It is an absolute pleasure to welcome Andrew Gibney to A United View. He is editor of the gib football show website and host of the NOPA award nominated podcast of the same name. With site features on a wide range of global football topics, the Celtic supporter (exiled in the White Rose county) has also started reporting on Yorkshire Football Weekends - well worth a read. You can follow Andrew on twitter at @gibfootballshow. Here is his XI, not as many ex-Rangers players as you might expect.
When I was asked to pick a disliked XI only two or three players sprung to mind. Growing up I was never a massive follower of the Scottish national side so there’s no one to play our indifference on, and to be fair we know we’re rubbish so we don’t have “ze Germans” or “that wee fat Argentine t*at” to blame on our failure.
When I was asked to pick a disliked XI only two or three players sprung to mind. Growing up I was never a massive follower of the Scottish national side so there’s no one to play our indifference on, and to be fair we know we’re rubbish so we don’t have “ze Germans” or “that wee fat Argentine t*at” to blame on our failure.
It is too easy to pick a team of Rangers players that as a kid I watched beat Celtic for a good 8/9 years until Henrik Larsson come along. So I have tried to pick an XI that I dislike on a purely spiteful and personal level or a random outside the box reason.
Goalkeeper David Seaman (England)
No it’s not the pony-tail, or the ice-dancing or even the moustache. I’m not a secret Spurs fan or an Arsenal fan that can’t forgive him for Nayim’s wonderstrike. England were 4-0 up on Holland during Euro ’96 a fantastic performance from the English. As it stood Scotland would progress through to the Quarter-Finals….the first time they would ever reach the 2nd stage of a tournament.
And then Patrick Kluivert scored….thanks David. Where was your wonder-save against Holland eh!
Right Back Maicon (Inter Milan)
One of the best right backs in the World you say, well where were you over 2 games against Tottenham, you had to go and play rubbish and make that little twerp Gareth Bale look like a world beater. Maicon’s awful performance has lead to miles and miles of column inches dedicated to the “Welsh wizard” fantastic ability when he is no more than a decent footballer. Thanks for nothing Maicon.
Centre Back Rafael Scheidt (Celtic)
People outside of the SPL bubble might not be aware of Rafael Scheidt’s greatness. Signed by Martin O’Neil back in 1999 and given the seal of approval by Brazilian football expert Tim Vickery, Celtic fans were excited by the prospect of a classy Brazilian centre-back, the fact his surname was pronounced “SHITE” could be overlooked if decent. “We’ll just call him Rafael”. Now he goes down in Celtic folklore, probably as one of the worst players outside of Du Wei to ever pull on the Celtic jersey. Signed on the back of a DVD it is £4.8m that Celtic will never get back. Scheidt by name, Scheidt by nature.
Centre Back Scott Wilson (Rangers)
A name that always fills me with disgust; basically he wasn’t a very good player in an average Rangers side. To compensate for his lack of abilities he spent most of his time indulging in badly timed reckless challenges resulting in either the victim limping off the field or Wilson being shown a red card. After 200 appearances for Dunfermline he has recently moved to Australia with North Queensland Fury…apt name I think.
Left Back Stuart Pearce (England)
Psycho Pearce, he had all the traits an England defender needs…the heart the passion, the determination. Wasn’t it great when he scored that penalty against Spain at Euro ’96….No!
I just can’t stand him, his face, his voice…I always thought he was an average player that again tried hard so he must be good. I personally wish he’d skied the penalty against Spain into the Wembley night and maybe he would have disappeared forever.
Central Midfield Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Let’s get this one out of the way. I am ready for the barrage of abuse from Liverpool fans. I CAN’T STAND Steven Gerrard. I have never been overly impressed with his footballing abilities. To me he is like a dog in the park, kick the ball he will chase after it with energy and drive. Every so often he’ll have a swing with his trusty right foot and the ball will end up in the net. Everyone will rejoice in the wonderful goal and excuse all his liabilities once again.
At the 2010 World Cup I would hope everyone got a glimpse of how tactical naïve Gerrard is, asked to play on the left of a midfield four he was constantly in the centre or even on the right. His positional sense harmed his team. Then the issue of diving, there is a great YouTube video of Gerrard quotes about his disgust for players that dive, linked with videos of him diving. Need I say more?
Central Midfield Barry Ferguson (Rangers)
Probably an obvious choice for anyone who has support Celtic over the last ten years. No doubting the players ability to play football, it’s more about his mannerisms and his personality. Pinpointed by the incident with him and Allan McGregor trying to “secretly” give the finger. Another reason to dislike him was his move to Blackburn Rovers. Making the move to further your career is a great thing, giving up after a few months because you can’t cut it says a lot about a person. Hats off to him for going to Birmingham and doing well. Still an unsavoury figure though.
Central Midfield Nick Montgomery (Sheffield United)
Now nothing personal against Nick, I’m sure he is a lovely person but epitomises everything I hate about British football. The first time I saw him play was against Coventry City at the old Highfield Road, and he was average at best. I had been told about his wonderful work-rate. He always gives his all etc etc. Then I asked what his actual attributes were…silence. So basically he runs about and gets “Stuck In!” and I’m meant to appreciate this. Energy and giving your all should be extras on the side of picking a pass, breaking up play with positional sense and well timed tackles.
Somehow he managed to come 2nd in Sheffield United’s player of the year vote in 2006, since then he has never shown me more than someone who tries. I expect a little more for players these days. Your greatest trait should not be your ability to charge around the pitch. Look at players like Lothar Matthaeus and Carlos Valderamma, played until they were about 40 because even when their legs were gone they could still pick a beautiful 40 yard pass and change a game. No offence to Monty but I really hope for whatever team your with, you don’t play till you’re 40.
Forward Alan Shearer (Newcastle United)
Great footballer, full blown twat. Basic career summary – Plays some great football, scores lots of goals, whacks a few people in the face with his elbow, gets away with reputation in check. Becomes a pundit, slags off loads of managers. Becomes the manager at his beloved Newcastle United, sees them relegated, and leaves the club. Back on his comfy sofa he’s back slagging managers off. Now the dilemma is do we want him at another club to save us from listening to him on Match of the Day, or do we save another club the nightmare of Shearer being in charge but putting up with him on a Saturday night.
Forward Stan Collymore (Real Oviedo)
TALKSport………….
Forward Kenny Miller (Hibs, Rangers, Wolves, Celtic, Derby, Rangers, Bursaspor…..)
Let’s forgive him the constant moving of clubs, no one else has gone Rangers, Celtic, Rangers as far as I’m aware, so a reason to hate him right there. Don’t confuse the poor folk of Glasgow by playing for both the Old Firm clubs and even going back again. They won’t know what to do. The reason I detest him is not for that. Actually dislike him more for his time at Celtic than at Rangers but this winter I lost all respect for him. Certain he was leaving Rangers for the second time he had a few offers on the table. Birmingham City with Alex McLeish with half decent wages. Fiorentina – Chance to play at a new club and league, for a decent size wage. Or to Turkey and Bursaspor a team that Rangers had beat twice in the Champions League but for a massive bag of cash…..and now he wants to move away from Turkey. I think he should be left there to rot and top up his wonderful tan.
Manager John Barnes (Celtic)
There is only one man that could lead this merry band into battle and make sure they fail at every hurdle. Possibly the worst football manager in the history of football. Tried to set Celtic up in a 4-2-2-2 formation because it worked for Brazil. I may be remembering this wrong but Didier Agathe and Vidar Riseth were not Roberto Carlos or Cafu. Trying to play a midfield duo of Eyal Berkovic and Regi Blinker it was surely bound to fail. And fail it did, beaten by Inverness in the Scottish Cup and Barnes was out on his arse. Whatever Jamaica or Tranmere saw in this man to put him in charge of a football team is beyond me….please let it never happen again.
I couldn't quite replicate that abomination, but at least the colour combination is correct.
Previous Dislikable XIs:
No. 1 - A United View
No. 5 - Goaltastic
No. 6 - Football Charlie
No. 7 - Phil Lupton
No. 8 - Lee Doane
Up next:
No. 11 The Exiled Robin
No. 6 - Football Charlie
No. 7 - Phil Lupton
No. 8 - Lee Doane
Up next:
No. 11 The Exiled Robin
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