Ian Harte

[carnstien]

I always found his distribution of the ball pretty poor.
I disagree, i think along with Roy, O'Shea and Andy Reid he is about the only player in our squad who has an extensive range of passes ie. he can hit a 50 yard pass accurately.

Not to say that this means he should be in our squad, I just think he'd be a useful left midfielder for whoever, sure most crap teams get the majority of their goals from set pieces of some description anyway.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Saudi Arabia's one great chance (think it was Al-Jaber (sp??) but I'm not sure) came from him being one on one with Harte, we were only 1 up at the time, so if they had scored, we would have had a right mountain to climb to get through the group.

Again, probably being over-critical, but he must have been identified as the weak link in that defence by the oppposition

wow that is a pity. the one time I'd have liked to see Harte cost us a goal. I'd a tenner on Ireland to beat Saudi Arabia 3-1 with Breen on the scoresheet.
I got odds of 36/1.
:(

[John83]

I disagree, i think along with Roy, O'Shea and Andy Reid he is about the only player in our squad who has an extensive range of passes ie. he can hit a 50 yard pass accurately.
I'm not sure I agree. Yes, his long-range passing is good, but his short range passing is careless. I've lost track of how many times I've seen him play a stupid short ball to a centre half under pressure.

[tricky_colour]

You can say he is crap defender but I can remember him making
a lot of goalline clearances for Leeds.
I am not sure if he is our slowest defenfer either.

Anyhow he has got 2 goals in 2 games so he must be ****e :rolleyes:

[eirebhoy]

Anyhow he has got 2 goals in 2 games so he must be ****e :rolleyes:
Nial Quinn saved a peno, doesn't make him a better player. ;)

[tricky_colour]

Nial Quinn saved a peno, doesn't make him a better player. ;)

Well he is due a call up then!!
At least as a goalkeeper sub in the last minute of extra time before
a penalty subsitute. After all they will be banging them past Given untill
the cows come home!

He must be the first Irishman to ever save a penalty :p

[jimbob117]

Well he is due a call up then!!
At least as a goalkeeper sub in the last minute of extra time before
a penalty subsitute. After all they will be banging them past Given untill
the cows come home!

He must be the first Irishman to ever save a penalty :p

wonder what nationality bonner was then :rolleyes:

[Tony Montana]

Well he is due a call up then!!
At least as a goalkeeper sub in the last minute of extra time before
a penalty subsitute. After all they will be banging them past Given untill
the cows come home!

He must be the first Irishman to ever save a penalty :p


That Given,him and his cows! :D

[keenanboy]

I'm his worst fan and as a defender he's fairly poor. But he's one of the best dead ball kickers we have and on Wednesday night, when the chips are down, we don't need the likes of Kilbane chipping harmless balls into the arms of the Swiss keeper.
Remember also, Harte is a wicked free kick taker and anything won outside the box against the lumbersome swiss defenders could get us a goal. Lets face it our goal if there is one to come will arrive in the form of a set-piece...

[dr_peepee]

He hasn't been too bad since he came back into the fold... A definite starter for me on wednesday

[shakermaker1982]

where would O Shea go? CB or CM?

[Peadar]

He can't be any worse than John O'Shea and at least he can play a good ball out of defence.


where would O Shea go?

Back to Old Trafford to collect his heart and his balls from his locker! :rolleyes:

[zinedineontour]

where would O Shea go? CB or CM?

hopefully back to manchester .. nobody could do any worse than oshea at the minute

[shakermaker1982]

Kerr won't drop O'Shea!!!

I don't mind him to be honest, he isn't as slow as Dunne or Kenny and can actually pass a ball more than 5 metres.

[GK for the Town]

Agreed. Harte in for O'Shea. I'll be sticking a bit of money on him as first goalscorer aswell if he is starting.
I feel like punching walls when i see John O'Shea play like he did on Saturday.

[Peadar]

...and can actually pass a ball more than 5 metres.

Passing the ball to your opponent isn't a positive attribute to have.

[as_i_say]

harte came in for 2 games and played pretty well and scored 2 goals. why was he dropped anyway? the only thing you could say about him is that he doesnt play in a top flight league. but he's terrific on a dead ball, and is truly hilarious to listen to with that high pitched voice of his. anyone know if he gets his game for levante?

[shakermaker1982]

Passing the ball to your opponent isn't a positive attribute to have.

it works for Kilbane and Kerr keeps on picking him!!!

[finlma]

Kerr won't drop O'Shea!!!

I don't mind him to be honest, he isn't as slow as Dunne or Kenny and can actually pass a ball more than 5 metres.

Have you watched the Ireland games - he's been rubbish. The ball was played over the top of him so many times against Cyprus and he kept getting caught out. He passes the ball 5m but it doesn't go to an Irish player.

As bad as Harte is he has to replace O'Shea.

[wallis]

Harte must start imo for that very reason - the dead ball.

Hes scored twice already on his comeback and this is not an ordinary game - we must win this. Get him on , his attacking options far outweigh his defensive falabilites. IF we need a goal late on and Doherty is in there Harte has to be the one delivering crosses, free kicks and corners.

[Stuttgart88]

I just picked Harte in my XI on another thread. I'd have Kilbane ahead of him on the LHS, A. Reid on the right & Steve Reid & Holland in the middle. O'Shea & Dunne deserve to be dropped, period.

However, has Harte played football yet this season? Is he actually playing for Levante?

[shakermaker1982]

bit of a witchhunt at the moment for O'Shea and Keano. Don't know why. Kenny, Dunne and Kilbane can keep on having below average performances and still keep their places yet our main problem is O'Shea at left back? CB needs to get sorted out 1st and foremost

[Don Vito]

It's do or die stuff on Wednesday I'd definitely go for Harte. The man if gifted from the dead ball so in my book he must start.

[kingp35]

Harte is a definite starter for me. O' Shea has been nothing short of awful for ireland for a long time now and he offers nothing to the side. He has no passion and drive and is a total liability. Harte offers something that no one else in the team bar Andy reid can and thats a terrific free kick. We will need that on Wednesday as our attacking options in midfield are very limited and I dont think we will create an awful lot. Harte is a good defender is only downfall is his lack of pace. If we set the team out to cover this problem should it arise he will be a great asset to the side. He simply has to start

[yablazer]

Are Levante still in the Premira Liga, or hav they been relegated?? Not sure if hes gettin his game at the moment. But, yea, thers no way he can be worse than O'Shea-The cause of a sizeable amount of the stress and frustration in my life:mad:

[GK for the Town]

levante got relegated last season. They are in the 2nd division in spain

[youngirish]

Harte must play instead of O'Shea and O'Brien should replace that donkey Dunne. The two of them were dreadful on Saturday - our worst players. Both have always been crap for Ireland anway.

[zinedineontour]

Harte must play instead of O'Shea and O'Brien should replace that donkey Dunne. The two of them were dreadful on Saturday - our worst players. Both have always been crap for Ireland anway.

Yeah hasnt dunne been crap for us against the likes of france last month and in holland when we drew 2-2 .. guess you dont remember that tackle on kluivert .. agree that oshea has been terrible for the last 10games or so but thats dunnes bad game for ages .. harte in ..

[Stuttgart88]

Yeah hasnt dunne been crap for us against the likes of france last month and in holland when we drew 2-2 .. guess you dont remember that tackle on kluivert .. agree that oshea has been terrible for the last 10games or so but thats dunnes bad game for ages .. harte in ..

I'd reinstate O'Brien. He was one of the only players to play well when we played the Swiss in Basle.

Dunne has made critical errors in his last three starts for Ireland (Italy, France & Cyprus) though I accept I'm being harsh on him on the France goal. In fact he also made a dumb error early on against Croatia too, so I think that's 4 errors in 4 starts.

[zinedineontour]

I'd reinstate O'Brien. He was one of the only players to play well when we played the Swiss in Basle.

Dunne has made critical errors in his last three starts for Ireland (Italy, France & Cyprus) though I accept I'm being harsh on him on the France goal. In fact he also made a dumb error early on against Croatia too, so I think that's 4 errors in 4 starts.

very harsh on dunne who was outstanding against france at home .. he is also playing excellent for man city and obrien could not get into a newcastle side ahead of the likes of titus bramble and boumsong ..

[finlma]

and obrien could not get into a newcastle side ahead of the likes of titus bramble and boumsong ..

O'Brien plays for Portsmouth, hasn't been with Newcastle for a while. He has looked more secure than Dunne in the green.

[Stuttgart88]

All true ZK. I admit I'm beinhg harsh on Dunne for Henry's goal but Dunne is not transferring his club form to Ireland at the moment. He looked nervous & clumsy all evening on Saturday and against Italy too.

Cunningham & O'Brien in the last year or so have just looked way more solid to me. O'Brien's club form wouldn't suggest he's up to much but he's impressed me for Ireland.

Anyway, off to Dublin now for a momentous evening on Wednesday, I hope.

[dr_peepee]

very harsh on dunne who was outstanding against france at home .. he is also playing excellent for man city and obrien could not get into a newcastle side ahead of the likes of titus bramble and boumsong ..


i think O'Brien has been very good for Ireland in his last 10 or 12 games. Admittedly I'd not seen him play much club football but his club situation always made me nervous and it subconsciously hindered me commiting to an opinion of him as an international. But his calibre was rubber stamped for me when he replaced Dunne himself for the second half against Italy recently and his presence really made a difference to the back four. There's a strong argument for both players to start beside KC but I think Andy has been a lot better for ireland than most give him credit for.

[mandrake]

where would O Shea go???
put him up east /west stand were he is far away from the action, total plank

[OwlsFan]

There is no memory as short as that of a soccer supporter. Harte - what an absolute disaster in WC 2002. No pace - caught out of position numerous times and almost as bad a passer as O'Shea. Do you pick a full back purely because he has a good set piece ?

Bring him on with 25 minutes to go if it's still tied. Otherwise stick with O'Shea warts and all because (a) he does defend albeit not very well as opposed to little or no defence, (b) he has height - badly lacking in the side, (c) he can overlap better than Harte.

I can clearly see Harte in my minds eye sauntering back as once again he's caught out of position or by the ball over the top. Big mistake to play him from the start. Relegated with Leeds. Relegated with Levante - wonder why ?

[dr_peepee]

We're all aware of Harte's limits as a player but based on recent games he's been the better of the two...

[Closed Account 2]

I'd play Harte on the left wing, he needs to be on the pitch as he is the player most likely to get us a goal.

The Swiss have a few clumsy defenders, and I can see them giving away a few free kicks if Robbie and Clinton get a chance to run at them. If Harte doesnt play we'll waste all those free kicks like we did in Tel Aviv.

[Schumi]

There is no memory as short as that of a soccer supporter. Harte - what an absolute disaster in WC 2002. No pace - caught out of position numerous times and almost as bad a passer as O'Shea. Do you pick a full back purely because he has a good set piece ?He's basically as bad as O'Shea but can score free kicks so he's a better option than O'Shea. I'd pick any half-decent defender ahead of either but if it's a choice between the two, then Harte edges it for me.

[mandrake]

by the sound of things the toblerones could be playing defensive...so we will be attacking..getting fouled getting frees...up steps harte 1-0....
would he be exposed as much if they defend...maybe not.

[Baker]

Kerr was full of praise for Harte at the press conference earlier today and he said that changes will be made from the Cyprus game.

The Swiss keeper and centre backs looked very vulnerable to crosses against the French, it looked like they didnt trust each other. A dead ball specialist could be priceless against them.

[concanta]

harte to be among 4 changes
him for o'shea the plank
clinton for elliott
holland for kilbane
reid for duff

[KopKiller]

I think dick dunne deserves his chance, as long as he hasnt been eating all the pies, which im guessing he did in cyprus 10 mins before the game.

Cunningham has been equally rubbish, they are too slow as a partnership, i would play o brien with either of the 2, we are badly struggling at centre half these days.

Its a pity o shea doesnt move and get regular football as a centre back, rubbish as he is a left back, he has speed and might develop into a decent defender, when he realises he is not diego maradona trying to beat people in his own box.

my back 4 would be

carr O Brien dunne finann

[FarBeag]

The only changes i would make at the back is bring in Carr for that Ass O'Shea and bring in O'Brien because i think he has a much better understanding with Kenny than Dunne has.

[OwlsFan]

Having been very much against Harte playing, I have to admit he didn't do badly defensively. He might even have become a national hero with the header. However, many of his crosses were over hit and we'll say nothing about the one balooned over the bar.

But he did enough to retain his place in the future until he next meets a winger with pace.:o

[eirebhoy]

This one's cropped up again.

http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/sport/football/tm_objectid=16497402%26method=full%26siteid=64736% 26headline=celts%2dmove%2din%2dfor%2dharte-name_page.html

"We've decided not to honour Harte's request to leave for nothing in January.

He is contracted until 2007 and the only thing we might do is sit down next summer and try to agree something. Harte has never hidden his desire to play for Celtic or his admiration for Strachan."

[gustavo]

how are Celtic fixed for left backs would he get his game?

[eirebhoy]

how are Celtic fixed for left backs would he get his game?
Mo Camara was the left back but he seems to have had a bust up with someone as he hasn't made the bench in weeks. Ross Wallace is playing their now. Harte would most likely get his game if he moved to Celtic tomorrow.

[sligoman]

It would be a good move for Harte in my opinion. Is he getting played much with Levante at the moment(I dont think so)? and the SPL is a higher standard than the Spanish second division.

[eirebhoy]

It would be a good move for Harte in my opinion. Is he getting played much with Levante at the moment(I dont think so)?
Yeah, he's playing regularly.

[gustavo]

What about that guy Adam Virgo i thought he could do left back . and Ulrik Laursen