: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:04 pm  

El Diablo wrote:

I agree, he isn't anything like as one-dimensional as some people think. He is also a good creative player, and makes a lot of opportunities for players around him. What he doesn't do as well(not to say he doesn't do it at all) is give overall structure and shape to the side in the way that someone like Sinfield does. That is certainly no criticism, as Sinfield doesn't offer what McGuire does attacking the line either. I think that's why Leeds are at their best with Sinfield and Diskin/(or probably Buderus) controlling the shape and tempo and McGuire and Burrow being left to do what they do best, which is find gaps and exploit them. They can do the other, more pragmatic stuff, but others do it better, and they're both better when they don't have to. IMO.

Basically what I was getting at but much more eloquently put.

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:08 pm  

tad rhino wrote:

those who don't rate him should put there medals up against his

Being a great player doesnt necessarily mean you have lots of medals and vice versa.

Plenty of poor players have more medals than supposedly great players. Schofield was regarded as a great player but played for a poor team so won very little.

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:12 pm  

Forumjacker wrote:

Being a great player doesnt necessarily mean you have lots of medals and vice versa.

Compare the relative medal tallies and abilities of Scott Naylor and Andrew Johns.

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:13 pm  

Forumjacker wrote:

Being a great player doesnt necessarily mean you have lots of medals and vice versa.

Plenty of poor players have more medals than supposedly great players. Schofield was regarded as a great player but played for a poor team so won very little.

I prefer to think of winners and losers. There are players who may not necessarily be "great" but they're winners. Players like Darryl Powell who make the most of what they've got.

Then there are players who may be considered "great" but are, frankly, born losers who make a habit out of being a loser. Not mentioning any names like.

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:15 pm  

He gets stick because he's an unorthodox stand off. Inevitably, there are some games where an orthodox stand off would be more of an asset, although almost invariably these are games when other players - indeed, often the whole team - are underperforming. I'm happy for us to stick with him - after all, there's many things I've seen him do that I'll remember long after his career's over. Wonder how many sts fans will say that about Pryce 15 years hence?

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:15 pm  

Andy Gilder wrote:

Compare the relative medal tallies and abilities of Scott Naylor and Andrew Johns.

A bit like Alan Shearer turning down Man yoo for his beloved newcastle.

DOH!

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:18 pm  

Tony Soprano wrote:

A bit like Alan Shearer turning down Man yoo for his beloved newcastle.

DOH!

I have some sympathy for Shearer in that debate.

People constantly point to what he would have won if he'd gone to Old Trafford rather than moving to Newcastle, but is that the yardstick by which he wanted his career to be measured?

Given the money probably won't have been much different to what he earned at Newcastle, did he derive greater satisfaction from playing for his hometown team and becoming a Geordie legend than he would have done picking up medals? I wonder whether Alan Smith got more satisfaction out of his time at Manchester United than he did playing for Leeds?

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:18 pm  

Forumjacker wrote:

Being a great player doesnt necessarily mean you have lots of medals and vice versa.

Plenty of poor players have more medals than supposedly great players. Schofield was regarded as a great player but played for a poor team so won very little.

Ryan, Giigs, George Best, Ian Rush to name a few great players

Never played in a major International Tournament

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:18 pm  

Thats not Nice!

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:20 pm  

Like many on here I think Danny is great for us and undervalued/rated by many?

I think even his most ardent supporters would have to confess though that probably due to amount of niggling injuries over last 2 seasons he has lost a little of his pace.

Theres certainly been times watching him the last 2 years when he's been unable to score when through when in 2004 he would have romped away from any covering defenders.