Juninho 96/97

[Gucci Massive]

On a slightly similar note and I may get a bit stick for this but there's a argument when Merson went to Middlesbrough the season after he was best player ever to play second tier football. Certainly in my time of watching footy from mid 80s onwards

He ran the league that year like for Boro. Amazing they didn't win the division with that team. Mind Lee Clark wasn't far behind Merson at the time.

 

[mackembhoy]

Xhaka was 16th in the Balon D'Or at Leverkusen

As much as it's a pile of shite it's a vote for the best players in the World

Therefore Xhaka confirmed as World Class

 

[Be Here Now]

and where would we have finished with Ravanelli and juninho?

Where would we have finished if we'd signed Waddle few weeks earlier than we did

 

[AndrewP]

Couldn’t lace Enzos boots

Disagree, but there's been other top players since.

We've got at least one currently.

 

[El Gen]

Where would we have finished if we'd signed Waddle few weeks earlier than we did

you didn't answer the question

 

[Be Here Now]

you didn't answer the question

Because how would I know where we would have finished in a season 30 years ago if we had them

 

[Bawheed]

Miranda was better

 

[Lawrenceslongthrowin]

Mendieta maybe? 40 Spain caps, twice champs league runner up with Valencia, played for Barca, awarded Uefa midfielder of the year in 2000 and 2001

Mendieta was ok for boro nothing special, Southgate finished him off by not playing him iirc, think he still lives in the area

 

[0321safc]

Had a really weird career. Considering how good he looked at Smogville, and got 40+ caps for a strong Brazil side, his club career was really quite 5hit.

Massively overhyped. The standard of the PL then was way behind La liga and Serie a.

 

[chriswallace85]

The last genuine world class player to play in the north east imo. Slightly before my time but wow the lad is absolutely sensationally good prior to the ankle break in late 90s.

Michael Owen.

 

[The Mole]

Canny player, but it’s a no from me the knars

 

[chriswallace85]

Of course it depends how it’s defined.

If it’s players who were world class when they played in the north east then I’m not having him above Shearer and Isak.

And Michael Owen if we’re talking world class players who played after

The 40 caps for Brazil argument is funny too, they had some distinctly average players alongside some absolute brilliance

Edit: I’m not having him above Given either

I'll never get over the sight of him running about the pitch holding the World Cup.

Edit: I’m not having him above Given either

He definitely wasn't that good.

 

[Bielsas Bucket Boy]

Was around the time of leaving school n mates brother was given work experience at the Swallow Stockton.

Juninho was resident there ages n absolutely spot on with all staff.

Imagine a star being put in somewhere like that now

That place has been knocked down now but at the time it was the height of sophistication…in Stockton

 

[toreandreflop]

Part of an era of "superstars" Boro signed under Bryan Robson that finished below and failed to beat a Sunderland team who's top scorer had 4 goals and biggest name signing was a 37 year old Chris Waddle

…and the top goal scorers were the jarra arra and Paul Stewart iirc not really as marquee compared to the coin they’d been lashing about

 

[biilymack]

Superb player,probably the best Boro fans have seen since Wilf Mannion.

He was very good player but Souness had far more to his game and went on to be one of the best midfielders in Europe at his peak IMO.

 

[Julio Mackemo]

Granit Xhaka 25/26 is the last genuinely world class player to play in the North East.

Is the correct answer

 

[bomber]

He wouldn't get in our current side.

He wad like

 

[Julio Mackemo]

Had a really weird career. Considering how good he looked at Smogville, and got 40+ caps for a strong Brazil side, his club career was really quite 5hit.

Maybe me, though I never thought he was that good. He seemed to be decent at everything but great at nowt.