I will kick this off with Eamon O Keefe. Followed closely by Mike Walsh. O'keefe stated he would play anywhere for Ireland before the England friendly in 1985. Liam Brady's retort was "how about the car park".
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I will kick this off with Eamon O Keefe. Followed closely by Mike Walsh. O'keefe stated he would play anywhere for Ireland before the England friendly in 1985. Liam Brady's retort was "how about the car park".
paul butler vs czech republic must be up there.
Based on single performances, I've never seen worse than Finnan and O'Brien in Cyprus last year.
Worst player? Tough one.
Butlers nightmare does last in the memory, sure enough.
Phil Babb was consistently terrible once Paul McGrath was no longer there to bail him out.
I remember every time he went near the ball the crowd ironically cheered him in the Ireland v Scotland friendly (2000?).
Chris Morris crossing used to test the crowds patience as well.
Pierce O'Leary
Mickey Evans. Two games I think he played under McCarthy. Shocking.
I always wondered about this.Subsequent performances showed he was at least a dogged championship performer and captained Wolves and Leeds.The day he played for Ireland he faced that giant 7 foot tall centrefoward and an abosolute gale blowing at him.I think it was one nill at half time with his man scoring.He didnt come out for the second half which I always felt McCarthy(a player not unlike himself) was a bit unfair to him as he had got through the hard part and was entitled to a bit of an easier test in the second half with the hurricane on his side!!Quote:
Originally Posted by ofjames
Shel i agree mate ,Mick was a bit too harsh with him
That was actually my 1st time in Lansdowne...Babb nearly scored a cracker with an overhead that smashed the post
John O'Shea consistently, Ian Harte often.
Yeah its hard to decide who out of O'Shea and Harte have been worse. I suppose Harte did score a good few for us. The Paul Butler shocker probably takes the biscuit for me though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Risteard
EDDIE MCGOLDRICK!!!!!!!
Honourable mentions to: Mickey Evans, Paul Butler, Dave Savage, Dominic Foley (despite his scoring ratio), and Phil Babb
Lifetime achievement award: Ian Harte (despite his scoring ratio)
At least Butler had a credible club career.
Noel Cambell in the 70's
He played with Fortuna Koln, some starts, some as a sub, for a season, I think they got walloped in every game he played.
Just one of those images from Dalymount that are indelibly printed on the brain, Cambell balooning the ball from midfield, fearless but useless.
He came on as a sub in the "Battle of Sofia" and got sent off the next minute.
I vividly remember being over on my summer hols a few years back and reading an article in one of the Sunday papers on why Lee Carsley was the worst player to ever represent Ireland. The guy who wrote the piece didnt hold back. Does anyone else remember it?
I'd love to have seen his face last year when after the Cyprus game, Carsley suddenly became the first name on the teamsheet.
Did Micky Evans ever get capped at senior level?...Quote:
Originally Posted by DeNiro
John O Shea.
Sounds very like Roy Curtis.Quote:
Originally Posted by stiofain
when I saw this thread... "Chris Morris trying to go forward was in my head!"Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolfie
"The guy who wrote the piece didnt hold back. Does anyone else remember it?"
Dont waste time and energy trying to remember the name of a paper scratcher
His Irish bit on the side said he was good in the box.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Legend
I was just hoping someone else would remember it so i know i didnt dream it up!Quote:
Originally Posted by shelbourne1904
I think it was Roy Curtis.Quote:
Originally Posted by stiofain
:)
[QUOTE=Theskinloyal;735622]EDDIE MCGOLDRICK!!!!!!!
About a year ago I saw Eddie playing a charity game in Sixfields, Northampton with a crowd of lower league journeymen as part of an 'All Star XI' against a selection of local amatuers. He was the classiest performer on the park by a tidy margin!
I vividly remember him giving Denis Irwin an awful time at on Arsenal-Man Utd game....
He was excellent against N Ireland when we qualified, we may not have done so without him that night. Not sure this qualifies him for this award!!!!!!
True but he was a solid player defensively. Not great but rarely made mistakes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolfie
Based on which game exactly? McGoldrick actually played some good games for Ireland including an excellet game against Denmark in Copenhagen where he was the only player to actually run at them and keep the ball. An underrated player for Ireland.Quote:
Originally Posted by Theskinloyal
If it is defined by who is left at home then it would have to be Morris in Italy 90, with Irwin at home watching on his sofa! At least he gave 100%.
In recent years it's Kavanagh.
O yeah & that game too. Actually don't think I can recall him playing poorly for us.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fergie's Son
He didn't as far as I remember. Seriously, not a bad player for us at all. It's lazy to say he was ****e when the facts show that he wasn't.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia
Irwin was playing for Oldham in 1990 I believe and probably wasn't there yet. Morris was getting his game for Celtic and didn't hurt us in Italy. Always gave 100% and was very proud to be considered Irish.
Poor Gussie. The Friday after "Battle of Sofia" I saw Noel waiting for a 54A on the Kimmage road wearing huge dark glasses to hide the shiners. Totally down to earth guy but he did have habit of hitting the ball more towards Des kellys than the goal.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Once I think! October 1997 v Romania in 1-1 draw? came on as sub?Quote:
Originally Posted by dr_peepee
Kevin Kilbane, worst Irish international ever. How he has ammased over 70 caps ill never know. Cant play football
for me it has be Paul Butler,
I'd agree on McGoldrick....actually thought he was quite a handy left-sided player in an era when we struggled in that position post-Sheedy (Staunton at left-wing anyone??)...I think he's a victim of being the fashionable player to slag from the terraces in the same way as Kernaghan/O'Shea/Kilbane and even Carsley...Just goes to show that most "fans" won't bother to form opinions for themselves...
Don't watch many Ireland games do you? Kilbane rarely lets the team down and has made telling contributions in many of those 70 caps including some vital performances in this campaign already.Quote:
Originally Posted by Louth4sam
Worst Irish international? pull the other one.
Kilbane was absolutely terrible until Kerr took over imo. He was just constantly low in confidence. Anyway, he deservedly won player of the year a few years ago so I don't think he could be classed as the worst ever Irish international.
Spot on Superhoops. Was sitting in the East Stand looking at the imposter that day. I think he played a few B games thereafter, maybe didn't get the 2nd cap. John Goodman also had a stint in our front line around that time. Some of the clowns we let play for us!Quote:
Originally Posted by Superhoops
He came on away to Macedonia (3-2 game) i think. Look at the pipeline of young forwards now , plus the incumbents, and compare it to our options back then when we really were clutching at straws.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeNiro
I haven't waded through the three pages so apologies if he's already had an honorary mention; but Paul Butler's 45 minutes in an Ireland shirt were torture.
Butler is being singled out for a worst specific performance (me included in singling him out).Quote:
Originally Posted by as_i_say
What contributes to this is the fact that he only got one chance.
If you cast the mind back, Kilbane had an equally nightmarish debut against Iceland away. He was replaced at half time having made zero impact.
I wouldn't class him as the worst Irish International - but by Kilbanes own admission later - based on that first performance, he felt he'd totally blown his chance to ever play again.
Thought his performance, alongside Keane, against France away was his best.