There have been some outstanding players in the Premier League over the years, but what ingredients are needed to make a great Premiership player? The English league is widely regarded as the league which is played at the highest tempo, so if a player doesn’t have the grit and determination required this is the league that will find them out!
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes a great Premiership player, as the attributes for each position vary, as a great defender’s make up will be different from a great striker’s. If I had to single out one player who optimises what it is to be a great Premiership player, I would just say the name Steven Gerrard. He has everything in his locker, I’d go as far as saying he is the complete football player. Most players have a weakness, they may be adept at scoring goals but the defensive side of their game is lacking, or they might have excellent defensive skills in terms of tackling and breaking up of play but little in the way of going forward. For me Gerrard can do everything. He has vision and an excellent range of passing and he is a set piece specialist. His tackling is ferocious and solid and he has the ability to shoot with pure power or finesse. He also has leadership qualities and passion, desire and determination.
There aren’t many players who possess all of the attributes required to be a great player in the Premiership and players like Steven Gerrard don’t come along very often. The Premier League has experienced a selection of players who have excelled in other leagues, but when it has come to the Premiership they have been found wanting. Juan Sebastian Veron and Mateja Kezman would fall under this category. They were players who were undoubtedly talented footballers, however they weren’t destined to be great Premiership players as they couldn’t adjust to the pace and high tempo required in Premiership football. In contrast, two players who came from abroad who did have the skill set to make them great Premiership players are Dennis Bergkamp and Gianfranco Zola. Both of these players had the ability to adapt to the pace and power of the Premiership and were still able to exhibit the full extent of their skill and football expertise.
With it being so hard to distinguish what it is that makes a great Premiership player, it ultimately comes down to individual opinions. Is it the all round game that Steven Gerrard encompasses or is the brilliance of a player like Bergkamp, maybe the abundant skill and prolific goal scoring of Thierry Henry. The Premier League is the best league in the world and while there are many great players out there, in my view to be a great Premier League player requires something more than it does to be a great La Liga or Serie A player. You only have to look at the likes of Diego Forlan and Freddie Kanoute who were average Premiership players but have gone on to take La Liga by storm. What’s your view?
The article was written by Tom MacGregor for FootballFancast.com. Make sure to check out the latest news, blogs and podcasts at FFC – ed.
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