1.Henry
2.Shearer
3.Ronaldo
4.Bergkamp

Four players in a different tier to Ryan Giggs.

Bugger's only played so long because he's Welsh anyway.

Could probably name another dozen that I'd put ahead of Giggs tbh. He's been a very good player for a very long time, but only been really world class for the odd season here or there and the occasional brief period of top form.

Maybe it's me, but people have only re-evaluated Giggs as a world class player in the last five years or so. Before that he was great but not this iconic, once in a life time kind of player that he's made out to be.

Pires at his best was better.

Scholes is on another level to Giggs for me, in terms of Man Utd legends.

Exactly. Giggs is not even United's best player in the PL.

Not even in the top 3.

Timbo wrote:

1.Henry
2.Shearer
3.Ronaldo
4.Bergkamp

Cantona belongs on that list for me.

Cantona was before my time so was he really THAT good?

Nope.

Yes he was. For me at least.

Rex just has a thing for over rated, slow, immobile, nutjobs. Zlatan, Cantona etc.

Ahh Cantona was brilliant but only for a short while and spoiled his legacy with that long ban.

I can see Zlatan taking Terry to the cleaners in a couple of weeks.

qs! wrote:

Ahh Cantona was brilliant but only for a short while and spoiled his legacy with that long ban.

When he came back from that ban though, he propelled Man U to the title.

Seriously though, Cantona was quality, but imo was lucky to play in the Prem when English defences and defenders couldn't cope with his type of player. English teams were rubbish at defending that space between the defence and midfield, no teams played with holding midfielders and most centre backs weren't comfortbale stepping up and getting close to him. He struggled for Utd in the CL because European teams were much more comfortable with his kind of player-and his lack of pace and mobility-and IMHO was not in the same class as Bergkamp (or even Zola).

General Mirth wrote:

Maybe it's me, but people have only re-evaluated Giggs as a world class player in the last five years or so. Before that he was great but not this iconic, once in a life time kind of player that he's made out to be.

Pires at his best was better.

I made this point to my manc mate. Giggs has never at any point in his career been the best player in the premier league. there have always been 2-3 players above him. pires won more and generally outperformed giggs during his 4-5 year spell in english football, but people tend to gloss over that because of bobby's reputation as a diver/frenchman.

giggs' longevity has given him this after glow of being some unassailable epl legend. as has been mentioned, he's not even united's best player in pl history. that honor should go to keane, scholes, ronaldo, or cantona

Giggs deserves status for his exceptional longevity ... just make him the Most Geriatric Player or something. Don't claim he's actually the greatest of all time.

The Golden Foot was an appropriate award for him IMO, a Lifetime Achievement type of award.

Giggs isn't being named Most Legendary Player or Greatest Player, just Player of 20 Seasons. It probably means a lot more than just pure skills and stats. You must admit he was of great influence to United during the past two decades.