Best 11 since 1980

[stojkovic]

Given
Irwin McGrath Lawrenson Whelan
Houghton Brady Keane HEIGHWAY
Stapleton Keane

[macdermesser]

why are people sticking Ronnie Whelan in at left back?

He played for us in the centre .. might have started on left wing a few times but never as a left back.. or am I mistaken?

My best would be based solely on performances for Ireland .. and for me only record goalscorer Robbie Keane (and based on his 2002 world cup) would make it into the team

Bonner (because as great as Shay is .. he never had a Stuttgart or a Genoa performance)
Lawrenson (RB)
Mc Grath
Moran
Irwin (LB)

Whelan
Brady
Keane
Houghton

Keane
Stapleton

Subs
Aldridge
Cascarino
Staunton
Given
Townsend

[Wolfie]

Given

Finnan Lawrenson Mc grath Irwin

Houghton Brady Keane Duff

Quinn Keane

(Quinninho included for tactical reasons!)

[Drumcondra 69er]

why are people sticking Ronnie Whelan in at left back?

He played for us in the centre .. might have started on left wing a few times but never as a left back.. or am I mistaken?



Definitely played left back a number of times under Jack iirc, Euro 88 qualifiers anyone?

[Shedender81]

Correct... Played Left until Liam Brady and Lawerenson were inj and moved there with McGrath who had played Right back..

[stojkovic]

Definitely played left back a number of times under Jack iirc, Euro 88 qualifiers anyone?

Whelan played left back in our two biggest victories of the Euro88 campaign - away to Scotland and home to Bulgaria. The team I think was ;

Bonner
McGrath-Moran-McCarthy-Whelan
Houghton-Lawrenson-Brady-Galvin
Aldridge-Stapleton

That back four with Lawro in front - two clean sheets !

[Wolfie]

Whelan played left back in our two biggest victories of the Euro88 campaign - away to Scotland and home to Bulgaria. The team I think was ;

Bonner
McGrath-Moran-McCarthy-Whelan
Houghton-Lawrenson-Brady-Galvin
Aldridge-Stapleton

That back four with Lawro in front - two clean sheets !

That line-up would have won Euro 88!!!!

[Kingdom]

Whelan played left back in our two biggest victories of the Euro88 campaign - away to Scotland and home to Bulgaria. The team I think was ;

Bonner
McGrath-Moran-McCarthy-Whelan
Houghton-Lawrenson-Brady-Galvin
Aldridge-Stapleton

That back four with Lawro in front - two clean sheets !

Jaysus thats some team alright. Man what we'd give for half of it now!

[rovers77]

Starting Eleven:

Given

Irwin, Moran, McGrath, Whelan

Houghton, Brady, Keane, Sheridan

Aldridge, Stapleton

Bench:
Bonner,
Staunton,
O' Leary,
Duff,
Keane (Robbie)
Quinn

[Kingdom]

Starting Eleven:

Given

Irwin, Moran, McGrath, Whelan

Houghton, Brady, Keane, Sheridan

Aldridge, Stapleton

Bench:
Bonner,
Staunton,
O' Leary,
Duff,
Keane (Robbie)
Quinn

I'm sure all football fans do it, but I always think looking back he was a player that was underused by Ireland. A fine player and looking like a fine manager too,

[rovers77]

I'm sure all football fans do it, but I always think looking back he was a player that was underused by Ireland. A fine player and looking like a fine manager too,

I think he was underused too, very skillfull, didn't really fit into Big Jack's style of football. He does look like he has the makings of a good manager alright.

[Wolfie]

I'm sure all football fans do it, but I always think looking back he was a player that was underused by Ireland. A fine player and looking like a fine manager too,

I always admired Sheridan's ability on the ball and he had great passing vision and was a good striker of the ball.

Like Liam Brady, Sheridan would be of must use to a team as a creative midfielder with a licence to drop off from the centre midfield to receive the ball from the back four and we'd play from there.

Charlton always had a bit of mistrust in relation to players with a creative slant eg, Brady.

Charlton's ethos demanded the midfield "Don't drop off - go and compete". Which ultimately involved the midfield receiving the ball from lay-offs from the forwards or scrapping for posession from the oppositions mistakes having been "put under pressure".

In essence, we didn't operate with a passing midfield which would have been more suited to Sheridan's natural ability.

It was a "no-risk" strategy which I'd be the first to admit brought us from the doldrums to 8th in the world rankings.

Sheridan would be ideal for us now.

[Bluebeard]

I always admired Sheridan's ability on the ball and he had great passing vision and was a good striker of the ball.

Like Liam Brady, Sheridan would be of must use to a team as a creative midfielder with a licence to drop off from the centre midfield to receive the ball from the back four and we'd play from there.

Charlton always had a bit of mistrust in relation to players with a creative slant eg, Brady.

Charlton's ethos demanded the midfield "Don't drop off - go and compete". Which ultimately involved the midfield receiving the ball from lay-offs from the forwards or scrapping for posession from the oppositions mistakes having been "put under pressure".

In essence, we didn't operate with a passing midfield which would have been more suited to Sheridan's natural ability.

It was a "no-risk" strategy which I'd be the first to admit brought us from the doldrums to 8th in the world rankings.

Sheridan would be ideal for us now.

Given the potential team quality at the time, some of us took the attitude that Sheridan would have been ideal for us then...

[Wolfie]

Given the potential team quality at the time, some of us took the attitude that Sheridan would have been ideal for us then...

True - would be an asset to an Irish team from any era.

[Drumcondra 69er]

True - would be an asset to an Irish team from any era.

One of the few to make all 3 squads in 88,90 and 94 in fairness. Great player, really shoud've buried that chance against Italy that hit the bar mind you, could have saved us all that nailbiting 6 minutes stoppage time and a return trip to Orlando had that gone in! Wouldn't have qualified without his consolation against Spain either, a vital goal that many forget (especially those halfwits that left after half an hour....).

In fairness, he was a key player in the latter part of Jack's reign, for Euro 88 he was playing in the old division 2 and who would people have played him in place of in the 1990 team? Got a run against Italy at least. He had to bide his time but he wound up getting a good run in the team.

[Wolfie]

One of the few to make all 3 squads in 88,90 and 94 in fairness. Great player, really shoud've buried that chance against Italy that hit the bar mind you, could have saved us all that nailbiting 6 minutes stoppage time and a return trip to Orlando had that gone in!

I recall an exquisite chip that was within a whisker of going in against Norway in the 94 finals also. Just clipped the top of the net.

Stand corrected on this - but would have meant a 2nd round game against Nigeria as opposed to Holland?

[jbyrne]

I recall an exquisite chip that was within a whisker of going in against Norway in the 94 finals also. Just clipped the top of the net.

Stand corrected on this - but would have meant a 2nd round game against Nigeria as opposed to Holland?

yes, great chip but not sure it ever looked like going in to be honest

[Emmet]

Sheridan's problem was that he was around the same time as Keane and Townsend who were absolutely collossal in the centre of midfield - he was behind two players who were simply outstanding in his own position. Stephen Ireland reminds me a lot of Sheridan although there are obviously other issues related to Ireland that were not there with Sheridan! Can you imagine what Charlton would have made of a player lying about his Granny to get out of playing an international? :eek:

My XI would be:

Given
Irwin
Staunton
McGrath
McCarthy
Brady
Houghton
Keane
Townsend
Quinn
Aldridge