The Owen Hargreaves debate

[fred milne]

I must admit that from the limited amounts I've seen of him he looks a reasonable player - not a world-beater by any stretch but certainly not worthy of the abuse that is being heaped on his head.

 

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Why are the knives out for England's best defensive midfielder?

 

Rob SmythJune 7, 2006 11:42 AM

 

Owen Hargreaves may be the only watercarrier in the village, but try telling that to little Britain. Ever since England's World Cup squad was announced with 412 midfielders and only four strikers, Hargreaves has been constantly ridiculed on the basis of... well, on the basis of what, exactly?

 

Small minds, it would seem. Hargreaves is quite simply England's best defensive midfielder, not exactly an unimportant position in modern football, and the only man in the squad capable of playing the role in its broadest sense. Of course he has limits, but so did Gilberto Silva in 2002, Didier Deschamps in 1998, Carlos Dunga in 1994, and so on. Not everyone can run the ball down blind alleys as thrillingly as Theo Walcott or Joe Cole.

 

Besides, Hargreaves' qualities become especially vital in view of Sven-Goran Eriksson*s modus operandi: score first and squeeze the bejeesus out of a game.

 

The problem, of course, is that Hargreaves plays abroad and so becomes an easy target. And while it's heartwarming to envisage the English footballing cognoscenti taking time out from chewing wasps at their Hackett conventions to fly to Germany every weekend and keep tabs on Hargreaves' form, it's not likely. They've never seen him play for Bayern. And if we're going on country form alone, that Steven Gerrard's not up to much, is he? So Hargreaves is crap because, err, he just is, alright? He's Owen effing Hargreaves. If he can play for England, so can you and I.

 

Hargreaves is the latest victim of English football's most insidious phenomenon: the consensus that spreads throughout the country in no time, and enables people to pass off as gospel comments about a player they have barely seen. When it comes to misinformation, Chinese whispers have nothing

on the English discourse.

 

So Tony Adams was a donkey; ditto Gary Neville; Andy Cole needed seven chances to score; Teddy Sheringham was far too old to be part of England's 1998 team - he was 32! Look how slow he was! He'd be in a wheelchair by 40!

 

Then there's David Beckham who, in an unfortunate coincidence for Real Madrid, literally went from the world's greatest player ever to completely crap the day he joined them. In fact, let's get Aaron Lennon in for Beckham. He looked good against Bolton, he'll murder Roberto Carlos.

 

Let's be clear on this: Hargreaves has not come from the Greek league. He plays regularly for one of the world's biggest clubs, Bayern Munich, and has won more titles than anybody in the England squad bar Neville and Beckham. He played 120 minutes of a Champions League final with remarkable sang-froid at the age of 20. If he is not one of the best 23 players in England, then Jermaine Jenas is.

 

It is Jenas, football's first ever jack of no trades and master of none, who is the real duffer in Eriksson's squad. Studies show that, of the 124,561,892,756 paths any given football match can take, not one will prompt a manager to think: "I need Jermaine Jenas here." Yet nobody criticises him.

 

Then again, he plays in England.

 

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/worldcup06/200...im_of_litt.html

[sean]

Didn't bother with the article, the guy's shoite.

[Gray - YPC]

I am 100% convinced that the level of criticism that heads his way is because he's playing in German, and has a German accent.

 

The little-Englanders must hate that!!

 

Plus... he's probbo turned down Spurs (everyone else has) so that's another black mark!

[fred milne]

I am 100% convinced that the level of criticism that heads his way is because he's playing in German, and has a German accent.

Canadian accent you mean?

[Gray - YPC]

Canadian accent you mean?

I know he grew up there, but he deffo sounds German to me...

[Kahnee]

The best defensive midfielder in the squad? Feck off is he

[Armin_Tamzarian]

I think he's a good player. The bit part roles he's given don't give him much chance to shine. Played in his best position, for sufficient time to develop an understanding he'd make that midfield far more secure.

[Stevie H]

canadian accent, the rusedski / lewis element plus simply never having played in england. if he'd played here, proved himself and then moved abroad it'd be a different matter. so it's snobbery over the bundesliga really.

[Guest Scot]

canadian accent, the rusedski / lewis element plus simply never having played in england. if he'd played here, proved himself and then moved abroad it'd be a different matter. so it's snobbery over the bundesliga really.

 

And that he's ordinary

[fred milne]

so it's snobbery over the bundesliga really.

Think its more that that.

 

England having to resort to drafting in Canadians? Are we no better than Jack Charlton's Ireland?

 

That kind of thing.

Edited June 7, 2006 by fred milne

[Stevie H]

Think its more that that.

 

England having to resort to drafting in Canadians? Are we no better than Jack Charlton's Ireland?

 

That kind of thing.

agree that there's probably an element of that, but i really do believe that if he'd played in the premiership and proven himself to domestic audiences then there wouldn't be half the problem.

[Guest TanMan]

And that he's ordinary, at a push.

 

Gerrard, Carrick, King, Carragher, Jenas and Barry are all better defensive midfielders than he is.

[Kahnee]

agree that there's probably an element of that, but i really do believe that if he'd played in the premiership and proven himself to domestic audiences then there wouldn't be half the problem.

 

He's had more than enough chances to prove himself at international level, but barring a handful of good games he has never proved that he is worthy of inclusion

[McBain]

I think it's great he made the squad.

 

I may have two crap feet, a pair of knees that cant take any strain, and 10 years of solid drinking behind me. But if Hargreaves can make the England squad then i'm not giving up hope yet

 

Keep Sven on and sack McClaren I reckon

[fred milne]

And that he's ordinary

Nicky Butt has always been the very definition of the word ordinary but he was a useful player to have around in Japan/Korea four years ago.

Edited June 7, 2006 by fred milne

[Guest Scot]

Nicky Butt has always been the very definition of the word ordinary but he was a useful player to have around in Japan/Korea four years ago.

 

He was about the best avaialable of his sort. Hargreaves wouldn't make my top 5.

[Bootle Buck]

He's a very basic player that wouldn't set the English league alight by any means. Ledley King, Carra, Scott Parker, Michael Carrick would all start ahead of him if fit IMO. I put him on par with Phil Neville.

[Stevie H]

He was about the best avaialable of his sort. Hargreaves wouldn't make my top 5.

how much have you actually seen of him though? 23 substitute appearances, usually not in his best position which is defensive mid, are hardly representative. he's a regular for bayern munich and won the champions league with them giving a MOTM performance in the final. i think he gets a rough deal.

[fred milne]

Hargreaves wouldn't make my top 5.

Who do you put ahead of him in that role?

Edited June 7, 2006 by fred milne

[Maldini]

He's a bit like Momo (albeit a worse version) he wins back a hell of a lot of ball and covers an amazing amount of ground, but isn't as effective in possession as he should be.

[McBain]

Who do you put ahead of him in that role?

 

Scott Parker would be one. Not a great player by any means but certainly better than Hargreaves

[Mike]

i am a far better player than owen hargreaves.

the only thing he trumps me on is running.

[Guest Scot]

Who do you put ahead of him in that role?

 

Carrick, King, Parker, Carragher, Jenas,

 

I'd think about P Neville ahead of him too.

[Lee W]

I'd think about P Neville ahead of him too.

 

...whilst under the influence of Rohypnol.

[Bigal]

Not in the squad but is english, I reckon reo-coker is a better defensive midfielder than hargreaves