Ian Harte

**Murfinator** · 18/08/2012, 7:49 PM

Harte is the form Irish left back and why we continue to ignore him in our weakest position on the field is beyond me.

**tricky_colour** · 18/08/2012, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by Murfinator

Harte is the form Irish left back and why we continue to ignore him in our weakest position on the field is beyond me.

Because Trap has no Harte

..I'll get my coat.

**Charlie Darwin** · 20/08/2012, 2:33 AM

Originally Posted by Murfinator

Harte is the form Irish left back and why we continue to ignore him in our weakest position on the field is beyond me.

Because he turns slower than an articulated truck.

**Murfinator** · 20/08/2012, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Because he turns slower than an articulated truck.

And given his positioning advantage he'd still react quicker to an attack than Ward.

**the bear** · 20/08/2012, 2:26 PM

Hudging by the way Trap has played the last 4 years, not selecting Harte and Delap has been madness. It would of quadrupled the amount of chances we created.

**Yard of Pace** · 20/08/2012, 3:06 PM

Originally Posted by the bear

Hudging by the way Trap has played the last 4 years, not selecting Harte and Delap has been madness. It would of quadrupled the amount of chances we created.

I could never understand how Delap didn't get a look-in during the first Trap campaign. If you're going to mainly just lump it long, rely on set-pieces for goals etc, he's basically perfect.

**tricky_colour** · 20/08/2012, 3:42 PM

He put in a good free kick on Saturday, only just over the bar

**Murfinator** · 20/08/2012, 4:29 PM

Originally Posted by the bear

Hudging by the way Trap has played the last 4 years, not selecting Harte and Delap has been madness. It would of quadrupled the amount of chances we created.

There's a possibility in the case of Delap that he didn't want to make an international return, he had had a bad injury spell and was returning to form and fitness with Stoke. I believe he used to withdraw a lot when he was in the Ireland so perhaps dedication was an issue, I don't remember him saying to the media at any stage that he wanted a callup during Trap's tenure though I could be mistaken. If he did want a call-up and was ignored for the past 4 years then I'd agree its insanity.

For Harte its definitely insanity because its well documented how desperate he is to return for Ireland. And whatever about Delap as an option Harte literally plays in our weakest position that we've been struggling to fill constantly. Even with withdrawals last week he still chose Damien Delaney over him. It boggles the mind.

**irishfan86** · 20/08/2012, 9:16 PM

I've got mixed feelings on Harte. He really is very, very slow and I feel could be a liability. But his set-pieces are as good as ever.

Regarding Delap, I think he was always open to a recall but figured he was never fancied by Trap. Here is a quote from 2008 in the Herald:

"I've been asked about Ireland a little bit recently but I don't think so. I'm getting on a bit now. He (Trapattoni) has a young squad now and they're doing well at the moment. There have been 'B' internationals and big training squads of 40-odd and I haven't had the call, but never say never."

**Murfinator** · 20/08/2012, 9:55 PM

Originally Posted by irishfan86

I've got mixed feelings on Harte. He really is very, very slow and I feel could be a liability.

What options do we seriously have at left back who aren't liabilities? Ward has no positional sense, Kilbane is slow and now injury prone, Wilson has no commitment, Tierney seemingly can't defend and his international status is suspect to begin with, Clark isn't good at left back, Kelly struggles on that side.

No matter who you pick there'll be concerns of them being a liability, so its just something we have to accept.

At least with Harte you get the guy with the strongest positioning, best form, playing at the highest level, most definitely wants to play for his country and bringing the greatest attacking threat. Of all the admittedly poor options I feel he's far and away the strongest.

**Charlie Darwin** · 20/08/2012, 10:10 PM

Where on earth did you get the idea that Harte is our strongest left back positionally? Kilbane is.

**Murfinator** · 21/08/2012, 12:59 AM

Hartes positioning is fantastic, he's very rarely exposed for pace because of it anymore. There was some stat he had for Reading it might be a few pages back where games he played in the past 2 years not only had more goals for but also considerably less goals leaked. Kilbane is fine but Harte is up there with the very best positionally.

**Grafter** · 24/09/2012, 1:28 AM

Inevitable that Harte was left out this weekend after the Lennon roasting against Spurs... still he'll be back. You know, he's had a really colourful career for a fullback. The Leeds Champions League experiment, World Cup, sojourn in Spain, the lower divisions in England before the slow rise again in the twilight of his career. When you consider that Harte played that night in Brussels in '97 and I think even played with McGrath in a 3 man defence in '96?! What a career when all is said and done... and he's probably the only member of that Leeds side still playing at the top level with the exception of Ferdinand. Mad life in football! :-)