Best 11 since 1980

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03/04/2008, 1:55 PM
antrimgreen

Haven't seen Johny Giles name mentioned once, was he not an amazing player for Ireland? Geniune question, it's just my Da used to bang on about how good he was.
03/04/2008, 2:08 PM
jmurphyc

Quote:

Originally Posted by antrimgreen

Haven't seen Johny Giles name mentioned once, was he not an amazing player for Ireland? Geniune question, it's just my Da used to bang on about how good he was.

The thread is best 11 since 1980.
03/04/2008, 2:10 PM
antrimgreen

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmurphyc

The thread is best 11 since 1980.

Sorry about that. D'oh. Cheers jmurphyc.
03/04/2008, 7:30 PM
Shedender81

Quote:

Originally Posted by antrimgreen

Haven't seen Johny Giles name mentioned once, was he not an amazing player for Ireland? Geniune question, it's just my Da used to bang on about how good he was.

Giles packed up by 1980... But Yes it was the Best...... I would Giles / Keane / Brady / McGrath / Carey / Cantwell
03/04/2008, 9:28 PM
NeilMcD

All played for Man Utd bar Brady
04/04/2008, 12:12 PM
Bluebeard

Alternative Ireland Best XI

Most of the players mentioned in the main thread are fairly self evident - Brady, Stapo, McGrath, etc. Most of them are fairly glamourous too, after a fashion. How about a best XI who never played for the bigger clubs (Liverpool, Man U, Arsenal, Celtic, Rangers:D), or clubs who were bigger at the time they were there (Leeds, Blackburn, Chelsea, Everton, etc.)

With this in mind, and perfectly destroyable, here is my Alternative Ireland, sponsored by Ryana!r, the No Frills Airline, to play against the Unalternative Best Irish XI from 1980.

GK Dean Kiely

RB Chris Hughton (were Spurs really ever big since 1980?)
LB Terry Phelan
CB Richard Dunne
CB Kenny Cunningham

RM Mark Kelly (was he left or right footed - if left, keep Galvin at left and I'll take Killer instead)
LM Tony Galvin (See under Chris Hughton)
CM John Sheridan
CM Gary Waddock

FW David Kelly
FW John Budgie Byrne
04/04/2008, 1:02 PM
Shedender81

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

Most of the players mentioned in the main thread are fairly self evident - Brady, Stapo, McGrath, etc. Most of them are fairly glamourous too, after a fashion. How about a best XI who never played for the bigger clubs (Liverpool, Man U, Arsenal, Celtic, Rangers:D), or clubs who were bigger at the time they were there (Leeds, Blackburn, Chelsea, Everton, etc.)

With this in mind, and perfectly destroyable, here is my Alternative Ireland, sponsored by Ryana!r, the No Frills Airline, to play against the Unalternative Best Irish XI from 1980.

GK Dean Kiely

RB Chris Hughton (were Spurs really ever big since 1980?)
LB Terry Phelan
CB Richard Dunne
CB Kenny Cunningham

RM Mark Kelly (was he left or right footed - if left, keep Galvin at left and I'll take Killer instead)
LM Tony Galvin (See under Chris Hughton)
CM John Sheridan
CM Gary Waddock

FW David Kelly
FW John Budgie Byrne

Do Liverpool since 1990 count as a big club
04/04/2008, 1:06 PM
Drumcondra 69er

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shedender81

Do Liverpool since 1990 count as a big club

Given that they've won numerous FA Cups, League Cups, the UEFA cup and the Champions League I'd think so. :rolleyes:
05/04/2008, 9:07 AM
Seagull-4-life

I'm only 17 so I'll give my team based on what I've seen.

Given
Finnan Dunne McGrath Irwin
Duff Keane A.Reid (Can't think of anyone else???) Staunton
Keane Quinn
08/04/2008, 12:55 PM
magic moments

Here goes:

Given

Irwin lawrenson Mc grath Ronnie whelan

R.houghton brady R.keane t.galvin

Stapelton R.keane
09/04/2008, 10:23 PM
stojkovic

Given
Irwin McGrath Lawrenson Whelan
Houghton Brady Keane HEIGHWAY
Stapleton Keane
10/04/2008, 12:24 PM
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
10/04/2008, 12:49 PM
Wolfie

Given

Finnan Lawrenson Mc grath Irwin

Houghton Brady Keane Duff

Quinn Keane

(Quinninho included for tactical reasons!)
10/04/2008, 2:38 PM
Drumcondra 69er

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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?

Definitely played left back a number of times under Jack iirc, Euro 88 qualifiers anyone?
15/04/2008, 11:12 AM
Shedender81

Correct... Played Left until Liam Brady and Lawerenson were inj and moved there with McGrath who had played Right back..
16/04/2008, 10:29 PM
stojkovic

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drumcondra 69er

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 !
17/04/2008, 8:18 AM
Wolfie

Quote:

Originally Posted by stojkovic

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!!!!
17/04/2008, 9:08 AM
Kingdom

Quote:

Originally Posted by stojkovic

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!
17/04/2008, 4:55 PM
rovers77

Starting Eleven:

Given

Irwin, Moran, McGrath, Whelan

Houghton, Brady, Keane, Sheridan

Aldridge, Stapleton

Bench:
Bonner,
Staunton,
O' Leary,
Duff,
Keane (Robbie)
Quinn
17/04/2008, 4:58 PM
Kingdom

Quote:

Originally Posted by rovers77

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,
17/04/2008, 5:08 PM
rovers77

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kingdom

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.
18/04/2008, 7:53 AM
Wolfie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kingdom

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.
18/04/2008, 8:38 AM
Bluebeard

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfie

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...
18/04/2008, 12:31 PM
Wolfie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

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.
18/04/2008, 3:32 PM
Drumcondra 69er

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfie

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.
18/04/2008, 3:44 PM
Wolfie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drumcondra 69er

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?
18/04/2008, 3:46 PM
jbyrne

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfie

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
20/04/2008, 8:49 PM
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

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