Kinkladze - just how good was he?

[kippaxcityboy]

For me the guy was great, I loved watching him start one of his runs, ok I admit they could be fewer than you would like, but pure class when he went about it.
He is now back in Tbilisi, and still has time to talk to city fans.

 

[Jack74]

The most over rated player to ever pull on a City shirt

Just spat my irn bru out

Gio ,the most skillful player I have had the pleasure 2 watch

 

[Jack74]

Average.

You must have been some player

 

[lloydie]

The ball was tied to his bootlace as he ran down a ginnel.

 

[MCFCinUSA]

Hard this one, but I'm sure he could do a job for us now (Sub for Nasri)(or)(Silva when injured or needed resting), very left footed though! We have to move on from the past. David Whites pace would destroy any current fullback in the Premier league, not sure he's as fast as bale or lennon but there again he may have been faster. Different age and times!

It's hard to compare then an now

David White's put on a bit of weight recently too..

 

[DuggieCcH]

A lot of memories of Gio's famous goal versus Southampton have been posted. I was sat near the front in the main stand on the day. The 3 Saints subs were warming up between me and the Platt Lane goal. They all stood transfixed for the whole move and then applauded the finish. Niall Quinn may have been sub, or been subbed, because I remember him highlighting the opposition clapping to the City dugout.

 

[Big Swifty]

Some of these posts fluctuate between thinking he was average and those saying he was the greatest ever. They remind me of Dryden's couplet:
"So over violent or so over civil
That every man with him was God or Devil."
Let's have a rational, dispassionate assessment.
He was not perfect or world-class, but he was technically highly gifted. If he was (or seemed) selfish, it was because he knew that if he passed to a colleague, they would almost invariably cock it up. He was very skilful at keeping his body between the ball and an opponent, and was almost impossible to dispossess. He scored some blinding goals - as well as the Southampton one, the goal v West Ham in the Cup was fabulous. He could score from free-kicks, especially from the inside-right position (as we used to call it).
However, he did not have the vision of David Silva (or didn't use it - see above). He didn't put in a shift, particularly away from home. He could be nullified by close marking - Danny Maddox of QPR rendered him invisible in the infamous Game at Maine Rd.
But, as someone has said, he didn't deserve Joe Royle's low opinion of him.
He could light up a game and we should be grateful for that.

 

[mancitymick]

Yes he won player of the year a couple of times - Competition was not much. How many great performances did he actually have for us?. As said he was a shining light in a poor team but nothing else, and no i don't believe as some have said he would walk into this team. Ali B was better

 

[petrusha]

Some of these posts fluctuate between thinking he was average and those saying he was the greatest ever. They remind me of Dryden's couplet:
"So over violent or so over civil
That every man with him was God or Devil."
Let's have a rational, dispassionate assessment.
He was not perfect or world-class, but he was technically highly gifted. If he was (or seemed) selfish, it was because he knew that if he passed to a colleague, they would almost invariably cock it up. He was very skilful at keeping his body between the ball and an opponent, and was almost impossible to dispossess. He scored some blinding goals - as well as the Southampton one, the goal v West Ham in the Cup was fabulous. He could score from free-kicks, especially from the inside-right position (as we used to call it).
However, he did not have the vision of David Silva (or didn't use it - see above). He didn't put in a shift, particularly away from home. He could be nullified by close marking - Danny Maddox of QPR rendered him invisible in the infamous Game at Maine Rd.
But, as someone has said, he didn't deserve Joe Royle's low opinion of him.
He could light up a game and we should be grateful for that.

I think that this is an excellent summary. He was a terrific talent and I have some great memories of watching him in what was otherwise a really dismal era to be a Blue. His dribbling and close control when he was at his best were mesmerising, and allowed him to score goals on occasion that his idol Maradona would have been proud of. But for whatever reason he didn't put his talent to good enough effect on a consistent enough basis to be hailed as a true great of the game. I'm glad I saw him play and I think of him fondly, but I do think that some Blues have a tendency to overrate him.

 

[hateutd]

He was Great,We were shit....