Best League of Ireland XI...

[Réiteoir]

Who would you have in your team if you were the National Team manager and you could only pick Irish players who play in the eircom League?

Should make for interesting reading!

[Slash/ED]

So they'd have to be Irish players then, you couldn't pick the foreigners in the league? If so I'd go for...

Gk - Devine

Dl - Webb
Dr - Heary
Dc - Doherty
Dc - Foley

Mr - Fahey
Ml - Cahill
Mc - S Byrne
Mc - Hoolahan

Fc - J Byrne
Fc - Crowe

I'd have O'Flynn in if he could get near the form of his pre injury days but there's no sign of him doing that yet. I've probably forgotten some obvious ones too.

[adamcarr]

Devine
LB.Murphy
RB.Heary
CD.Bennett
CD. Doherty
LM. Cahill :(
RM. Doyle
CM. Hoolahan
CM. S Byrne/ O' Callaghan
FWR. J. Byrne
FWR. D O' Brien

I would have picked JOF but for the same reasons as Slash/ed

[iceman]

Surely Stephen Grey should be in central defence.

[dcfcsteve]

Errr - Liam Coyle anyone ?? In his prime a better player than either Glen Crowe or Jason Byrne, and also an International (albeit for the North).

Very biased team selections to-date, with a lot of current/very recent players favoured and own-team bias on show. Does that reflect limited/short memories, or the fact the league is getting stronger over time ?

[Slash/ED]

it's biased towards current players because older players wouldn't exactly be much good anymore. He didn't ask for the best XI ever (Unless I'm wrong), he asked for the best current one if an Irish manager had to pick one now.

And Coyle couldn't be picked anyway, he played for Northern Ireland not the Republic, which I'm pretty sure is what Réiteoir was looking for.

[dcfcsteve]

D'oh ! Got you now.... :)

[tiktok]

from what I've seen this season....

Devine
Heary Doherty Grey Murphy
Doyle Reynolds Hoolahan Cahill
Byrne O'Brien

Rogers/Williams/Devine was close for keeper btw, maybe it's just that i've seen more of Devine

[Slash/ED]

Williams is from Wales so couldn't be picked anyway.

[pete]

Devine
Heary Palmer Grey Murphy
Hoolahan Moore S Byrne Cahill
Byrne Crowe

[LFC in Exile]

Devine

Heary Doherty Grey Murphy

Kearney Moore Byrne Hoolahan

Crowe O'Flynn

Hard to leave out Doyle and Byrne - but making hard decisions is what being a manager is all about.

[Sheridan]

Devine
Heary Palmer Grey Murphy
Hoolahan Moore S Byrne Cahill
Byrne Crowe
Best selection so far. Byrne and Crowe wouldn't click, though. I'd go for Daryl Murphy partnering Byrne (ahead of Crowe on current form.) Not sure about Murphy at left-back, but then I've only seen him play twice. I'd still go for Webb in that position, though, he's been outstanding in a poor Bohs team and consistent over the past few seasons.

While one can't really argue with an all-Shels midfield, I'm not keen on Hoolahan in wide positions and Moore has only played a handful of league games (maybe swap him with Ndo or Fahy and bring Hoolahan into the centre?) Despite strong competition at DM, Stuey Byrne is head and shoulders above the rest at present.

Oh, and Barry Ryan will be a shoo-in for GK if he keeps up his current form.

[Mbabazi28]

Hate to be partisan and all, but Keith Fahey is having an incredible season at Pat's, he's one of the most gifted footballers in the League and it's criminal to leave him out of any "Best Of..." side at the moment.

GK: Rogers (Drogheda)

RB: Heary (Shels)
LB: Murphy (Cork)
CB: Foley (Pat's)
CB: Rogers (Shels)

RM: Fahey (Pat's)
LM: Cahill (Shels)
CM: O'Callaghan (Cork)
CM: Hoolahan (Shels)

CF: O'Brien (Drogheda)
CF: Byrne (Shels)

Midfield's a bit weak is the only problem. Stuart Byrne could do a job instead of O'Callaghan.

[patsh]

Who would you have in your team if you were the National Team manager and you could only pick Irish players who play in the eircom League?

Should make for interesting reading!An all eL Irish team should be entered into the Olympic competition.
Anyone know if we enter a team at all?

[Slash/ED]

Hate to be partisan and all, but Keith Fahey is having an incredible season at Pat's, he's one of the most gifted footballers in the League and it's criminal to leave him out of any "Best Of..." side at the moment.


Completley agree, Fahey is superb and one of the leagues best players imo. I'm suprised he doesn't get more of a look in with the U21s, he should imo.

[Thirsty Hoop]

Trevor Molloy and Jason Byrne would be a dream partnership. In fact, next season they probably will be the dream partnership :(

[BobtheDrog]

Rogers(drogs)


Murphy(longford) Rogers(shels) Grey(drogs) Murphy(cork)


Fahey(pats) Hoolahan(shels) Molloy(drogs) kearney (cork)


Byrne(shels) O'Brien(drogs)

[Sonic]

Rogers(drogs)


Murphy(longford) Rogers(shels) Grey(drogs) Murphy(cork)


Fahey(pats) Hoolahan(shels) Molloy(drogs) kearney (cork)


Byrne(shels) O'Brien(drogs)


are you kidding murphy has been a joke for us this season.


GK:Devine(CORK)
DR Heary(SHELS)
DL Dillon(LTFC)
DC Gartland(LTFC)
DC Gray(DREGS)
MR Robinson(RVS)
MC Holo
MC S Byrne
ML Cahill
FC J Byrne
FC Murphy(WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATERFORD)

[Gary]

There are alot of names popping up the whole time, and i doubt ill buck the trend.

Devine

D Murphy (lb)
Heary (RB)
Rogers (CH)
Harris (CH)

Cahill (LM)
Reynolds (CM)
Moore (CM)
K Doyle (RM)

Daryl Murphy (FF)
J Byrne (FF)

Subs - Digger, Webb, Caffrey, J O Flynn (fully fit he starts), Bruton.

[pete]

Why does everyone rate Fahy? Sure he did good when came to the eL first but IMO hasn't set the league alight or anything...

[wws]

other way round pete
started terribly when he was brought into the el
this season he's more than made up for it

single handedly destroyed the drogs midfield in our last league meeting - made them look mugs all on his - finest midfield display ive seen in a long time - can be inconsistent though

[pete]

other way round pete
started terribly when he was brought into the el
this season he's more than made up for it

single handedly destroyed the drogs midfield in our last league meeting - made them look mugs all on his - finest midfield display ive seen in a long time - can be inconsistent though

Given almost no tv coverage I suppose we all judging opposition players on reputation as can't tell current form from couple of games a year. e.g. Hunt

[John83]

An all eL Irish team should be entered into the Olympic competition.
Anyone know if we enter a team at all?I don't think we qualify. They send the Euro U21 champion (or Italy, as it's usually known) and tow or three other teams. I think we'd have to win the Euros, or at least get to the semis, to have a chance.

[tiktok]

I don't think we qualify. They send the Euro U21 champion (or Italy, as it's usually known) and tow or three other teams. I think we'd have to win the Euros, or at least get to the semis, to have a chance.

Yeah, it's the four semi finals from the U21 competition that UEFA put forward for the olympics, though if the Olympics is held in europe as it was this year, the host nation automatically goes in and it's the finalists plus third place play-off winners in the Olympics.

[patsh]

Yeah, it's the four semi finals from the U21 competition that UEFA put forward for the olympics, though if the Olympics is held in europe as it was this year, the host nation automatically goes in and it's the finalists plus third place play-off winners in the Olympics.Hmmmm.... thats a bit of a balls.
A competition like the Olympics would be a great arena for an eL team.
Outside of that load of sh*te semi-pro thingy, is there any decent international competition that an eL team could enter?

[John83]

Hmmmm.... thats a bit of a balls.
A competition like the Olympics would be a great arena for an eL team.
Outside of that load of sh*te semi-pro thingy, is there any decent international competition that an eL team could enter?Concacaf? We should be fairly competative there! :p

Seriously, I don't know of any.

[techs]

Devine (cork)

Dillon(longford)
Palmer(rovers)
Gartland(longford)
Heary(shels)

Baker(longford)
Moore(shels)
S Byrne(shels)
Kearney(cork)

J Byrne(shels)
Crowe(bohs)

May be a few eyebrows raised at that one but its based on current league form. My advice would be watch graham gartland, he is an outstanding centre half

[Longfordian]

Mine would be;

Williams (Shels)

Dillon (LTFC)
Grey (Drogs)
Rogers (Shels)
Murphy (Cork)

Cahill (Shels)
S Byrne (Shels)
Moore (Shels)
Robinson (Rovers)

Murphy (Waterford)
J Byrne (Shels)

Subs: Gartland (LTFC) would be first choice on form but he hasnt played that much this season because of injury, Bruton (Waterford), Baker (LTFC), Devine (Cork), Palmer (Rovers)..

Maybe a slight bias but then again I do watch them every week and dont see as much of the others

[Flea]

Williams(Shels)GK
Dillon(Longford) DL/CB I cant understand why everybody bar the town fans is ommitting him
Grey(Drogs)CB
Palmer CB
Heary DR
Cahill ML
DOYLE(Cork)MR
Hoolahan CM
Fitzgerald(Longford)CM
Murphy(Waterford)SC
Byrne SC

Subs: Devine,Paisley,O'Brien,Baker, S Byrne(I cant put every Shels player in so im going for fitzgerald)

[harry crumb]

Devine(Cork)
Murphy(Cork)
Rogers(Shels)
O'Connor(Drogheda)
Heary(Shels)
Cahill(Shels)
O'Brien(Cork)
Hoolahan(Shels)
Doyle(Cork)
Byrne(Shels)
O'Brien(Drogheda)

[TonyD]

Some people seem to have misread the original question. Williams and Rogers are Welsh and English respectively - so, THEY DON'T QUALIFY.

In relation to the Olympic thing, in the 80's the Olympic qualifying tournament was contested by an LOI team. I remember going to Dalymount in the mid-eighties and seeing France beaten 3-0.(Or maybe it was only 2, the memory's a bit hazy) Mick Bennet of Waterford got a couple I think. Mick Neville played, as did Paul Doolin as far as I can remember..

[the ox]

An all eL Irish team should be entered into the Olympic competition.
Anyone know if we enter a team at all?

we don't enter and i actually sent that idea as a suggestion to the Olympic council of ireland months ago.

still waiting for a response

[gspain]

We do enter the Olympics - the U21 campaign last time out acted as an Olympic qualifier. We didn't qualify.

We haven't played in them since 1948. Only time before that was 1924 in Paris.

[SÓC]

Rogers

Heary, Palmer, Hawkins, Danny Murphy
Kevin Doyle, S. Byrne, O'Callaghan, Moore
J. Byrne, Molloy

[eastcork]

the young fella playing with bohs against cork right midfield (Bobby Ryan is it??) looked very impressive.

[Pablo]

(Bobby Ryan is it??) looked very impressive.

he looked kinda hideously ugly to me :)

[Colm]

3-4-1-2

Devine
Heary Palmer Murphy
Hoolahan Moore Hunt Cahill
O'Callaghan
Crowe Doyle

Subs: Connor, Fenn, J Byrne, S Byrne, Hawkins

[robbieos88]

Devine(gk)
O.Heary(rb)
D.Byrne(lb)
Hawkins(cb)
Foley(cb)
Cahill(lm)
Fahey(rm)
Hunt(cm)
Ndo(cm)
O'Flynn(F)
Byrne(f)

Subs:Williams(gk),Minnock(lb),Moore(f),Crowe(f),Ry an(rm)

[thecorner]

a few of ye have hunt in your teams

wasnt hunt born in england :confused:

[Schumi]

At a bit of a disadvantage as I've only seen 7 or 8 premier matches this year but here's my team anyway.

GK - Devine (Cork)
DL - Murphy (Cork)
DR - Heary (Shels)
DC - Foley (Pats)
DC - Harris (Shels)
ML - Cahill (Shels)
MR - Fahey (Pats)
MC - Hoolahan (Shels)
MC - Hunt (Bohs)
FC - Byrne (Shels)
FC - Crowe (Bohs)
a few of ye have hunt in your teams

wasnt hunt born in england :confused:
He was but I think he qualifies for an Irish passport because he's been living here for so long and could play for Ireland as he hasn't been capped for England.