If social media is anything to go by, we’ve all been massively missing the English Premier League during the international break.
Nostalgia has been the key theme of the past two weeks with #Barclaysmen trending on social media, as fans reminisce over past players that thrilled them on a weekly basis during the period Barclays sponsored the EPL between 2001 and 2016.
The thinking behind a Barclaysmen is hard to define but more a vibe or a thought these players take you back to that isn’t measurable. Moments of mercurial magic over consistent world-class performances that the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney would produce.
With that in mind, here’s our ultimate Barclays XI:
GK: Jussi Jaaskelainen
The ex-Bolton and West Ham goalkeeper made 436 EPL appearances, keeping 108 clean sheets. He had the ability to make world-class saves on a regular basis but also was unpredictable, getting sent off four times during his time in the English top-flight.
RB: Pascal Chimbonda
Chimbona was a stalwart of the Barclays era, making 148 appearances for Wigan, Tottenham, Sunderland and Blackburn. With an equal chance of producing the sublime and unpredictable, there’s no question the one-capped Frenchman makes this Barclays XI.
CB: Sylvain Distin
The non-capped, no-nonsense French defender made 469 EPL appearances in the Barclays era, the most EPL matches by a non-British player. Distin turned out for Newcastle, Man City, Portsmouth, Everton and Bournemouth during an illustrious career.
CB: Richard Dunne
The big Irish defender made 431 EPL appearances, including 253 for Man City and was Distin’s central defensive partner for many years. Despite being an excellent defender, Dunne holds the joint-record for the most red cards in EPL history with eight and also has scored the most own goals in the league’s history with 10.
LB: Maynor Figueroa
The 181-capped Honduran made 214 EPL appearances for Wigan and Hull and is best known for his unbelievable goal from his own half against Stoke in 2009.
RM: Jay-Jay Okocha
The Nigerian superstar made 124 EPL appearances, scoring 14 times for Bolton and was one of the most skilful players the league has seen. He also won 73 caps for Nigeria and is known for producing moments of wonderment during the Barclays era.
CM: Kevin Nolan
One of the men that helped define the Barclays era, Nolan made 401 EPL appearances for Bolton, Newcastle and West Ham. His hard-working, no-nonsense and leadership qualities helped Bolton reach a high of sixth in 2004/05.
CM: Tugay
Tugay scored 11 goals in 233 EPL matches for Blackburn, most of which were stunners. A consistent performer until the age of 38, Tugay defined what is was to be a Barclays midfielder of the time.
CM: Niko Kranjcar
Amazing with the ball at his feet and the ability to score wonder goals, Kranjcar was a favourite of Harry Redknapp, playing under him at Portsmouth, Tottenham and QPR. He played a crucial part as Portsmouth won the FA Cup in 2008.
LM: Morten Gamst Pedersen
Another one who defines the Barclays era, he was part of the infamous Blackburn team and made 259 appearances in the league, netting 34 goals. An extremely consistent performer, he is probably the most Barclays player on this list.
ST: Yakubu
Another Nigerian legend to make this XI, Yakubu has an outstanding EPL record with 95 goals in 252 matches. He scored more than 15 goals in a single season for Portsmouth, Everton and Blackburn, and was also a consistent scorer for Middlesbrough between 2005 and 2007. A powerhouse of a centre-forward, no Barclays XI would be complete without the Yak.
Do you agree with our XI? Comment below with your Ultimate Barclays XI!
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1 Comment
by Kizito
Nice one