The OTF Champion of Champions League

[fatbear]

World Champions England couldn't score against them !

[Satchmo Distel]

Rubbish defence is a bit of a myth (they had some brutal enforcers in there) but my doubt is always how they would have done at sea level in moderate temperatures.

England obviously should have scored: that Astle miss.

If anyone wants to nominate England 1966 or 1970, I would second it (assuming we are only allowed one nomination and mine is already posted).

I'd also second Liverpool but which year? My feeling is that Paisley's side of 1977-80 and Fagan's of 1983-84 had much tougher opposition than Kenny's of 1986 -1988, which was also untested in Europe.

Everton: you have to give the 1986-1987 team a shout too and perhaps expand that nomination to 1984-1987.

[Kevin S]

I'll second Robson's Ipswich.

Nominating Lippi's Juventus of the late 90s, as we need some pantomime villains.

[EIM]

The current Liverpool side that has won something ridiculous like 42 out of its last 47 league games

So?

and been crowned European and World champions while doing so.

Now here we go. This is the important bit. I saw somewhere when all the dullards were comparing Liverpool, with Arsenal's invincibles, with the United treble side, that picking a better team based on anything other than trophies won is a celebration of statistics over achievement. Sure enough the invincibles mean lots tot he Arsenal fans, and Manchester City's "centurions" are lauded by Manchester City fans, but is their achievement any better than Blackburn's or Leicester's? Dunno. Tough to say, isn't it? They all ended up with the same pot.

Every year that passes, with every new best team ever, Manchester United's treble win looks a more and more spectacular achievement. To juggle all those fixtures, and show the sort of mental and physical resilience to hold off Arsenal, win the CL playing four prior winners of the competition, and win the FA Cup having drawn Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal, well, it's something isn't it?

They may not be my favourite Manchester United side (1994 or 2003) but they're the greatest, aren't they? And the greatest English club side any of you have lot have seen an all.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

They didn't "hold off" Arsenal, Arsenal blew it by losing their penultimate game to Leeds. Won the League with 79 points. And Arsenal blew the Cup, with Bergkamp's last-minute penalty miss. And the less said about Bayern bottling it in Barcelona the better.

Man United's 1999 team are the footballing equivalent of a bloke who empties the bins in the bogs in Wetherspoons winning £156m on the Euromillions and telling everyone they were Britain's most successful businessman.

[EIM]

They didn't "hold off" Arsenal, Arsenal blew it by losing their penultimate game to Leeds. Won the League with 79 points. And Arsenal blew the Cup, with Bergkamp's last-minute penalty miss. And the less said about Bayern bottling it in Barcelona the better.

Man United's 1999 team are the footballing equivalent of a bloke who empties the bins in the bogs in Wetherspoons winning £156m on the Euromillions and telling everyone they were Britain's most successful businessman.

I'm not going to dignify this with a response. But be warned. In the very near future I'm going to call you a dickhead on Facebook.

[jwdd27]

I'll throw another second for van Gaal's Ajax.

Mainly because they beat Sacchi's Milan, who had previously beaten/humiliated Cruyff's Barcelona. And they were mostly kids.

My personal pick would be the Marseille side of 1991 (Waddle, Papin, Pele, Boli, Mozer). Fantastic to watch, just as the Red Star of Prosinecki, Savicevic, Pancev and Mihajlovic were. But put them together, and you get the most disappointing match of your life. Which is why they'll go out in the first round. Marseille side fell to pieces because their boss was a crook, Red Star because the players named came from 4 different countries and were at war a year later.

[Sean of the Shed]

Entries so far:
Nottingham Forest 77-80*
Brazil 2002
Ajax 1995**
West Germany 1972
France 1998-2000*
Hungary 53-56*
USSR 86-88
Dirty Leeds 68-74*
Napoli 15-18
Milan 86-90**
Denmark 1986*
Lincoln City 75-76
Barcelona 08-09*
Ipswich Town 76-82*
Everton 84-85*
Brazil 1970
Juventus 96-98
Manchester United 98-99*
Marseille 90-91
Romania 1994
Aberdeen 83-85
France 82-84*
Ajax 69-73
Nigeria 94-98*
Dundee United 79-87
Dynamo Kyiv 97-99
Uruguay 24-30
Derby County 71-75
Real Madrid 55-60
Leicester City 15-16*
Liverpool 18-20
Tottenham Hotspur 60-63

[3 Colours Red]

I'll throw another second for van Gaal's Ajax.

Mainly because they beat Sacchi's Milan...

Weren't they Capello's Milan by then? Who of course could be worthy nominees themselves, even if only for THAT performance.

[ad hoc]

I'm torn between Sheffield Wednesday 91-92 and Romania 94.

Obviously the former are objectively the greatest team the world has ever seen, but there are none so blind as will not see. So I guess I'll nominate Romania

Do Hungary in the 50s need a seconder? Count me in

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

I'm nominating 1984-5 Everton.

They're on BBC right now, Sheedy, Bracewell and Andy Gray's flying elbows and all.

[delicatemoth]

Liverpool 1978-80 just crushed hope, while the Liverpool of Barnes and Molby were gloriously smug cavaliers. 1983-84 was probably their best team.

EIM makes a stirring argument for his lads, but I'm afraid Nottm Forest 1977-80 still trumps it for English club sides. If Ipswich had won the league it would be them.

Not what the thread's about at all, but the most likeable Man Utd title winners were the ones with Kanchelskis.

[Kevin S]

I should probably narrow Juventus down to 96-98 given the Ajax and Man Utd bookends.

[Sean of the Shed]

Liverpool 1978-80 just crushed hope, while the Liverpool of Barnes and Molby were gloriously smug cavaliers. 1983-84 was probably their best team.

EIM makes a stirring argument for his lads, but I'm afraid Nottm Forest 1977-80 still trumps it for English club sides. If Ipswich had won the league it would be them.

Not what the thread's about at all, but the most likeable Man Utd title winners were the ones with Kanchelskis.

Unless you tell me otherwise I'll take that as a seconding of my nomination. Thanks dm.

[delicatemoth]

I already used my 2nd for Sacchi's Milan.

[Sean of the Shed]

So you did. Ah well, it was worth a try.

[Sporting]

Not what the thread's about at all, but the most likeable Man Utd title winners were the ones with Kanchelskis.

This reply is off-thread as well, but the most likeable (and exciting) Man Utd non title winners were the team with Hill, Pearson, Coppell, Macari, Daly, Buchan etc.

[DPDPDPDP]

I nominate Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen team, probably 1983 to 1985 was their peak. two league titles, two Scottish Cups, European Cup Winners Cup in 1983 (beating Real Madrid in the final and Bayern Munich in the Quarter Final) and winning the Super Cup in 1983.

in Ferguson’s 7 years at Aberdeen, they won 10 trophies, including 3 League titles (Aberdeen have only won the League 4 times in their history), probably should have won 2 more league titles had it not been for Scottish ref’s blatantly favouring 2 Glasgow based teams). They reached the semi final of CWC in 1984. They beat Robson’s Ipswich (the holders) in the 1981 UEFA cup.

They had some great players - Willie Miller, Alex McLeish, (the two of them won 150 caps and were great defenders and were the main reason why Alan Hansen only won 26 caps) Gordon Strachan, Jim Leighton (he was great for Aberdeen before his ‘mare at United) and many more.

[delicatemoth]

This reply is off-thread as well, but the most likeable (and exciting) Man Utd non title winners were the team with Hill, Pearson, Coppell, Macari, Daly, Buchan etc.

Gerry Daly played for Leicester in the first game I ever saw live (a friendly) and he was great.

[Sits]

This reply is off-thread as well, but the most likeable (and exciting) Man Utd non title winners were the team with Hill, Pearson, Coppell, Macari, Daly, Buchan etc.

This. Swashbuckling.

[Sits]

So you did. Ah well, it was worth a try.

Actually I was about to second your Forest nomination anyway, mostly for being contemporaneous and direct rivals of mine.

So there you are.

[Sean of the Shed]

Actually I was about to second your Forest nomination anyway, mostly for being contemporaneous and direct rivals of mine.

So there you are.

Much appreciated, Sits.

[G-Man]

This. Swashbuckling.

Alas, too often more buckling than swashing. But, yeah, what a side...

[tee rex]

France 1982-84.

Fulfil the requirement of being both champions (Euros at home) and near misses (that semi, that DIY dentistry).

Fall a bit short on total team greatness, essentially had a stellar midfield plus Tresor, no great goalscorers or keeper. We'll have to ignore what Platini later became, but I guess that applies to quite a few teams nominated here.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

France 1982-84.

Fulfil the requirement of being both champions (Euros at home) and near misses (that semi, that DIY dentistry).

Fall a bit short on total team greatness, essentially had a stellar midfield plus Tresor, no great goalscorers or keeper. We'll have to ignore what Platini later became, but I guess that applies to quite a few teams nominated here.

Definitely second that France side. They went on, of course, to play their part in another of the greatest World Cup games of all time, the quarter-final against Brazil in 1986, before freezing against West Germany in the semi-final, perhaps haunted by memories of four years before.