Irish player most likely to be true World Class

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

So is Cannavaro. There's no comparison with O'Brien imo. McShane's is already years ahead of O'Brien in terms of reading the game.

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I'm not comparing him to O'Brien's style of play, rather as a player who made the grade in the premier league for a long time but is far from spectacular. Off topic I wish O'Brien luck in finding a club we could use another centre back knocking around the place.

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Originally Posted by geysir

I just had a cursory look at that FIFA list. Two of Brady's contempories are included, Ceulemans and Dalgleish. Brady polled better than both of them in the European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or). Ceulemans in particular, only registered on the list two years in a row at 5th and 21st.
Tets provided this link once before (at least)
http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/europa-poy.html

Brady
1979 7th
1980 8th
1981 9th
1983 23rd

Other honourable mentions
1972 Giles 18th
1975 Givens 27th
1977 Heighway 10th
1980 O'Leary 22nd
1981 Stapleton 21st
1989 Bonner 17th
1991 McGrath 13th
1990 McGrath 12th
1993 McGrath 26th
1999 Keane 6th
2000 Keane 27th

We haven't anything near that standard of recognition playing for us now. Even Given would be down the list a bit for goalkeepers, maybe if he had saved two of those penalties against Spain, who knows.
I don't know why Keane only seriously registered for one year, Man U had plenty of TV exposure.
And yes Don Givens? I think he got the Soviet's vote.

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brady our greatest ever player in my opinion although my elders and betters say it was johnny giles.

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Originally Posted by RogerMilla

brady our greatest ever player in my opinion although my elders and betters say it was johnny giles.

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Keano! stop the lights

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Originally Posted by bellavistaman

Keano! stop the lights

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We're talking about all of Ireland, bellavistaman, not just Cobh. Granted, he was easily one of the best players from Cobh.

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Originally Posted by Bluebeard

We're talking about all of Ireland, bellavistaman, not just Cobh. Granted, he was easily one of the best players from Cobh.

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only by virtue of john o'flynn's dodgy groin

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Originally Posted by GavinZac

only by virtue of john o'flynn's dodgy groin

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If Flynn's groin was in better condition, he might have sired a better player:eek:;)

Perhaps I should leave it as Roy Keane would probably deserve a team of the best ever players to come from Cobh