.
How do I pick between the strikers on the list? I could stick a pin in to the list and whichever combination I ended up with would be pretty amazing. But I must pick two... My heart says Eric Cantona, who was my hero as a boy; Dennis Bergkamp and Gianfranco Zola were sensational and up there with Cantona for touch, quality and influence; Robbie Fowler, Ian Wright, Andy Cole and Ruud van Nistelrooy were goal machines. In ten years time, when a similar list is drawn up for 30 years of the Premier League, I am sure Wayne Rooney will be in most people's teams. However, I must opt for a combination of Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry. Shearer is the all time top scorer in the Premier League, winning the title with Blackburn and being top scorer in three separate seasons. Henry is just behind second-placed Cole in the scorers list, but amassed his total in significantly less time. The Frenchman was so devastating with his pace and direct runs, having the ability to win games on his own which Cole never quite possessed. So, that is my team, and I still can't believe I haven't picked Scholes or Cantona.
Schmeichel; Neville, Adams, Campbell, Cole; Beckham, Keane, Vieira, Giggs; Shearer, Henry.
(Subs) Seaman, Irwin, Ferdinand, Scholes, Ginola, Cantona, Bergkamp.
For my team, goalkeeper is one of the easiest selections; Peter Schmeichel had it all. He had such presence, such personality and such a wide range of attributes. His distribution was phenomenal, particularly that half-pitch throw that launched a thousand counter attacks. He made stunning saves, including his trademark star jump that utilised ever inch of his giant frame. Of all the top players that Sir Alex Ferguson has had to say goodbye to over the years, the Great Dane arguably proved hardest to replace, with a succession of highly-rated signings floundering in his lumbering presence. Edwin van der Sar finally proved capable of stepping out of that shadow, and was arguably even more reliable than Schmeichel, but he lacked that special something that made Schmeichel every bit as watchable as an outfield player. Special mentions are also warranted for David Seaman, as safe a pair as hands as you could hope for, with his nightmare moments against Nayim and Ronaldinho not happening in Premier League action; Shay Given, who has been a top class performer for the last 15 years without ever being rewarded with the silverware his talent deserved; Petr Cech, who was sensational in his early years at Chelsea, and has also managed to recover his form after some understandably patchy spells following his unfortunate head injury; and Brad Friedel, who has performed at a very high level consistently for a succession of clubs and has remarkably played over 300 successive games in the league.
At right back, Gary Neville just pips Lee Dixon for me. Dixon was part of one of the tightest defensive units around at Arsenal, but Neville was so effective going forward and had a huge impact on Manchester United as club captain in recent years. At left back, the likes of Denis Irwin and Patrice Evra could have continued the Red Devils' domination of this team so far, and a similar mention for Dixon's colleague Nigel Winterburn is deserved. However, I must opt for Ashley Cole who has raised the bar in his position over the last decade. I'm no fan of his as a person, but he has been performing at the highest level for longer than Evra and has had to play against the cream of the world's talent regularly which perhaps was not the case in the days of Irwin and Winterburn. Centre back is a very tough choice, with some outstanding candidates from the last 20 years. Steve Bruce and Paul McGrath were coming to the end of their glittering careers at the beginning of the Premier League era so I am going to look elsewhere, despite the respect I have for both. Jaap Stam, Nemanja Vidic and Marcel Desailly are three rock-hard Europeans who made extremely successful transitions to the fast-paced and physical Premier League. Stam did not stick around for long enough, the one player Fergie admits to having sold too soon, and Desailly was already in his 30th year by the time he arrived at Chelsea. Vidic has been a giant for United in recent seasons, but I feel the need to overlook him for a couple of English centre backs hewn from granite. I could have picked John Terry, I could have picked Rio Ferdinand. Instead, I have gone for Tony Adams, who was John Terry-like before it was possible to be like John Terry, and Sol Campbell, who was a vital part of the only team to go unbeaten for a season.
The list for right midfield is less inspiring than I had imagined, and full of players who never made it to the top of their profession, let alone to be the best in their position over the last 20 years. Cristiano Ronaldo would be an easy pick based on a couple of sensational seasons that blow away anything achieved by any one else on the list. However, he opted to move to Real Madrid rather than staying to become a genuine Premier League legend, and so I must call on David Beckham for his delivery, spectacular goals and his medal haul. The left wing has more quality to select from, with the likes of Robert Pires, Marc Overmars and David Ginola up for grabs. As thrilling as they were to watch, I can only see myself picking Ryan Giggs. Longevity isn't always a guarantee of greatness, but in the case of Giggs it just makes his career all the more remarkable. He has featured heavily in every season of the Premier League, he has scored in every season. He has won the title more times than any other player, Premier League era or before, and could well add another medal this season too. He has gone from being a devastatingly fast winger in to a cultured central player, has extended his career by embracing yoga, and largely kept himself out of the papers for the wrong reasons, the last 12 months and Imogen Thomas excepted. In the centre of midfield, I want to pick nearly every player off the list. I can't believe I am not picking Paul Scholes, who has had a similar career to that of Giggs, only two league winners' medals behind his colleague, and having changed from a striker when he first broke through in to a classy midfielder. He is Sir Bobby Charlton's favourite player, which is as glowing a reference as is available. His passing is as good as anyone, he has a tremendous shot, and he has proven how key he has been to the way United play by the transformation in their season since he returned from retirement. Steven Gerrard also fails to win a place, despite at times being a one-man team for Liverpool, and Frank Lampard does not make the list despite a stunning goals return for a midfielder. Instead, I must go for a pairing of Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira, two of the fiercest competitors the Premier League has ever seen and the driving forces between the two best sides that have played in the competition. The highlight of a season was always Manchester United versus Arsenal and the main attraction was the battle between Keane and Vieira. Games between the clubs are still a good watch, but it is just not the same without these two war horses on show.
How do I pick between the strikers on the list? I could stick a pin in to the list and whichever combination I ended up with would be pretty amazing. But I must pick two... My heart says Eric Cantona, who was my hero as a boy; Dennis Bergkamp and Gianfranco Zola were sensational and up there with Cantona for touch, quality and influence; Robbie Fowler, Ian Wright, Andy Cole and Ruud van Nistelrooy were goal machines. In ten years time, when a similar list is drawn up for 30 years of the Premier League, I am sure Wayne Rooney will be in most people's teams. However, I must opt for a combination of Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry. Shearer is the all time top scorer in the Premier League, winning the title with Blackburn and being top scorer in three separate seasons. Henry is just behind second-placed Cole in the scorers list, but amassed his total in significantly less time. The Frenchman was so devastating with his pace and direct runs, having the ability to win games on his own which Cole never quite possessed. So, that is my team, and I still can't believe I haven't picked Scholes or Cantona.
Schmeichel; Neville, Adams, Campbell, Cole; Beckham, Keane, Vieira, Giggs; Shearer, Henry.
(Subs) Seaman, Irwin, Ferdinand, Scholes, Ginola, Cantona, Bergkamp.
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