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Best foreign player in the English Premiership

April 25th, 2008 | By: Jan | 9 Comments »

You’d almost shout out FOUL!…

The Best Player of the English Premiership has just been selected. And I was already for it: bottle of Oranjebitter, Oranje jersey with number 10, Andre Hazes on the CD player and all ready to some Dutch community singing (which goes: ole ole ole ole ole oooollleeeeee, or another classic: lalllaaaalalallaalalaaaalalalaaaaa)… But to no evail…

They made a mistake.

They picked Eric Cantona over Dennis. They picked an overweight French player over our Non-flying Dutchman. Eric the Terrible vs Dennis the Menace. Eric won. Probably used a karate kick to overturn the judges, while Dennis sat quietly in the corner with a cup of tea, caressing the ball… Softly, sweetly… The poet lost out against the gangsta rapper. The artist beaten by the bulldozer… Michelangelo number two, Henry Rollins number one.

Where’s justice?

Bloody English!

No, but seriously… It is an outrage.

The Enghlish monthly four four two (will they ever change their name to : four-two-three-one??) held a vote and Cantona won, Dennis was runner up and Thierry Henry became number 3. Cantona played 5 seasons in England (Leeds United and Man United).

In the Top-100, the French score best with 12 players. Holland came second with ten players in the top hundred. Other Dutchies: Ruud Gullit (12), Ruud van Gol (18), Jimmy Floyd Haisselbaink (27), Arnold Muhren (28), Frans Thijssen (29), Marc Overmars (51), Edwin van der Sar (54) and Pierre van Hooijdonk (85).

What can you expect from a magazine with such a name?

Maybe this will learn them a lesson:

Tags: Background stories, Dennis Bergkamp, Eric Cantona, Jaap Stam, Marc Overmars

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Comments

By goose | April 26th, 2008 at 2:30 am

what!! i knew the engllish were a bit odd (i blame it on beeing an island and so having many cent. of inbred!! haaha.. just joking!)

Cantona is one of the most overrated footballers in modern history….i hate him with a passion..what an arrogant hairy frog he is

Posted from Netherlands

By alaa | April 26th, 2008 at 10:07 am

cantona was a good player, but there is no way in hell to compare him to bergkamp, are they kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
man i am not saying this because i am a biggggggggggggg fan of the orange, but i am being objective now, not only bergkamp, even henry is much better than cantona, i donno how the classification can be cantona first bergkamp second and henry thrid.
cantona was just a good player, but he wasn’t unforgettable, he doesn’t have 20% of what zidane have for example!!!!!
i think if they watched bergkamp’s goals and assists before they took the choice i am sure they would’ve picked bergkamp, but maybe the ones who did it were just drunk english men!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted from United States

By Caleb | April 26th, 2008 at 11:40 am

“Probably used a karate kick to overturn the judges, while Dennis sat quietly in the corner with a cup of tea, caressing the ball… Softly, sweetly…”

Haha! Good one Jan! And that’s a great video too (the embedded video’s are a great new addition). Most of the voters must have been Mancunians…

By Miguel Rosado | April 26th, 2008 at 12:33 pm

I don’t care about that poll I know Bergkamp was much better. And if Henry was nominated I can’t understand why Ruud wasn’t? I mean when they both played in the Premier league they always fought for the best scorer of the league.

By JVB21 | April 26th, 2008 at 1:24 pm

One would think that an English magazine would choose the player with class and dignity, the one that showed respect for the game and it’s fans, not a mumbling aspiring actor. 442’s selection is both ironic and fitting of their editorial style.

Besides, I’m pretty sure we all know who the Queen would pick…

Posted from Canada

By finnster01 | April 26th, 2008 at 5:10 pm

Class and dignity? From the country that gave us Hooliganism, Heysel and Hillsborough?

You are asking way too much. Bergkamp was pure class, never made much noise but let his football do the talking. He made a lot of EPL fans appreciate the Dutch style. He was awesome.

I never saw him karate kick any fans in the stands, but I guess in order to make a name for yourself in the EPL you have to do that.

Dennis was pure class, still is, and I hope he continues with his plans of coming back as a coach. The game needs class acts like him. Not thugs like Cantona.

Posted from United States

By Rob | April 27th, 2008 at 2:56 am

I follow United and even I think that’s a bit of a joke. He’s not even the best United player (Roy Keane obviously). Dennis was definitely better and more influential on Arsenal than maybe any other player has been on a top team in the league. As much as you lot’ll hate me for saying this though – I think Henry should probably have won it.

Posted from Japan

By Olivia | April 28th, 2008 at 6:49 pm

I realise this thread is a few days old, I’m sorry for responding so late, I don’t check this board everyday, but for someone who a few days ago claimed to be a (Norwegian) Liverpool fan to mention Hillsborough in the same sentence as Hooliganism and Heysel is staggering. I’m no Liverpool fan but it really isn’t the same thing and if I am speaking out of turn I apologise, but as a Liverpudlian this really hit a nerve. http://www.contrast.org/hillsborough/

Posted from United Kingdom