The making of a legend

[MK5]

The making of a legend is a perfect title on a book about Wenger but I also hope and think it could be what Euro 2004 will be for Thierry Henry. If Thierry plays like he’s done for us during the last 2 seasons this tournament I think he finally will get the recognition he deserves, As one of the very best players of all time.
Personally I can’t see how anyone ever can have been better than Thierry and to be honest I think putting in performances like he’s done in PL and CL against teams like Newcastle, ManU, Chelsea, Valencia, Inter, Roma etc says far more about a players ability than performing in a 4 weeks tournament in which you play half of the games against average national teams. But since this is the world stage and the stage where people will remember players from I really hope Titi can show the world how fantastic he is and people start adding his name when they talking about Pele and Maradona.

 

[lewdikris]

SOrry, but however good Thierry is, he'll never be talked of in the same terms as Pele and Maradonna. **** Cruyff, Beckenbauer and Moore are amongst the other best players in history, and they're not remembered in the same way as the two greatest players in history - and Thierry's not remotely at their level of importance, let alone the top two.

Amazing player, yes. But he's a long way off in terms of that achievement .... so far.

Ask again in 7 years time.

 

[Adam]

If he can do it this summer and in 2006 - then we are talking about scoring alot of goals, at important times, then the world will hail him. It's about the generation of hype - if it gets in full swing, with Thierry scoring in a few finals, then we can see the labels coming out.

It's all in front of him, so we cannot rule it out. He has special elegance and speed to elevate him to that level of recognition.

 

[Mark]

If Henry could guide us to winning the CL, and then guide his country to European Championhip and World Cup wins, scoring and creating lots of goals and generally playing like we know he can play, like he plays for us, then he could surely be up there with Pele and Maradonna. He has the potential to be better than them imo.

 

[MK5]

Imo he's already done enough to be up there amongst the very best, and I think a classic performance with, say a hattrick against England can make it for him.

 

[JazzG]

He needs to trully excel in the CL and a couple major tournaments if he wants to be recognized as one of the all time greats.

 

[lewdikris]

No no and again no. When you talk about Maradonna and Pele you're talking about people who fundamentally altered the game, who did things no-one else can do. Christ. Pele was amongst the first group of black players to play in a world cup - and the social and footballing acceptance of that group created Brazilian football as we accept it today. Pele was the best player of 1958, only 18, would go on to get two more world cup winners medals - including being the heartbeat of the 1970 team which is the pinnacle of football, and probably always will be. He's the most important figure for the diplomatic outreach of football as representative of the poor and socially deprived being liberated by sport. He's a ****ing genius man.

Maradonna's different, but he's the only player - ever - who's won a world-cup virtually single-handedly. Argentina had no top class players in 1986 except him. After the Virgin Mary and Eva Peron he's easily the most culturally worshipped figure in Argentina. He may have been to hell since, but the level of his impact is matchless.

I'm sorry, but it's absolutely absurd to suggest that Thierry has open to him the same path to greatness those two had. Theirry's a great forward, playing at a great club and for a great national team. He may well go on to be considered amongst the great players - in other words he may be comparable to the Van Basten's of this world.

But the great sportsmen - Pele, Maradonna, Ali, Jordan - have an impact that's as much social as it is to do with their achievements. Thierry - for all his ability - has no social impact. He's just a brilliant, awesome footballer. Which is fair enough.

 

[A.Hussain]

i see ur point.

 

[Adam]

It's level of recognition vs ability. Thierry could reach the ability, but in terms of recognition and history - those players had the chance to break into the unknown.

 

[asajoseph]

I think it's unfair to write Thierry off now. It is not impossible that he will yet achieve even greater things, yet now he is, as you say, on a par with people like Moore, Cruyff, Platini et al. He does admittedly have a long way to go for Pele status, that's for sure.

That said, I think he could certainly be said to be one of the greatest(and a case could be made for THE greatest) footballers ever to grace these shores, and I think that there is more to come.

 

[Aussie]

How old is Thierry 27 or 28? He still has many years to go and hopefully those years are in an Arsenal shirt. If he keeps going like he is he could be one of the greatest players of all time. One thing is for sure if he plays out his days in a gunner shirt he could very well be the greatest Arsenal player of all time.

As he said " I want people to remember my name"

 

[jeromelee]

SOrry, but however good Thierry is, he'll never be talked of in the same terms as Pele and Maradonna. f**k Cruyff, Beckenbauer and Moore are amongst the other best players in history, and they're not remembered in the same way as the two greatest players in history - and Thierry's not remotely at their level of importance, let alone the top two.

Amazing player, yes. But he's a long way off in terms of that achievement .... so far.

Ask again in 7 years time.

We cannot compare with players from a different generation because of the difference in the technical aspect of the game. There's just so much difference. Henry definitely has the makings of the greatest player of his generation.

 

[thierrys_girl]

How old is Thierry 27 or 28? He still has many years to go and hopefully those years are in an Arsenal shirt.

i see thierry retiring with us and becoming a legend at this club and in the world.

As he said " I want people to remember my name

trust me Thierry we will never forget you

 

[Sammer]

SOrry, but however good Thierry is, he'll never be talked of in the same terms as Pele and Maradonna. f**k Cruyff, Beckenbauer and Moore are amongst the other best players in history, and they're not remembered in the same way as the two greatest players in history - and Thierry's not remotely at their level of importance, let alone the top two.

Amazing player, yes. But he's a long way off in terms of that achievement .... so far.

Ask again in 7 years time.

We cannot compare with players from a different generation because of the difference in the technical aspect of the game. There's just so much difference. Henry definitely has the makings of the greatest player of his generation.

Yes, but let´s be honest - Zizou is the legend aka Maradonna, Cruyff etc. of our times.

When you look at the names, you hardly have any strikers on that list - it´s the midfield geniouses that have the most profound impact on the game.

By the way, Zizou belongs already to that list - I definately believe that his skill is singular in football.