Top 10 EPL Entertainers
For as long as the wind is blowing, we might as well be surfing the wave…
After FourFourTwo’s Top 100 footballers list, the ‘Association of Football Statisticians’ Top 100 Greatest Ever Footballers, and recently once again FourFourTwo’s 2007 EPL ‘Rich List’, The Sun is jumping onto the Top 100 bandwagon and starting a Top 10 ranking of their own: every week the ‘most trustworthy publication in the UK’ (yeah, cheap shot) will bring you the latest list of the best (and worst) things from the world of sport.
This week, it’s a Top 10 of the most entertaining footballers in EPL history. Like any other ranking, this article is to be taken with a grain of salt. Fire your cheers/comments/insults away, but remember… I’m only the messenger. 
Here, I’ll get you started: notable absentees include Dennis Bergkamp, Chris Waddle, John Barnes, Kevin Keegan, Alan Shearer, David Ginola…
From The Sun article:
English football fans have been blessed over the years. OK, the national team have not exactly set the world on fire, but when it comes to domestic action, we simply cannot be beaten. Some of the greatest entertainers have graced England’s top-flight and the debate will always rage about who is the best. We’ve picked our top 10 right here – but if you don’t agree, let us know.
 It’s safe to say Le God is one of the greatest players to never win a major trophy. The talented striker hammered home long-range stunners for fun and was Southampton through and through. Despite opportunities to join bigger clubs, Le Tissier spent his ENTIRE career with the Saints. |
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 There are few players who can be described as legends — but Beardsley fits the bill perfectly. He picked up 59 caps for England, forming a devastating strikeforce with Gary Lineker. But he is best remembered for spells with Newcastle, Liverpool and Everton. Pure and simple, Beardsley played for the love of the game. |
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 Henry is the best player to ever pull on an Arsenal shirt. The striker’s sublime skills made him the club’s highest goalscorer but his time in London ended without what he coveted most — glory in the Champions League. The Frenchman, who started his career as a winger, is one of the greatest foreign players to grace the Premier League. |
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 The wing wizard seems to have been around forever — and he’s still going strong. The only thing you can say against Giggsy is that he is one of the best Englishman never to play for his country. Instead of choosing the Three Lions, the Manchester United ace opted for Wales. While international success has eluded him, Giggs has won the lot with United. |
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 Hoddle was one of the classiest midfielders around. His range of passing was phenomenal and, most importantly, the Tottenham legend knew how to score a goal. To put it simply, this man could do it all. After proving himself in France with Monaco, he enjoyed spells as player-boss at Swindon and Chelsea. |
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 In years to come, Ronaldo is sure to feature higher in lists like this. The Portuguese Winker may not be popular with anyone outside of Manchester but he has cemented his reputation as one of the world’s greatest players. Under the guidance of Alex Ferguson, Ron has developed into the best goalscoring winger around. |
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 When he wasn’t kung-fu kicking fans or talking about seagulls, Cantona did the business on the pitch as Manchester United won trophy after trophy. The Frenchman was as mad as they come but truly gifted. He stunned United fans by hanging up his boots in 1997 to pursue an acting career. |
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 While Gazza can best be described as daft as a brush, the midfielder could do it all with the ball at his feet. A troubled genius he may be, but the former Newcastle and Tottenham ace was one of the few Englishmen to conquer Serie A. |
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 Zola’s love of the game was clear to see from the moment he arrived at Stamford Bridge. The Italian was a free-kick expert but there was far more to his game than the ability to curl a ball. Zola scored breathtaking goals and was one of the main reasons Chelsea lifted trophies under both Ruud Gullit and Gianluca Vialli. |
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 Best loved nothing better than scoring on and OFF the pitch. The Northern Irishman was untouchable with the ball at his feet and was adored away from the game. His lifestyle was often criticised but Manchester United would not be the club they are today without him. Quite simply, he set the standard for everyone to follow. |
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Marco Pantanella writes for the mCalcio blog
Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, English Premier League, Lists, Thierry Henry
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Where is P.SCHMEICHEL!!…
November 13th, 2007 @ 12:575 united players? and why am i not suprised
November 13th, 2007 @ 13:09How can your list of “Top 10 of the most entertaining footballers in EPL history” be taken seriously when the guy at Number 1 never played in the Premier League?
November 13th, 2007 @ 13:14Of the 10 listed the following shouldn’t be considered;
Glenn Hoddle – 2 years as player manager with Swindon/Chelsea? Great in the 80s
Peter Beardsley – Better players since his time in the Premiership. Was great in the 80s too
George Best – Never played in the Premiership.
Paul Gascoigne – was a waste of space for Middlesbrough and Everton. Played his best football for Spurs (pre-Premiership) and Rangers.
How on earth you can leave out Dennis Bergkamp is beyond me! The guy is a legend and i’m a United fan! I’d also have Di Canio in the list, since it’s made up of “entertainers”. Me thinks the list needs a bit of re-working!
November 13th, 2007 @ 13:49Di Canio and Carbone should both be on there without a doubt..
Of course, it depends on one’s definition of entertainment. I personally find Didier Drogba supremely entertaining; scoring, complaining, spitting, diving, there’s never a dull moment when the Drog is on the pitch. Titus Bramble is another hapless yet endless fount of entertainment.
November 13th, 2007 @ 14:43Best’s country was Northern Ireland!!!
November 13th, 2007 @ 15:09This is coming from a Gooner(not a scouser), where the hell is Graeme Souness? Or Kenny Daglish? Or even Ian Rush? Kevin Keegan? You mean to tell me C. Ronaldo is greater than them? Again why am i not surprised to see Patrick Viera or Dennis Bergkamp or Roy Keane? Oh yes I get it is only “The Sun”! What a shitlist………..
November 13th, 2007 @ 16:57Most ‘entertaining’ footballers is a very loose term don’t you think? Covers all manner of sins & hype.
November 13th, 2007 @ 18:00For the sake of exactitude, The Sun‘s article did state “England’s top-flight” instead of ‘EPL’ or ‘Premiership’. So if that distinction makes you happier, Antgrad and Conor…
November 13th, 2007 @ 14:09Oops, you’re absolutely right Ace. I’ll correct as soon as possible.
November 13th, 2007 @ 15:21“In years to come, Ronaldo is sure to feature higher in lists like this. The Portuguese Winker”
im pretty sure the sun called him the portuguese wanker
November 13th, 2007 @ 21:17Juninho. The finest footballer to grace the North-East.
The Man Utd fans know what I’m talking about… they just have too much pride to admit it.
*Hides from backlash*
November 13th, 2007 @ 21:45u mean to tell me that ronaldo is better than henry .and he made much morefor m.u than hery for arsenal???
November 13th, 2007 @ 22:42what about beckham he should be in the top 3
November 13th, 2007 @ 22:55wow scousers cant count
November 13th, 2007 @ 23:16I’d oust Glenn Hoddle for Bergkamp and Peter Beardsley for Peter Schmeichel.
November 14th, 2007 @ 00:14i agree with all of those above me! this list makes no fuckin SENSE!!
November 14th, 2007 @ 03:38this is coming from an arsenal fan… what about robbie fowler he scored the fastest hat-trick, the famous celebration where he sniffed the white line, that stupid plaster he use to where on his nose… what about ginola… beckham… di canio (good and bad reasons)… bergkamp should be top 10… ian wright wright wright… and if you include hoddle and best then you have to inlcude loads more from pre-prem days. don’t think keepers should be on this list of “entertainers” if you do then Lehmaan is very entertaining so was grobler
November 14th, 2007 @ 05:45Ronaldo definitely entertains more than Henry ever did, no doubt.
I do agree, however, that if this list were to be prolonged to 20 Di Canio should definitely be included.
November 14th, 2007 @ 12:47Ronaldo Vs Henry in a pout off – Who’d win?!
November 14th, 2007 @ 19:41Too much controversy!
Cantona should be number 1 ^^
November 15th, 2007 @ 20:19So an alternative top ten could easily include…
Bergkamp
Di Canio
Titus Bramble (love it Hugo!)
Dalglish
Junhino
Ginola
Ian Wright
John Barnes
Chris Waddle
Kevin Keegan
Why would anyone want to remove Hoddle (genius) or Beardsley?
All great footballers and fantastic to watch whoever you support?
Why would anyone want to remove Hoddle (genius) or Beardsley?
Pat Nevin? Asprilla? Grobellar? Kanchelskis?
November 16th, 2007 @ 12:08Where is bergkamp, better than giggs or Le Tiss were, anybody scored more entertaining goals than him? no. Henry should be higher as well, seeing as he is the best player the prem has ever seen and did things that 99% of others wouldn’t.
November 16th, 2007 @ 16:51my list of premier league entertainers would be as follows
juninho
le tiss
di canio
giggs
ronaldo
zola
bergkamp
ginola
henry
cantona
the likes of rooney (not done enough yet), fabregas, van persie & torres could also be considered in a few years time
November 18th, 2007 @ 00:22what about ALAN SHEARER!!!
November 21st, 2007 @ 23:53[...] Sun, or magazines like FourFourTwo, have been making Top 10 rankings all year long really (see Top 10 EPL Entertainers, Top 100 Footballers, or Richest Players/Club Owners of the EPL, among [...]
December 30th, 2007 @ 17:41Paul Scholes? Sherear? Lineker? Ginola?
& why shudnt there be many man united players? uno they won the EPL the most unlike livershite who never won it at all!! maybe thts why we dnt see the ‘best midfielder in the wrld’ gerrard der or ppl like carrawho? and owen haha
December 31st, 2007 @ 04:46Maradona Good Pele Beter and George Best but one thing he never playded EPL
May 8th, 2008 @ 03:18king all kings George Best most gifted footballer player ever the world have seen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nplemK3Y4ns
May 8th, 2008 @ 03:19Hey….is this a joke or what…where is the humble Jay Jay Okocha of Bolton.Remember the glamour he brought here.
December 23rd, 2008 @ 13:52hey! how can u do that? where is jay jay okocha or kanu?
January 31st, 2009 @ 15:05