Dimitar Berbatov retires

[snarks]

Loved watching him play. I remember in one game (not the clip above) he did a similar first touch, dummied the defender, then trod on the ball and lost it. I just laughed.

He was a special talent, and even though not at his best was still brilliant

[toshes mate]

As infuriating as he could be, Berbatov was also a football genius, and like watching the geniuses who went before him you could only sit back and admire whilst never truly comprehending what is takes to have his skill levels.  It is always a pleasure to watch his best moments and to contemplate how frustrating it must have been for him to do things so easily whilst others struggled to get anywhere near such quality in both their play and their understanding of the game. 

[Statto]

Would think that top scorer in PL, both in total and in one season belongs to Dempsey.

Good shout. But shows the ridiculousness of some comments - like saying Dempsey, even in his best ever season, was "almost useless"

[bog]

He had a wonderful talent but who really saw the best of it? At Spurs alongside Robbie Keane? Did he ever bust a gut for the cause anywhere? He was one of the most naturally gifted who played for us but not one of the most memorable. Yes for penalties but that time at St Mary's when SP as captain tells him to mark someone at a corner and he couldn't be bothered and that player then promptly scored sticks in my mind. A bit of being sold short. Mind you those 20 goals oozed class.   

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[MikeTheCubed]

Immense talent but thought he retired about 6 and a half years ago.

[Bassey the warrior]

I'd love to get him in as a youth coach. He has much to offer.

[Mince n Tatties]

Would never get in a team based on opta stats but neither would Best, Marsh, Bowles etc.

He was our top scorer in the PL, wasn't he? More league goals in a single season than McBride, Saha, Zamora, and in a team that was otherwise pretty poor. I'm not sure what stats opta look at but for me, goals scored is the most important stat for a striker.

Hate to say it but even at the age we had him, he was probably the best player we've had in the last 50 years, with only Dembele I coming close IMO.

Astounded that he could be described as "almost useless"

"Best Player along with Dembele1" in last 50 years?
What drugs are you on this week Statto? 064.gif

OK make it 40 yrs. Now name a better player.

And don't say "Calum Chambers because at least he knew how to graft" or some sh1te like that. I'm talking about talent.

Oh its 40 years now is it.
Not disputing that I liked him and he was a good player,but your way over top,more so on Dembele than Berbie.
I could name quite a few over that time more talented and committed, but I'm not going down that line as everyone has different ideas....

[Woolly Mammoth]

Didn't he invent Walking Football ?

[FFC1987]

I love Marmite and Berba was just way too good for us and the players around him. A real class act.

[Spirit of 2000]

Borderline world class player at his best - technically he was utterly superb. Lazy yes, bad attitude yes, not a team player & all that ... and of course past his best when here but we still got glimpses of his brilliance. How did the song go? "He gets the ball, he scores the goals, he loves to play for Martin Jol, Dimitar Berbatov - Fulham's number 9"  049:gif

[Carborundum]

The man's ability with a football was ridiculous.  A lofted cross field ball to him in a game against Villa was killed stone dead without apparently moving a muscle.  He waggled his leg to indicate that he was mulling over three alternative passing options us lesser mortals could not hope to imagine before playing a ball to an attacking player in a decent position.  It was like an alien had zipped himself into a Berba-suit to give us a glimpse of the hitherto unknowable.

I never minded his walking but got irritated by his positioning.  "Keep calm and give me the ball" was no throwaway line.  Every time he got frustrated at those behind him and went back to get hold of it the entire team shape went to pot.  In his second season there was plenty to feel frustrated about.

On balance I'm glad I saw him play.

[Jims Dentist]

Great player and the best penalty taker I have ever seen. One season would have been enough though.

Yes Sarge.
Wonderful skill in first season, but in the second season when we were struggling he was not up for the relegation fight, Mulenstein saw this and sent him out on loan in January.
Thanks to Jol's scattergun recruitment previously, we had several like him who although skillful, did not cover much ground and were not fond of a tackle.

[MikeCdawg]

He had a good first season for us. Bagged 15 goals in the league, if my memory serves me right. Dipped the season we got relegated but who didn't? Fond memories and a top class player, with Ronaldinho, the best first touch I've ever seen.

[filham]

Didn't he invent Walking Football ?

I think he was our fastest ever walking footballer.
He was a joy to watch and we could do with some of his goals right now but he did not gain fans because of his effort.

[hovewhite]

The game  v qpr comes to mind,genius.