Irish Award Winners 2008

[youngirish]

Jay Tabb (Coventry City) - Fans POTY
Leon Best (Coventry City) - Fans Young POTY
Aiden McGeady (Celtic) - SPL Players' POTY, SPL Players' Young POTY
Willo Flood (Dundee Utd) - SPL Goal of the Season
Sean St Ledger (Preston North End) - Clubs POTY, Fans POTY, Players' POTY
Liam Lawrence (Stoke City) - Coca Cola Championship Team of the Season, Fans POTY, Players' POTY
Keith Andrews (MK Dons) - Coca Cola League 2 POTY
Stephen Hunt (Reading) - Clubs POTY
Richard Dunne (Man City) - Fans POTY
Martin Rowlands (QPR) - Fans POTY, Players' POTY
Jonathan Walters (Ipswich Town) - Clubs POTY, Players' POTY
Keith Keane (Luton Town) - Fans POTY
JJ O'Toole (Watford) - Clubs Young POTY
Marc Wilson (Portsmouth) - Clubs Young POTY


Irish pair land Coventry awards

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/acrossthewater/news.asp?n=31950

April 24, 2008

Former Republic of Ireland under-21 star Jay Tabb has been named Coventry City Player of the Year after a landslide victory in a supporters’ poll, with fellow Irishman Leon Best picking up the Young Player of the Year award.

Tabb topped the polls in the London, South Wales and Irish supporters’ clubs to earn a massive 84 per cent share of the vote.

And Sky Blues boss Chris Coleman was delighted for the 24-year-old former Brentford winger. He said: “I can’t think of a more deserving winner. He really is a great lad who never gives us a moment’s trouble. When you look at modern-day footballers, they are generally six foot two athletes. You look at Tabby and he is short and stocky - but definitely very effective.

“I have been in Spain for most of the season but since I came to Coventry City, there is no doubting that he has been one of our most consistent performers. He is an excellent professional with a great attitude towards the game and a great work ethic, and he has been a delight to have.”

Best, described by Coleman on Wednesday as a potential £6m forward, picked up the Young Player of the Year award.

The 21-year-old, who was transfer-listed in January having been linked with a move to Nottingham Forest, has found his way back into the fans’ affections with a series of effective performances as Coventry battle against the drop.

Both players will receive their awards ahead of Saturday’s clash with Wolves at the Ricoh Arena, where victory, combined with Sheffield Wednesday’s failure to defeat Leicester, would be enough to secure the club’s Coca-Cola Championship for another season.

[youngirish]

Coventry boss hails “£6m Best”

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/acrossthewater/news.asp?n=31949

April 24, 2008

Coventry City manager Chris Coleman feels Republic of Ireland under-21 striker Leon Best could develop into a £6m player – if he brings a level of maturity to his game.

Best – named Coventry Young Player of the Year on Wednesday – has enjoyed a productive season with the struggling Sky Blues despite handing in a transfer request in January.

The Nottingham native’s future at the Ricoh Arena looks settled since the arrival of former Fulham and Real Sociedad boss Coleman, who feels he could have a big-money player on his hands.

He said: “I have said it to the player myself but it is difficult to see which way it will go really because he could turn into a five or six million pound player, and that’s not putting pressure on him.

“I don’t want that to go to his head either because at other times he does things that are quite immature, but he has got great potential.

“If he starts scoring and starts realising what he’s got with his strength and pace he’s a real asset. If he just improves his awareness a little bit when he’s in those dangerous areas he has a great chance of being a Premier League player.”

[youngirish]

Personally I think Tabb and Best should have been in the extended squad. Tabb is definitely deserving of a place and it maybe would have made sense to tie Best down as he has appeared to me to be a player who was undecided for a long time over whether to play for Ireland (there was talk of him switching to the North a few months ago).

Perhaps after returning to the U21s recently he's tied down anyway. I'm sure geysir will inform me if this is the case.

I like the look of Best and I agree with Coleman that he has the potential to be a decent Premiership striker. He reminds me a little of Morrison when he was younger but with a little extra strength and pace.

The worry I'd have is that his goalscoring is very sporadic. He seems to hit a rich vein of form where he's scoring every other week followed by a long period where he can't get a goal to save his life. In the Premiership if you're not scoring regularly you usually find yourself offloaded fairly quickly.

Anyway he's a useful option for us a big, strong and quick striker something we've lacked for as long as I can remember. Definitely one of our most promising young Championship players - I'm surprised he doesn't get more of a mention on here ahead of the likes of Darren Potter and Paddy McCarthy.

Kevin Thornton has been doing well for Coventry lately under Coleman also. He's a bit too injury prone though. He needs a decent run in the team next season free from injury.

[eirebhoy]

I can't believe it's nearly 4 years since I opened this thread:
http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=16924

Just reading it again now and this is a quote from Rodney Marsh:
"There's a 16-year-old striker at Southampton by the name of Leon Best. I know he's only a baby, but I've been told the kid has everything."

[Stuttgart88]

Tabb is a genuinely gifted player, bundles of talent but is the shortest of all our shortarses. He should definitely be in our extended squad.

Best has a lot of potential but his attitude doesn't seem great, always sulking and I get the impression he thinks he's God's gift. Isn't he still U21 eligible? If so that's where I'd put him for now.

[geysir]

That's where Best is now, he came on as a sub in the last game against Montenegro.
There are just 2 u21 competitive games scheduled before he hits 22.

[EalingGreen]

Personally I think Tabb and Best should have been in the extended squad. Tabb is definitely deserving of a place and it maybe would have made sense to tie Best down as he has appeared to me to be a player who was undecided for a long time over whether to play for Ireland (there was talk of him switching to the North a few months ago).

Perhaps after returning to the U21s recently he's tied down anyway.

Best was born on 19/09/86, so is now 21 and therefore unable to switch from representing ROI. Personally, I don't really know anything about him - his Wiki entry lists 27 goals in 99 appearances, almost all in the Second or Third tier of English football. I know he's still young, but it's not really top notch for a striker, so I'd have said there were quite a few players ahead of him in the queue for a place up front in the senior ROI team.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Best

As for Tabb, I saw him emerge as a youngster at Brentford and he was an obvious talent from the very beginning. In fact, I'm sure I recommended him on this Board a while back, when others were unsure/unaware. He's got good pace, a great left foot, works his socks off and is a real team player. Indeed, he was one of the reasons why Brentford weren't too unhappy at losing Stephen Hunt to Reading, since Tabb was a ready made replacement, of similar or even greater potential. In fact, I'd say if Tabb were a bit taller, he might even be with a Premiership club right now.
Above all, his attitude is exemplary, impressing everyone at Griffin Park. Indeed I can't remember a departing player leaving with such affection and good wishes as Tabby.

[ifk101]

.... but is the shortest of all our shortarses.

The solution?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygf0gRQsUb4

[paul_oshea]

As for Tabb, I saw him emerge as a youngster at Brentford and he was an obvious talent from the very beginning. In fact, I'm sure I recommended him on this Board a while back, when others were unsure/unaware. He's got good pace, a great left foot, works his socks off and is a real team player. Indeed, he was one of the reasons why Brentford weren't too unhappy at losing Stephen Hunt to Reading, since Tabb was a ready made replacement, of similar or even greater potential. In fact, I'd say if Tabb were a bit taller, he might even be with a Premiership club right now.
Above all, his attitude is exemplary, impressing everyone at Griffin Park. Indeed I can't remember a departing player leaving with such affection and good wishes as Tabby.

I hope you mean of greater talent, even. You dont honestly think Hunt is really "a talent" ( not fully sure what that expression means but I see it has crept into the English language slowly but surely )?! Btw EG your contribution is most welcome on topics other than/including the North! :) Did you read the article in the IT yesterday by the way?!

[youngirish]

How did I know that this topic would contain the phrase "should be in the squad". :rolleyes:

Don't let the fact that we have 5 strikers playing regularly in the premiership and another with a proven track record fool ya. This 21 year old somewhat decent championship guy is better than ALL of them!

Ciaran admit it you don't seriously watch football do you? Which of our strikers is playing regularly as a striker in the Premiership? Only a solitary Robbie Keane started last week.

More importantly which ones are scoring regularly?

Instead of simply looking at the number of appearances on soccerbase try to delve a bit more into what these appearances actually consisted off. Let all those thoughts and words roll around in your head a bit longer before mindlessly typing them out and posting them.

P.S. There were 11 strikers in the extended (the key word in my post was extended) squad btw one of which hadn't played in the Premiership for months (Connolly) and another 4 from the Championship. The majority of the rest either weren't regulars for their Premiership teams or aren't even playing as strikers when they do get an appearance (Stokes, Murphy, O'Donovan).

Think before you type.

[cavan_fan]

How did I know that this topic would contain the phrase "should be in the squad". :rolleyes:

Don't let the fact that we have 5 strikers playing regularly in the premiership and another with a proven track record fool ya. This 21 year old somewhat decent championship guy is better than ALL of them!

To jump in on the Ciaran-bashing (and by the way does anyone else think Ciaran is Sacha Baron-Cohen's latest creation) I'd like to introduce him to the subject of sums.

If there were five strikers in the squad, Best would only need to be better than one of them to get in, not all (or rather ALL) of them.

[Billsthoughts]

Ciarans roll eyes smilie should be disavled and he wont annoy everyone so much.

[kingdom hoop]

Ah no, it's the smilies that make him so funny. Shows that he takes himself seriously, which I love. :)


On topic, anyone else think 'Tabb & Best' sound like a gay 80s ballroom dancing duo?

[paul_oshea]

No:::

[kingdom hoop]

Stop spoiling my fantasies. :rolleyes:

There's definitely a strange ring to the two names together. Maybe it's a similarity to Mutt & Jeff that's doing it to me - which would be quite an apt comparison as it happens.

[paul_oshea]

ok then "Tabb and Best" "Starksy and Hutch" "best and tabb" does that sound better actually?

best and tabb is catchier......tabbnbess.............besntabb when said really quickly. now way off topic. ok it does sound 80s quiz show/comedy duo

[Guidedbyvoices]

ok then "Tabb and Best" "Starksy and Hutch" "best and tabb" does that sound better actually?

best and tabb is catchier......tabbnbess.............besntabb when said really quickly. now way off topic. ok it does sound 80s quiz show/comedy duo

Why do you even try and be funny O'Shea? Lets face it you are one of the lease funny people who post on here, get me?

Anyway Tabb, I like this player better than Hunt and more intelligient in everyway.

[Guidedbyvoices]

How did I know that this topic would contain the phrase "should be in the squad". :rolleyes:

Don't let the fact that we have 5 strikers playing regularly in the premiership and another with a proven track record fool ya. This 21 year old somewhat decent championship guy is better than ALL of them!


I see!! Informative as ever,another super post from the lassie Ciaran.:p

[manalishi]

If these guys are so promising what does this say about the new management team which aso excludes Liam Lawrence and includes David Connolly.

THIS IS NOT LOOKING GOOD????:eek:

[boovidge]

yeah i know, sometimes i think we'd be better off with someone from here picking a 40/50 man squad and trap +brady picking the 28 squad from that. Still can't get over the connolly choice.

[Razors left peg]

If these guys are so promising what does this say about the new management team which aso excludes Liam Lawrence and includes David Connolly.

THIS IS NOT LOOKING GOOD????:eek:

Very optimistic fella arent ya!!
Best isnt even a regular starter for the under 21s at the moment so while he has potential it doesnt mean that he merits a place in the squad yet.Tabb could be there but I dont think he would be the difference between us qualifying or not so its not that big a deal that hes not there. Connollys inclusion was surprising but he was never gonna make the final 28 man squad anyway.

[tricky_colour]

He will probably be in Premiership next season.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11689_3469781,00.html

[shelbourne1904]

Very optimistic fella arent ya!!
Best isnt even a regular starter for the under 21s at the moment so while he has potential it doesnt mean that he merits a place in the squad yet.Tabb could be there but I dont think he would be the difference between us qualifying or not so its not that big a deal that hes not there. Connollys inclusion was surprising but he was never gonna make the final 28 man squad anyway.


The real issue is why was Lawrence not incuded????:ball:

[the doc]

Sean St Ledger completed a clean sweep of all the Preston North End Player of the Year Awards, after an outstanding season.



http://www.lep.co.uk/national-football/Ledger-voted-the-best.4039323.jp

[shaneker]

Thats excellent news, I confess to not having seen the lad play but I hear people on here rate him highly and this seems to confirm this. Hopefully it can continue. Is he likely to be staying at Preston for the forseeable future?

[dr_peepee]

Like everyone I hope he gets a move to the premiership, but the likelyhood is that it would be one of the promoted teams and I wouldn't want that either.

I think Bruce was heavily linked with him while at Birmingham and St Ledger was at Peterboro. Hopefully he's still keeping tabs at Wigan.

[RogerMilla]

fair play to him and nice to see a level of maturity from when he was giggling in the managers office in Big Ron Manager!!

[ramsfan]

think big ron manager did him an injustice the editing made him really bad, good player young and still developing is worth a shout for a ireland panel place but trap will decide so only time will tell

[kingofkillteely]

Didn't have much competition! They are shocking:ball:

[Razors left peg]

Didn't have much competition! They are shocking:ball:

Typical begrugery. Can ya not just say well done to the lad for winning the award

[kingdom hoop]

Tsss, he used an exclamation mark ffs! Hardly the mark of a true begrudger in fairness to the King.


edit; by the way, another Irish player won an award of late; Martin Rowlands won QPR's Player and Supporters Player of the Year Award. And he's one man who had lots of competition! :)

[Superhoops]

Fourth successive Player of the Year win for Richard Dunne. From Man.City website (http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?pagegid={DBD12D53-8346-431D-A04F-5D0F8664DE80}&newsid=1858066)

[shelbourne1904]

Tsss, he used an exclamation mark ffs! Hardly the mark of a true begrudger in fairness to the King.


edit; by the way, another Irish player won an award of late; Martin Rowlands won QPR's Player and Supporters Player of the Year Award. And he's one man who had lots of competition! :)

And whatabout Liam Lawrence atStoke who didnt even make the Irish 40?

[theworm2345]

I'll add to the negativity of king's remark, Hunty has done well, but its just a stark contrast to Doyle and Long who have been pitiful

[Pike B]

Reading are crap alright, but as long as they stay up, and the Irish lads are playing then I'm happy. Well done Stephen Hunt.

[gufct]

Player of the year awards on Sunday night. Very impressed with Damien Delaney excellent game at full back on Sunday and would definitely be a good option as a squad player.

[Sliogán Dóite]

93-goal Josh Barrett, who plays for our under 10s, won the Maurice Edelston award for younger age groups.

Doyle won't be in the team Long!



Nothing on Bojan's underage scoring record at Barca though - 961 goals in 7 seasons apparently :eek:

[Topman]

Any Photos from Sunday Nights Dinner Dance? Any rumours going around? Did you get to speak to Rowlands?

[eirebhoy]

Fourth successive Player of the Year win for Richard Dunne. From Man.City website (http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?pagegid={DBD12D53-8346-431D-A04F-5D0F8664DE80}&newsid=1858066)
And he was 2nd to Shaun Wright Phillips 5 years ago.