Not many people would have ever thought it was possible, but time and time again, throughout the decades, Scotland have often overcome seemingly insurmountable odds and managed to be even more rubbish than England are.
All this aside though, the fact remains that for such a tiny nation they have produced an extraordinary number of top class footballers.
Conspicuously absent from every all time greatest list ever compiled on the Caf are Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness. The latter I'm led to believe was some sort of midfield superhero hybrid who combined the dynamism of Steven Gerrard, Deco's passing, Roy Keane's inspirational leadership and Vinnie Jones' thuggery. Meanwhile Kenny Dalglish is universally regarded as Liverpool's greatest ever player, which takes some doing when you remember that we're England's most successful club (18 League Titles 5 European Cups).
Throw in Jimmy Johnstone, who Celtic fans regard as their greatest player despite King Kenny's having played there thereby making him greater than the greatest player to play at England's most successful club (18/5) and you've got 3 players who could match any 3 players that any other country could lay claim to.
Beyond those three you've got names like Billy Bremner, John White, Dave Mackay, Alan Hansen, Ian St.John, not to mention United legend Dennis Law, whom unfortunately only long-time United fans like Jasonrh can claim to know much much about (he's his favourite player you know!).
All up, that's 8 of the finest players ever to grace a football pitch. Unfortunately only one of these players is a defender, and that's where this otherwise fantastic idea for a thread could fall to pieces. This is where you knowledgable caftards enter the fray, first in finding 3 more players to complete the Scotland line-up as well as players I've missed, then in naming your all time England line-up before finally leading an intelligent and well-informed discussion of the question contained in the thread title.
Failing that, let's just have another greatest ever XI thread where loads of nameless gimps post names in formation.
All this aside though, the fact remains that for such a tiny nation they have produced an extraordinary number of top class footballers.
Conspicuously absent from every all time greatest list ever compiled on the Caf are Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness. The latter I'm led to believe was some sort of midfield superhero hybrid who combined the dynamism of Steven Gerrard, Deco's passing, Roy Keane's inspirational leadership and Vinnie Jones' thuggery. Meanwhile Kenny Dalglish is universally regarded as Liverpool's greatest ever player, which takes some doing when you remember that we're England's most successful club (18 League Titles 5 European Cups).
Throw in Jimmy Johnstone, who Celtic fans regard as their greatest player despite King Kenny's having played there thereby making him greater than the greatest player to play at England's most successful club (18/5) and you've got 3 players who could match any 3 players that any other country could lay claim to.
Beyond those three you've got names like Billy Bremner, John White, Dave Mackay, Alan Hansen, Ian St.John, not to mention United legend Dennis Law, whom unfortunately only long-time United fans like Jasonrh can claim to know much much about (he's his favourite player you know!).
All up, that's 8 of the finest players ever to grace a football pitch. Unfortunately only one of these players is a defender, and that's where this otherwise fantastic idea for a thread could fall to pieces. This is where you knowledgable caftards enter the fray, first in finding 3 more players to complete the Scotland line-up as well as players I've missed, then in naming your all time England line-up before finally leading an intelligent and well-informed discussion of the question contained in the thread title.
Failing that, let's just have another greatest ever XI thread where loads of nameless gimps post names in formation.
