Ex-Player Thread Best Ever Foreign Player

[unification]

Aha, I suddenly remember I posted a similar thread on the old YF. The internet never forgets so I’ve managed to extract it again. This should be up to date now but shout if you see someone missing from it.

A reminder that qualifying criteria to be:

A. Being a citizen of the country listed, or
B. Having represented that country international level.

And by country I mean a sovereign state and a member of the UN in its own right. That said, international football is conducted by FAs and not nations (eg, Faroe Islands are part of Denmark but have their own FA and League system). I've added the full internationals only for the home nations + Republic of Ireland.

Those with full international honours have their number of caps in brackets. If they’ve scored an international goal, the total of these is the second number.

EDIT. Sod the table. It takes ages to format it. One long list it is. Sorry, mods.

BEST FOREIGN PLAYER ​

EUROPE - UEFA

Albania
Agon Mehmeti (13)

Belgium
Brian De Keersmaeker

Bulgaria
Filip Krastev (30/4)
Slavi Spasov

England (full internationals only)
David Bardsley (2)
Steve Foster (3)
Colin McDonald (8)
Steve Perryman (1)
Colin Todd (27)
Ian Walker (4)
Nigel Winterburn (2)
Mark Wright (45/1)

France
Jeremy Balmy
Doudou
Alex Jeannin
Amine Karam
Ateef Konaté
Derick Osei Yaw
Christophe Remy
Djoumin Sangare

Greece
George Baldock (12)

Italy
Andrea Guatelli

Israel
Josh Kennet
Yoav Sade

Latvia
Kristaps Grebis (13/2)

Liechtenstein
Benji Buchel (82)

Malta
Mark E'Beyer
Jodi Jones (17)

Moldova
Stephen Negru (1)

Netherlands
Hidde Ter Avest
Dwight Tiendalli (2)
Arjan Van Heusden

Northern Ireland (full internationals only)
Ciaron Brown (21)
Tony Capaldi (22)
Jamie Donley (6/2)
Ray Gaston (1)
Phil Gray (26/6)
Billy Hamilton (41/5)
Paul Kee (9)
Jim Magilton (52/5)
Darren Patterson (17/1)
Anton Rogan (18)
Billy Simpson (12/5)
Brodie Spencer (19)
Gavin Whyte (30/5)

Poland
Alex Cisak
Michal Helik (7)
Przemysław Płacheta (7)

Portugal
Fabio Lopes
Rúben Rodrigues

Republic of Ireland (full internationals only)
John Aldridge (69/19)
Keith Andrews (35/3)
John Byrne (23/4)
David Connolly (41/9)
Terry Donovan (2)
Dominic Foley (6/2)
Ray Houghton (73/6)
Mick Kearns (19)
Dave Langan (26)
Callum O'Dowda (32/1)
Barry Quinn (4)
Dave Savage (5)
David Sloan (2)
Mark Sykes (7)

Scotland (full internationals only)
Jordan Archer (1)
Peter Buchanan (1/1)
Chris Cadden (2)
Hugh Curran (5/1)
Matt Elliott (18/1)
Stuart Findlay (1/1)
Scot Gemmill (26/1)
Jamie Mackie (9/2)
Chris Maguire (2)
David Mathers (1)
Matt Phillips (16/1)

Slovenia
Nik Prelec

Spain
Pep Clotet (Manager)
Alex Gorrin
Toni Martinez
Xemi

Sweden
Pal Lundin
Ivo Pekalski (2)

Turkey
Yunus Konak

Wales (full internationals only)
Billy Bodin (1)
Tom Bradshaw (8)
Wes Burns (10)
Jeremy Charles (19/1)
Craig Davies (7)
Christian Edwards (1)
Paul Evans (2)
Mark Harris (17)
Andy Melville (65/3)
Lee Nogan (2)
Malcolm Page (28)
Billy Rees (4)
Christian Ribiero (2)
Sam Ricketts (52)
Dave Roberts (17)
Tyler Roberts (20)
Vic Rouse (1)
Dean Saunders (75/22)
Neil Slatter (22/2)
Fin Stevens (2)
Ben Woodburn (11/2)

AFRICA - CA

Algeria
Ahmed Kashi (1)
Mehdi Kerrouche

Cape Verde
Georges Santos (4)

DR Congo
Carlin Itonga
Peter Kioso (1)
T’cham N’Toya

Ghana
Dan Agyei (1)
Daniel Boateng
Tarique Fosu (4/1)

Guinea
Norman Sylla (1)

Ivory Coast
Siriki Dembélé
Armand Gnanduillet
Arthur Gnohere

Morocco
Oussama Zamouri

Nigeria
Yemi Odubade
Manny Omoyinmi
Onome Sodje

Republic of the Congo
Chris Makosso (4)

Senegal
Abdou Sall

South Africa
Andre Arendse (67)
Warren Goodhind

Tanzania
Eddie Anaclet (Odiambo)

Tunisia
Idris El Mizouni (2)

Uganda
Jordan Obita (6)

Zimbabwe
Bruce Grobbelaar (33)

SOUTH AMERICA - CONMEBOL

Argentina
Emiliano Diaz
Michael Diaz
Ramon Diaz (Manager)
Emiliano ‘Damien’ Martinez (59)
Juan Pablo Raponi

Brazil
Ricardinho

Colombia
Cristian Montano

Uruguay
Lucas Cominelli
Mateo Corbo

NORTH AMERICA & CARIBBEAN - CONCACAF

Antigua & Barbuda
Dexter Blackstock (6/2)
AJ George (2/1)
Duran Martin (6)
Josh Parker (36/5)

Bermuda
Jonte Smith (15/2)

Canada
Mark Watson (78/3)

Curaçao
Gino van Kessel (25/8)

Dominica
Joe Cooke
Jefferson Louis (1)

Grenada
Shandon Baptiste (3/1)
Dejon Noel-Williams (8)

Jamaica
Hubert Busby Jr
Jabari Hylton (1)
Greg Leigh (31/1)
Kemar Roofe (5/1)
Ricky Sappleton

Martinique
Eric Sabin (3/4)

Montserrat
Wayne Dyer (6/1)
Anthony Griffith (4)
Dean Morgan (3)

St Kitts & Nevis
Jordan Bowery (2)
Kevin Francis (2)

Suriname
Djavan Anderson (2)
Yanic Wildschut (3/1)
Brian Wilsterman

USA
Ed McIlvenny (3)
Jon-Paul Pittman


ASIA - AFC

Australia
Matt Fletcher
Scott Guyett
Ryan Williams (1)

China PR
Tsun Dai (14)

India
Ryan Williams (1/1)

Indonesia
Marselino Ferdinan (40/5)
Ole Romeny (8/4)

Iraq
Shwan Jalal

Pakistan
Kashif Siddiqi (1)

South Korea
Jin Woo Jeon (2)

Thailand
Ben Davis (13/5)

OCEANIA - OFC
New Zealand
Max Crocombe (21)
Ceri Evans (56/2)

OTHER - NON-FIFA AFFILIATED

Guernsey
Chris Tardif (12)

Matabeleland
Bruce Grobelaar (1)

Top 10 players to have played for OUFC with the most caps for their country.​

1. Benji Buchel (Liechtenstein) - 82 caps
2. Mark Watson (Canada) - 78 caps
3. Dean Saunders (Wales) - 75 caps
4. Ray Houghton (Republic of Ireland) - 73 caps
5. John Aldridge (Republic of Ireland) - 69 caps
6. Andre Arendse (South Africa) - 67 caps
7. Andy Melville (Wales) - 65 caps
8. Emiliano ‘Damien’ Martinez (Argentina) - 59 caps
9. Ceri Evans (New Zealand) - 56 caps
10. Jim Magilton (Northern Ireland) - 52 caps

Top 10 players to have played for OUFC with the most goals for their country.​

1. Dean Saunders (Wales) - 22 goals
2. John Aldridge (Republic of Ireland) - 19 goals
3. David Connolly (Republic of Ireland) - 9 goals
4. Gino van Kessel (Curaçao) - 8 goals
5. Ray Houghton (Republic of Ireland) - 6 goals
6. Josh Parker (Antigua & Barbuda) - 5 goals
7. Marselino Ferdinan (Indonesia) - 5 goals
8. Billy Hamilton (Northern Ireland) - 5 goals
9. Gavin Whyte (Northern Ireland) - 5 goals
10. Ben Davis (Thailand) - 5 goals

 

[spmox]

Just

Favourite…. Ricardinho.

An all round great guy!

 

[Foley]

Can we have a vote on our worst ever foreign player? Dwight Tiendalli would probably win comfortably. Those of us lucky enough to see him at Fleetwood (A) and Wigan (H) will never forget it. Special mention to Xemi, the medical student Clotet signed because he was a mate of Xemi's Dad. And also to Kristaps Grebis of Smelting Oven fame.

Diaz?

 

[Emilio]

Never forget Diaz Jr. Nepo baby footballer.

I have, on occasion, considered changing my account name to Emilio Diaz in his honour.

 

[Northernyellow]

Diaz?

Never saw him play. Was he as bad as Tiendalli?

 

[greatunclekip]

Can we have a vote on our worst ever foreign player? Dwight Tiendalli would probably win comfortably. Those of us lucky enough to see him at Fleetwood (A) and Wigan (H) will never forget it. Special mention to Xemi, the medical student Clotet signed because he was a mate of Xemi's Dad. And also to Kristaps Grebis of Smelting Oven fame

Grebis gave us genuinely the most funny thread ever on here, just an absolute masterpiece. So for that I’ll be forever grateful.

Tiendalli probably the worst “genuine” pro- just completely broken. Diaz was a blatant nepotism.

I don’t know if anyone can recall a friendly in the Patto days where we brought on a trialist called Diogo Andrade. I remember a fair bit of excitement following his YouTube reels. He literally couldn’t trap a bag of cement. I remember Patto laughing in the sidelines. Think he lasted 20 mins. So he’s the worst for me.

 

[Maurice Earp]

View attachment 34644

I have, on occasion, considered changing my account name to Emilio Diaz in his honour.

Please don't.

 

[Northernyellow]

The gentle Corbo must be up there?!?

He was great. Could actually play. But not sure I've ever seen a player more obviously unhinged.

 

[holdsteady]

Can't wait for us to pillage the Botswanan top flight this summer, just to prove you wrong.

We will give a lad from Calendar Stars a four year contract only to loan him back for a pittance for 3 of those years.

I obviously had to google Botswana football teams.

 

[Emilio]

We will give a lad from Calendar Stars a four year contract only to loan him back for a pittance for 3 of those years.

I obviously had to google Botswana football teams.

I just presumed you were a connoisseur.

 

[Marked Ox]

He was great. Could actually play. But not sure I've ever seen a player more obviously unhinged.

Billy Whitehurst easily out does MC on the unhinged stakes.

 

[Marked Ox]

Never saw him play. Was he as bad as Tiendalli?

Diaz could run but couldn't kick a ball whereas Tiendalli could kick a ball but couldn't run so take your pick.

 

[MarkG]

John Aldridge.

 

[Mad Dog]

When ceri evans first came to oxford he played for and was registered to play for marston, my mate was his manager and Oufc had to ask marston to cancel his registration so he could play for the mighty yellows.

If I remember rightly, he was primarily a doctor, and footy was just a hobby of his! Bloody good CB

 

[Boris]

If I remember rightly, he was primarily a doctor, and footy was just a hobby of his! Bloody good CB

Don't think it was a hobby - he was an established New Zealand international before he came to Oxford.

 

[Mad Dog]

Don't think it was a hobby - he was an established New Zealand international before he came to Oxford.

I just mean his primary ambition was as a doctor, more than a footballer, something I seem to remember him saying in an interview

 

[holdsteady]

Ceri Evan’s was one of those (annoying) people who was good at everything wasn’t he? Doctor, footballer, black belt in some martial art, spoke a couple of languages, nice to old ladies etc, a modern day renaissance man.

 

[QR]

Ffs are you telling me Aldridge wasn't Irish!

 

[Under The Cuckoo Lane]

I was in a Cape Town fish restaurant 3 years ago and the guy serving our Champagne asked where we were from. I said Oxford, and he straight asked if I'd heard of Andre Arendse. He's a highly regarded football coach in SA.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

Mark Watson for me as the best.
The worst has to be Teindalli with Diaz close behind.

 

[Coffin Dodger]

Ceri Evans could head the ball further than most people could kick the ball.

 

[OxRox]

Not sure if he was the worst but certainly the most disappointing for me was Grebis.

Arrived with a surprising amount of hype and promise but just couldn't get up to speed quick enough. 4 games and gone.

Had a pretty good career overall.

 

[Northernyellow]

Don't think it was a hobby - he was an established New Zealand international before he came to Oxford.

I met him a couple of times when he played for us. Nice bloke- very serious, as you might expect. His Dad was a Brit, who played for Crystal Palace and then emigrated to NZ. Ceri was recommended to us by Richard Hill, whom he played with in NZ. Definitely viewed pro football as a hobby while he was completing his medical career- even while he was a pro with us, he was studying at the University. He was a Rhodes Scholar and was very well regarded by his tutors. Also played the equivalent of County Cricket in NZ. Has been back in NZ for quite a while now. Did a lot of work with the All Blacks. Brian Horton was baffled when he turned down a new contract offer from us to go back to medicine!

 

[Northernyellow]

Ffs are you telling me Aldridge wasn't Irish!

Ireland were after Aldridge for a couple of years. He only said yes when he realised England weren't interested.

 

[holdsteady]

Best foreign players if we are being factual in that they played for a foreign country is obviously Aldridge, but I think we all know he was not what many people mean by a foreign player, he born, bred and came through English football, he was more of a foreigner player for the Republic than he was playing for us. You can similar about Houghton as well.

So, with also removing Scottish, Welsh (Saunders) and Northern Irish (Hamilton) it’s a bit of a drop off, the influx of foreign players to the English game after our drop down the leagues so we haven’t really had a great deal in quantity and the quality has been a bit sketchy, with no one staying very long either.

If we can stay up then it’s a title very much up for grabs for any incomer.

 

[unification]

Ireland were after Aldridge for a couple of years. He only said yes when he realised England weren't interested.

Too much like Lineker perhaps?

John Aldridge had a fabulous career but something tells me it could have been more. He had a 19 year career but only eight of those as a top flight player. It’s not like he couldn’t cut it in the top flight either. Even with us as a struggling Division 1 side he scored, 23 league goals in his first top flight season and 15 more in the second before he moved to Liverpool.

I believe his move to Tranmere was because he wanted to be close to home and not play against Liverpool but you have to feel he could have netted a load more top flight goals for somebody and maybe picked up another trophy or two.

 

[Emilio]

If we can stay up then it’s a title very much up for grabs for any incomer.

They may well already be here, and just be at the start of their stellar international careers? I hear that young Marselino fella, and his young compatriot Romeny, are both making huge steps on the international scene

 

[holdsteady]

They may well already be here, and just be at the start of their stellar international careers? I hear that young Marselino fella, and his young compatriot Romeny, are both making huge steps on the international scene

Well people are hoping that Leicester will lose to Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow and Easter is a time of miracles (how does the Easter bunny deliver all of those eggs?) so you never know?

 

[Northernyellow]

Too much like Lineker perhaps?

John Aldridge had a fabulous career but something tells me it could have been more. He had a 19 year career but only eight of those as a top flight player. It’s not like he couldn’t cut it in the top flight either. Even with us as a struggling Division 1 side he scored, 23 league goals in his first top flight season and 15 more in the second before he moved to Liverpool.

I believe his move to Tranmere was because he wanted to be close to home and not play against Liverpool but you have to feel he could have netted a load more top flight goals for somebody and maybe picked up another trophy or two.

It was exactly that. There was also a concern that he was slightly too slow for international football, while Lineker was very quick. Aldridge nearly went to Arsenal before Liverpool came in, but they thought the money we wanted was too much. And yes, he dropped down the leagues far too soon.

 

[SteMerritt]

And yes, he dropped down the leagues far too soon.

To be fair he was 32 when he signed for Tranmere after returning from Spain, so not like he was still in his 20s. I wonder if he had any League One sides in for him at the time? He certainly proved at Tranmere that he still had it at what is now Championship level.

 

[unification]

To be fair he was 32 when he signed for Tranmere after returning from Spain, so not like he was still in his 20s. I wonder if he had any League One sides in for him at the time? He certainly proved at Tranmere that he still had it at what is now Championship level.

In his six full seasons with Tranmere, he still scored over 20 goals a season right up until 1997. Any Championship striker with those numbers would surely be attracting some PL attention even if they are wereover the age of 30 (and with a history of ludicrously high goal scoring wherever they went).