Lauded as one of the best professionals of his generation, James Milner has been a key player for numerous sides in English football. Starting out at boyhood team Leeds United, Milner also played for teams including Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Manchester City, and now Liverpool.

It was with the latter two that he collected honours, winning league titles and domestic cups with City whilst playing a key role in winning the UEFA Champions League and Premier League with Liverpool, ending a three-decade wait for a league title at Anfield.

What made James Milner so special?

Versatility, technique, tactical prowess, and fitness; Milner is the consummate modern professional. He regularly played in wide midfield and also in the centre of the park. He even covered a season at left full-back for Liverpool, a further showcase of his availability and versatility.

Across his career, Milner has played well over 500 games as a professional and holds over 60 caps for his country, as well as a whopping 46 caps for the England U21 side. Few players in the Premier League era have provided the same reliability, consistency, and versatility as Milner has during a stellar career.

What does James Milner do now?

Still a player today, Milner is heading towards the twilight of his career. At 35, it is expected that he will play a lesser role at Liverpool or perhaps move on to boyhood team Leeds for a second attempt at playing in the top-flight with his local team.

Expect Milner to move into coaching in the near future, though; a football fanatic with a genuine passion for the game, it is expected that Milner will wind up in the dugout of a Premier League team eventually. For now, though, the player still offers Liverpool a reliable midfield option who can play all across the pitch.

Though perhaps not as well-regarded as he should be outside of North London, Arsenal legend Ray Parlour was a key player for the Gunners. He played a key role in the transformation of Arsenal in the 1990s, culminating in playing a role in the club becoming main challengers to Manchester United for domestic dominance.

However, only 10 England caps shows a lack of respect for the kind of high-energy, all-aggression midfield player that Parlour was. He was a key player in the late 1990s as Arsenal became a team of consistent winners, with his regular Man of the Match displays in big games endearing the ‘Romford Pele’ to Arsenal fans forever.

What made Ray Parlour so special?

Playing as if he had no talent, Parlour hared around the pitch with an almost reckless zeal. He would fly into challenges, win the ball back, set up his more talented teammates, and score goals from distance on occasion. Across close to 350 league games for Arsenal, as well as games with Middlesbrough and Hull City in his later career, Parlour never lost that desire to keep going until the final minutes of the game.

He was a crucial and impressive midfield presence, with a knack for scoring key goals – such as winners against rivals Chelsea, or a hat-trick in the UEFA Cup against Werder Bremen. Parlour was a talented player who gave absolutely everything, often hiding his own quality to let others shine.

What does Ray Parlour do now?

Today, Parlour tends to spend a lot of time taking part in regular punditry sessions and also takes part in many Arsenal fan events. Though he is often seen taking part in Arsenal-based commentary and punditry, he appears regularly on UK TV platforms such as Sky Sports to talk about his former club.

As one of the finest defenders of his generation, Sol Campbell is regarded among the best central defenders of the 1990s and 2000s. A regular performer at the highest level, the defender played for Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Portsmouth before finishing his career with a second stint at Arsenal followed by a move to Newcastle United before hanging his boots up in 2011.

Across his career, he played over 500 league games and became to be regarded as one of the best readers of the game that English football has known.

What made Sol Campbell so special?

His ability to not only dominate a striker was legendary, but his ability to also anticipate moves and stop attacks before they could build was incredible. Campbell was a physically demanding defender who could drain attacking players of confidence, ensuring that they felt his presence at every turn.

It was also a bloody mindedness that made Campbell so well-regarded. Indeed, his time spent at Spurs, where he played for 9 years, was eroded when he made the controversial call to join eternal rivals Arsenal instead. In a five-year spell with Arsenal, Campbell ensured success for the Gunners became consistent, culminating with the ‘Invincible’ season when they won the league unbeaten.

What does Sol Campbell do now?

Campbell has gone through an odd post-playing career. He first got into management in 2018, managing Macclesfield Town before landing the Southend United job. He also threw his hat into the ring for the Conservative Party, the leading party of government in the UK, though he was unable to become the Conservative nominee for the Mayor of London seat in 2016.

Out of work at present, Campbell is expected to return to management when he can next convince a team to give him an opportunity within the game.

As the definition of a player who got the absolute most out of themselves, Gareth Barry is a well-regarded former England international. Across his career, he picked up over 50 caps for his country, and was one of the few players in English Premier League history to play over 500 games in the Premier League itself.

Though never regarded as the most skilful player, an excellent engine paired with a tactical knowledge of the game made Barry a formidable force during his years with clubs like Aston Villa and Manchester City.

What made Gareth Barry so special?

A tremendous player with a natural leadership streak, Barry was a player who could be relied upon for his consistency. At both Villa and City, he was a regular mainstay and was consistently considered among the most reliable players in the top-flight. Stamina and fitness was one thing, but Barry was also highly regarded for his ability to play the ball with intelligence, to score key goals, and to offer a presence in the middle of the park when his teams were under the cosh.

Across 53 games for his country and well over 650 league appearances for teams like Everton and West Bromwich Albion, too, Barry was regarded as a top class operator until his retirement in 2020.

What does Gareth Barry do now?

Since retirement, Barry has kept a pretty low profile and has not been seen much around the game. He has made rare inroads into punditry, though has mostly just been out of the public eye since his time as a professional came to an end.

In what is quite a fitting path for a player who simply done the job he was asked every week, Barry looks ready to fulfil a varied, multi-task career after he hung up his playing boots. Expect him to get into coaching at one stage, too.

As arguably the greatest African to play in the Premier League, Didier Drogba was a trailblazer when he first arrived in 2004. Having started late as a professional, he made progress with Le Mans and Guingamp, before making a move to Olympique Marseille. A solitary season that seen him play in the UEFA Cup Final earned him a move to Chelsea, where in an 8-year spell he became one of the best players in club history.

A short spell in China and then Turkey took place, before returning to Chelsea and then finishing his career in the USA. With over 100 caps for The Ivory Coast and 65 goals, he was a prolific marksman who held a close to one-in-two record across his club career.

What made Didier Drogba so special?

His physical gifts were matched with technical quality and tactical understanding. Drogba knew how to get his team back into games with his ability to pick on singular defenders and to work a part of the pitch to utter exhaustion. A big-game scorer, too, Drogba had a wonderful record in derbies, in big games, and in European competition. Arguably his most famous goal came in Munich, when he scored a late equaliser in the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final.

A clutch player with an eye for goal unlike few others, Drogba was the ultimate one-man-riot-squad. He was able to build play, finish moves, hold the ball up, get teammates involved, and relieve pressure on his defence – the ultimate modern striker.

What does Didier Drogba do now?

Today, Drogba is heavily involved in bringing peace to his nation. He has played a crucial role in combatting violence in the Ivory Coast, and is keenly involved in charitable acts of kindness. He’s also played a huge role in stabilising his home nation, as well as developing and improving the domestic football scene so that, in the future, there can more Drogba’s.