Liverpool's greatest Scandinavian/Eastern European XI

Some superb Scandinavian and Eastern European players have turned out for Liverpool over the years, making a considerable contribution to the club’s success. But who makes the best ever XI?

I wanted to have separate best XIs for Scandinavians and Eastern Europeans, but there just weren’t enough players to go around, so I had to combine them:


--------------------------------- Jerzy Dudek

Veggard Heggem --- Sami Hyypia (c) --- Daniel Agger --- Stig Inge Bjornebye

-------------------------------------- Igor Biscan

Vladimir Smicer ---------------- Jan Molby -------------- Patrik Berger

--------------------- Jari Litmanen ----------- Milan Baros

Subs

Michael Stensgaard
John Arne Riise
Glenn Hysen
Bjorn Tore Kvarme
Oyvind Leonhardsen
Torben Piechnik

I chose Stig Bjornebye over John Arne Riise at left back because, in my view, Stig offers more going forward. He was a vastly underrated player for Liverpool, and was regularly the club’s top assists maker when he was fully fit. And who can forget that superb cross he provided for Robbie Fowler to head the winning goal against Newcastle in the second 4-3 thriller in 1997?

I almost chose Glenn Hysen as Sami Hyypia’s partner at the center of defence, but I had to go with Daniel Agger in the end, as Hysen is arguably too similar to Hyppia. It was a tough choice, especially considering Hysen was a great defender in his own right, and helped Liverpool win their last league championship in 1990.

At right back, the choice was between Veggard Heggem and Bjorn Tore Kvarme, which means the choice was simple! Kvarme came to Liverpool with a good reputation but was frequently prone to costly errors, the worst of which came in 1997 against Everton, when he lost the ball to Danny Cadamarteri who proceeded to score the winning goal.

Heggem was not the greatest right back in the world, but he was solid and functional for the most part. Converted to a full back from a winger, the attacking side of his game was very good, and I’m sure many fans will remember a superb solo goal he scored against Middlesborough in the lat 90s.

The much maligned Croation Igor Biscan would be the holding midfielder, a role he excelled at whenever he played there for Liverpool, most notably in his first ever game against Manchester United, and in memorable Champions League performances in 2005 against Deportivo La Coruna, Juventus and Chelsea.

If there was anyone else to put on the right of midfield, I would have chosen them over Vladmir Smicer. A great professional but never really did the business for Liverpool, though his contribution to the club’s Champions League victory over Milan can never be forgotten. I have him on the right for the sake of balance.

Patrik Berger is the only choice for the left side of midfield. I’m a huge fan of Berger, and remember how exciting it was when he first signed and proceeded to set the club alight with a series of stunning performances, including scoring 2 goals on his debut v Leicester and another 2 on his Anfield debut against Chelsea.

Pulling the strings in midfield is the one and only Jan Molby. The thought of Molby combining with Jari Litmanen and Milan Baros is a mouthwatering prospect.

Litmanen was a scandalously mismanaged By Gerard Houllier, who frequently chose the leadenfooted Emile Heskey ahead of him, despite Litmanen performing brilliantly almost every time he played. His touch, technique and creative impact were exactly what Liverpool needed at the time, but this was completely wasted by Houllier.

To a certain extent, the same goes for Milan Baros. Houllier (and later Rafael Benitez) insisted on playing him as a lone striker, which was a mistake. Baros was frequently superb for the Czech Republic when playing with another Striker, yet Liverpool’s management failed to play to his strengths on a regular basis.

The substitutes bench is a little short of real quality, and it’s clear that this squad lacks strength in depth. Oyvind Leonhardsen was a plodding, functional player and was not Liverpool quality, and the less said about the likes of Kvarme and Torben Piechnik, the better!

John Arne Riise and Glenn Hysen would be able deputies for anyone in the first team though, and if team clicked, it would be a force to be reckoned with.

Other greatest ever teams:

Best Scottish XI

Best World XI
Best Ever XI

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Dream Team: Liverpool FC's greatest ever XI

It's an extremely difficult task trying to pick Liverpool's greatest ever XI, especially given the sheer volume of fantastic players in the club's glorious history. In my personal greatest XI, skill and leadership ability are the defining characteristics, and I believe that the side I've chosen would pulverise any team in world football - past or present.

This is my LFC dream team.

Manager - Bill Shankly
Assistant Manager - Bob Paisley
Captain - Graeme Souness
Vice Captain - Kenny Dalglish

Formation: 4-1-3-1-1

------------------------ Bruce Grobelaar

Steve Nicol --- Tommy Smith --- Alan Hansen --- Alan Kennedy

---------------------- Graeme Souness (c)

Billy Liddell -------- Peter Beardsley ---------- John Barnes

------------------- Kenny Dalglish

--------------------------- Ian Rush

Substitutes:

Ray Clemence
Kevin Keegan

Sami Hyypia
Robbie Fowler
Terry McDermott
Emlyn Hughes
John Aldridge
Steve McMahon

My preferred formations would be 4-1-3-1-1 or 4-3-3, and the players I have chosen could play either of those formation with ease.

Just imagine the skill, technique and creativity of Barnes, Beardsley, Dalglish and Liddell in the same team - it would be an absolute joy to watch!

The sheer creative genius on display would lay waste to the most stubborn of defences, and if there's one thing you can guarantee about this team, it's goals; and lots of them.

From defence right through to attack, this team is bursting with goalscorers. Steve Nicol and Alan Kennedy got their fair share of goals from defence, and with Barnes, Liddell, Dalglish and Beardsley feeding Rush and scoring themselves, the goalscoring possibilities are endless.

At the heart of the defence, Alan Hansen is obviously an automatic inclusion, but I agonized over who should partner him: Mark Lawrenson or Tommy Smith.

In terms of partnerships, Lawrenson would be the obvious choice, but I just could not leave a player like Tommy Smith out of the team. He was the Jamie Carragher of his day - a homegrown, fiercly competitive lionheart who embodied everything about Liverpool FC. He was also a rough, man-mountain of a defender - the perfect foil for the grace and elegance of Alan Hansen.

At the heart of this team is Graeme Souness, Liverpool's greatest ever midfielder and Captain. Souness is a proper midfield leader: tough, creative, intelligent, fearsome, vocal and a superb, respected leader. Basically, everything Steven Gerrard *should* be as Liverpool captain.

Some people may argue that in midfield, this team would be defensively lacking, but I would disagree. Souness is good enough to own the defensive side of midfield himself, and the defensive capabilities of the attacking players in the team should not be underestimated.

Liverpool teams of the past never needed two central midfielders babysitting the creative players; The idea of having two holding midfielders is a purely modern phenomenon, which is indicative of the regrettable move towards a more cautious, negative style of football. As the saying goes though - defend as a team and attack as a team.

My belief is that you should always play to attack, so creating a team that will scare the opposition with its creative genius is the priority. Worrying about how to stop the other team scoring is negative and counter productive. Let the *opposition* worry about *you*, and I submit that this side would scare the living daylights out of *any* team.

This team would attack from the start, utilising its creative genius in the pursuit of one goal: setting out to win every game by scoring as many goals as possible.

And if things were not going to plan, or more defensive solidity was required, then one of the attacking players could be replaced by Steve McMahon or Emlyn Hughes.

First and foremost though, this team is set up to play football the Liverpool way: pass and move, keep the ball, keep it simple. Positive, proactive and fearing no one.

Finally, the most important quality of this team is strength of character and leadership ability. There are leaders all over the field in this squad: Hansen, Hughes, Rush, Souness, Dalglish, Barnes, Liddell and Smith all Captained Liverpool at some point. In terms of personal integrity and professionalism, this squad of players puts modern Liverpool footballers to shame.

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Bravehearts of the Kop: How Scotland made Liverpool into a 'bastion of invincibility'

Liverpool FC has been blessed with the impressive contributions of many nationalities down the years, but the impact of Scottish players and managerial staff is arguably unequalled at Anfield.

Quite simply, without Scottish influence, Liverpool FC would never have become the wildly successful world class club it is today.

In fact, take away the Scottish inspiration from the club and Liverpool would in all probability be…Everton! And what could be worse than that?!

The Scottish influence on Liverpool began decades before proud Scot Bill Shankly revolutionized the club. In 1892, self-made Irish businessman John McKenna was appointed manager of the club and immediately drafted 13 Scottish professionals into the team.

The impact was immediate: Liverpool won the Lancashire League in their first season, and were elected to the Football League Second Division for the 1893–94 season. Liverpool’s Scottish all-stars ended the season unbeaten as Second Division Champions, and were promoted to the First Division, the highest level of English football at that time.

Over the years, more and more Scottish players arrived at Anfield, including the likes of club legend Billy Liddell, who many people still believe is the greatest player to ever turn out for the club; Bill Dunlop, who won two league titles with the club; Tommy Lawrence, who had over 300 games between the sticks and Willie Fagan, who played with Bill Shankly at Preston prior to moving to Liverpool.

Then, in 1959, the most important moment in Liverpool footballing history arrived: Scottish genius Bill Shankly signed on as Liverpool Manager. The impact Shankly had on shaping the philosophy and winning mentality of Liverpool cannot be overstated, and it is no exaggeration to state that Shankly is the most important figure in Liverpool FC history.

The Scottish players just kept on coming, with the likes defensive giant Ron Yeats; goal-scoring legend Ian St John; powerful striker Bobby Graham and ex Rangers player Willie Stevenson becoming important components of Shanks' resurgent team and helping the club to win a plethora of trophies.

After Bob Paisley took over at the helm, the roll-call of Scottish greats continued with the arrival a triumvirate of true Liverpool legends: Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen and Graeme Souness – three players who were instrumental in Liverpool’s domestic and European domination of the 70s and 80s.

During the exciting tenure of Dalglish, Hansen and Souness, Liverpool amassed an incredible 26 trophies, including 9 league titles and 3 European Cups. No other period in Liverpool history was this successful, and it is doubtful if the same success will ever be replicated again, in England or indeed anywhere in the world.

Given the incomparable impact of Scottish players and Managers on the Liverpool’s outstanding success, it is perhaps ironic that the club’s decline at the came at the hands of one of its most inspirational figures - Graeme Souness.

The rot was arguably already setting in under the stewardship of King Kenny, but Souness, with his poor signings (Paul Stewart anyone?) and exclusion of quality players like Peter Beardsley, was instrumental in the club’s downward spiral at the beginning of the 1990s.

Sadly, Scottish influence has waned at Anfield over the last 15 years, with only Gary McAllister and Dominic Matteo making a significant impact at Liverpool in recent years.

This is a real shame given the fact Liverpool’s history is built on the shoulders of Scottish players and their grit, skill, determination and excellent leadership and motivational ability.

Here is my all time Scottish XI:

----------------------- Tommy Lawrence

Steve Nicol --- Alan Hansen --- Ron Yeats --- Bill Dunlop

Willie Stevenson - Graeme Souness(c) - Peter Cormack - Billy Liddell

------------------- Kenny Dalglish

----------------------------- Ian St John

Substitutes

Bert Slater (GK)
Willie Fagan
Gary McAllister
Donald McKinlay
Jimmy McDougall

Total appearances combined: 10,705
Total goals combined: 1396

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International KopStars - Liverpool's Greatest World XI

Liverpool FC has been blessed with dozens of talented footballers over the years, many of whom came from abroad to dazzle Anfield with sublime skills and superb technique.

The history of overseas footballers at Liverpool starts way back in 1926, with the debut of one of the club's greatest ever goal-scorers – South African Gordon Hodgson. With a superb record of 241 goals in 358 games, Hodgson is second only to Roger Hunt in the all-time LFC league goals chart.

The South African connection continued with the arrival of goalkeeper Arthur Riley and Berry ‘Nivvy’ Nieuwenhuys, a tricky winger blessed with speed and guile.

In pre-war England, overseas players were almost unheard of in the top division, so Liverpool were pace-setters and pioneers in this respect. However, after Nieuwenhuys left Liverpool in 1947, it was (incredibly) 34 years until another overseas player made an impact at Anfield.

That man was Bruce Grobbelaar, who despite a shaky start between the sticks, won the league title with Liverpool in his first season. Three years later, supremely talented Dane Jan Molby arrived at the club, and proceeded to play a major part in Liverpool’s domination of the 80s.

Other overseas players began to trickle in after that, with notable arrivals including Aussie cult hero Craig Johnstone; Israeli powerhouse Ronnie Rosenthal; Elegant Swedish International Glenn Hysen and criminally underrated Norwegian assist specialist Stig Inge Bjornebye.

Over the last 10 years, the number of overseas players at the club has increased at a faster rate than at any time in history, with players such as Sami Hyypia, Xabi Alonso and Dietmar Hamann playing hugely important roles in Liverpool’s continuing success.

Here is my greatest ever Liverpool World XI:

---------------------------------- Bruce Grobbelaar

Markus Babbel -- Stephane Henchoz -- Sami Hyppia (c) – Stig Inge Bjornebye

----------------------------------- Dietmar Hamann

------------ Jan Molby -------------Xabi Alonso -------- Patrik Berger

------------------------------- Jari Litmanen

-------------------------------------------- Fernando Torres

Subs:

Jose Reina
Glenn Hysen
Craig Johnstone
Berry Nieuwenhuys
Gordon Hodgson
Ronnie Rosenthal

The team would play a 4-1-3-1-1 formation, with Dietmar Hamann sitting in front of the back four, allowing Xabi Alonso, Jan Molby and the superb Jari Litmanen to utilize their prodigious passing ability to feed Fernando Torres, who would be overwhelmed by the amount of scoring chances created for him!

Patrick Berger and Stig Inge Bjornebye would provide width on the left, whipping in crosses for Torres and Litmanen. Some may see Bjornebye as a surprise inclusion, but in the mid 90s, the norwegian was regularly top of the club’s assists chart and was a model of consistency.

And who can forget the sublime cross he provided for Robbie Fowler to score the winner in the second 4-3 Newcastle thriller in 1997?

Markus Babbel would provide bombing runs down the right, adding an extra level of creative impetus, which would then give the team two strong attacking full-backs.

Central defence is a no-brainer; it has to be Stephane ‘hand-ball’ Henchoz and Finland’s finest export, Sami Hyypia. Before Jamie Carragher came on the scene, the Henchoz/Hyypia partnership was quite simply the best in the league.

Henchoz was unceremoniously dumped by Gerard Houllier, but the legend that is Sami Hyypia is still going strong and still playing brilliantly, despite being written off repeatedly by fans and the press.

The substitutes bench is filled with players who would come on change the game and/or help the team change shape to counter any tactical eventuality. Special mention has to go to powerful, athletic Israeli Ronnie Rosenthal.

Few can forget the impact Rosenthal had when he arrived in the final months of the 89-90 season - scoring a hat-trick on his full debut and going on to score 7 goals in 8 games - goals which were vital to Liverpool securing the title.

The team I have chosen would be a joy to watch and would give any team in Liverpool’s history a run for its money!

NB. This is a team composed of OVERSEAS players, i.e. NON UK players. I just wanted to clarify that as someone slated me in an email for not including Scottish/Irish players. It's quite clear from the opening paragraphs that this is an overseas team, but people will do their best to snipe.

One other thing: Just because I've never seen Berry Niewenhuys play doesn't mean I can't include him in the team. What spurious logic! A huge propertion of Liverpool fans never saw the likes of Dalglish or Souness play but that doesn't stop them putting these players in the their best ever team.

I've researched the player, and based on that, I include him my team. If you don't like it, tough.

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