Worst Irish player ever!

[SunderlandBohs]

Who have been the worst or biggest disappointments to play for Ireland? I'll start.

Paul Butler and Bernie Slaven.

[Hibs4Ever]

Take it you mean Bernie Slaven? He is far from the worst

[elroy]

Worst player/chancers

Bernie Slaven is in the chancer category as is Jonathan Macken.

[youngirish]

Joseph Lapira of course.

[Razors left peg]

I think we are safe enough to put Staunton at top of the worst manager category anyway.
Id have Gary Doherty as probably the worst Ive seen that was picked on a consistant basis

[elroy]

I think we are safe enough to put Staunton at top of the worst manager category anyway.
Id have Gary Doherty as probably the worst Ive seen that was picked on a consistant basis

Yes but in fairness to the doc, he did score one or two crucial goals.....away to georgia late on if i remember correctly and also claimed a big part in the last minute own goal at home to albania.

[seanfhear]

Stephen Ireland finds it hard to produce his best for Ireland but even at home matches I suppose it is hard to find a teamate all the way from manchester.

[Razors left peg]

Yes but in fairness to the doc, he did score one or two crucial goals.....away to georgia late on if i remember correctly and also claimed a big part in the last minute own goal at home to albania.

still a god awful footballer though... have a look at the highlights of Norwichs 7-1 hammering at home last weekend to see some of the defending

[Crosby87]

Anthony Stokes is up there for me so far. Total Bust.

[Scram]

Stephen Ireland finds it hard to produce his best for Ireland but even at home matches I suppose it is hard to find a teamate all the way from manchester.

Seeing as you go down that route, Roy Keane was the biggest disaster ever in terms of what his being Irish meant for Ireland.

[seanfhear]

Seeing as you go down that route, Roy Keane was the biggest disaster ever in terms of what his being Irish meant for Ireland.
Roy could be selective enough about when he turned out for Ireland and he could be a liile disruptive in the dressing room.

On the other hand you could get the odd good game out of him ;)

Swings and roundabouts with some players I suppose.

[back of the net]

Joe Lapira.....or whatever his name is!!!!

[SunderlandBohs]

Sean Thornton in the biggest disappointment section. The lad had bags of talent but threw it all away. Could have be a key player now.

[tommy_c12000]

Jon Goodman

[bennocelt]

for me is Kilbane - consistently bad anytime he plays IMHO

[Infadel]

Dominic Foley

[Ash]

I never liked Chris Morris. There. I've said it.

[disabledrog]

Joe o ceruill(spelling) like WTF was he all about

[SunderlandBohs]

Phil Babb. The next Paul McGrath:D

Liam Miller is another one.

[DeLorean]

I never liked Chris Morris. There. I've said it.

He would have been ok if he could cross the ball. Irwin was a revelation after him.

[L37Ultra]

Joe Gamble.

[christo]

Stephen Elliot

[the-blue-harp]

paul mcshane.

[The Swordsman]

Alan Kernaghan.

[SalvadorSanchez]

Chris Morris was poor.... he bomb up the field and put in a cross 6 inches off the ground... it was money for old rope for defenders...
Rob Douglas was out of his depth.
Bernie Slaven was a donkey
Paul McShane is dodgy (but tbf he finished the home game against Bulgaria very well)

[third policeman]

Before most of your time, but there was a Dundalk player called Cynon Braddish (possibly mis-spelled). Went to Liverpool and shortly after back to LOI. I seem to remember him playing a few games on a South American tour where we got stuffed 6 or 7 nil by Argentina (or Brazil). Saw him play for Liverpool reserves he was truly shocking.

[SwanVsDalton]

Mickey Evans, as a one-off. Always thought Alan Lee was a total donkey.

[noddy102]

Joe Lapira is the answer of course.
Alan Kernaghan gets you a bonus point.

[The Legend]

I never liked Chris Morris. There. I've said it.

Total agreement!

[RiffRaff]

Before most of your time, but there was a Dundalk player called Cynon Braddish (possibly mis-spelled). Went to Liverpool and shortly after back to LOI. I seem to remember him playing a few games on a South American tour where we got stuffed 6 or 7 nil by Argentina (or Brazil). Saw him play for Liverpool reserves he was truly shocking.

I think the matches you mentioned were a League of Ireland select rather than the national team. I dont think Synan Braddish played a full international, though I could be wrong. He was a highly regarded prospect at one point but it never happened for him.

[Dodge]

I think the matches you mentioned were a League of Ireland select rather than the national team. I dont think Synan Braddish played a full international, though I could be wrong. He was a highly regarded prospect at one point but it never happened for him.

Braddish played twice for Ireland. Against Poland and some other European team. He was at Liverpool at the time

EDIT; http://www.soccerscene.ie/sssenior/player.php?id=370

[Paddy Garcia]

Alan Kernaghan.

Not a clue ...........

Played very well in the qualifiers for the World Cup. Lost confidence just before take off but overall was a good solid player for us, always gave 100% too.

Excellent away to Denmark and good in the home game too. Played well in the game away to the North also.

I think he played in about 9 of the qualifiers - in a successful campaign - so I'm not sure how you work it out he is our worst ever. Unless something else has upset you ?

[geysir]

I'm pretty sure Braddish was still a LOI player with Dundalk when he was capped.
Giles picked him but he didn't have an auspicious debut against Turkey.
He is entitled to be proud of that achievement, being selected twice for his country, along with a bucketful of medals with Dundalk.

[Wexford Delboy]

kilbane

[SkStu]

Chris Morris was poor.... he bomb up the field and put in a cross 6 inches off the ground... it was money for old rope for defenders...
Rob Douglas was out of his depth.


do you mean Jonathon Douglas?

Agree about Morris though - SHOCKING crosser!

[Row Z]

Its Paul Butler for me. worst 45mins in International football EVER.

[gspain]

Joe Lapira by a country mile.

Paul Butler would be a distant second.

Some disgraceful names mentioned on here. People showing real ignorance Alan Kernaghan, Phil Babb and Chris Morris turned in some real quality performances in green. As for the guy who mentioned Kevin Kilbane. :confused:

[as_i_say]

kilbane

:rolleyes:

[Big Chief]

David Connelly gets my vote. How he ever carved out a career in professional football at such a high level always bewildered me. I have witnessed numerous strikers in the League of Ireland that I would rate higher than him.

[Duggie]

David Connelly gets my vote. How he ever carved out a career in professional football at such a high level always bewildered me. I have witnessed numerous strikers in the League of Ireland that I would rate higher than him.

connolly was a good striker what you on about.

[as_i_say]

David Connelly gets my vote. How he ever carved out a career in professional football at such a high level always bewildered me. I have witnessed numerous strikers in the League of Ireland that I would rate higher than him.

connolly is a championship standard player and always was. and he always scored a hatful of goals for any championship team he ever played for and was a consistently good performer at that level. He never played on a consistent level for us and was virtually never first choice.

So basically your comment is a load of old arse.

[Thebolg]

don't know about worst but myt two least favorite are Phil Babb and David Connely. HATE David "i should be first choice" Connely.

[Big Chief]

connolly is a championship standard player and always was. and he always scored a hatful of goals for any championship team he ever played for and was a consistently good performer at that level. He never played on a consistent level for us and was virtually never first choice.

So basically your comment is a load of old arse.


I couldn't care less how many Championship managers deemed him worthy of throwing money at, the bottom line was that he was nowhere near the class. I can still distinctly recall his appearance from the bench against Spain in the 2002 World Cup when he barely touched the ball and was utterly hopeless.

I stand over my views that there were better strikers operating in the League of Ireland both at that time and indeed at present.

[The Swordsman]

Not a clue ...........

Played very well in the qualifiers for the World Cup. Lost confidence just before take off but overall was a good solid player for us, always gave 100% too.

Excellent away to Denmark and good in the home game too. Played well in the game away to the North also.

I think he played in about 9 of the qualifiers - in a successful campaign - so I'm not sure how you work it out he is our worst ever. Unless something else has upset you ?

The only thing I'm upset about is that game last night, but I won't blame Alan for that.

I remember the Denmark game well and he did have a very good game. And you're right - there was a (short) spell when he looked like a good player. But you could say that about a lot of the players mentioned in this thread and you know the old saying about swallows and summers. I judged AK on the basis of what he did in his entire career, particularly for Ireland and unfortunately he had more awful games than good ones. He became a liability to team and was far from being a solid player. He was only getting picked because we had absolutely no alternative. I remember one game (a friendly against the Czechs springs to mind but I'm not sure) where, under no pressure, he literally tripped over the ball at the edge of the box and we ended up losing a goal.

If you remember, on the back of his initial performances for Ireland, he got a big money move (for the time) to Man City but it never amounted to anything. He just ended up drifting down the leagues.

BTW, Paddy, I have no personal gripe with AK as you seem to imply (feel free to correct me if I picked you up wrong) - I just don't rate him as a player.

[as_i_say]

I couldn't care less how many Championship managers deemed him worthy of throwing money at, the bottom line was that he was nowhere near the class. I can still distinctly recall his appearance from the bench against Spain in the 2002 World Cup when he barely touched the ball and was utterly hopeless.

I stand over my views that there were better strikers operating in the League of Ireland both at that time and indeed at present.

Nowhere near what class? second tier english class? I never said he was good enough to ever be a top class international but worst ever Irish player is utter balls. A quick review of his stats will show you how many goals he scored at championship level for the clubs he was at and his record is a fine one at that level. He is now 32, clubless, and his best days are behind him so obviously some hotshot young LOI lad could be better than him now but thats hardly comparing like with like.

I'll stand over my view that you are talking out of your sphincter on this one.

[fergalr]

OP needs to define the question a bit more clearly judging by the wide frame of reference of many of the responses.

However, no matter how you define "worst", the answer is always going to be Lapira.

[seanfhear]

I couldn't care less how many Championship managers deemed him worthy of throwing money at, the bottom line was that he was nowhere near the class. I can still distinctly recall his appearance from the bench against Spain in the 2002 World Cup when he barely touched the ball and was utterly hopeless.

I stand over my views that there were better strikers operating in the League of Ireland both at that time and indeed at present.
Wasn't Clinton Morrison on the bench that day as well.

I could not understand how he was not brought on instead of Connolly.

Maybe he had not served enough of an apprenticeship for some at that time:rolleyes:

[Hibernian]

Liam Miller or Alan O Brien

Joesph Lipira was up there

[RivaldoBabb]

We have had some rubbish over the years...mcgoldrick, daish, lapira, kernaghan, my namesake...i could go on.

[Hibs4Ever]

Anyone naming Kernaghan as the worst Irish international ever seriously doesn't have a clue