3 Modern Day Greats: Featuring Ledley King, Jamie Carragher & Ryan Giggs

With the new season less than two weeks away, writer Chris Callaghan looks back at three of the greatest players to play in the Premier League area.

Here today, gone tomorrow. This is the typical life of most modern football players. One minute your favourite player is kissing your club’s badge, then a few months later the same player is submitting a transfer request. Managers and fans have come to accept it; it’s part and parcel of  the modern day game. But, here are three examples of one team players, players who the fans adore for their skill, loyalty and love of their respective clubs.

Ryan Giggs:

You know the Premier League is in full swing when you see the mercurial Welshman sprinkling his magic on pitches up and down the country. Manchester City fans are still ruing the day the midfielder left their youth set up to join their cross city rivals. After the move, Giggs, 17 at the time, quickly broke into the senior side and he has been there ever since. The left winger has won everything there is to win in club football, numerous times; the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League etc., while racking up 660 United appearances. Now at the tender age of 39, Giggs is still playing  in the Premier League. In my opinion, he is the greatest player ever to grace the league.

Jamie Carragher:

Jamie Carragher grew up supporting Everton, but he was quickly snapped up by their cross city rivals, where he never left. A centre back by trade , he was equally comfortable in midfield and as a right back. He was a brilliant reader of the game. Carragher wore his heart on his sleeve and he put his body on the line countless times for the Anfield club. He won every trophy in club football except for that elusive Premier League title. He made 508 appearances for the club, scoring 4 goals. I think the Liverpool defender was greatly underrated outside of Anfield, especially by successive England managers. Jamie Carragher retired last season; Liverpool will his feel his lost  sorely, both on and off the pitch.

Ledley King:

He grew up down the road from White Hart Lane, so it was only fitting that Ledley King would don the colours of Tottenham Hotspur.  King had all the skills that every great defenders possess. He was quick, strong and fantastic in the air. The centre back also had that canny knack of knowing of where to be at the right time in the box. Unfortunately, for Tottenham and England fans, chronic knee injuries cut his career short. He managed 268 appearances for the London club, scoring 10 goals. Thierry Henry described the England defender as the toughest opponent he faced in the  Premier League. Quite a compliment from one of the most revered forwards in the English game. If injury free, I believe King would have become one of the greatest defender to play the game.

Do you agree with list? Who would you add to it? Feel free to share your views in the comments section.

By Chris Callaghan, follow me on Twitter: @Callaghan1Chris