ireland's all time best XI in your lifetime gold, silver and bronze.

Didnt find a discussion about that, so iam creating this topic.

As I stated i ve been following the irish national team since 85,86 I think. More from the start with the Jack era. So It has like 35 years of irish football knowledge. Im gonna share my all time irish 11 plus the second string and the third alternative.
My choices are from what i saw about talent and skills not about the managers' choices.

I invite you my dear people of this forum to bring your 11 teams to discuss football and the irish national team.

Best regards. Javier

Team A "gold

Given

Irwin McGrath Moran Beglin

Hoolahan Roy Keane Liam Brady Galvin

Stapleton Robbie Keane

Team B "Silver"

Bonner

Finnan Lawrenson O'Leary Staunton

Houghton Ronnie Whelan Sheedy Duff

"Aldo" Quinn

Team C "bronze"

Kiely

Carr Dunne O'Shea Harte

McAteer Steven Reid Townsend Kilbane

Walters Doyle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bielsa�s irish

Didnt find a discussion about that, so iam creating this topic.

As I stated i ve been following the irish national team since 85,86 I think. More from the start with the Jack era. So It has like 35 years of irish football knowledge. Im gonna share my all time irish 11 plus the second string and the third alternative.
My choices are from what i saw about talent and skills not about the managers' choices.

I invite you my dear people of this forum to bring your 11 teams to discuss football and the irish national team.

Best regards. Javier

Team A "gold

Given

Irwin McGrath Moran Beglin

Hoolahan Roy Keane Liam Brady Galvin

Stapleton Robbie Keane

Team B "Silver"

Bonner

Finnan Lawrenson O'Leary Staunton

Houghton Ronnie Whelan Sheedy Duff

"Aldo" Quinn

Team C "bronze"

Kiely

Carr Dunne O'Shea Harte

McAteer Steven Reid Townsend Kilbane

Walters Doyle

Hoolahan wouldn't get near an Irish best starting 11. I take it you're not old enough to remember Heighway or Terry Conroy? Both far better players.

Quote:

Originally Posted by youngirish

Hoolahan wouldn't get near an Irish best starting 11. I take it you're not old enough to remember Heighway or Terry Conroy? Both far better players.

i havent watched Heighway. But he never scored for Ireland. I knew he was class. Conroy I heard but vaguely.

If from 33 players you add only two names i am quite correct.

Harte (scored 12) or Hughton was my doubt.
And John Byrne (who Charlton should have played) or Kevin Doyle.
With the rest im accurate.

Kenny Cunningham was for me the best right back Eire has ever produced but he hadnt ever played there. Always as center back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bielsa�s irish

Kenny Cunningham was for me the best right back Eire has ever produced but he hadnt ever played there. Always as center back.

I'd say you're on your own on that one Javier....

Yeah, definitely not a WUM lads. No trace of wumming here at all. None. I'd say the reason he wasn't on here much yesterday to roll in the Irish Argentine history welcoming parade was because it took him till today to stop laughing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke

Yeah, definitely not a WUM lads. No trace of wumming here at all. None. I'd say the reason he wasn't on here much yesterday to roll in the Irish Argentine history welcoming parade was because it took him till today to stop laughing.

Chab�n, vos no entend�s nada. "S�lo el ladr�n cree que los dem�s son de su misma condici�n". Refr�n de gauchos de la Patagonia, pib
Iam just a true fan...please name your all-star teams, mate

lets talk football

When I see threads like this,
Usually I get excited more than normal,
Mostly because I get to think of all the
Super players we've had through the years.

More often than not I'll draw up a few different lists,
Amend them, due to the consternation that someone will say
Kingdom is at it again, with his tldr's,
Especially those in the thanks brigade.

Maybe though, we should give this Argentinian rogue some leeway,
Especially when there isn't a huge amount to be concerned about?

Silly me though, some people don't have huge time to be dedicating to
Mooching through piles and piles of random posts that just clog up a forum that
I for one used to love a lot, but as time became more precious or
Life became busier, I just couldn't commit the time needed to engage properly.
END.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kingdom

When I see threads like this,
Usually I get excited more than normal,
Mostly because I get to think of all the
Super players we've had through the years.

More often than not I'll draw up a few different lists,
Amend them, due to the consternation that someone will say
Kingdom is at it again, with his tldr's,
Especially those in the thanks brigade.

Maybe though, we should give this Argentinian rogue some leeway,
Especially when there isn't a huge amount to be concerned about?

Silly me though, some people don't have huge time to be dedicating to
Mooching through piles and piles of random posts that just clog up a forum that
I for one used to love a lot, but as time became more precious or
Life became busier, I just couldn't commit the time needed to engage properly.
END.

the thing is lets talk about football which is the main subject. so lets talk football

You'll find a lot of these threads if you dig deep enough. I'll give you my best Irish Sheff Wed side:

---------------------K Westwood--------------

D. Geary......G. Coughlan....C. Brennan....C. Morris

T. Galvin.....J. Sheridan....G. Whelan....A. Quinn

----------C. Morrison...D. Murphy...

Gold - Andy Townsend USA '94
Silver - Graham "Salt 'n' pepper" Kavanagh
Bronze - Stephen Quinn

Honourable mention: Most Polished Performer - Lee Carsley

Yes, I'm that bored.

--------------------------------------Shay Given-------------------------------------------

Denis Irwin----------Paul McGrath------------------Mark Lawrenson----------Jim Beglin

Steve Heighway----------Roy Keane---------------Liam Brady--------------Damian Duff

--------------Frank Stapleton---------------Robbie Keane-------------------------------

Quote:

Originally Posted by youngirish

--------------------------------------Shay Given-------------------------------------------

Denis Irwin----------Paul McGrath------------------Mark Lawrenson----------Jim Beglin

Steve Heighway----------Roy Keane---------------Liam Brady--------------Damian Duff

--------------Frank Stapleton---------------Robbie Keane-------------------------------

A hell of a team. Giles for Keane would be interesting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanfhear

A hell of a team. Giles for Keane would be interesting.

We could only dream nowadays of having 4 defenders as comfortable on the ball as any midfielder. You could win a World Cup with that team. Irwin, McGrath, Lawrenson, Heighway, Roy Keane and Brady were among some of the best players in their positions in the world at their peak in my opinion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by youngirish

We could only dream nowadays of having 4 defenders as comfortable on the ball as any midfielder. You could win a World Cup with that team. Irwin, McGrath, Lawrenson, Heighway, Roy Keane and Brady were among some of the best players in their positions in the world at their peak in my opinion.

Giles was a much better passer than Keane ( thats an understatement ). A better man to control a game. Tough guy in his own way.

The Jim Beglin leg break was a football tragedy. For various reasons I did not see that much of him and of course he did not prove himself over the long term ( for the obvious reason ). We have had bad luck with fullbacks and leg breaks.

The rest of your team proved itself in every way including longevity. I think that Steve Heighway may not have got his fair share of the credit in the great Liverpool team of his era ! !

This has been kicking about for a while now and has only got 14 posts, so i'm gpoing to give it a go with my own spin on it, that'll involve going through it one position at a time and weighing up the competitors towards picking a squad of 23.

I first became aware of football in any capacity in 1990. I was 7 years old, and i remember the buzz of the world cup more so than the football itself. The first time i really remember taking an interest in football was the qualifiers for the 1994 World Cup. So that's my era. Guys like Ronnie Whelan, Kevin Sheedy & Liam Brady were obviously wonderful players in their time, but they were either retired or well past their best by the time i became aware of them.

In that time there are 4 players who aren't really challenged so i'll get them out of the way. I'm still not sure what formation we'll play is this will be so it'll be shirt numbers for now.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5. McGrath
6. Keane
7.
8.
9. Keane
10.
11. Duff

So...

Goalkeepers

We've had 4 men who have held the #1 jersey over a sustained period in that time. Packie, Alan Kelly, Shay Given and Darren Randolph (If Dean Kiely was a couple of inches taller he would have got a hand to that penalty and made the shortlist).

This being a squad of 23, somebody has to be left out, but getting the obvious out of the way, it isn't going to be Shay Given. He has competition, but he goes, and he starts. Shay was truely world class in the 00s, and is one of the 3 great Irish keepers alongside Pat Jennings and Elisha Scott (ask your great-grandad kids).

At first glance it seems obvious that Packie should be second choice. But I have 2 reservations. The first is that in the time I remember, the change to the backpass rule gave him real problems. He was no Manuel Neuer with the ball at his feet. The second is that is the 3 biggest games in our football history, he saved a penalty in one, but in the other 2 he conceeded soft goals that cost us dearly. I'm not saying that we would have won either of those games, but who knows.

Alan Kelly never let anyone down. Neither did Randy. It's a tight call between them all. Randolph's assist for Shane Long get him on the plane. The Germans played a high line that night and the sheer distance he could kick a football caused problems for the Germans from the first time he got it after coming on for Given.

So it's Packie or Alan Kelly. I want Packie for sentamental reasons, but I can never remember Alan Kelly making a mistake. He was just a solid reliable goalie. The head says Kelly. The heart says Packie.

*Watches the Toto Schillaci and Wim Jonk goals again to see if they really were that bad.

Alan Kelly.

1. Given
2.
3.
4.
5. McGrath
6. Keane
7.
8.
9. Keane
10.
11. Duff

Subs: Darren Randolph, Alan Kelly

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanfhear

Giles was a much better passer than Keane ( thats an understatement ). A better man to control a game. Tough guy in his own way.

The Jim Beglin leg break was a football tragedy. For various reasons I did not see that much of him and of course he did not prove himself over the long term ( for the obvious reason ). We have had bad luck with fullbacks and leg breaks.

The rest of your team proved itself in every way including longevity. I think that Steve Heighway may not have got his fair share of the credit in the great Liverpool team of his era ! !

Jim Beglin was the best left back in the world when got destroyed. better than brehme, andy pearce or any in his position. A modern player. Enda Stevens has a bit of him in his playing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by backstothewall

This has been kicking about for a while now and has only got 14 posts, so i'm gpoing to give it a go with my own spin on it, that'll involve going through it one position at a time and weighing up the competitors towards picking a squad of 23.

I first became aware of football in any capacity in 1990. I was 7 years old, and i remember the buzz of the world cup more so than the football itself. The first time i really remember taking an interest in football was the qualifiers for the 1994 World Cup. So that's my era. Guys like Ronnie Whelan, Kevin Sheedy & Liam Brady were obviously wonderful players in their time, but they were either retired or well past their best by the time i became aware of them.

In that time there are 4 players who aren't really challenged so i'll get them out of the way. I'm still not sure what formation we'll play is this will be so it'll be shirt numbers for now.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5. McGrath
6. Keane
7.
8.
9. Keane
10.
11. Duff

So...

Goalkeepers

We've had 4 men who have held the #1 jersey over a sustained period in that time. Packie, Alan Kelly, Shay Given and Darren Randolph (If Dean Kiely was a couple of inches taller he would have got a hand to that penalty and made the shortlist).

This being a squad of 23, somebody has to be left out, but getting the obvious out of the way, it isn't going to be Shay Given. He has competition, but he goes, and he starts. Shay was truely world class in the 00s, and is one of the 3 great Irish keepers alongside Pat Jennings and Elisha Scott (ask your great-grandad kids).

At first glance it seems obvious that Packie should be second choice. But I have 2 reservations. The first is that in the time I remember, the change to the backpass rule gave him real problems. He was no Manuel Neuer with the ball at his feet. The second is that is the 3 biggest games in our football history, he saved a penalty in one, but in the other 2 he conceeded soft goals that cost us dearly. I'm not saying that we would have won either of those games, but who knows.

Alan Kelly never let anyone down. Neither did Randy. It's a tight call between them all. Randolph's assist for Shane Long get him on the plane. The Germans played a high line that night and the sheer distance he could kick a football caused problems for the Germans from the first time he got it after coming on for Given.

So it's Packie or Alan Kelly. I want Packie for sentamental reasons, but I can never remember Alan Kelly making a mistake. He was just a solid reliable goalie. The head says Kelly. The heart says Packie.

*Watches the Toto Schillaci and Wim Jonk goals again to see if they really were that bad.

Alan Kelly.

1. Given
2.
3.
4.
5. McGrath
6. Keane
7.
8.
9. Keane
10.
11. Duff

Subs: Darren Randolph, Alan Kelly

Tony Galvin was the best winger Eire has ever produced, twice the player Sheedy, Duff and Houghton. Unlucky with injuries remember he played in the best diamond midifield in the world with ricky villa, ardiles, Hoddle and good old Tony. Sadly Spurs attackers were crap then

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bielsa�s irish

Tony Galvin was the best winger Eire has ever produced, twice the player Sheedy, Duff and Houghton. Unlucky with injuries remember he played in the best diamond midifield in the world with ricky villa, ardiles, Hoddle and good old Tony. Sadly Spurs attackers were crap then

I don't remember him playing. But i've done a shortlist and there will certainly be guys who suffered serious injuries mentioned. On a rough version i have 1 in my best 11.

Quote:

Originally Posted by backstothewall

I don't remember him playing. But i've done a shortlist and there will certainly be guys who suffered serious injuries mentioned. On a rough version i have 1 in my best 11.

Tony Galvin was a good player but not at the Damien Duff (at his best level )

A sort of push and chase winger i.e. push the ball up the wing and beat the full back for pace ~ ~ good at it though. Kilbane could do some of that but I would say Tony Galvin was better at it ~ ~ tis all opinions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanfhear

Tony Galvin was a good player but not at the Damien Duff (at his best level )

A sort of push and chase winger i.e. push the ball up the wing and beat the full back for pace ~ ~ good at it though. Kilbane could do some of that but I would say Tony Galvin was better at it ~ ~ tis all opinions.

Galvin was world class, roll down socks no shin pads. Duff, Ray and Sheedy were great but Galvin was a fuori di classe

Was so good that Charlton took him to Italy even though he was injured for Wesnesday.