Steve Perryman: Harry Kane is a wonderful player but Jimmy Greaves was a genius

[mawspurs]

Maybe on Sunday, or sometime this month, Harry Kane will officially become Tottenham’s greatest goalscorer. Harry is a wonderful payer, a real worker and a great finisher. But the man whose record he is breaking, Jimmy Greaves, was a genius.

I don’t use the word lightly nor this comparison: I think Jimmy is the closest thing we’ve had to Lionel Messi. The style, the panache, the finishing: I should be saying Messi was close to being Jim, he was that good.

Source: Daily Mail

 

[archiewasking]

I think Cap is right. Harry will be our top goalscorer, Jimmy is our greatest goalscorer.

 

[WorcesterTHFC]

The other week, the club's official site included an interview with journalist/author Norman Giller, Spurs fan and old friend of Greaves. He described Greavsie as "Messi with bells on".

 

[SPURSLIFE]

I've seen some great players over the years, MACKAY, BLANCHFLOWER JOHN WHITE, GAZZA, HODDLE, BALE and now KANE. They all had that something special that made them stand out from the others but GREAVSIE' was the best full stop.

 

[littlewilly]

I've seen some great players over the years, MACKAY, BLANCHFLOWER JOHN WHITE, GAZZA, HODDLE, BALE and now KANE. They all had that something special that made them stand out from the others but GREAVSIE' was the best full stop.

Those of us who watched Greavsie’s career are a real minority on here now. We were privileged and I guarantee that none of us will disagree with your view. He was the best footballer I’ve ever seen.

 

[chas vs dave]

I don't get the need to compare, both are wonderful players, in different eras, and the game was different in both.

 

[whitesocks]

I don't get the need to compare, both are wonderful players, in different eras, and the game was different in both.

You have to wonder how a greaves would cope with the pace of the game today - the work players have to get through. The constant training.
It is also true that defenders would go in hard then and there weren't the facilities and know-how to recover players from injuries. I suspect kane would have retired in his 20s.

 

[Terry & Terry]

You have to wonder how a greaves would cope with the pace of the game today - the work players have to get through. The constant training.
It is also true that defenders would go in hard then and there weren't the facilities and know-how to recover players from injuries. I suspect kane would have retired in his 20s.

Alcohol was a thing then too. A teetotal Greaves would have gone on longer.

 

[Spurs 1961]

Kane is a great striker but not just one dimensional with a top notch all round game.
Greaves thought was unreal. He was truly a genius on the pitch and responsible for many people, like me, falling in love with the game. Kane would have been perfect to play alongside the maestro

 

[sherbornespurs]

Alcohol was a thing then too. A teetotal Greaves would have gone on longer.

Living in North London from '62 until '67 I got to see Jimmy Greaves at his absolute best every other week and also to many away games. From '67 until '77 I lived in South Manchester and when I couldn't /afford /hitch a lift/thumb it/ to WHL I'd go to Old Trafford just to see George Best.

Him and Greavsie were by far the best two UK based players I ever saw play. Both footballing geniuses and both blighted by the disease of alcoholism. At least Greavsie got to his early 30's before the booze really got to him (footballing wise).

George Best's career was effectively over by the time he was 26 - from a fan's perspective an absolute tragedy: I feel robbed that this cruel disease cut short both his career, but more importantly his life.

** For what it's worth, the closest I saw to Greaves was Robbie Fowler (for about two seasons).

 

[Dennism]

You have to wonder how a greaves would cope with the pace of the game today - the work players have to get through. The constant training.
It is also true that defenders would go in hard then and there weren't the facilities and know-how to recover players from injuries. I suspect kane would have retired in his 20s.

As great players both would have done well in a different era.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

357 goals in 521 games in top flight football say that Greavsie was very special

My dad said he was the greatest, hands down but I never had the privilege

I’ve seen most of Kane live from his emergence as a ‘player’ v Benfica in Lisbon and he’s pretty special as well

 

[Dennism]

So sick of the ignorant uninformed Jamie Carragher saying Harry will be the greatest Spurs player of all time. What does he know about the likes of Greaves, Mackay, Blanchflower, White, Smith and Jennings. These comparisons are futile and Carragher doesn’t help. We just need to be happy that Spurs have so many brilliant players.