10 Apr 2020 20:18:29
Question for everyone, but if fun I guess.

You can bring back either a prime vidic or Ferdinand to our side? Who do you bring in and why?

For me it has to be Rio. Class on the ball, read the game brilliantly and showed some great leadership especially around 2007-2010. I still think he's one of the best to play in the premier league and he'd suit the modern era perfectly.


1.) 11 Apr 2020
11 Apr 2020 00:15:55
Is it even a debate?

As much as I love vidic, he was a complete liability against any kind of direct runner. We tend to gloss over it a lot because of the special moments and rightly so imo, but he wasn't a patch on Rio for me.


2.) 11 Apr 2020
11 Apr 2020 01:30:29
Stam or Rio and you might bring some debate. Rio over both for me.


3.) 11 Apr 2020
11 Apr 2020 05:47:55
Vidic all day for me.
Absolute BEAST.


4.) 11 Apr 2020
11 Apr 2020 08:50:26
Stam is our best ever centre half. Absolute beast.


5.) 11 Apr 2020
11 Apr 2020 11:56:34
I tend to agree with most of the posts here. When you pick your centre backs you want to find players who work well together, whose talents work blend with those around them.

Maguire's weaknesses are poor positioning and a lack of recovery pace.

Although Vidic had excellent sense of where to be. His weakness was a lack of recovery pace.

Having two centre backs who lack pace would be a nightmare. Therefore the only sensible option is Rio Ferdinand.


6.) 11 Apr 2020
11 Apr 2020 12:28:34
Vidic would be a liability in the age of VAR. his physicality would be completely nullified. Rio was a phenomenal defender, and would excel in the modern game, as would Stam.


7.) 11 Apr 2020
11 Apr 2020 12:53:15
With out question Rio I don't even think it's a difficult decision.


8.) 11 Apr 2020
11 Apr 2020 20:49:44
Find myself agreeing with Shappy and Jred. Been fortunate to see from and including Bill Foulkes. On to Jim Holton, Martin Buchan, Japan Stam, yet the Rolls Royce was Rio. Utterly World class.


9.) 11 Apr 2020
11 Apr 2020 21:57:07
Funny you mention bill foulkes red man. My grandfather often mentions him to me. Says that Rio is the only one he’s seen that’s better. He often says the only way to define a great players is by looking at how good they could have been in other eras. He believes Rio could play in any era he was that good.

Red man, did you get to see Duncan Edwards play? Unfortunately there’s so little footage about on him these days. I just have stories from my grandad, who maintains he’s the greatest player he’s ever seen.


10.) 11 Apr 2020
11 Apr 2020 22:47:10
Paul McGrath for me lads over them all 😊.


11.) 11 Apr 2020
11 Apr 2020 13:20:51
Paul McGrath was our best Centre Back but unfortunately our best drunk. i'm pretty sure Redman will agree on both fronts😷😷.


12.) 12 Apr 2020
12 Apr 2020 13:13:46
Caolan

I am not old enough to have seen Edwards, my brothers told me about him though.

Bill Foulkes was a lovely man, I knew the family, wonderful people. Met him a number of times. He lived near to my mum for a number of years as did many United players, before Alderley, Prestbury and Wilmslow became the thing. One sunny day my mum and I went with him (when he was still playing) and his family as a guest to Mere Golf club where he was a member. I seem to remember they had an outdoor swimming pool. I have a lot of time for the late Bill and family. He was a rock of a player that I saw towards the end of his career. Unheralded in all the glory. The pitches were awful back then, but Bill was a very good defender.

I would mention Buchan, a Rolls Royce of a footballer and Stam as two great centre backs. Interesting centre backs are often better in pairs when they find the right one and it felt like neither Buchan or Stam found the right partner. Bruce and Pallister were really good together but individually I was not as convinced as when together.

Paul McGrath, really good player, powerful and able to adapt and recover positions. Not as good as Rio who had it all. Rio could command on his own and found a partner in Vidic that also worked. I have told the story before but a very drunk McGrath once collapsed across the bar in a pub I was in and had to be carried out. It was a Thursday night before a game at the weekend, we all know who his drinking partner was, he managed, just, to stay upright. McGrath could have been better if he had focussed but I just think Rio was better as a footballer.

It flags to me we need to find the right partner for Maguire.