"I wasn't picked for Scotland because I joined Arsenal" | Charlie Nicholas' Greatest 80s Icons

and after 20 minutes Maradona ignored everybody just kept out the way out the way and just kept pointing at H and s De tell give the ball H see you having a nightmare he was say don't worry about it son it'll get better yeah I just made made you feel worse because he was identifying that you weren't playing the ball but that's what he was he would talk you through a game and he was only being helpful but I remember playing against jti at Juventus and he was just he was brutal like peel your ear and all the we silly things but really annoying things hi I'm Jeff stilling and this is football's greatest each week I'll be sitting down with a legend to discuss and debate some of the best exponents of the beautiful game the players that got you off your seat the hard men that made you winse and the moments that will stay with you for life it promises to be a great summer for Scotland de Siders qualified for the in Germany the question is can they get out of their group no Scottish team has ever got through the group stages in a major tournament one man who knows that better than most is with me right now because he was part of the Scotland Squad in 1986 who failed to get out of their group sorry to remind you of it Charlie in the World Cup it is of course Charley Nicholas um you got fond memories or or disappointing memories tremendous tremendous memories of the World Cup Jeff he did I wasn't anticipating going Jo Ste before he we lost him in the Wales game had stopped picking me for the national team because I joined Arsenal he wanted me to join Liverpool uh and kind of sorry so he stopped picking you because you joined Arsenal yeah we had a discussion jock never really came and watched Arsenal he would never come that far south so he came me anfield and we always lost anfield so we could be anfield and he had a word after with me saying I chose the wrong club and I thought there's nothing I can do about that now at that time I actually thought I was playing okay I thought I should still be in the squad but he he just said that I was having a bad time and and didn't pick me so I kind of was floating at that time thinking that's it's not to be because in 82 World Cup when he was a manager I was quite young at Celtic obviously but then I brought my leg so I kind of deny me the chance even forced my way into that World Cup 86 then Fergie took over temporary charge and we went to astonvilla away and he came to the game he was still abine manager but he came to the game and he spoke to me afterwards and said I don't know why you've not been in the squad I hear you still playing well because we don't see much of you in Scotland everybody thinks it's the opposite I wasn't scoring goals So eventually he put me in the squad and then I made the world cup so that was a memory of the buildup to it and then I got in the squad unfortunately King Kenny my hero had an e issue so he didn't go but tremendous six weeks we met and had six weeks together absolutely stunning time we let the nation down again they'll be not qualifying that was the one thing we should have done against yurugu in the last game we missed it Miss it was one heck of a squad that is for sure look we're going to talk you've had a GL glittering career in England and in in Scotland we're going to talk about the the best five players you've played with or against was a slight provis here because we're going to leave out Kenny dagash your hero and geme sues because we talked about them in a previous episode so these are the five next best and I was really surprised to see the first name on your list because he played for Spurs and as an ex Arsenal man are you allowed to say Glenn huddle I can say whoever I like whether it's Arsenal Spurs or whoever I've been blessed to have played with some world class players I spoke about some of them earlier uh I've played against many world class players platini C he's there yeah I thought what made him special oh he's Talent he's All Around Talent two footed again I go back to 250 footballers Rhythm style they used to see in those days if you were over six foot tall oh what a nice touch he's got for a big fell what a stupid comment I always thought that was and this guy made that comment absolutely a mockery of it he scored fabulous goals from inside the Penalty Box Outside The Penalty Box I just thought he was a footballing genius when I hear the modern day players and I I understand my mate Paul meron and and lots of other saying gascoin was the best they ever seen I thought Hodo was the best English player I ever came across I think he was better than gascoin it's only my opinion I just think all round as a footballer he was truly gifted and he knew knew he was gifted so he could do amazing things when I was at Arsenal sometimes we played a Tuesday and then Spurs would play we were both at home midweek and Spurs were playing the Wednesday we sometimes used to go and watch Spurs because we love football sure we were Arsenal fans we didn't like Tottenham that was the way it was but we used to go and watch the opposition in the Wednesday night so we anyway it was a it was a testimonial for oie Adas and maradon came over from Italy because he played in Argentinian World Cup with ardas and after 20 minutes Maradona ignored everybody just kept out the way out the way and just kept pointing at hodle and s's tell give the ball to Hod just give the ball cuz maradon knew wherever he moved Hodo could find him he was the best player in the world by a distance at that time and Hodo lit his night up we were there and gam Rex and I met and Kenny Sans we looked at each other going wow maradona's telling everybody to give hoto the ball it was extraordinary I thought he was an absolutely magnificent footballer brilliant um you you you did yourself a favor with Arsenal fans didn't you anyway because you scored twice against Spurs on boxing day so that was guaranteed that was always my yeah that you were guaranteed to be loved by Arsenal fans thereafter I think that was Boxing Day 1983 so let's add an Arsenal player to the the list shall we um fullback who I often think of as being a you know almost a forgotten brilliant player yeah Ken Sansom he was his nickname was Shades from tesw the little comedy show used to be on a Saturday H because he was small but Nows days everybody used to say oh the big Center forers will drift off and they'll go against a little left back and they'll dominate him in there of course but that that can be said of any back whether you're 6ot or whether you're 5 foot 6 or seven it made no difference but there there's a difference in in in technical gifts that for for me defending is a skill there's an art to defending not so much now but back in those days there was and physically Kenny wasn't really that aggressive but he tremendously quick feet he he used to stoop into challeng you and try and top pooke the ball off you because that me of could do that he was actually gliding by you so and a way it was like a dribble that's how you used to treat the opposition but when you played against him in training you could beat him and within three seconds he was back in front of you again he just had this remarkable turn in ability he was so quick in the t uh lovely left foot great great left foot didn't have a right foot at all but lovely but love bombing forward so enthusiastic training every day impressions of people great fun to be with but he was a stunning footballer uh when I went here Arsenal I didn't feel overed by Talent there was some very T talented players there but when I look back at that time when I first arrived Pat Jennings was there and Pat Jennings was obviously a legend of a goalkeeper for one catching it with one hand and threw out and but I only did one season me part for the period that I was at Arsenal and Kenny was there most of them I generally did feel that he was a world class footballer he he felt that way every day when youd play against him or play with him and just a a little mavick of an individual who was H causing his own issues a bit bit like myself but at the same time the desire and I think when it proved when he went to England I don't think England for that spell could have done without him there was no replacement really for Kenny so he kept 90 odd caps I think it was only when I I seen Ashley Cole after about two or three seasons that I think there was something who was finally replacing that type of player uh and Kenny had so much ability both defensively and attacking but a great guy with it I I thought he was a world class left back in every way shape and form yeah I mean I think when people talk about England fullbacks now you know they talk about the Gary Nevels and the Kyle Walkers and the Stuart Pierce but they forget that Kenny Sanson won more caps than any of them you know and and I I agree with you he spent quite a lot of time with Kenny and he's um he's a lovely fellow he's had his demons obviously but a lovely fell he I think he was involved in the move that led to your winning goal in the League Cup Final against Liverpool as well yes he was him and Perry grobes were both in a and the nice thing about that also Jeff is that he lifted the cup you know some sometimes people forgot that because we were never quite sure D le Tony Adams but when he managed to get his hands on it I've never seen Delight like it you know cuz like i' one things at Cel and people might say well you get that and I was ever so thrilled to finally get my hands on a trophy Arsenal it was the reason I was there but finally I get one it made so much difference to me personally but to him the party afterwards we could not get him to shut up he was nonstop as a Prince Charles it was Nor wisdom he was I and hours and hours being noral wisdom he was hilarious but the winning mentality that he showed that day after all these caps and lifting that trophy for him I think we were always pleased for him more than anybody else I I got a bit of the the special treatment because obviously I'm very very fortunate second goal but because it was kind of known as my game beating rushed that scores for Liverpool never loses but for Kenny I think we were all more thrilled for Kenny than anybody else out there well you've just slipped in the third player on your list there as well Ian Rush um yeah Chester to Liverpool to Juventus that doesn't happen of doesn't happen a great deal we when I first came in 83 myself Glenn and rushy we were all signed up by Nike to wear the boots and we were doing H we were doing a little H promotional day at Queens part Rangers uh so we were doing all the promotion on how you kicked the angle of your boot and all this type of stuff and I was speaking to Russia and he was a quite Shy Guy and he was saying that he found it hard to settle in to Liverpool and he found it pretty over the top the wind ups from Kenny and Hansen and all them he said it didn't always go down that well with them but as a team they were just like so together but then you start to watch in Rush about his movement and people say now the pressing game and people say that players in those days could never play I think even russan vented to pressing game that I can remember uh he used to push up and take on Defenders two three at a time always close them down close them down close them down so he done all that graft knowing fine well of the deles or sunis or other Ronny Wheeling we get a pass he was ready in alert because he was always high up the pitch to go on or in behind Defenders he was a very cunning and clever mover as well as a footballer great one andone finisher Bobby lanx was the best ever seen going through and goal with a goalkeeper never missed or never went into miss when you see a lot of players Jeff G in in situations they hoped to score in Rush never hoped to score in Rush was going to score when he went one onone with people it could have win in any different angle under the keeper through his legs over the keeper one andone finisher was the best i' ever seen and I sometimes I know he got great credibility because he's goal scoring record for Liverpool especially Liverpool but I think sometimes you don't always you have to make that run to let Kenny see that pass and and that's a skill that is a skill they don't always get the praise enough for it but I thought he was as good a finisher as I've ever came across yeah I I was looking at some of the the strikers that you played with and actually most of them were nothing like Ian Rush was a big Nile wasn't yeah um Paul Mariner Tony woodcot Frank McGarvey um who's the best of them I think talent wise my my best partner personally was Frank McGarvey when I was a kid and Frank's movement was a bit like rushes he didn't have the the clinical finish finishing of the technical Gifts of of being rush but his movement was so good that everywhere he moved I just would re retake his space which meant I used to get it into feet which but that would give me two seconds to either turn or have enough space to to do what I wanted to do his movement was fantastic for me me under kind of stood that we we didn't speak about it as a partnership it just happened so I think when you get other people like that but when I went to Arsenal I struggled a bit because of the style of play but Tony woodcot was probably my best gy partner great finisher great Pace lovely fellow got on really well but Gil house was good at aberin mgar was very good for me at Celtic but woodcot was probably the the the pick out of the All Around Talent now thanks for watching football's greatest on YouTube but can I ask you please to hit that subscribe button that way you won't miss any of our future episodes and we have some great guests coming up on the show two to go Charlie and the next is a fellow who um was a friend to both you and I and we lost him far too soon of course a brilliant player what a gentleman as well it's Ray Wilkins yeah he was H I remember seeing Ray when he was young at Chelsea I think he was Captain very young also wasn't he so it showed an authority within him but but we went to Chelsea they came up into the the old first Division and the pitch start of the season first game of the season at stford Bridge and it were just covered in Hay there was no grass on it we sorry we were in about December and sometimes you got you got a little break just after after January but Mickey droy was this big physical Presence at Chelsea and a big he was a big statement maker the fans loved him and he was having a testimonial so we played in the testimonial I played in the testimonial and had a bit of time with for a couple of drinks after the match and I said how can you play in a a pitch like I say it's impossible he said strangely enough you do get used to it he said but how can it be like that he says Brazilians train on the beach Charlie so why can't we play in the beach it's a poor excuse if we can't get the ball down and play so he do was this incredible philosophy of the getting the ball down and making it making the ball do the work and then people Tommy doery I think said like he went square and square and square and square he only went square if he had to he pass into feet if he had the opportunity if you were a good enough mover he could find you and I just thought all around everywhere R Wilkins went other than time I disliked him cuz was he joined Rangers but every other place he went especially when he went abroad was stunning and I remember G right Kenny Sansom and Tony wood all coming back and raving about Hodo but Wilkins wasn't of the same chat you were getting stunning footballer lovely fell everything was fell how are you mate lovely hi you chaps just a happy as goodl lucky enthusiastic football you could have a wish to come across there a commentator he would hate to criticize anybody he did it in the gentlest way possible yeah and see when you played against him see you having a nightmare he was say don't worry about it son it'll get better and it made it made you feel worse because he was identifying that you weren't playing the ball but that's what he was he would talk you through a game and he was only being helpful the most understanding individual I'll probably ever came across in a football field yeah and I I think that tag you know that he he passed the ball Square all the time um you it's stuck with him um unfortunately stuck with him because he was one of the first really to appreciate the fact that to play football you need to keep the football and that's what he did that's what he did I mean modern day terms you'd be jumped through oh any any situation you would jump through it going and say who am I buying or re Wilkins holding Midfield player oh thanks very much could Chelsea do with him right now better believe I mean he was just he just knew he had a great intelligence about me and I think when he went to Italy especially I think even though the Italians were starting to say this guy can play he's not he's not just a holder he can play and he and he could but you look at what Chelsea PID for Enzo Fernandez you know yeah and it's not it's not a it's not a bad CV Ray Wilkins is it Chelsea Manchester United Milan PSG Rangers and of course England uh as well um yeah underappreciated I think Charlie definitely but a much loved guy I've never heard any other footballer ever have a bad word to say wiins now we we asked for five of the the greatest players that you'd ever played with or against and and people might have been able to pick out you know Ray Wilkins or Glenn hodle Ian Rush maybe Kenny Sansom as well but I don't think many people would pick out your fifth selection tell me about him he well it's Kevin Ratliff and he was always had a great understanding of the game that you would appreciate and hold your hands up when someone you were playing against especially a one-on-one situation uh you found it Troublesome it was it was a it was a real challenge you would have a good day but you would have some awkward days and I played against a lot of guys who were very physical towards when K of the tackle from behind was allowed in so I used to get H kind of kicked quite a lot and had to accept it and I just got on you know so-called Hard Men the G Roberts and all these type of players they were tough but I played against so many tough players that that really didn't put me off it was playing against somebody who was a bit different Hanson was kind of in that category but he was a very very smooth footballer from the back uh and then you would look at different other players that you could have a go at H smaller players who who be quick but could be a bit rash in the challenge or PO with the ball and you think I could maybe get a chance off him R cliff and Everton were struggling I think it was 84 we beat him at high but he W nil I sced a penalty and we I think Howard Kendall was on the edge of being sacked I think they went to Oxford the for week and W in the cup who I think had put us out in that cup and the turn around starting to happen and then we went to goodon at the end of that season and I played against him and he I bounced off him he was Stronger he was quicker there was an authority about him but there was a real toughness about him that he would hit you but not just for the sake of kicking you there had to be a process in it and I think it's no surprise when I look back in people like Peter Reed and gam sharp and nville sou Gary Stevens Trev all these type of guys that ever quite rightly are applauded I thought he was the insung hero of this team I thought he had an authority a real aggression about him and he could play he' the left foot that he could clip it long and Sharpie especially and he was pretty assured but he was also quick he was quite a dynamic guy you know what I mean I'm pretty sure that when Peter Reed played with him he must have thought I don't need to protect him probably need to protect the others but not so much him and it it probably will surprise people but I think there's always someone that I think I remember I remember playing against jti Juventus and he was just he was brutal he like pel your ear and all the we silly things but really annoying things this guy just took your head on and if you had a good day against he shook your hand firmly and said well done and I did the same for him I thought goodness me they beat his 61 at goodon one year and I think I scored after about 10 minutes we went one- nil up and after that I could not get a breath he just he just bullied me and I don't mean that and just kicking me he just overran me he just seen me off and I think if people are surprised they just need to to look at his his honors list because they won the 1984 FA Cup Final they won two League titles and they also won the European Cup winners cup and in that run in the European Cup wi cup I I noticed that they didn't concede a single go goal until they got to the semi-final against Bayern I mean they beat Bayern that was the first goal they had conceded which tells you a lot about their defensive qualities I mean that had a bit of a threat the other end he was called Andy Gray who we both know as well I think scored in the semi-final and the final well I I got to know Sharpie gam sharp a bit and obviously we I knew Andy well from Sky days together and obviously when never ever they were saying oh God CU you the things were good then Jeff because in proper old fashioned football terms it was whenn or lose he said hello and well done the enemy or the opposition whatever it may have been in in your head that day so he would have glass of wine or something with him after the game and that was just the way it was uh sportsmanship both fashion sportsmanship I suppose but I remember speaking to the lads because they' be in the Scotland scored with me and they would say Oh Captain definitely said don't like playing against him in training and I could see why because he would take everything on you know I just looked at him in the balance and who I played against and who I really respected and there was some players who were problematic and gave me a hard time and you know Hansen was quality lawrenson was quality the two of them were really really good individuals but they were football and thinking center backs I think r r Cliff he had the both he he he the both end of the skill but also that quickness that he had it's hard to really turn and take him on and if he did you didn't want to see him again but he could get back that was the other problem with him so he it was a real problem for me so he didn't kick you I've got to ask you who did who domestically who were the guys who would would kick limps out of you H predominantly in the in the London Darby gam Roberts was forever G me a good a good kicking it wasn't just you no that was the good news it wasn't personalized no I think more or less because the old fashion that you know the kick from behind was was allowed in those days so anything went really then you know I mean they were all big aggressive players really back then uh one of the the ones who recently we lost a great friend of ours and all was big Gordon McQueen yes big Gordon was for a big physical guy was another one who didn't really come aggressively and kick you you know he like to do his own thing one of the hardest I came across in all was Colin Todd Colin toor I was temped I didn't play against him too often but he was like R that's how I picked him I played against Colin to when he played for Nottingham Forest and he who was it I think Larry Lloyd I think got sent off or one of the Defenders get sent off and he accused me of cheating I thought decision how did that I mean to KI well when I mentioned the kick from behind I got it every 10 seconds he was there and he was a real good footballer he was tough he was very very tough also but I think I had to go for the other Defender just a final thought Charlie because we're asking about you know the best players that you've played with or against if you were playing now who would you most like to play with is there a player that stands out as someone you'd love to play in the team with same team with oh there there's probably a lots I mean I'm I'm a great believer in the modern day way uh because I I think they get so much protection now yeah I I look at different players and if I'm looking at someone that I want to play with and Link with I would probably look at the current situation would be Bernardo Silva at Manchester City I just think again this thing that people always think physical presence and height and all this stuff it's all nonsense of you're good with the ball and you you see things and you're creative he can do the hard work but can also do the really clever work I think when I see him with a ball he looks as if he can find a pass at any given time and I think when I could see players like that I would I would be really attracted to try and get some sort of a coordination going with them so you could get some movement into your play I just love the style of this little guy I mean with the David Silvers Manchester City with de bruyne some great great footballers but I just look at his style of play it's so kind of anesta type that I love those type of footballers are really stand out footballers for me they they they just make me smile when I talk about them and I see them I see them in a smile because they make footballers look at the game as if this is pretty easy isn't it and you think it ain't easy ain't even easy now but I just love watching somebody like him I think he's an absolute Superstar and we've reached the end of football's greatest my thanks to Charlie Nicholas for joining us today next time on football's greatest and I'm looking behind me like that and these two are jumping up nearly heading at the ceiler come on and I'm going like that and this is I'm going into battle because that's what it was England Scotland and I'm looking at ter and matters jumping up there and I'm going let's go remember to subscribe to the show on YouTube and follow us on your favorite podcast platform thanks for joining us football's greatest is a folding pocket production with BBC Studios

Channel: Football's Greatest: Euros

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Keywords: Jeff stelling, stelling, Jeff stelling interview, Jeff stelling podcast, Jeff stelling talksport, Jeff stelling best moments, Jeff stelling soccer Saturday, Jeff stelling breakfast, footballs greatest, footballs greatest podcast, football podcast, soccer Saturday, talksport breakfast, charlie nicholas, arsenal, charlie nicholas arsenal, charlie nicholas celtic, charlie nicholas skysports, charlie nicholas interview, diego maradona

Id: 8FilpWEPABw

Length: 27min 57sec (1677 seconds)

Published: Tue May 07 2024