Has Spurs got any World Class Players?

[Adventurer]

There is a big debate about world class players and what one   is.

I think a world class player is one who can get in the worlds top 2   teams.
Basically the top 22 players in the world.
I would say that   Tottenham only has 1 potential WC player at the moment and that is   Gareth Bale.
Actually the way he is playing at the moment I would say   not potential but actually is.
Others who could maybe knock at the door   in the future may be Sandro & Lennon.
I do not think anyone else is   good enough to be in the top 22 in the world but at a stretch during a   certain group of games there might be an argument for Gomes &   Modric.

• What do other people think is a world class player?
• and do Spurs have any?

[Derry-Yid]

Funny you should mention that....i was reading a piece about us and world class players the other day(see below)....its a good read....the word 'world class' is branded about to much i think now a days....imo players from yesteryear like Pele...Bobby Moore...George Best...Maradona...Maldani were true world class players....moving on to more recent players like Cantona....Bergkamp...Roy Keane....Zola....Klinsmann...Viera(finished now)....now at the minute Drobga....Gareth Bale?...Van Der Vaart?....them old players and the 3 that plays now in the EPL could walk into any of the top teams in world football...thats the only two 'world class players i think we have atm'

Are we closing the "world-class" gap?   

             
I have said for some time that as good as our squad   was, we lacked in two major areas, experience and a couple of world   class players, but I wonder if we have closed the gap in both   departments?

Firstly we have added around 250 international caps   worth of experience with the signings of William Gallas, Stipe Pletikosa   and Rafael van der Vaart, and even if we assume that the first two will   be squad players, their influence in the dressing room could be   immense. When you consider that they also cost a combined total of £8   million, it is pretty shrewd business from Tottenham`s point of view.

As   for debating whether a player is world class is always a difficult one,   but perhaps we could consider players who would not look out of place   alongside the very best or who could comfortably fit into the likes of   Inter, Barca or any of the elite teams in the game, that is as good a   level indicator as I feel we need.

In the last year or so, I feel   that the established big boys of our game, have perhaps dropped one or   two superstars such as Ronaldo, but when you look at the current squads,   which players from the established teams are genuinely considered   alongside the very best?

For Chelsea, I would argue that they   have Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Ashley Cole, as truly top   players, but United seem to be increasingly relying on a team ethic,   with only Vidic, Evra and Rooney, even worth  considering in that   bracket at this time and which of those have ever set the world stage   alight?

Ars*nal have Fabregas and possibly Van Persie as   exceptional players, but are they world class? Probably, in my opinion.   Similarly Liverpool have Torres and Gerrard and City have some   exceptional players, but which would get into the very best sides in the   game?

At Spurs we still probably rank alongside City, with the   signing of Van der Vaart and the emergence of Gareth Bale, we have one   potential world star and another who out shone one of the world`s best   in Kaka, last season.

Consider the quality of Ledley King and   even Heurelho Gomes, and we perhaps could argue that although we are not   quite there yet in terms of elite talent, we are certainly closing the   gap and maybe even overtaking one or two, if we can get everything to   click into place...

[WilsonJet]

Good thoughts fellas. I was going over the roster last night and was just amazed at how talented and deep it has become. There are going to be some fringe players who will either want to go, or will need to go unless we make an unexpectedly deep run in Europe (Jermaine Jenas, Jamie O'Hara, and David Bentley spring to mind). I'm amazed at the quality that the club has assembled in a relatively short period of time, all while holding on to our own core players. A year ago this time I would have never believed it, but Gareth Bale is a phenom. Based on current form - he is legitimately world class.

[RiffHard]

Honestly, I don't think we have genuine world class players. Let me explain. Firstly, the term world class is dubious itself. What makes payer world class? His abilities? If yes then compared to who? Does the fact how many people know the player make him world class? Maybe. Beckham was a world class right midfielder but can we say that he is world class today? I don't think so. He is probably the best known footballer still, though. Does winning competitions make a player world class? Maybe, considering that these so-called world class players usually play against each other in top competitions such as the World Cup, the European Championship and Champions League.
Now, looking at our squad list I think that there are players who have the potential to be world class - Gareth Bale, Gomes, Modric and maybe Huddlestone. Modric was considered world class but his injury has somewhat put and end to this hoorah. And let's be honest, we all love him (exept G. Keown) but he just isn't the same player right now. Van der Vaart had the potential, I think, but as many players before him - Real Madrid somewhat hampered his career. Football is a funny old game and I actually believe we can call someone world class only when their careers are over and we can look back on them.

[paul62ok]

To me a player is world class if, without massive controversy, he merits a place in a worlds best 11 (lucky the same logic doesnt apply to champions league!).
 
This is a really special group of players and we have very few, if any, in the Premiership. I would also add that to be considered world class by a broad spectrum of people (not just prem watchers or your own club's fans), you probably have to win something at club or international level or at least appear in the latter stages of the big competitions (CL, World Cup, etc)
 
Probably Drogba in the Prem, then after that everyone else is debatable. Bale has potential to be world class but has really only been playing at an outstanding level for a few months. As a LB he is inexperienced and as a winger he is theoretically competing for a place with the likes of Ozil, Ronaldo, Messi. If we are brutally honest, no-one else in our team is close. Would Lennon get into a team ahead of the above three - sadly no. Modric ahead of Xavi or Iniesta? No - Gomes ahead of Casillas? - no - he isnt the first choice Brazilian keeper. Huddlestone - not even ahead of Fabregas ad Scholes yet (on a regular basis).
 
Van Der Varrt - we shall see.
 
Fortunately for Spurs we have players who are worth debating for a 'Premiership best' team and we couldnt say that few yearts back!

[bigv]

Good thread. And some valid points raised. I think it is unfair to rate a player world class only if they have won various competitions as football is a team game. How many world class players have we seen who played with average club or international sides and never won anything.?

[paul62ok]

I take the point above about world class players in average sides (Best/NI and Giggs/Wales are obvious examples), although they were hugely successful at club level, but one of the things that defines a great player is that they show their ability at the highest level. A great player doesnt have to have the medals - he could play for a team that just missed out on league titles and only got to World Cup semis.
 
Time is important - a player can have a world class game in which he is unplayable (Lennon vs Wigan last year?) but to be recognised as a world class player he has to repeat it numerous times against better opposition in more pressurised/higher profile games.
 
Riffhard is right in that you can only really truly determine world class at the end of a career - if Bale stopped playing now he wouldnt be remembered as a world class player, but he might if he stopped in ten years time.

[CountPuchi]

Its hard to define World Class players but if it was me id take my pick in 2 kinds of attributes

World class form
World class abilities

Based on form, to be dub world class you can only look at Messi, He's still freescoring at Barca! no one can doubt his abilities too. Or Xavi, creating chances after chances for players like Messi! Looking at this im sure they are considered world class.

Now here's a point i want to prove especially players like Christina Ronildo. He has the ability but yet his form is by far as good as Lennon's. Do you still consider him World Class? Kaka & Van der Vaart. Clearly last season VDV Took his chance and overshadowed Kaka. But do you call a player like VdV world class or is Kaka better?

Id say to dub someone World Class it would have to be both regardless where or what team ur in. Right now in our team the only World Class player i have to say is Gareth... *No not Gareth Keown* but Gareth Bale~ *hehe*

Bale got the ability and the form right now and he should be considered World Class. Back in the day Beckham was considered too right? but why not now? Because he lost his form? or his ability? Mind you im saying this because ability wise he still got it but less efficient due to his age~. Suffice to say Gomes = World Class goalkeeper last season when he effectively saved us from killer shots time and time again.

[Aosoth]

No - Gomes ahead of Casillas? - no - he isnt the first choice Brazilian keeper.

Bah I don't even think Iker Casillas is the best SPANISH goalkeeper let alone the best GK in the world.  I think Pepe Reina is by a long way a better goalkeeper than him, he just doesn't play for Real Madrid or Barcelona, the Spanish darlings.

[Gareth Keown]

we have a few approaching world-class: Gomes, King, Bale and even BAE (when he doesnt take unnecessary risks with his showboating).... maybe vdVaart, Modric and THudd (in the specialisms they have) could approach it in time...

and the most intrigying possible for near world-class POTENTIAL for me... Younes Kaboul..

[dedleysting]

do Spurs have any?

Nope, not yet anyway... potentaily we have Lennon, Bale, VDV, King and Woodgate (although Woddy's days look numbered)

[bigv]

Really? kaboul? I have not seen glimpses of brilliance in any position to warrant a mention. Of potential world class abilities. I would love to be proven incorrect.

[Gareth Keown]

Kaboul has the ability to be the Prem's Maicon..... he perception of Bale this time last year was that of an over-hyped LB who couldnt defend and had this silly record of the team never winning when he starts...

those same ppl would have long forgotten that when he 1st came here as an 18yr old Jol played him at LM where he was nearly just as good as he is now (outshining Lennon even then) then he got injured long-term and ppl forgot about him..

[millers-tach]

In short no we don't, and probably won't have either. I love Spurs, I love the EPL but sometimes i think people forget the rest of the world.
 
Drogba, Essian are the only two in the EPL for me. There are many other great pleayers kicking about but World Class.....don't think so.
 
Bale could easily prove me wrong.
 
 
 
** It should be noted i have been wrong many times in the past

[ugs]

I would say the definition of World Class would be a player who performs at the highest level for Club and more importantly country for the majority of their career. Using this criteria I would say that in the current Spurs squad only Van der Vaart has the potential to be World Class but as of yet hasn't quite achieved this. Luka Modric is also a player that has the potential but as stated early has had a drop in form since his broken leg of last season and hasn't really recaptured his form yet. The rest of the squad at the moment haven't managed to cement themselves in a national squad so they can't be placed in the World Class bracket although alot of them have been Outstanding for us over the last couple of seasons.
 
Just as an example of what I mean take Wayne Rooney rarely has a bad game for United and always gives 100%, but as of yet has failed at international level. This in my eyes would make him an outstanding Club Player but as of yet not a World Class player.