Favourite Player as a Kid?

[ATXRED]

 

Couldn't watch football until I was 16, at least not regularly. Baseball was my game when I was younger.

 

Cal Ripken Jr. was everything that was great about baseball when I was growing up. Dedication, class, passion, and consistency. I loved him even more than I loved any of my hometown players. Although, I was a big Mike Scioscia fan too.

 

Edit: I was a pretty serious kid when it came to sport.

[mht1892]

Ian Rush was my idol when I was a kid, when I was playing headers and volleys though I was always pretending to be this legend....

 

 

what a player....Batigol

[mcflynn]

Gerrard, (Real) Ronaldo, Van Hooijdonk (for free kicks) Djorkaeff (mainly for overheads)

[duke2]

Rushie for me too. Had posters of all the Liverpool players on my wall but mainly him, whatever I could find and cut out of the papers. Used to play one on one in the back garden against my older brother who's a blue so it was always lovely to score against him while pretending to be Rush.

 

Outside of Liverpool I didn't really have too many favourites but I remember seeing Escape to Victory (and loving that John Wark was in it) for the first time one Christmas and then going out into the garden to try and master the Pele overhead kick. Time after time I threw the ball into the air and tried to make contact with it on its fall as I tossed myself into the air. must have looked a right gimp.

[captainharris]

Me and all my mates tried always tried to copy the 'in' players at the time too. So when there was a free kick we'd all be Roberto Carlos after he scored that belter in Le Tournoi.

 

Also we'd all be Poborsky, trying to do that lob over the keeper.

[Dan Vito Corleone]

Stanley Collymore.

 

Outrageously talented footballer.

[Ronnie]

Ronnie Whelan for me. I remember 1986 FA cup final. I was watching the match live on TV here. When Rushie scored the 3rd goal the TV moved to Whelan who made that sublime chip to Rushie. Not often that the TV would follow the passer rather than the scorer but that chip was extremely sublime. Also the goal he scored in Milk cup final 1983 against the mancs. Remember his smile until these days.

 

Or when I played centre back then Hansen.

[Chuck Fadanoid]

 

Yep, without question.

 

Outside Liverpool though I used to love Bergkamp. He was a cunt, but he was a fucking talented cunt. Used to try and copy that goal he scored for Holland against the Argies in '98, but it rarely came off.

[LEF]

Mine was always Peter Beardsley he was a class player for us. Later on it was Mcmanaman, some folk hate him now but as a player he was class. Watch Fowlers first 100 goals and see how many Macca has a major hand in.

[DooooodekNo5]

ray houghton was my fav player along with barnes and rush , there was so many great lfc players to be playing headers and volleys in them days, such a shame about europe, we would be on 7 or 8 now no doubt about it.

 

when playing world cup ild always be brazil either careca or romario

[Toddler]

Used to batter it at the keeper as hard as I could and pretend to be Steve Heighway taking a free kick.

 

We also used to take it in turns in being Everton too. Then you'd pretend to be Duncan Ferguson (the old one) and be mis-kicking on purpose and falling over and shit and generally pissing yourself. Oh happy days!

[Kurt]

My first word as a baby was 'Dalglish'

 

True story. My Uncle (on my mpther's side) used to say it to me over and over again so that I'd repeat it and piss off my Dad's dyed in the wool bitter family.

 

It was not the first, but one of the first words i learned after mom and dad was Kevin Keegan. How this came about I dont know as my dad supported West brom and my uncles supported Arsenal or Spurs.

 

Kenny Dalglish was my hero though, and he will forever by my main man!

[Malarkey]

I used to pretend I was Collymore, but if we were doing Internationals I used to pretend I was Maradona. I was too young to have seen Maradona play, but my Uncle used to always say Maradona this and Maradona that, so I just took my Uncle's word for it that he was the greatest player that ever lived!

 

Also, we used to go on the field over the road from my Nan's house at about 12pm go in for our Tea then go back out until about 9pm on light nights. Back on topic, when playing these 'all day' games me and my cousin used to pretend we were the Laudrup brothers!

[sh#t waffle]

Dalglish, then Rush, then Barnes, then Fowler, then I took up smoking.

[odris]

Fowler or Roberto Carlos.

[Guest PaddyBerger15]

Kenny by a mile, then it was Ronnie Whelan. Then it was Paddy Berger.

When I was a nipper, if we played internationals, I was either Paolo Rossi or Marco Tardelli.

[Cath]

The sexiest man ever to wear the Red shirt

 

[discuit]

John Barnes

[thisisanfield]

Fowler. But also agree with Djorkaeff for overhead kicks!

[RJ Fan club]

Kenny

Rushie

Jockey

 

in that order.

[TheLikelyLad]

Fowler for me.

 

My dad bought me a Maradona kit when I was young, loved it. Decent players as well.

[Sangria]

For me my fist one was Keegan remember going to Anfield and knowing he was off to Hamburg, devastated would not have been to strong a word.

Then the King arrived and I knew that I was over it.

King Kenny still rides high above any reds in my time, both on the park and off it.

He will always be our King.

[King Emlyn]

Emlyn Hughes. Wonderful wonderful player.

[Sangria]

I was Ray Clemence; used to spend hours in the garden throwing balls in the air catcing crosses or at the park tipping shots over the bar.

 

Keegan I also idolized.

 

Yes NP I still have a photo of me and Ray up in the house, it has pride of place now but was hid in the roofspace for quite a few years when he went to spurs.

[Sangria]

Emlyn Hughes. Wonderful wonderful player.

 

Defender wise good call Paul, we have been blessed with great defenders over the years but the Mighty Emlyn is up there with any of them.