Friday 19 December 2014 20:45, UK
Chris Powell picked the best 11 players he has played alongside as he named his #One2Eleven on The Fantasy Football Club.
The Huddersfield Town manager, who enjoyed spells as a player with Southend, Derby and Charlton to name but a few, picked plenty of England legends in his #One2Eleven and claimed John Barnes was the greatest player he ever played with…
CENTRE-BACK: Paul McGrath
For someone who couldn't train – he had a knee problem and couldn't run – I would say he's the best defender I've played alongside. He could read the game. At that time, because of his knee problem, he couldn't kick the ball with his left foot so he used to put his right foot across his body, he would clear it with the outside of his foot and get it away. He used to call it the donkey kick, the Derby fans will remember it! I won player of the year that year but I only won it because of him and I said that when I received the award. It was only because of him, because he was just an outstanding man – very quiet but just an excellent player who didn't train.
MIDFIELD: John Barnes
He came to Charlton very late in his career and he came as a central midfielder. But I remember, typical of Curbs (Alan Curbishley) – we never knew when he was signing a player – I was in the dressing room and I looked out the window and I saw someone in a training kit who loooked like John Barnes. I'm looking and I'm saying to Graham Stuart, 'is that John Barnes out there? It can't be John Barnes at Charlton?' He said it was Johnny Barnes and he was playing with us. It was just a big moment. He's a big hero and he was phenomenal at Liverpool. And when he came he was so intellegent. Of course he wasn't running round as much as before but was just a top, top man and a wonderful player throughout his career.
STRIKER: Ian Wright
Goalscorer supreme. I only played with him briefly – I was a young player at Crystal Palace – but his work ethic then was brilliant. He's really emotional, would get upset but would get out there, would train hard, would want to finish and we saw that throughout his career. He went to Arsenal and was just phenomenal and one of the heroes of many a young striker nowadays. He was great to play alongside
