Best 11 since 1980

Based on preformances in an Irish Jersey ONLY !!!!!!


1. Shay Given
2. Denis Irwin
3. Ronnie Whelan (Had to include him just ahead of Chris Hughton)
4. Mark Lawerenson
5. Paul McGrath
6. Roy Keane Capt
7. Liam Brady
8. Ray Houghton
9. Robbie Keane
10. Frank Stapleton
11. Damien Duff

Subs
12. Kevin Sheedy
13. Niall Quinn
14. Andy Townsend
15. Kevin Moran

Very Hard to pick an 11 ... the 11 that played v Scotland in 1987 was the best Irish 11 to take the field

1. Bonner
2. McGrath
3. Whelan
4. Moran
5. McCarthy
6. Houghton
7. Brady
8. Lawerenson
9 .Aldo
10. Stapleton
11 . Galvin

I'd have:
Given

Irwin McGrath Lawrenson Staunton

Houghton Brady Roy Keane (Capt) Duff

Stapleton Robbie Keane

Given
Kelly McCarthy McGrath Irwin
Houghton Keane Brady Duff
Keane Aldridge

Being 25, I feel I havent had enough exposure to the talents of Brady, Lawro etc. so I'll venture my 11 on players i have seen a fair bit.

1. Given,
2. Finnan,
3.Irwin,
4.McGrath,
5.Dunne,
6.Keane,(c)
7.Houghton,
8.McGeady (pure raw talent)
9.Quinn,
10.Keane,
11.Duff.

Chris Hughton anyone?

1. Given
2. Irwin
3. McGrath
4. McCarthy
5. Stan/Finnan - (prob Stan just shades it)
6. Keane
7. Brady
8. Whealan
9. Aldo
10. Stapelton
11. Houghtan

Jeez, hard shout, some quality players to choose from.
Kevin Moran, Robbie Keane, Damian Duff, Packie Bonner, Niall Quinn, Johnny Giles, Chris Hughton, Lawro, Townsend etc.
Oh and Phil Babb, Kevin Kilbane, John O'Shea - oh sorry April fools is over isn't it :p

Bonner
Irwin McGrath Cunningham Finnan
Duff Whelan Keane Brady
Aldridge Keane(pre-2004)

subs
Stapleton
Houghton
Hughton
Dunne
Quinn
I've gone with Whelan over Houghton coz I think Ronnie was the more technically gifted of the 2

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by youngirish

I'd have:
Given

Irwin McGrath Lawrenson Staunton

Houghton Brady Roy Keane (Capt) Duff

Stapleton Robbie Keane

---

That's pretty much what I'd pick as well except for Kevin Moran ahead of Lawrenson.

Given
Irwin McGrath McCarthy Stan
Whelan Keane Brady Duff
Quinn Keane

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ciaran

Given

Finnan
McGrath
Staunton
Harte

Houghton
Roy Keane (captain)
Brady
Duff

Quinn
Robbie Keane

Subs: Bonner, Dunne, Irwin, Andy Reid, Doyle

---

Harte lol, thats an April fools, right?

Why does everyone have mcgrath in defence when he played most of his games in holding midfiled?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ciaran

Given

Finnan
McGrath
Staunton
Harte

Houghton
Roy Keane (captain)
Brady
Duff

Quinn
Robbie Keane

Subs: Bonner, Dunne, Irwin, Andy Reid, Doyle

---

Surely Harte shouldnt be near the squad, Irwin could actually run and defend, neither of which harte could/can do plus Dennis could smack a free-kick and penalty (who can forget the one against wolves when he hit the ball so hard his standing leg went about 5 foot in the air too). Bottom Line, Irwin is a must!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by londonred

Why does everyone have mcgrath in defence when he played most of his games in holding midfiled?

---

Well it's enough of a conundrum trying to decide between Keane, Whelan, Houghton, Duff and Brady in the midfield at least McGrath could do a job in center of defence

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by londonred

Why does everyone have mcgrath in defence when he played most of his games in holding midfiled?

---

For me it was because had Brady and Keane and McGrath been around in the same era McGrath would have been in central defence , its not like he was a total donkey there :)

1 Given
2 Irwin
3 Hughton
4 McGrath
5 Lawerenson
6 Keane
7 Whelan(c)
8 Houghtan
9 Stapleton
10 Keane
11 Brady

12 Bonner
13 Finnan
14 Moran
15 Sheedy
16 Aldridge
17 Quinn

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ciaran

Given

Finnan
McGrath
Staunton
Harte

Houghton
Roy Keane (captain)
Brady
Duff

Quinn
Robbie Keane

Subs: Bonner, Dunne, Irwin, Andy Reid, Doyle

---

Goodness me.How can you have Ian Harte in here? For a man who has never heard of Dave Langan , how can you include Brady when its quite obvious you have never seen him play due to you being so young and all?

1. Given
2. Irwin
3. Hughton
4. McGrath
5. Moran
6. Roy Keane
7. Brady
8. Whelan
9. Quinn
10. Robbie Keane
11. Duff

If it's performance based ,the best ever performance I witnessed by an Irish team was the game against Soviet Union in Hanover in 1988. For the record, the team was:

Packie Bonner
Chris Morris
Mick McCarthy
Kevin Moran
Chris Hughton
Ray Houghton
Kevin Sheedy
Ronnie Whelan
Tony Galvin
Frank Stapleton
John Aldridge

For me, in terms of performances for Ireland, and not just on their club reputations
Given
Irwin McGrath Moran Hughton
Houghton Keane Townsend Sheedy
Keane, Stapleton

I accept that perhaps that Brady, Lawrenson and Duff in terms of pure skill level are superior to Townsend, Moran and Sheedy, but I think the others were more effective players for Ireland.

Hope someone can answer this for me. Was Ronnie Whelan consistently thatgood for Ireland. I was lead to believe that he wasn't, and that he wasn't exemplary in his attendence either.