Larsson was better than Johnstone......

Docco

Docco

Well-known member
Ok.. controversial I know...but for me, Larsson is the greatest most influential Celtic player I have seen in 40 years of following the mighty tic..I asked my dad God rest his soul who was the greatest ever celt and without hesitation he pronounced "Larsson" no question... forget any lion, Larsson is/was a one man machine....is there anyone who can counter??
 
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Interesting take, and I think it merits discussion. But it's really hard to pin down. Who's a better, more influential guitarist, Andres Segovia or Les Paul? Both excellent, both warrant "best," but two different styles and genres.

Same with Jinky and Larsson.

Bear in mind I'm not disagreeing with you, as I think Larsson is a god and frankly he has made a phenomenal case for himself as a Celt. And Johnstone was a magician with the ball, if the miracle of YouTube videos is any indication. So it's really hard to say.
 
lcafiero said:
Interesting take, and I think it merits discussion. But it's really hard to pin down. Who's a better, more influential guitarist, Andres Segovia or Les Paul? Both excellent, both warrant "best," but two different styles and genres.

Same with Jinky and Larsson.

Bear in mind I'm not disagreeing with you, as I think Larsson is a god and frankly he has made a phenomenal case for himself as a Celt. And Johnstone was a magician with the ball, if the miracle of YouTube videos is any indication. So it's really hard to say.
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It's tricky, no question...but Johnstone had 10 teammates who were schooled in everything Celtic... Larsson had to educate himself basically...I agree with my dad, Henrik is the greatest Celt in the last 50 years...no question....
 
Larsson was the best Celtic player I've ever seen, by a distance, but I never witnessed Jinky.

It's probably unfair to compare players of different eras, as an athlete Henrik was probably on a different level to Jinky because of sports science and lifestyle etc.

Then you can look at the shit pitches and complete lack of protection from refs in Jinky's day yet he still produced incredible match winning skills.

In terms of Celtic they were both the best of their generation, can't ask for more than that in my opinion.
 
Hoopy427 said:
Larsson was the best Celtic player I've ever seen, by a distance, but I never witnessed Jinky.

It's probably unfair to compare players of different eras, as an athlete Henrik was probably on a different level to Jinky because of sports science and lifestyle etc.

Then you can look at the shit pitches and complete lack of protection from refs in Jinky's day yet he still produced incredible match winning skills.

In terms of Celtic they were both the best of their generation, can't ask for more than that in my opinion.
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It's a fantastic dilemma x
 
It has to be the King of Kings for me. I've seen them both play and Jinky had the dribble but Henrik could score a goal from nothing. He was the least ego driven player as he set up so many other players too.
It's a tough question but Larsson, for me, is the greatest player ever to wear the hoops.
 
Hoopy427 said:
Larsson was the best Celtic player I've ever seen, by a distance, but I never witnessed Jinky.

It's probably unfair to compare players of different eras, as an athlete Henrik was probably on a different level to Jinky because of sports science and lifestyle etc.

Then you can look at the shit pitches and complete lack of protection from refs in Jinky's day yet he still produced incredible match winning skills.

In terms of Celtic they were both the best of their generation, can't ask for more than that in my opinion.
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My old man saw both...he had no doubt ..... Larsson lit up our game and when he left, Scottish football suffered...he was that good....better even than Dalgleish
 
An unfair and impossible question to definitively answer asvit is impossible to fairly compare players from different eras, but it is fun. Both Henrik and Jinky were fantastic eorld class players who were an absolute pleasure to watch. But if you want me to go for one player as the best I've seen it would have to be Dalglish.
 
You cannot compare the past with the present, I think you only get the best of the current generation with obvious standouts.
Happens in all walks of life, music, art, acting, dance and sport etc.
Try arguing who’s the best boxer ever for example..impossible.
Too many imponderables to truly compare.
Larsson is without doubt the best Celt I have ever witnessed in my lifetime.
Charlie Adam the fattest and Davie Dodds the ugliest players 😂
 
I've seen both, Henrik was a wonderful player and as instinctive as they come, scored some classic goals and wasn't selfish either a modern day God of a man imho. Jinky on his day was unstoppable, when Celtic were put under pressure they looked for Jimmy to hold it up and give them a wee rest, Jimmy would beat people for fun and literally done that sometimes doubling back to beat someone again, a god of a man also imho, and could score as well.

Different times and in all honesty they both had different styles, one up front the other a winger. I ain't going to pick one I'm just glad I seen them both in hoops .
 
bhoy4life said:
You cannot compare the past with the present, I think you only get the best of the current generation with obvious standouts.
Happens in all walks of life, music, art, acting, dance and sport etc.
Try arguing who’s the best boxer ever for example..impossible.
Too many imponderables to truly compare.
Larsson is without doubt the best Celt I have ever witnessed in my lifetime.
Charlie Adam the fattest and Davie Dodds the ugliest players 😂
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The most unfit senior footballer I have seen was Mark Yardley. He scored bucketloads of goals for Cowdenbeath then St Mirren gave him a go in the Premier League. The lazy sod couldn't run but man could he score goals. I remember watching him in one game where he just lay down for a rest - the trainer came running on to see to him and rather than give him the magic sponge, we were all convinced he gave him a pie to get his energy levels up again!
 
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Bridie Bhoy said:
The most unfit senior footballer I have seen was Mark Yardley. He scored bucketloads of goals for Cowdenbeath then St Mirren can him a go in the Premier League. The lazy sod couldn't run but man could he score goals. I remember watching him in one game where he just lay down for a rest - the trainer came running on to see to him and rather than give him the magic sponge, we were all convinced he gave him a pie to get his energy levels up again!
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Think this could be a whole new thread …best , worst, laziest, machine, prettiest, ugliest, loyal, mercenary…could go on and on
 
Depends on yir age, everyone over 60 probably would say jinky, under 60 it’s Larsson, jinky was a winger, didn’t influence games as much as Larsson playing through the middle, jinky played in a team of world class players, Larsson carried a fair, but not great team almost on this own, cont think of many players that played for both Barcelona and Man U after they left us and single handedly won the champions league for Barcelona when he came on as a sub, perhaps van dyke comes close,

But we were blessed to have both
Larsson for me
 
Docco said:
Ok.. controversial I know...but for me, Larsson is the greatest most influential Celtic player I have seen in 40 years of following the mighty tic..I asked my dad God rest his soul who was the greatest ever celt and without hesitation he pronounced "Larsson" no question... forget any lion, Larsson is/was a one man machine....is there anyone who can counter??x
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Like yourself, Docco - Henrik was, by some clear distance, the greatest Celtic player I've had the good fortune to see in the flesh - and like your Da', my own Faither answered, almost as quickly, that Larsson was also his choice.

The logic behind his decision was also very similar to your own thoughts. Although Jinky was (without any doubt) a magnificent player, he was also helped by the fact that Celtic had one or two other world-class players who could share the load. Even those who were not world-class were still international-class and far superior to your average player, even in a golden age of Scottish football.

Henrik didn't always have that luxury and had to carry the team on his own on many occasions. Larsson was also an outstanding technical footballer and was so much more than just a goalscorer. I believe his best game for Celtic was the night Celtic destroyed a strong Lyon side at Parkhead and he never got a sniff of a goal. He just popped up left, right and centre and displayed a passing and crossing range that the French just could not cope with.

As far as goals go - he scored all types of goal: tap-ins, from distance, lobs, dinks and curlers, set-pieces and (man oh man) those headers.

I'm not going to lose much sleep over who was the better player, but Jinky himself waxed lyrical over Henrik and we also have to consider that Larsson went on to become a game-changer at Barcelona and also a significant cameo player on-loan at Man United.

I'm happy enough to know that Jinky is regarded as our greatest ever. I'm sure different generations might have opted for Jimmy McGrory, Patsy Gallagher or Charlie Tully, but for me - I feel privileged and blessed to have had the great fortune to watch Henrik Larsson and Celtic fans should be thankful that such great players have graced Our Hoops.

Now.........if only we got Lubo 5-years before we did???

Xxx

Wee edit here: I have to add, my Da' was convinced that George Connolly would have been regarded as the greatest ever Celt if he could have only conquered his own self-doubt and other well-documented issues.
 
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To this day when we miss a sitter or a great chance i always think Henrik would've buried that 😂Easily the best striker ive watched in the hoops.Im sure Bertie Auld got asked if Henrik woulda got in the Lions team and he answered what position?right back😂😂
 
Never seen jinky in the flesh and i have no doubt hes one of the most skillfull we've ever had but for my generation(42) its got to be henke hes the best ive ever seen in the hoops and i think its hie he became great rite infront if our eyes this wee swedish guy naecunt had heard of 650,000 thrn he sets up big chic at easter road amd we're thinking hope we kept the reciept them thr gjy just blossomed into a world class striker he cud have played in any team back then as shown by who he played with at his last 2 teams at wit 35?? That chip over klos will never leave me fuckin genius😍
 
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Cairnsybhoy79 said:
Never seen jinky in the flesh and i have no doubt hes ine if thr most skillfull weve ever had but for my generation(42) its got to be henke hes the best ive ever seen in the hoops and i think its hie he became great rite infront if our eyes this wee swedish guy naecunt had heard of 650,000 thrn he sets up big chic at easter road amd we're thinking hope we kept the reciept them thr gjy just blossomed into a world class striker he cud have played in any team back then as shown by who he played with at his last 2 teams at wit 35?? That chip over klos will never leave me fuckin genius😍
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That chip was a thing of beauty, Cairnsy, but for pure shithoosery - the one in the league cup semi-final where he outmuscled Bob 'loves the boaby' Malcolm, dinked it over Klos then nipped roon to toe it over the line wins the 'get it right up yiz' award.
 
Spherical Planet said:
Like yourself, Docco - Henrik was, by some clear distance, the greatest Celtic player I've had the good fortune to see in the flesh - and like your Da', my own Faither answered, almost as quickly, that Larsson was also his choice.

The logic behind his decision was also very similar to your own thoughts. Although Jinky was (without any doubt) a magnificent player, he was also helped by the fact that Celtic had one or two other world-class players who could share the load. Even those who were not world-class were still international-class and far superior to your average player, even in a golden age of Scottish football.

Henrik didn't always have that luxury and had to carry the team on his own on many occasions. Larsson was also an outstanding technical footballer and was so much more than just a goalscorer. I believe his best game for Celtic was the night Celtic destroyed a strong Lyon side at Parkhead and he never got a sniff of a goal. He just popped up left, right and centre and displayed a passing and crossing range that the French just could not cope with.

As far as goals go - he scored all types of goal: tap-ins, from distance, lobs, dinks and curlers, set-pieces and (man oh man) those headers.

I'm not going to lose much sleep over who was the better player, but Jinky himself waxed lyrical over Henrik and we also have to consider that Larsson went on to become a game-changer at Barcelona and also a significant cameo player on-loan at Man United.

I'm happy enough to know that Jinky is regarded as our greatest ever. I'm sure different generations might have opted for Jimmy McGrory, Patsy Gallagher or Charlie Tully, but for me - I feel privileged and blessed to have had the great fortune to watch Henrik Larsson and Celtic fans should be thankful that such great players have graced Our Hoops.

Now.........if only we got Lubo 5-years before we did???

Xxx

Wee edit here: I have to add, my Da' was convinced that George Connolly would have been regarded as the greatest ever Celt if he could have only conquered his own self-doubt and other well-documented issues.
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Agree with dad about Connolly he had it all but could not cope with it,as for the question of our greatest ever player it’s still Jinky I watched him from his day at Blantyre Celtic all the way though his playing days remember that jimmy stood out in a team of great players Larson was up there with the best but jinky was known all over the world not only as a skilled player but a goal scorer yes I am over 60 75 come July we all have our hero’s just glad they all played for Celtic
 
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