Which EPL icon do you wish we had signed?

[Shea]

Maybe this thread belongs in general football as it's not about Spurs players

But - I was having this discussion 6 pints in last night with a fellow spurs supporting friend of mine (with a dirty gooner chipping in) and I thought it might make for an interesting discussion on here

Basically I think the key signings of certain foreign imports during the 90s is what made or broke teams and set them up for long term success (at least up until the time the oil money came in and changed the landscape)

My spurs mate said Henry - saying that despite him being the enemy he was world class and the best player ever in the epl and had we had him we would have progressed much faster as a club and become an established and successful cl level outfit

Unsurprisingly the arsenal fan said the same (although made remarks that Henry would never play for us and scum jokes etc)

I - In my half cut state- thought about several options

The most obvious two that came to my head were Cantona and Bergkamp

Cantona took Leeds to the title and then begin the Utd dominance in the 90s which lasted until modern days - surely such a player could have made a huge impact with us (even with the rest of our squad and out terrible managers of the times)

Bergkamp too transformed his club - when he arrived we were neck and neck with arsenal but during his time they left us for dust (although Wenger and many other great signing all played huge roles too)

My final decision however was Peter Schmichael - maybe odd to pick a keeper, but I think he was the rock that Fergie's United success was built on and I think he's the player that could have made the greatest impact for us had we signed him

Anyone agree? Disagree or have different thoughts?

 

[Spurger King]

Tom Cleverley.

 

[Shea]

Tom Cleverley.

While he is truly a EPL icon and a modern legend of the game in the making - if you read my post I did specify foreign import iconic signings

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Uhh... we had Lineker, Gazza, Ginola, Klinsmann & Sheringham (mabye a few others). I'm pretty happy with that. There is no icon from the 90's I's rather have. And those names also throw a kink in your argument. They were great, but didn't set us up for future greatness. If foreign is essential, Ginola & Klinsmann were pretty darn good signings.

 

[Atomic Flea]

Giovani Dos Santos. Oh wait ...

 

[Shea]

Uhh... we had Lineker, Gazza, Ginola, Klinsmann & Sheringham (mabye a few others). I'm pretty happy with that. There is no icon from the 90's I's rather have. And those names also throw a kink in your argument. They were great, but didn't set us up for future greatness. If foreign is essential, Ginola & Klinsmann were pretty darn good signings.

Hadn't gazza and lineker moved on by the start of the epl era?

I agree and certainly some of what makes these players so iconic is that they played in successful teams and perhaps no one player would have been enough to make such a difference

Although klinsmann really made an impact and I believe had he stayed longer we could possibly have developed some more sustained success

 

[Spurger King]

While he is truly a EPL icon and a modern legend of the game in the making - if you read my post I did specify foreign import iconic signings

Cleverley transcends nationality.

However if this God among men isn't allowed, I'd go for Suarez.

I know he's a vile person, but it seemed we were at least in the running before Harry and co decided we didn't need him. Can't help but imagine how good we would have been with an attack of Bale, VDV, and Suarez.

 

[Davids_5]

Hate to say it, but... Bergkamp

 

[Shea]

Matt le Tissier

We did sign him

I'm sure you saw his comments on fantasy football club where he talked about how a contract to play for us was signed and put in a safe ready to be activated at rhe end of the season only for him to change his mind and request the document be ripped up

Apparently Scholar wrote about it in his autobiography

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

Roy Keane.

 

[@Bobby__Lucky]

We did sign him

I'm sure you saw his comments on fantasy football club where he talked about how a contract to play for us was signed and put in a safe ready to be activated at rhe end of the season only for him to change his mind and request the document be ripped up

Apparently Scholar wrote about it in his autobiography

Wasn't it something to do with his Mrs? She didn't want to live or bring up kids in London? I do remember that the contract was ripped up in good will gesture. Shame he was baller.

 

[UncleBuck]

Roy Keane.

Beat me to it, I'd hate to think what he'd be worth today!

 

[@Bobby__Lucky]

Dennis bergkamp for me if just one name.

Henry
Roy Keane
Alonso
Cantona

 

[BehindEnemyLines]

Jaap Stam - we always had great attacking players and a poor defense, but Jaap and Leds would have ruled!

 

[@Bobby__Lucky]

Think drogba could make this list too

 

[@Bobby__Lucky]

And lampard

 

[Shea]

Cleverley transcends nationality.

However if this God among men isn't allowed, I'd go for Suarez.

I know he's a vile person, but it seemed we were at least in the running before Harry and co decided we didn't need him. Can't help but imagine how good we would have been with an attack of Bale, VDV, and Suarez.

I think in recent times Suarez is the natural choice

We actually had the basis of a competitive team already for him to be added to (unlike any of our teams in the 90s)

You only have to look at what Liverpool (almost) did with him at his best (with them having a weaker team than we had when Redknapp determined he was too similar to VdV) to start day dreaming about what might have been

 

[Lufti]

In recent years it would have to be Hazard wouldn't it? He's publicly admitted being in talks to sign for us, and if we'd had him and Bale on the wings, well, everything could have gone a whole lot differently.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Henry

 

[LSUY]

Bergkamp. One of the best players I've ever seen play in person and although a Gooner he seems a thoroughly nice bloke.