Former Manchester United star Wes Brown has weighed in on the debate which saw Denis Irwin controversially snubbed for the Premier League Hall of Fame.
Manchester United fans were left bemused and angry this week at the disrespect to the best ever left-back to play in the Premier League.
Denis Irwin has not yet been named in the Premier League Hall of Fame. This week another set of nominees was announced, and the former Republic of Ireland international was not on it.
By contrast, another left-back was waved straight through without even being subject to nomination, with Ashley Cole fast-tracked into the Hall of Fame this week.
Irwin and Cole were both top left-backs in their own right. For one to be in, and one to not even be on the nominees list, seems to be odd.
Wes Brown gives Irwin v Cole verdict
Former Manchester United and England defender Wes Brown played along both players, and believes the Premier League made the wrong choice to put Cole in the Hall of Fame first.
Speaking to The Debate, Brown explained: “Look at look at what he’s won, Denis is up there with anyone.
“I mean, no one’s saying Ashley Cole shouldn’t be in it. I don’t think Denis should have been overlooked.
“I think out of the left backs, I would have thought Denis would have been in there before anyone and then Ashley Cole.
“If you do it purely on statistics, Denis has played more, he’s won more.”
Brown added that he feels recency bias has counted in Cole’s favour and against Irwin, commenting: “That’s the only way this has happened. There’s no other way. Yeah, simple as that.
“Ashley Cole’s my mate by the way, he should be in it, but not before Denis.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, who played against Cole, named him as his toughest opponent in reference to their battles over the years. The former Chelsea and Arsenal defender was a fine player, but Irwin was special too.
Irwin was a Treble winner in 1999, was a free-kick and penalty taker and could play at right-back too.
He won seven Premier League titles, two FA Cups, one League Cup, a Champions League, Super Cup, and Cup Winners’ Cup.
It grates on United fans that he does not get the respect he deserves, and while there are six former Red Devils nominated among the latest potential Hall of Fame inductees, Irwin’s omission seems a harsh one.
Confirmed inductees to the Premier League Hall of Fame
Below is a list of all players currently confirmed to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
- David Beckham
- Steven Gerrard
- Frank Lampard
- Dennis Bergkamp
- Roy Keane
- Eric Cantona
- Thierry Henry
- Alan Shearer
- Paul Scholes
- Didier Drogba
- Vincent Kompany
- Sergio Aguero
- Peter Schmeichel
- Ian Wright
- Wayne Rooney
- Patrick Vieira
- Tony Adams
- Petr Cech
- Rio Ferdinand
- Sir Alex Ferguson
- Arsene Wenger
- Ashley Cole
The following players have been nominated, pending voting which will close on April 8. Fans are being asked to vote for two of the below.
- Sol Campbell
- Michael Carrick
- Andy Cole
- Jermain Defoe
- Cesc Fabregas
- Les Ferdinand
- Robbie Fowler
- Eden Hazard
- Gary Neville
- Michael Owen
- David Silva
- John Terry
- Yaya Toure
- Edwin van der Sar
- Nemanja Vidic