Greatest Premier XI: Amoruso or Butcher? Van Dijk or Miller? Who's the second centre half in our dream team?

But Herald and Times Sport writers have still managed to come up with the two players they believe to be the outstanding stoppers since the Premier Division was formed in 1975.

Craig Brown, the former Scotland, Motherwell and Aberdeen manager, and Archie Knox, the ex- Aberdeen, Rangers and Scotland assistant, have also offered their expert opinions. Our decisions have been based on three criteria - ability, longevity and success.

Today we name who will partner Alex McLeish in the dream team.

5

Name: Lorenzo Amoruso.

Clubs: Rangers (1997 to 2003).

Titles: Three (1999, 2000 and 2003).

It is fair to say “Big Amo” had, as they say in this country, a guid conceit of himself. Lorenzo quite liked being Lorenzo. In fact, if he had been made of chocolate he would have eaten himself.

But the Italian, a £4m signing from Fiorentina in 1997, definitely had rather a lot to admire as a footballer. He was a passionate player who excelled on big occasions and defended his goal as if his life depended on it. Supporters of the Ibrox club adored him. Almost as much as he did himself.

He spent his first 10 months in this country out injured. Would Walter Smith’s side have completed 10-In-A-Row if he had been fit? It is tantalising to speculate.

When he regained full fitness he showed why Manchester United had been keen to lure him to Old Trafford. He helped Dick Advocaat’s side win the treble in 1999 and then repeated that feat when Alex McLeish was manager in 2003.

He left for Blackburn Rovers after scoring the only goal in the Scottish Cup final win over Dundee. Life was never quite the same again.

4

Name: Paul Hegarty.

Clubs: Dundee United (1974 to 1990).

Titles: One (1983).

Aberdeen duo Alex McLeish and Willie Miller were a phenomenal centre back partnership for Aberdeen in the 1980s. But David Narey and Paul Hegarty were fairly useful for Dundee United during that decade too.

Hegarty was a striker with Hamilton when Jim McLean took him to Tannadice in a £40,000 transfer in 1974. But his manager transformed his career two years later when he converted him to a defender and player him alongside Narey.  

The duo were integral to the success the Tayside club enjoyed at home and abroad in the following years. They won two League Cups and a Premier Division title and flourished in Europe.

Hegarty, who was made captain by McLean in 1978, helped United reach the 1984 European Cup semi-final and the final of the 1987 UEFA Cup. Rarely injured, he played in 50 consecutive continental ties between 1977 and 1986.

The former forward never lost his scoring touch either. His tally of 12 goals in Europe is only bettered by his team mate Ralph Milne, who bagged 15.

Hegarty only won eight caps for Scotland. He would have won dozens more had it not been for the presence of Miller and McLeish at that time. But he became the first United player to captain his country.  

3

Name: Virgil van Dijk.

Clubs: Celtic (2013 to 2015).

Titles: Two (2014 and 2015).

The world’s best defender. The Dutchman gave an indication of the heights he could reach in the game during his two years in Scotland. He is arguably the most complete centre half Celtic have had this century.

A £2.6 million capture from Groningen in 2013, Van Dijk quickly established himself in the first team at Parkhead. He was tall, excellent in the air, athletic, comfortable on the ball and brilliant going forward. He netted spectacular goals and prevented the opposition from scoring too.

The 22-year-old helped the Glasgow club win their third straight title in his debut campaign and then, after Ronny Deila had succeeded Lennon, retain it in his second season as well reach the knockout rounds of the Europa League.

Van Dijk departed for Southampton in a Scottish record £12m transfer in 2015 after Celtic had failed to qualify for the Champions League group stages and rapidly enhanced his burgeoning reputation in England.

A £75m transfer to Liverpool followed two years later – a world record for a defender at the time – which banked his former employers a hefty windfall. He helped the Anfield club win the Champions League last summer.

The Netherlands internationalist finished second behind Lionel Messi in the Ballon d’Or as a result of his imperious performances domestically and on the continent for Jurgen Klopp’s men.

2

Name: Terry Butcher.

Clubs: Rangers (1986 to 1990).

Titles: Three (1987, 1989 and 1990).

No Rangers signing, with the possible of exception of Paul Gascoigne, has excited supporters of the Ibrox club as much as that of Terry Butcher back in 1986.

The arrival of the England captain, along with his national team mate Chris Woods, heralded the start of what became known as the Graeme Souness revolution and lifted the Govan club out of the doldrums.

Butcher lived up to the hype. He captained the Glasgow giants to the League Cup and Premier Division in his first season and scored the goal against Aberdeen in the penultimate league game at Pittodrie that clinched the title for the first time in nine long years.

He was, while prone to an occasional clanger and the odd own goal, an inspirational figure in the heart of the Rangers defence and a formidable opponent. He fully embraced Scottish football and the supporters took him to their hearts.

The former Ipswich defender broke his leg in his second season and was on the sidelines as Celtic won the league and cup double in their centenary season in 1988. Would the Parkhead club have enjoyed such success if he had been fit?  

Rangers certainly benefited when Bucher returned; they won the title two years running before he departed for Coventry City following a fallout with Souness.

1

Name: Willie Miller.

Clubs: Aberdeen (1973 to 1990).

Titles: Three (1980, 1984 and 1985).

Sir Alex Ferguson once described Willie Miller, who was his captain throughout his trophy-laden spell at Aberdeen, as “the best penalty box defender in the world” and Craig Brown and Archie Knox don’t disagree.

“Picking Miller for the Greatest Premier XI is a no-brainer,” said Brown, who worked with him in the Scotland set-up. “Willie was just masterly. And he refereed games as well!”

“He was an unbelievable tackler,” said Knox, who was Ferguson’s assistant for much of his time at Pittodrie. “He was such a clever player. He was never tricked.”

Miller had spent years in the Aberdeen first team, had established himself as their skipper and had lifted the League Cup before Ferguson arrived as manager in 1978.

But under his fellow Glaswegian he took his career, and the north-east club, to an entirely new level.

They won three Premier Division titles, four Scottish Cups, two League Cups, the European Cup Winners’ Cup and the European Super Cup during the next eight years.

Miller formed a telepathic partnership with Alex McLeish in the heart of the Dons rearguard during that glorious era and played alongside him with his country too.

The centre half made over 40 appearances in 14 consecutive seasons and played a total of 797 games, an Aberdeen record, and won 65 caps, a Scotland record for a defender at the time, before retiring through injury in 1990.

At 5ft 10in, Miller, who was named PFA Scotland and SFWA Player of the Year in 1984, was small for his position and he also lacked a yard of pace. But he more than made up for that with his reading of the game, bravery, technical excellence and leadership.

Will we ever see his likes again?

UNLUCKY TO MISS OUT: Too many to mention.

TEAM SO FAR:

1 - Andy Goram (goalkeeper).
2 - Danny McGrain (right back).
3 – Maurice Malpas (left back).
4 - TBC (defensive midfielder). 
5 – Alex McLeish (centre back).
6 – Willie Miller (centre back).
7 - TBC  (right winger).
8 - TBC (attacking midfielder).
9 - TBC (centre forward).
10 - TBC (striker).
11 - TBC (left winger).

TOMORROW: Defensive midfielder.