Poll: our player of the tournament

[Colbert Report]

Keith Andrews for me

[tricky_colour]

Seconded.

[nigel-harps1954]

Thirded.

[Real ale Madrid]

Simon Cox

[cavan_fan]

It reminds me of Sean Thornton winning Sunderlands player of the season after the worst premiership season of all time, but if there has to be one then probably Andrews or maybe Duff

[theworm2345]

Toss up between Kelly, McShane, Hunt, and Gibson.

[backstothewall]

Can't disagree with Andrews but I'm going to give Sledge a mention

[The Legend]

Andrews.. only one that showed any passion... but this thread should be just deleted... nobody deserves any accolades.

[jebus]

Andrews by a distance for me

[Dunny]

nobody deserves any accolades.

John Delaney does, he's drank Poland dry.

[Stuttgart88]

Andrews. Good for your liver too.

Then Sledge.

[BonnieShels]

Andrews. Good for your liver too.

Then Sledge.

Ditto on both of these.

[Colbert Report]

It reminds me of Sean Thornton winning Sunderlands player of the season after the worst premiership season of all time, but if there has to be one then probably Andrews or maybe Duff

He made 14 appearances for Sunderland in the 2002–03 season. I don't know how he could have been their player of the year.

[Carrigaline]

Andrews for me.

Honourable mentions to St Ledger, McGeady and Walters.

[SkStu]

Roy Keane

[Murfinator]

Andrews by a mile, the only one who played somewhere near expectations. He continues to be a go to big game player and while being our best player in our worst tournament of all time is no praise he is the only one of them who can leave Poland with their reputation intact.

[brine3]

The Duffer.

Showed his class. Didn't lose the ball (except when he passed it to Whelan).

If more were as good as the Duffer, we might have gotten somewhere.

I still think he should have played in the centre of the park.

[Murfinator]

The Duffer.

Showed his class. Didn't lose the ball (except when he passed it to Whelan).

If more were as good as the Duffer, we might have gotten somewhere.

I still think he should have played in the centre of the park.

Good shout, he does something completely foreign to this side and regularly retains possession. As his pace decreases with age I wonder would he consider a switch to the centre, he has unusually good close control and positional awareness for a winger.

[Murfinator]

Andrews. Good for your liver too.

Then Sledge.

What has st ledger done bar his goal? I thought he was bossed in every game in a defensive unit that conceded 9, felt like Dunne was doing the work of 2-men at times.

[Yard of Pace]

I've never seen a player so good at winning free-kicks as Duffer. That time he had 4 Italians about to swamp him to regain possession and he managed to draw a foul was possibly my favourite moment of the tournament for us.

[brine3]

Good shout, he does something completely foreign to this side and regularly retains possession. As his pace decreases with age I wonder would he consider a switch to the centre, he has unusually good close control and positional awareness for a winger.

I'd have built the team around him. Beenhakker stuck Yorke in midfield for T&T and it worked wonders. Yorke went on to play a couple of seasons for Sunlun in midfield as well. See also Giggs at Man Utd playing in the centre.

[brine3]

I've never seen a player so good at winning free-kicks as Duffer. That time he had 4 Italians about to swamp him to regain possession and he managed to draw a foul was possibly my favourite moment of the tournament for us.

Yes, that was quite impressive. And he was even running away from the goal at the time :D

[Murfinator]

I'd have built the team around him. Beenhakker stuck Yorke in midfield for T&T and it worked wonders. Yorke went on to play a couple of seasons for Sunlun in midfield as well. See also Giggs at Man Utd playing in the centre.

I wonder if its something Trap would consider, would probably need to happen with success at Fulham before he would. Think Giggs was around 33 when he was shifted into the centre wasn't he?

[brine3]

Yes, I think so. Giggs managed to stay very fit into his late 30s because he was the model professional. Just like Duff.

Somebody have a word with Martin Jol.

[Closed Account 2]

Andrews by some margin for me. Thought McGeady, Duff and St.Ledger were half decent in patches of games too.

[Fixer82]

Andrews defo.

Though I think Whelan was probably our worst player. Followed closely by Ward

[irishultra]

'Best' players- Andrews, McGeady, Duff, St Ledger(he scored)

Worst-Given, Dunne, Ward

[Hibs4Ever]

Best: Andrews & St Ledger

Worst: Keane, Ward & Given

[brine3]

I thought Andrews put in a shift and huffed and puffed. Can't fault him for effort. Had a few efforts on goal as well. But didn't think he was great at being a central midfielder, which is what he was supposed to be doing. Not up to it at this level I'm afraid. But he did play to the fullest of his potential.

[barney]

Keith Andrews...he's a poor player at this level though.

[Charlie Darwin]

Andrews, with honourable mentions for McGeady and Ward. If Andrews doesn't earn himself a Premier League move, something is very wrong.

[Spudulika]

Andrews - an international class player, every team needs one and with a little confidence (and better coaching) he could be a much better player. I'd name him as captain next time out. Duff did well and for all the nonsense spoken by the talking heads, when Ireland tried short passes (against teams who hassle and press like Spain and Croatia) it was a disaster. Duff did simple things right and was solid.

Given needs major rehab, or retirement. Robbie can be a good impact sub. Dunne seemed overawed much of the time.

Hard to judge anyone, they were all hit with stagefright from the off, trying to play a million miles a minute - should have laid down a few markers early (especially against Croatia) and had an easier time of it.

[Diarmo]

Andrews for me. Worked hard, very industrious.
I'd give an honourable mention to St. Ledger as well, but no one in the defense comes out well in the whole thing.

[the bear]

Andrews, Sledge, Duff, McGeady, Cox didn't embarass themselves

[Adrock]

How is it Sledge's reputation soars higher the harder he sucks? :confused:

I'd give Mcgeady top rating in that he at least looked like he might trouble the opposition a bit even if he never quite did. He'll go on taking stick whilst inferior colleagues go on getting the credit and dodging the blame, but going forward I think he's number one Irish footballer from now on. Andrews is the only other player to enhance his reputation at all, everyone else struggled but then given they've all had fairly poor seasons at club level so cant be too surprised.

[the bear]

i thought sledge was easily our best defender, not to mention top scorer

mcgeady is never going to show his full potential playing in our system, where he is to easy to neutralise. but himself and duff were the only 2 players that actually wanted to be on the ball.

andrews is a good player, why aren't west brom keeping him?

[A face]

Poll added to this thread now.

[Murfinator]

Fun stat for the 3 games:

Total Shots
12 – Keith Andrews
3 – Kevin Doyle
3 – Richard Dunne
2 – Simon Cox
2 – Robbie Keane
2 – Sean St. Ledger
1 – Damien Duff
1 – Shane Long
1 – Aiden McGeady
1 – Glenn Whelan

Just shows how big a part set pieces were in our threat, in 270 minutes we had 2 shots on target from open play.

[tricky_colour]

Keane and Andrews? (for shots on target?)

[Junior]

I remember Cox having one against Croatia (I think) and Andrews versus Italy....

Jeez this is depressing stuff.....

[ArdeeBhoy]

McGeady?

Are some of you for real?

[mark12345]

Andrews.. only one that showed any passion... but this thread should be just deleted... nobody deserves any accolades.

The Legend is the only one with a head on his shoulders. None of them deserve any accolades. They were muck and should be ashamed of the fact that they can't play proper football after lengthy careers in the game.

Have to laugh at people nominating Andrews as player of the tournament. What did he do? He had two waywards shots and one straight at the goalkeeper from a close in free kick. So what? Most of you sitting here typing on your keyboards could do that?

[ArdeeBhoy]

To be fair they were bad collectively. But they weren't all bad, all the time.

Which is why they are were they are and we're not.