Wally with a Brolly

As I was watching the Champions' League goals on Sky Sports, anchored by the wonderful 'I wish you were my dad' Jeff Stelling, a discussion between Graeme Souness, Ruud Gullit and Jamie Redknapp struck me as particularly interesting. It related to Eden Hazard, Oscar and the tag of world class we hand out to players.

Before I go further in-depth, let me first of all establish that Sky Sports manage to combine the thoughtful with the futile.

Whilst I never particularly enjoyed Graeme Souness's time as manager of various clubs and found him to be a dour figure, he has often been pinpoint in his accurate analysis of football events. Even more interestingly, the ex-Liverpool manager is not afraid to put his point across in a dignified yet firm manner. Roy Keane, take note.

Ruud Gullit, the best of the three pundits when they were all players, also provided a better-than-usual opinionated point of view, particularly in his stinging and valid criticism of Zabaleta's defending on Ronaldo in the dying minutes of the Real Madrid- Manchester City game. The Dutchman, despite the absence of his legendary dreadlocks, managed to express his solid views with a good sense of humour and a non-arrogant sense of being right due to his distinguished footballing past.

Memo to Ruud: please come back to that look.

The discussions between Souness and Gullit were particularly interesting due to the divergence of views, especially when Souness played his usual gruffy role by insisting on not acknowledging Oscar's touch that led to his wonder goal. It was a magnificent to and fro between two recognised football men. It was punditry at its finest, which left me wondering why ITV keep insisting on ignorant pundits like Keano, Southgate and Dixon. Of course the least said about Adrian Chiles the better.

So Sky Sports were doing well and then it all came back to Jamie Redknapp. Now, before I start my stinging criticism of 'Arry's son, let me first of all say that I hold no grudges against the man. I find him to be an articulate, likeable guy (man knows how to wear a suit) and actually thought he used to be a class player whose career was sadly dogged by injuries. I even loved his polite embarrassment and good guy reaction when Richard Keys made his cringing references to his personal life.

The man can wear a suit. Shame about the lack of football knowledge.

But the boy Redknapp is no good pundit. Not only does he tend to be afflicted by Sheareritis ("it's a good run by the striker, he takes a good touch, has a good shot and that's a quality finish') but the guy doesn't seem to do his homework. I might be particularly picky, but there is nothing more annoying to me than pundits who get the basics wrong. So when Souness had a massive go at Barcelona's defence and their mistake at not signing a central defender during the summer, Jamie thought he'd add something by telling us that the only defender they bought was that boy...the left-back who played for Spain....who they signed from Villareal over the summer....oh that's right, Jordi Alba. The hesitation would have been tolerated (after all, we can all have a brain freeze) had it not simply been wrong. Jordi Alba signed from Valencia. Get it right Jamie.



OK, so after this lengthy discussion on pundits and the futility of Jamie Redknapp who was (thankfully) quiet for the rest of the night anyway (who needs 3 pundits???), let me get back to the point raised by Souness.

'World class' is a hard tag to live up to, and one which has to be earned. In my opinion very few players deserve that appreciation and so it should be. Souness rightly claimed that you need consistency and ability at the highest level for a certain number of years to qualify for that trademark. The Scot wasn't being dismissive of Hazard and Oscar's talent but he was right in saying that destroying Wigan (and failing to do so against QPR) does not qualify you as world class.

In my view there is another factor which needs to be taken into account. To be world class, a player needs to have the ability to lead his time by the scruff of its neck. Remember when Zidane single-handedly won the Champions' League for Real and Euro 2000 for France (when he was at his peak)? The man was world class then. Was he world class when he scored two goals in the 1998 final? Not yet, because he had failed to lead the French team through, getting sent off against Saudi Arabia in the group stage and missing the Denmark and Paraguay games.

Was Steven Gerrard world class? You bet he was (notice the use of the past tense)! The man single-handedly drove Liverpool back from the brink of extinction in the Champions' League final against AC Milan and, during the run to the final, was instrumental in scoring vital goals despite playing in a distinctly average side (Igor Biscan and Neil Mellor. Enough said), most notably against Olympiakos, which left us with the best bit of commentator's reaction until Gaz Neville's climax for the Torres goal against Barcelona.





Of course honours aren't the only factor in determining whether a player is world class. Sometimes leadership is shared equally among the team and the talent is so incredibly present that it'd be foolish to not acknowledge it. This is why we can safely say Ronaldo, Figo and others in that Real Madrid team were world class. Which is why we can say that Claude Makelele, for revolutionising a position, was world class. But Pavon and Helguera? No thanks.

Does this mean Pavon had a fan club? Probably the only people who thought he was world class

Of course the world class label has a very subjective aspect to it. Two English players are perfect examples of that subjectivity.

Let's start with David Beckham. The man undoubtedly had a world class skill in the way he crossed the ball. It was beautiful, it was unlike anything anyone had ever done. It was consistently excellent and he did deliver....once against Greece in the World Cup qualifiers. Apart from that, was Goldenballs world class? I personally disagree. The man was without question a good player. World class? No sir-ee. Becks never led a team to glory. He was a consistently good performer in 1999 but that team depended on collective excellence, with inspiration from Schmeichel, Keane, Scholes, Giggs and toughness from Stam. Becks? Not a leader, just a good player.

Similarly, Beckham managed to 'lead' England's most talented team for decades to years of under-achievement. Yes I'm talking about World Cups 2002 to 2006, with an incredibly frustrating Euro 2004 in-between. Sure he wasn't helped by Sven and the other players' lack of accountability for their very own failures (Stevie G, can you NOT pass it back to Henry please?). But Becks was also notable in his numerous failures at the highest level. Of course I'm talking about penalty misses people. What else?

Even at Real Madrid the man was no leader. Granted he wasn't helped by a condescending dressing-room and coaches who didn't really value him during his time there. But the man wasn't leading an unbalanced side to excellence. He was second fiddle.

Only time when Beckham won something as one of the leaders. Shame that the MLS Cup isn't a real trophy.

So am I harsh when looking back at Sir Beckham (as he will undoubtedly become known) and his distinguished career? You bet I am. But was he world class? Not in my view.

Now let's look at a more recent English player. Let's have a look at Wayne Rooney. Just like Beckham, but perhaps even more so, talent isn't in question. Rooney is, on his day (and that's a statement which needs to be added), a very good creative player. He has displayed tremendous technical ability and scored goals at the highest level.

But is he truly world class?

Once again I'd like to voice my personal objections. Sure the boy has won many honours,  but has he ever led his team to these trophies? His petulance clearly doesn't make him stand out as a leader, but it's also interesting to note that he has never been the main man for Manchester United. His Champions' League win was inspired by Ronaldo's excellence and key contributions from Van der Sar, Ferdinand-Vidic, Scholes and others.

Was Rooney ever the main man? Did he ever save Manchester United in the same way Gerrard did for Liverpool?

Of course it's easier to look best when you're the big fish in a small pond, as Gerrard has nearly always been at Liverpool. But Stevie G's performances in that run were also helped by superb football from Luis Garcia, Xabi Alonso, Jamie Carragher and Jerzy Dudek. He wasn't entirely alone but still managed to constantly push the team higher.

Did we ever see Rooney do that for Manchester United? We're seeing it again with RVP's presence as the alpha dog despite Rooney's childish reactions and claims to the contrary. And, of course, the least said about Rooney's distinctly unimpressive England career the better.

"Well done for getting sent off Wayne, you're no leader like me" says JT. A whole nation subsequently throws up.

Let me set this straight though. Despite my personal dislike of the burly striker, there is also no shame in playing second fiddle to very talented players. It's not a criticism of Rooney's talent, nor was it of Beckham's. It's a criticism of their personality. Their submissive side is, for me, what separates these very good players from ever attaining that world class tag.

The Americans and NBA followers call the supremely good players 'franchise players' because they are the face of their team and their unquestioned leader on the court. Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant now, and Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry bird in their prime are and were 'franchise players'. Of course it's easier to be designated as such when there are only 5 players on the court.

But tell me, would you call Rooney, Beckham, Hazard and many others 'franchise players'?

This is not a criticism of many players' talent. This is just a simple wish: that we use the world class tag with parcimony and after years of excellence. Then we can truly distinguish the players that make us dream. Then we can truly recognise them for their impact.