Open Goal: Top ten players outside the OF

[HibeeSince85]

Si Ferry picks Le God.

“Absolute caviar”

Could not agree more.

No use with links but easy to find on YouTube

[TimeForHeroes16]

John Mcginn has to be there.
Higdon
Hate to say but Roman bednar at the **** to
Adam Rooney

[Sir David Gray]

Is there a time limit on this or is it best players ever?

[Heisenberg]

Is there a time limit on this or is it best players ever?

Think it was the best players since the SPL was formed.

[Gloucester Hibs]

McGinn
Andy Robertson
Nemsadze
McFadden

[calumhibee1]

In my time it would have to be:

Sauzee
McGinn
David Murphy
Andy Robertson
McFadden

And controversially..

Fyssas
Skacel (as much as we all hate the guy his record in Scotland was phenomenal)

One thing doing a list like this has made me realise is that Aberdeen pretty much never have a player of real note for being one of the bigger clubs.

Can’t remember much of the raj Dundee team - were any of the big names actually any good for them?

[calumhibee1]

Si Ferry picks Le God.

“Absolute caviar”

Could not agree more.

No use with links but easy to find on YouTube

And Kevin Kyle picks Sauzee at number 9 with folk like Skácel and Eremenko ahead of him. 😂

[Michael]

In my time it would have to be:

Sauzee
McGinn
David Murphy
Andy Robertson
McFadden

And controversially..

Fyssas
Skacel (as much as we all hate the guy his record in Scotland was phenomenal)

One thing doing a list like this has made me realise is that Aberdeen pretty much never have a player of real note for being one of the bigger clubs.

Can’t remember much of the raj Dundee team - were any of the big names actually any good for them?

Fabian Caballero was decent.

[MWHIBBIES]

John Mcginn has to be there.
Higdon
Hate to say but Roman bednar at the **** to
Adam Rooney

Rooney and Higdon over Zitelli? Higdon had one good season. Moult and McFadden both better Motherwell strikers.

[Sir David Gray]

Think it was the best players since the SPL was formed.

Derek Riordan has to be up there then.

[Fergos]

Ravanelli and Cannigia at Dundee worth a shout.

GGTTH

[Baader]

Derek Riordan has to be up there then.

He played for Celtic regrettably!

[Smartie]

In my time it would have to be:

Sauzee
McGinn
David Murphy
Andy Robertson
McFadden

And controversially..

Fyssas
Skacel (as much as we all hate the guy his record in Scotland was phenomenal)

One thing doing a list like this has made me realise is that Aberdeen pretty much never have a player of real note for being one of the bigger clubs.

Can’t remember much of the raj Dundee team - were any of the big names actually any good for them?

Graeme Shinnie had an outstanding few years for Aberdeen. Jonny Hayes before that was good for them (can you have players who have played for the OF later?). Niall McGinn and GMS were both good in fits and starts for them too. You could probably make a decent argue for Lewis in recent years too, there haven't been as many GK's as good as him.

There are quite a few players who were fairly insignificant at the OF but immense at other clubs - Latapy, Hartley, Hayes, Riordan etc.

[calumhibee1]

Graeme Shinnie had an outstanding few years for Aberdeen. Jonny Hayes before that was good for them (can you have players who have played for the OF later?). Niall McGinn and GMS were both good in fits and starts for them too. You could probably make a decent argue for Lewis in recent years too, there haven't been as many GK's as good as him.

There are quite a few players who were fairly insignificant at the OF but immense at other clubs - Latapy, Hartley, Hayes, Riordan etc.

True. All good players for Aberdeen. Think they’re more forgettable for me because they either weren’t outstanding like McGinn and Robertson or exotic and sublime like Le God. Their good players are well suited to Aberdeen as a city - all a bit dull!

[calumhibee1]

Ravanelli and Cannigia at Dundee worth a shout.

GGTTH

Did Ravanelli not only play a couple of games?

[Wilson]

Did Ravanelli not only play a couple of games?

Thought the same. The white feather was finished by the time he got to Dundee. Cannigia was good for them though.

[The Modfather]

Russell Anderson. I remember a good few years in a row where we would lay siege to Aberdeen at home but Anderson would almost single handedly keep us at bay and we’d draw 0-0 or somehow lose 1-0.

[Brightside]

Paul Hanlon.

[Robbo6-2]

And Kevin Kyle picks Sauzee at number 9 with folk like Skácel and Eremenko ahead of him. 😂

It wasny done in any particular order.

The previous podcast about the 10 worst players was magic

[overdrive]

McGinn
Andy Robertson
Nemsadze
McFadden

I'd totally forgotten about him. Brilliant player

[MikeyS]

Did Ravanelli not only play a couple of games?

That doesn't matter to the bantersauras rex's on Open Goal,they just like making a racket & I'm not sure they do much research in to these things. Kyle admits he didn't know many of the players in the SPL either.

Juan Sara was a very good player in that Dundee team though, as was Nemsadze and the Georgian defender that went to Rangers and Blackburn.

[Just_Jimmy]

Thought the same. The white feather was finished by the time he got to Dundee. Cannigia was good for them though.Then went to rangers so is not counted.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

[DJ HIBBY]

Russell Anderson. I remember a good few years in a row where we would lay siege to Aberdeen at home but Anderson would almost single handedly keep us at bay and we’d draw 0-0 or somehow lose 1-0.

I still remember to this day Tony Rougier running rings around a young Russell Anderson at Easter Road. Was unbelievable how good Rougier was that day, Anderson subbed after 30 minutes!

[Just_Jimmy]

That doesn't matter to the bantersauras rex's on Open Goal,they just like making a racket & I'm not sure they do much research in to these things. Kyle admits he didn't know many of the players in the SPL either.

Juan Sara was a very good player in that Dundee team though, as was Nemsadze and the Georgian defender that went to Rangers and Blackburn.Kishnasvilli (other forms of spelling are available [emoji23])

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

[MikeyS]

Kishnasvilli (other forms of spelling are available [emoji23])

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

A+ for effort mate. I knew the name but wasnt even going to attempt spelling it👍🏻😂

[DJ HIBBY]

Stephen Glass in his Aberdeen days was a tremendous player, not sure how far back they are going with this vote. Wand of a left foot.

Eremenko at Killie also excellent for a brief spell too.

In the McLeish era was always a fan of Zitelli and Paco Luna. Luna had the ability to be so much better than he was. Him and Benji just suffered from desire and work rate to go up a level

[JDT]

Kishnasvilli (other forms of spelling are available [emoji23])

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

He signed for the Rangers so wouldn't count. I'd have Sauzee and McFadden as the greatest for the careers they've had.

[MikeyS]

Steven Fletcher has to be in the top 5 at least too

[Sir David Gray]

He played for Celtic regrettably!

Aw ok got you. Thought it was any player that had played for a non Old Firm club.

[Smartie]

I'd totally forgotten about him. Brilliant player

Were we not quite heavily linked with him a few years before he ultimately ended up at Dundee?

I agree though, excellent player.

[Just_Jimmy]

He signed for the Rangers so wouldn't count. I'd have Sauzee and McFadden as the greatest for the careers they've had.I know that. I was quoting the previous poster who mentioned him but not his name.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

[Sir David Gray]

Ravanelli and Cannigia at Dundee worth a shout.

GGTTH

Caniggia played for the huns so wouldn't count.

[Gloucester Hibs]

Considering Aberdeen’s domination of being the “best of the rest”, not many standout players spring to mind? Shinnie I guess, and McLean has done well at Norwich.

[Hibeesmad]

Kasper Schmeichel and Tim Krul both played for Falkirk.

[Sir David Gray]

Considering Aberdeen’s domination of being the “best of the rest”, not many standout players spring to mind? Shinnie I guess, and McLean has done well at Norwich.

Ryan Fraser?

[Gloucester Hibs]

Ryan Fraser?

Good shout.

[Barman Stanton]

They were absolutely gushing about Steven Fletcher. Couldn’t praise him enough. Yet hardly even mentioned here. Always found it weird that many Hibs fans don’t seem to rate Fletcher all that much. Perhaps we were spoilt with the other young strikers we had at the time. Thought he was a great player though and would be high up on my list (behind Sauzee and McGinn).

[Just_Jimmy]

They were absolutely gushing about Steven Fletcher. Couldn’t praise him enough. Yet hardly even mentioned here. Always found it weird that many Hibs fans don’t seem to rate Fletcher all that much. Perhaps we were spoilt with the other young strikers we had at the time. Thought he was a great player though and would be high up on my list (behind Sauzee and McGinn).Also often feel his two goals in the 2007 final get forgotten. Maybe this is just due to the recent Scottish cup win.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

[calumhibee1]

They were absolutely gushing about Steven Fletcher. Couldn’t praise him enough. Yet hardly even mentioned here. Always found it weird that many Hibs fans don’t seem to rate Fletcher all that much. Perhaps we were spoilt with the other young strikers we had at the time. Thought he was a great player though and would be high up on my list (behind Sauzee and McGinn).

I never really took to Fletcher in the same way as many of our young players. His goals record was average at best which as a striker I always thought meant he was over rated.

To be fair I now realise he’s good at other things and brings more to the teams he plays for than just goals. I still don’t think he’s exceptional though.

[JammyDoidger]

Ooooh Zemmama:flag:

[JammyDoidger]

Some of the livi players were Absoloutely superb when they were finishing in the european spots.
juanjo Camacho
rolando zarate
Quino
to name a few.

[hibbysam]

I never really took to Fletcher in the same way as many of our young players. His goals record was average at best which as a striker I always thought meant he was over rated.

To be fair I now realise he’s good at other things and brings more to the teams he plays for than just goals. I still don’t think he’s exceptional though.

Mental. His goal record was something like 1 in 3, which isn’t ‘average’ when you think of how good he was technically, how many of those games he played in when he was 17-20 years old(more than half his games for us), and how much he brought other people into play. The best player to come through our youth academy and his career has shown that.

[NASAHIBS]

Jim Leighton for a goalkeeper must have a shout.

[Barman Stanton]

Mental. His goal record was something like 1 in 3, which isn’t ‘average’ when you think of how good he was technically, how many of those games he played in when he was 17-20 years old(more than half his games for us), and how much he brought other people into play. The best player to come through our youth academy and his career has shown that.

He also played out on the left for many of his games.

[erin go bragh]

Garry O’Connor no 😉

[Gloucester Hibs]

Re: Fletcher. There are very few players who, when they eventually move on, you can say (even with green-tinted glasses on) that they have reached a higher level and deserve their move. McGinn and Scott Brown a couple of others.

Fletch also transformed himself into a strong imposing centre forward by the end of his Hibs career which he wasn’t when playing understudy to Deeks and GOC.

[Del Boy]

Russell Anderson at Aberdeen and Kjell Olofsson at United are two players who always stood out

[calumhibee1]

Mental. His goal record was something like 1 in 3, which isn’t ‘average’ when you think of how good he was technically, how many of those games he played in when he was 17-20 years old(more than half his games for us), and how much he brought other people into play. The best player to come through our youth academy and his career has shown that.

It’s much closer to one in four than one in three - with him getting around 10 per season on average.

Like I said, I’ve appreciated more as I’ve got older that there’s more to being a striker than purely scoring goals - and that’s more his game. But it’s still the biggest part of a strikers game and considering his record at us I’m surprised we got what we did for him.

I also reckon Browns career has had a much more successful career than Fletcher who kept getting relegated and has more found his level in the championship now.

[MWHIBBIES]

It’s much closer to one in four than one in three - with him getting around 10 per season on average.

Like I said, I’ve appreciated more as I’ve got older that there’s more to being a striker than purely scoring goals - and that’s more his game. But it’s still the biggest part of a strikers game and considering his record at us I’m surprised we got what we did for him.

I also reckon Browns career has had a much more successful career than Fletcher who kept getting relegated and has more found his level in the championship now.

Of course it has been more successful, he has sat at Celtic dominated with a dead rangers providing zero challenge.

Fletcher was a very solid premier league player for 3 years before injuries and fitness issues hurt him. That was his level, well above the one Brown played at tbh.

[1875Sean]

Garry O’Connor no 😉

To be fair to them they did mention Garry and Fletch along with McGinn and Sauzee

Loved it when big Kevin Kyle mentions Skacel and the other boys went on to say he wouldn’t get in an old firm team

[calumhibee1]

Of course it has been more successful, he has sat at Celtic dominated with a dead rangers providing zero challenge.

Fletcher was a very solid premier league player for 3 years before injuries and fitness issues hurt him. That was his level, well above the one Brown played at tbh.

I’m not just talking about trophies - he’s captained one of the biggest clubs in Britain for about 10 years maybe? Played in some massive European games, win over Barcelona etc. Captained his country for years. Will go down as a legend at one of the biggest clubs in Britain. Whether it was in Scotland or not, Browns career has been a hell of a lot more impressive than Fletchers where he’s been relegated a few times in the EPL, scored a few goals in it, played for Scotland on and off and spent most of it in the Championship.

I’ve nothing against Fletch btw :greengrin

[LeithMike]

Mark Viduka. Temperamental but on his day he was a fantastic player. I remember a 0-0 game at Easter Road I think under McLeish or Sauzee's management and Viduka was pure class.

Moravcik was also a cracking player but I'd have to go with Russell over him.

David Murphy was also a great shout. One of the most underrated players ever. If he'd had pace he would have been a world beater.

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

[Since452]

Some belters.

Eremenko at Killie was sheer quality

[calumhibee1]

Mark Viduka. Temperamental but on his day he was a fantastic player. I remember a 0-0 game at Easter Road I think under McLeish or Sauzee's management and Viduka was pure class.

Moravcik was also a cracking player but I'd have to go with Russell over him.

David Murphy was also a great shout. One of the most underrated players ever. If he'd had pace he would have been a world beater.

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

Outside the OF. Moravcik was very good though.

[HibeeSince85]

I was a bit vague on the OP. The players have to have played in Scotland since 1998 but never for the OF

What’s struck me is how many we have had. Sauzee, Zitelli, big Gaz, Fletch, Zemmama, Murph, SJM

[Pretty Boy]

Juan Sara at Dundee was a player I enjoyed watching. Fabian Cabalerro was an outstanding player, right out the top drawer. Speroni the keeper as well. They had some great players at that time.

Fyssas at Hearts is an obvious one. He was far too good for that gang. Annoyingly I'd include Skacel in the list as well, when he fancied it he was a cracking player. Colin Cameron, who is a really nice guy, as well. I'm wary of starting a Hearts love in but Bruno Aguiar is a player I would have absolutely loved to have seen in a Hibs strip. He was another who was too good for them

Andy Robertson won't be remembered for his spell at Dundee Utd in years to come but he didn't get a move south for nothing. I know he started at Celtic but I'm not counting that.

Aberdeen is a team I go blank with when thinking about top players in recent years. Maddison obviously but he's kicked on a lot since his spell there. Zerouali was a bit of an entertainer.

McCarthy and McArthur at Hamilton. Both quite obviously destined for bigger things and were stand outs in their teens in that team.

McFadden at Motherwell. A proper old fashioned get you out of your seat type.

I'm taking the Hibs candidates as a given and I think most have already been mentioned.

[hibbysam]

It’s much closer to one in four than one in three - with him getting around 10 per season on average.

Like I said, I’ve appreciated more as I’ve got older that there’s more to being a striker than purely scoring goals - and that’s more his game. But it’s still the biggest part of a strikers game and considering his record at us I’m surprised we got what we did for him.

I also reckon Browns career has had a much more successful career than Fletcher who kept getting relegated and has more found his level in the championship now.

Sorry, a goal every 3.6 games across his hibs career. He only scored 15 in 70 games in his first three seasons though at 17, 18 and 19, which in some way wrecks his stats.

His last three seasons were exceptional and you can mention his relegations, but then there’s a reason that he went for big bucks after his relegation. He also went and played for one of the biggest clubs in France. There’s not a massive abundance of players outwith the old firm up here, and outside the top 6 down south, average over 10 goals a season in the league and have a better all round game.

Browns a good player, in my opinion he was even better at us than he is now, but he has matured, but in reality he’s coasted to a load of titles up here.

[where'stheslope]

Maybe a little controversial but I think Craig Levein was a great player and was going to get better until injuries ravaged his career.
Much the same has happened to Soapy Souttar, looked very promising then horrendous injuries.

[Gloucester Hibs]

Not a single mention of the far and away all time top scorer Kris Boyd... :offski:

Played for the Huns!

[BoomtownHibees]

John Mcginn has to be there.
Higdon
Hate to say but Roman bednar at the **** to
Adam Rooney

Bednar scored 13 goals in 49 games for them. No exactly prolific!!

[LeithMike]

Outside the OF. Moravcik was very good though.D'oh. Makes it hard for Hibs players then as most of our best ones have gone to the old firm. In addition to Sauzee, Michael O'Neil is worth a mention - he really came on to be a fantastic player in his last couple of seasons. Sol Bamba also worth a shout for the defence.

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

[Sammy7nil]

Not read the thread but a few nominations

Keith Wright
Kevin McAllister (not just his time at Hibs)
Gary Smith
Mixu
David Murphy
Jim Leighton
Boozy

[marleyhib]

Georgi Nemsadze was very decent for Dundee

[jacomo]

Russell Anderson. I remember a good few years in a row where we would lay siege to Aberdeen at home but Anderson would almost single handedly keep us at bay and we’d draw 0-0 or somehow lose 1-0.


Good shout. He was a fine centre back.

[jacomo]

It’s much closer to one in four than one in three - with him getting around 10 per season on average.

Like I said, I’ve appreciated more as I’ve got older that there’s more to being a striker than purely scoring goals - and that’s more his game. But it’s still the biggest part of a strikers game and considering his record at us I’m surprised we got what we did for him.

I also reckon Browns career has had a much more successful career than Fletcher who kept getting relegated and has more found his level in the championship now.


I remember at the time that the coaches were raving about Fletcher. He was scouted heavily at Hibs. He was only 17 when he broke into our first team - he wasn’t strong enough to play CF then but Mowbray wanted to give him as much experience as possible.

Maybe his career didn’t go quite where it could have done but he’s done very well.

Scott Brown is the most successful player in Scotland of his generation. I very much doubt he cares at all what his critics might say.