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What?? Premier league in the 90s was the worst league in Europe. It was known as the retirement home league for the foreign players. Italian league was by far the best in the 90s

They are a football club Andy, hope this helps.

Messi and C Ronaldos peak was vs almost 0 world class defenders. Any world class defenders they faced was literally on their last legs about to retire. Defending in the last 10 maybe 15 years I'd all but none existing.

Plus ça change....

Well that went well....

Yes Michael you were 100% right with Jos Buttler…he’s been a bloody walking disaster mate. England have never replaced Prior

Giggs stats are 18 years of mediocrity and 2 years of alright to good. Overrated Giggs way overrated.

ok

I mean are all English pundits clown? How can they be this ignorant

Gough delusion

And now, he's coming home!!!

When were all the best foreign players in the Premiership? Cole is such a casual with that statement

Rio is the only world class defender England has had in the last thirty odd years

Buttler's not meeting Michael Vaughan's expectations now, is he?? Jos is a fine T20 and an ODI player but he's rubbish at test match cricket

Andy all the best players wanted to play for Barcelona and Madrid. Rivaldo Ronaldo Ronaldinho Romario Roberto Carlos zidane. Del pierro

Anderson got injured in the series, for the 4th test, and Broad took 8-15 in Australia’s first innings and they were bowled out for 60!! In 18.3 overs!!!

Giggs bale is not a debate Giggs by far

First like!

Seems to be rose tinted glasses on Giggs. Bale even more versatile than Giggs plus better at free kicks, At their peak Bale for me. Better all round player.

You've got to deal with top players imported and success of clubs in international competitions, the two are intertwined. The Premier league has never had much more than a comparative flash at any type of dominance on the scale Cole is saying, The truth is there was a slow building process for all of that time that Cole's mentioning, leading to a sort of micro dominance perhaps between 2004/5 to about 2008/9 sort of of time.You might forgive him for remembering it differently, he had his success and played on as the wave increased. No more than 4 at best 5 years it was this MICRO golden era. It's worthy of note but i's insignificance is phenomenal when standing between Italy and Spain acroiss the last 3 decades or more. A micro golden era might be fair to talk about, nothing more but still nothing less. Champs league finishes in semi's and finals, LIverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Man United UEFA cup/Europa league finals from small teams like Middlesbrough and Fulham. The Italian league had fallen through in a variety of ways, the English clubs were already good enough to compete with them in 99 up to 98 they were too much so in terms of competition it had already changed, but whilst the Italians were stagnating , they were, let nobody tell you otherwise. Leeds ROma 1998 game to 1999 games proves the point well. There standards were equalled in terms of competitiveness by English clubs they encountered at that time, YET.............,the Italians still had the worlds best players monopoly, even though they would be in for a tough ride if they faced English clubs,in that period, with lesser players bu a high energy game with enough to destabilize them.. and then the rest were tucked up in Spain, but it's true English clubs were competing for a little in this for some of the best players, yet Spain was already transitioning into a much more dominant golden era of having best players in numbers and success with top and middle clubs in European international tournaments, and as we can see with hindsight Spain have had a golden era worthy of taking over the mantle of Italian one mid 80s into the 90s. Its gone on for more than a decade or so Spains is about 2003 to until very very recently. Premier league lived in that trough between the two. Hence it was a micro golden era. Germany had a micro one too perhaps in the last decade, Your looking at success of the clubs and the players. Its very clear Italy and Spain had a much longer stretch of this. Two large plateaus for Italy and Spain, but realistically the Prem went up and down fast. The reason is ironic too. The game all though a little different through that era Cole claims went up in terms of individual play, but the spirit and overall style, fast, energetic, fairly physical, end to end, fairly dynamic, irrational bullheaded often airborne collective way of playing the game stylistically, which was there of course before the Prem, still continued and still sort of does to this day, hence the world even though they know that it's not not the best league, ever, are quite prepared to watch it, because with good players that money can import and the traditional style of industrial football that has always been played in England, turns out to be quite an entertaining spectacle, and an exciting way to watch football. It's also the same reason they will never have the success for any length. Like Spain or Italy It's les thoughtful, comparatively less intellectual, and not rational enough to sustain success by style alone. It will never change.If the foreigners ever fuck off on mass, football will still be played in the same manner regardless with all the weaknesses and some of the strengths that this industrial football provides.

Ferdinand was lucky to play with one

All these ppl praising Lineker's knowledge of Spanish vs English football... I'll simply mention Athletico Madrid. Top Spanish team who 'know how to play' defensively in a supposedly offensive only league.

He is probably dead right .

I’m shocked he’s saying this

1st comment 5 years later

Giggs by far more better than bale could ever be won the lot every thing giggsy

Jhaliy Pundiya irrka oyolkka, Marydha punda,, Avludhan,

Hi Wealse Cricket Bord Vagen Over Distruping me , plz Warn,

And then came Virgil Van Dijk

just got recommended this. how'd we know there's this person called van djik from holland coming and stealing the show

Incorrect Andrew

World Standard was much better in 80s/90s than now

I respect Cole’s opinion but English football has always hyped its own footballers* the thing is, in the 90s and early 00s it’s always been behind Serie A and mid 00s and 10s it’s always been behind La Liga.

Andy Cole is quite simply *"Outstanding"*

Miles off it miles off it 😂.......months off it Robbie months off it.......now you’re going to believe us......we’re going to win the league

How negative they all were on England's chances despite 3 of them being former England players!

Yaphet kotto from live and let die

Man he really loved his dog. This is sl heartbreaking knowing that he lost his dog. I lost mine too several years ago and im still not over it.

the problem with the English game is that we are not developing the youngsters born here, if we can do that then there is a chance.....

We now have this archer fellow who looks a bit useful as a bowler, not to mention a bit fast.

Do another one for 2019 Ashes

I regularly watch this for Vaughan’s reaction when Gough suggests Batty

Well Pietersen was right about ballance hasn't had any England chances even though we needed a number three in Sri Lanka

Martial is still that guy. He needs better players around him!

Andy Cole is I’ll god help him recover an he is talking about foreign players now coming to Man Utd or whoever to make them or any team better the best players

Some players just don't like the English climate and lifestyle. Never been able to attract the best South American players. French and Scandinavian more so.

andy cole should be on more shows. They say there are no serious black pundits yeah thats cos idiots like jenas who has no brain are the pundits why not cole? at least he has stuff that is smart to say.

Why didn’t the Scottish league get a mention?🤣

Premier league has never been the best league; like Roy Keane said, it's all hype.

Andy Cole needs to stop getting booked for pundit roles, he can barely string a sentence together.