Beecher Networks - Web Development, Hosting & Domains
Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: Soccer Republic's Top 50 Irish Players Vote

  1. #1
    First Team
    Joined
    Oct 2007
    Location
    New York & Dublin
    Posts
    1,156
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    89
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    364
    Thanked in
    192 Posts

    Soccer Republic's Top 50 Irish Players Vote

    Soccer Republic have been running a poll to elect the Top 50 Irish internationals. So far they have revealed numbers 50 to 11 and it seems like the Top 10 will be announced in the next few days.

    http://soccerrepublic.eircom.net/com...ons/Top10.aspx

    So far, the names selected are as follows:

    50. Joe Haverty
    49. John Joe Flood
    48. Kevin Doyle
    47. Jimmy O’Neill
    46. Shay Brennan
    45. Jim McDonagh
    44. Alan Kelly Sr.
    43. Alan Kelly Jr.
    42. David Langan
    41. Jim Beglin
    40. Chris Hughton
    39. Jason McAteer
    38. Kevin Sheedy
    37. Steve Finnan
    36. John O’Shea
    35. Tony Cascarino
    34. Paddy Mulligan
    33. Con Martin
    32. Andy Townsend
    31. Paddy Coad
    30. Tony Dunne
    29. Billy Whelan
    28. Tommy Eglington
    27. Mick McCarthy
    26. Gary Kelly
    25. Don Givens
    24. Noel Cantwell
    23. John Aldridge
    22. Steve Heighway
    21. Kevin Kilbane
    20. David O’Leary
    19. Kevin Moran
    18. Steve Staunton
    17. Charlie Hurley
    16. Niall Quinn
    15. Johnny Carey
    14. Frank Stapleton
    13. Mark Lawrenson
    12. Damien Duff
    11. Richard Dunne


    I presume that leaves the following names as the Final 10 (the order is only my own guess)


    Packie Bonner
    Ronnie Whelan
    Ray Houghton
    Denis Irwin
    Robbie Keane
    Shay Given
    John Giles
    Liam Brady
    Roy Keane
    Paul McGrath


    The top of the list is heavily weighted towards the last 20 years which is understandable given the increasing popularity of the game here over that time. I'm sure some of our elders would have some different names in there (Peter Farrell? Liam Tuohy?) but overall it seems a pretty good list.

    Any thoughts?
    "There's man all over for you, blaming on his boots the fault of his feet" - Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot

  2. #2
    Seasoned Pro irishfan86's Avatar
    Joined
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts
    2,601
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    590
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    342
    Thanked in
    244 Posts
    Kevin Kilbane better than Townsend?

    I'd put Duff ahead of Dunne -- Duff has always been fantastic for Ireland, whereas Dunne has only really stepped up in the last couple of campaigns.

    I'll be very interested to see who they select as No. 1.

    Roy was probably the best Irish player of all time, but McGrath was the best player for the Irish team.
    Eirebhoy's "We Love You" Chant. RIP:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7UfSbASyrQ

  3. #3
    First Team
    Joined
    Oct 2007
    Location
    New York & Dublin
    Posts
    1,156
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    89
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    364
    Thanked in
    192 Posts
    The Top-10 was announced today - no surprises really.

    http://soccerrepublic.eircom.net/News/top-50-top10.aspx

    10. Ronnie Whelan Jr
    9. Ray Houghton
    8. Denis Irwin
    7. Packie Bonner
    6. Robbie Keane
    5. John Giles
    4. Shay Given
    3. Liam Brady
    2. Roy Keane
    1. Paul McGrath

    I'm a little surprised that Shay sneaked ahead of Gilesey but there is always a slight bias towards recent years in these polls. If Saipan hadn't happened I think Roy would have pipped Paul for the top spot but there is nothing that can be done about that now.
    "There's man all over for you, blaming on his boots the fault of his feet" - Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot

  4. #4
    Seasoned Pro gspain's Avatar
    Joined
    May 2003
    Location
    Dublin
    Posts
    4,020
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    37
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    86
    Thanked in
    57 Posts
    Jimmy Dunne or Paddy Moore didn't even make the cut. Indeed no pre WW2 player that I noticed (ok not counting Johnny Carey who was mainly postwar).

  5. #5
    Youth Team
    Joined
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    140
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    4
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    8
    Thanked in
    7 Posts
    [QUOTE=irishfan86;1335115]Kevin Kilbane better than Townsend?

    QUOTE]

    Presuming you get credit for quantity of internationals over quality. Not done bad though getting to a hundred caps despite not ever really being an international class player.
    The list is generally pretty accurate in most other respects, though I'd have rated Staunton in the top 10 to be sure........... you can't really hold it against him that he was such a clueless no-hoper as a manager.

  6. #6
    Capped Player OwlsFan's Avatar
    Joined
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Sadly viewing the houses that were once Milltown
    Posts
    10,393
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    875
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    1,373
    Thanked in
    778 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by EastTerracer View Post
    The Top-10 was announced today - no surprises really.

    http://soccerrepublic.eircom.net/News/top-50-top10.aspx

    10. Ronnie Whelan Jr
    9. Ray Houghton
    8. Denis Irwin
    7. Packie Bonner
    6. Robbie Keane
    5. John Giles
    4. Shay Given
    3. Liam Brady
    2. Roy Keane
    1. Paul McGrath

    I'm a little surprised that Shay sneaked ahead of Gilesey but there is always a slight bias towards recent years in these polls. If Saipan hadn't happened I think Roy would have pipped Paul for the top spot but there is nothing that can be done about that now.
    The surprise there is Packie Bonner. I wonder if the peno shoot against Romania hadn't taken place would he have featured? I suspect not. The back pass rule also finished his career. Good keeper but not one of the ten all time best players to play for Ireland.

    Robbie Keane only at No. 6. If he didn't wave his arms around so much, he must be close to number one. I doubt if we'll ever see another goalscorer like him playing for Ireland.
    Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.

  7. #7
    Capped Player
    Joined
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    15,261
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    1,726
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2,794
    Thanked in
    1,912 Posts
    Imo the top 6 have been our best but I would not have them in that order.
    A poll like that is going to be full of questions.
    O'Leary's ice cool nerves of steel penalty under previously unknown levels of pressure is worth a good place but he didn't play much under Charlton.
    Was it our 50 best player, as in best for us
    or best Irish player as in club career and country?

    Nice to see Joey Haverty in at nr.50

  8. #8
    Seasoned Pro gspain's Avatar
    Joined
    May 2003
    Location
    Dublin
    Posts
    4,020
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    37
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    86
    Thanked in
    57 Posts
    Noticed John Joe Flood did make it in from the prewar crew.

  9. #9
    Seasoned Pro irishfan86's Avatar
    Joined
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts
    2,601
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    590
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    342
    Thanked in
    244 Posts
    Indeed, Stan should definitely be ahead of Richard Dunne. I believe Stan is the only Irish player to have played in every world cup game in the national side's history, and not only that, he played very well for the most part.
    Eirebhoy's "We Love You" Chant. RIP:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7UfSbASyrQ

  10. #10
    Youth Team
    Joined
    Sep 2008
    Posts
    133
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    3
    Thanked in
    3 Posts
    No Gary Breen?????

  11. #11
    Seasoned Pro
    Joined
    Nov 2006
    Location
    30 Yards Out - On the Volley
    Posts
    2,658
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    202
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    214
    Thanked in
    128 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Lenny82 View Post
    No Gary Breen?????
    Harsh - Gary Breen speaks so highly of you - Lenny82!!!!

    Only a handful of Irish Internationals to score in the World Cup Finals, for starters.
    Quoting years at random since 1975

Similar Threads

  1. Irish soccer magazine/ soccer reporter
    By Mark in forum Premier & First Divisions
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 01/09/2009, 2:22 PM
  2. Vote Irish-Vote Doyle
    By joeSoap in forum World League Football
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 04/01/2006, 1:28 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •