Players without a club

[stiofain]

If i recall correctly, Carr was linked with a move to Wigan, amongst others. Harte was training at Wolves last i heard.

[Razors left peg]

I would like to see players in their situation return to Ireland and play with Eircom league, it would boost the profile of the league

[rambler14]

I heard Stephen Carr has secured his dream move to McDonalds:D

[Bohemian1890]

I would like to see players in their situation return to Ireland and play with Eircom league, it would boost the profile of the league


I'm sure they would look for big money and i dont think they would get a game for any of the big teams wouldn't get a game for Bohs anyway.

[livehead1]

I'm sure they would look for big money and i dont think they would get a game for any of the big teams wouldn't get a game for Bohs anyway.
They would comfortably get into any team in Ireland.

[passinginterest]

They would comfortably get into any team in Ireland.

It'd be pretty tight at Bohs. Harte would be up against a current under 21 international, Conor Powell, who was actively chased by Wolves (the same club that would only consider a pay as you play contract for Harte). Powell is a talented young player Harte only has set pieces going for him these days.

Carr would be in direct competition with Owen Heary, consistently one of the best players in the league and current club captain. Carr has been without a club for months, would he really step in ahead of Heary? Carr was certainly a better player a few years ago but I'd say little to choose between them now.

[NeilMcD]

Yeah I agree, I would have Owen Heary at Bohs over Stephen Carr, no doubt about it and Mark Rossiter is playing well at left back and Conor Powell is good cover. Harte is too slow and both Rossiter and Powell have pace.

[livehead1]

Yeah I agree, I would have Owen Heary at Bohs over Stephen Carr, no doubt about it and Mark Rossiter is playing well at left back and Conor Powell is good cover. Harte is too slow and both Rossiter and Powell have pace.

Although you point out positive aspects of the players Harte and Carr would be competing against you fail to point out the positives of two extremely experienced Irish internationals. Having played at the highest level for a number of years both of them clearly have an outstanding touch, positional sense that although may be questioned at the very highest level (certainly in Harte's case anyway); at a lower level I believe both of them would stand out like sore thumbs.

[NeilMcD]

Yeah for the wrong reasons, lack of attitude and lack of pace on both of them. Both of them at the top of their game would stand out. Both of them at the moment would not, I have seen Harte play for Sunderland reserves and he looked poor so if he is going to stick out like a sore thumb in the EL, it is for all the wrong reasons. If both of them were at the top of their game they would be outstanding in the EL, but however they are not, hence th reason they were let go and they are still without clubs. There is more to football than ability.

[SkStu]

i think if Harte came to play with Pats or someone else, maybe Drogs, he would probably be best off playing CB cos the guy just cant play left back anymore. No disciplince or concentration. He wouldnt get near the Bohs team. Neither would Carr. The experience thing doesnt wash with me as Heary is probably the most experienced RB in the league. Invaluable in this league. Not to mention the attitude of both. Probably the two biggest sourpusses in the Irish squad over the last 10 years. TBH i hated them both.

I could see Pats probably taking them though.

[Bohemian1890]

They would comfortably get into any team in Ireland.

They would not get near the Bohs defence Heary,Rossi,Powell,are all better player.

[Bohemian1890]

It'd be pretty tight at Bohs. Harte would be up against a current under 21 international, Conor Powell, who was actively chased by Wolves (the same club that would only consider a pay as you play contract for Harte). Powell is a talented young player Harte only has set pieces going for him these days.

Carr would be in direct competition with Owen Heary, consistently one of the best players in the league and current club captain. Carr has been without a club for months, would he really step in ahead of Heary? Carr was certainly a better player a few years ago but I'd say little to choose between them now.

Excatly and Heary was offered a deal by QPR after he left shels but he signed for Bohs.QPR didn't offer Carr a deal did they??

[Razors left peg]

Harte and Carr would be the best players in most league of Ireland teams

[Bohemian1890]

Harte and Carr would be the best players in most league of Ireland teams


In most but not the Bohs one as the sligo fan said they would.
TBH i could not imagine Coleman being dropped for Carr or Shelly either.

[joema]

They would comfortably get into any team in Ireland.

Showing your ignorance there tbh. Carr and Harte are both overweight and don't have the hunger anymore in any case.

[Razors left peg]

My original point was that players returning to play in Ireland when they are winding down their careers at the top level would boost the profile of the league and maybe get new fans to games, look at the amount of people that turned up for the "legends" games between Liverpool and Man Utd over the summer. It would give the league more credibilty in the eyes of people that believe its rubbish(Im not one of those before anyone starts). The example I would use is the Swedish and Danish league, it often happens there that international players return to play in their home league when they are getting towards the end of their career

[boovidge]

A couple of problems with that:

1)the players arent willing to take the massive pay cut and would rather squeeze out a couple of years in the top divisions in England.

2) The vast majority of Irish players don't seem to have supported any League of Ireland team in their youth and therefore less likely to want to drop down the ladder, unlike a few examples in England where players have played the last years of their career at boyhood clubs.

[passinginterest]

No doubt it would be good to see more quality internationals returning to Ireland towards the end of their career, just not when they are well passed their best and just looking for a pay day, as has happened in the past. Jeff Kenna was horribly exposed in some of the games he's played for Galway, although I appreciate he's a bit older nad hadn't played in a bit longer than those being discussed here.

[Razors left peg]

A couple of problems with that:

1)the players arent willing to take the massive pay cut and would rather squeeze out a couple of years in the top divisions in England.

2) The vast majority of Irish players don't seem to have supported any League of Ireland team in their youth and therefore less likely to want to drop down the ladder, unlike a few examples in England where players have played the last years of their career at boyhood clubs.

Both fair points, there is also the problem that most are living in England a long time and would be unwilling to uproot the family to move back to Ireland. But I did say that its something I would like to see happenning, I didnt offer any solutions on how to make it happen:)

[Lionel Ritchie]

I'm not detracting a jot from our own league when I say I believe Harte and Carr would saunter into any team in the LOI.

This time last year Alan Thompson -four years older than either of them at 36, on the fag end of his career and carrying an injury was the best player in Englands league 1.

[GUISAUltra]

No doubt it would be good to see more quality internationals returning to Ireland towards the end of their career, just not when they are well passed their best and just looking for a pay day, as has happened in the past. Jeff Kenna was horribly exposed in some of the games he's played for Galway, although I appreciate he's a bit older nad hadn't played in a bit longer than those being discussed here.

ya but jeff came as a manager not as a player. so to say he wanted to finish of with a payday would be naive. he has always said he doesn't want to play but the way circumstances are this season he doesn't have a choice

[Paddy Garcia]

What a great relief.

I opened this thread with some concern that there were a page and a half on Irish players without a club - & I thought things could not get any worse.

Anyway (should have known) it was therefore somewhat of a relief to read about the merits of Harte & Carr Vs LOI competition.

[Brendan 82]

I think it would be good for the league if ex internationals came back to play here for a while, get into coaching, involved with the youths, etc. It would be good for Irish soccer in general. Unfortunately even losers like Carr and Harte probably think they are too good for the league and do not care about Irish soccer.

[Dodge]

Having played at the highest level for a number of years both of them clearly have an outstanding touch, positional sense that although may be questioned at the very highest level (certainly in Harte's case anyway); at a lower level I believe both of them would stand out like sore thumbs.

Colin Healy, Alan Moore and Jeff Kenna have shown that above paragraph to be complete ****e. Harte is too slow for modern football. His touch is superb, but he simply cannot move quick enough. Carr has been nothing but anger for 5 years now. I've never seen a player deteriorate so quickly. Of course both would easily find clubs here to take them on, but the idea that they'd stick out is laughable.

[Razors left peg]

Colin Healy, Alan Moore and Jeff Kenna have shown that above paragraph to be complete ****e. Harte is too slow for modern football. His touch is superb, but he simply cannot move quick enough. Carr has been nothing but anger for 5 years now. I've never seen a player deteriorate so quickly. Of course both would easily find clubs here to take them on, but the idea that they'd stick out is laughable.

Healy was ruined with injuries so it was a credit to him that he could play at any level, Moore was never top class and Kenna was too old and doesnt want to play and is only doing so out of necessity... so them examples dont really prove anything

[Dodge]

Healy was ruined with injuries so it was a credit to him that he could play at any level, Moore was never top class and Kenna was too old and doesnt want to play and is only doing so out of necessity... so them examples dont really prove anything
So Harte and Carr are top class, injury free and young?

[Razors left peg]

So Harte and Carr are top class, injury free and young?

Harte and Carr were top class, still in early thirties... injury free, no

[Diarmo]

Any news on Alan Maybury? He's also out of a club.

Also, so is Gary Breen. Any news on him?

[rambler14]

Any news on Alan Maybury? He's also out of a club.


Signing for Aberdeen!

[Paddy Garcia]

Excatly and Heary was offered a deal by QPR after he left shels but he signed for Bohs.QPR didn't offer Carr a deal did they??

They just have offered Carr a deal actually.

[Bohemian1890]

They just have offered Carr a deal actually.
They must have read this:mad:Heary was first choice:p