Last competitive game against Bulgaria. Is it the finest Irish 11.

[OwlsFan]

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Bonner (Celtic), McGrath (Manchester Utd), Moran (Manchester Utd), McCarthy (Celtic), Whelan (Liverpool), Houghton (Oxford), Lawrenson(Liverpool), Brady (West Ham), Galvin (Sheffield Wednesday), Stapleton (AJax), Aldridge (Liverpool). Substitutes: Byrne (QPR) for Galvin (77 mins), Quinn (Arsenal) for Aldridge (77 mins).

Not sure about that. Bonner was an average enough keeper whose career was then destroyed by the back pass rule. McCarthy and Moran were blood and thunder centre halves, Brady was nearing the end of his career as was Stapleton while Galvin was an ordinary enough winger. These players are famous in retrospect because of their heroics under Jack but if we hadn't qualified for tournaments, they wouldn't be held in such high esteem.

such a team...we should have got far with these ball players but for jack and his negative tactics

"Got far" - hmmmm, never qualified for anything before Jack and we then qualified for 3 tournaments. We were within a few minutes of getting to the semi-final of Euro 88 against one of the best Dutch teams ever (having beaten England along the way and drawing against the Soviets who contested the final against the Dutch), last 8 in Italia 90 going out by one goal to the Italians in their own backyard in the quarters and then the last 16 in USA '94 with an ageing team but of course, we should have won all these tournaments but for Jack. I wonder how did England do with teams that were better on paper?

There had been good Irish teams for generations who had qualified for nothing. See the team below that Giles was manager of:

Michael Kearns; 2 Anthony Grealish, 3 James Holmes, 4 Mark Lawrenson, 5 Noel Synnott (60’ Ashley Grimes), 6 Liam Brady, 7 Gerry Daly, 8 Francis Stapleton, 9 Stephen Heighway, 10 John Giles, 11 Paul McGee (80’ Donald Givens).

[Fizzer]

Probably is the best team ever to take the field for Ireland.

Off the top of my head I can only think of five other RoI Players that could possibly get in this team.

Shay Given
Johnny Giles
Robbie Keane for John Aldridge
Jeez I nearly forget Roy Keane but he was better for UTD than Ireland
Must also mention Steve Heighway but some might say he was at his best for Liverpool. I don't actually think that he got enough acclaim for his services to Liverpool.

I would love to have seen Robbie Keane partner Frank Stapleton.
That would be my dream ROI forward line

Fantastic team!! The midfield options!! Imagine we had the likes of them now.

Any room for Denis Irwin in there in the all-time team? Maybe move McGrath in the centre for McCarthy,

[Stuttgart88]

Sheedy was another great player. In 1985 he'd have made any team anywhere.

[OwlsFan]

Dream team (at their prime):


-------------Given---------------
Dunne----McGrath--Lawrenson----Irwin
----Brady---Keane Roy--Giles----Houghton
----------Keane Robbie---Stapleton------

Have to fit in Brady, Giles and Roy Keane. Would like to have been able to include Whelan and Heighway as well.

[stojkovic]

Dream team (at their prime):


-------------Given---------------
Dunne----McGrath--Lawrenson----Irwin
----Brady---Keane Roy--Giles----Houghton
----------Keane Robbie---Stapleton------

Have to fit in Brady, Giles and Roy Keane. Would like to have been able to include Whelan and Heighway as well.

I would defo have Whelan IN for Houghton.

Cant argue with the rest.

Is that Richard Dunne or Tony Dunne ?

[OwlsFan]

I would defo have Whelan IN for Houghton.

Cant argue with the rest.

Is that Richard Dunne or Tony Dunne ?

Tony Dunne.

Ray Houghton was for me THE PLAYER of the Charlton era. Busy, constructive, always involved and of course the vital goals. A much underrated player. A human dynamo.