I don't think the problem is watching the old stars or not. To me it seems you would rather glorify Gentile than Nesta solely because he played in a time of football that you enjoy more.
Nesta and Cannavaro ARE the best defenders ever. And if you can't accept that there is something desperately lacking in your way of reading the game.
actually no, the older generations were probably more tactically minded whereas the modern footballer is a much betetr athlete. the reason i hold some of these players in such high regard is because i actually took the time out to analyse their games. yes thats right i tracked down some of the classic WC and european matches over the course of my youngish life and watched some of these greats in action.
now you think that cana and nesta are the greatest ever, the same way that you think emerson was better than deschamps and tardelli. now i am not trying to say you are an idiot, or that yout opinion isnt valid.
BUT, how can you be so stubbornly sure of yourself when you havent taken your finger out of your ass and actually watched games with these players?
cannavaro and nesta are world class, they are the best defenders of their generation, however, you simply cannot call them teh greatest ever without watching any games of players of the calibre of beckenbauer,etc...
thats like saying ronaldo is better than pele because you havent seen pele play. ronaldinho is better than maradonna because you havent seen maradonna play, or that neddy(who i love) is better than platini simply because you havent seen platini play.
we have already had this conversation and until you realise just how good these players are then i cant continue this one.