Best Irish Players Ever

**AlaskaFox** · 28/02/2011, 10:27 AM

Started today on GreenScene, continuing for two weeks. And then it's opened it up for the readers to make their own list.
http://greenscene.me/2011/02/best-ir...rs-ever-60-51/

How is Gary Breen not every position from one to eleven?

**Fixer82** · 28/02/2011, 11:05 AM

"Gary Breen was very dependable in an Irish jersey and created a strong partnership with Kenny Cunningham at the heart of an Irish defence that conceded only 3 goals in 4 games at the 2002 World Cup."

I believe it was Staunton that was centre of defence with Breen.
Plus, conceding 3 in 4 games is hardly an outstanding record now is it...

Always like Breen though, a player who was well able to take a goal too

**Hibs4Ever** · 28/02/2011, 11:06 AM

Thought Kenny Cunningham would be higher than 51 tbh

**elroy** · 28/02/2011, 12:17 PM

Lawro comparing Wilshere of Arsenal to Brady yesterday. Unfortunately am too young to have fully appreciated Bradys career, he was in his last few years when I remember him. How we could do with someone of his calibre now.
Certainly one of our top 3 players of all time i would say.

**Sullivinho** · 28/02/2011, 2:24 PM

Very nice feature. I'll be watching with interest.

**Yard of Pace** · 28/02/2011, 4:46 PM

Gary Breen...a gent but I would've said he made too many errors in games to call him one of our best 60 players. If he was actually that good we wouldn't have all laughed so much at the "Breen to Inter/Barca" rumours.

**The Fly** · 28/02/2011, 4:55 PM

The top 4 should be (in no particular order): Paul McGrath, Roy Keane, Liam Brady and Johnny Giles.

**SwanVsDalton** · 28/02/2011, 5:14 PM

Originally Posted by The Fly

The top 4 should be (in no particular order): Paul McGrath, Roy Keane, Liam Brady and Johnny Giles.

I'd say a top five of those four and Robbie are locked in. Sixth a toss up between Given and Duff probably? After that, who knows.

Actually I'll go so far as to guess: 5) Robbie Keane 4) Roy Keane 3) Johnny Giles 2) Liam Brady 1) Paul McGrath

**Irish_Praha** · 28/02/2011, 5:27 PM

Interesting feature alright but there are too many glaring mistakes in their facts.

"One of the very few Irish players to have a Champions League medal, Steve Finnan was an integral part of the Liverpool side that lifted the title in 2007, playing 88 minutes of the final."

I thought they won it in 2005 and Finnan got substituted at half tme? He did however play 88 mins in the 2007 final.

Makes me wonder if I can believe anything they have written about the players from before the late 80's, as I'm too young to remember them.

**SwanVsDalton** · 28/02/2011, 5:30 PM

Originally Posted by Irish_Praha

Makes me wonder if I can believe anything they have written about the players from before the late 80's, as I'm too young to remember them.

Jack Charlton actually founded the Republic of Ireland during an elongated fishing holiday in 1986 so there's not much extra to know.

**AlaskaFox** · 28/02/2011, 8:06 PM

Originally Posted by Irish_Praha

Interesting feature alright but there are too many glaring mistakes in their facts.

"One of the very few Irish players to have a Champions League medal, Steve Finnan was an integral part of the Liverpool side that lifted the title in 2007, playing 88 minutes of the final."

I thought they won it in 2005 and Finnan got substituted at half tme? He did however play 88 mins in the 2007 final.

Makes me wonder if I can believe anything they have written about the players from before the late 80's, as I'm too young to remember them.

Easy mix-up that one. Any others?

**Fixer82** · 28/02/2011, 8:31 PM

McAteer scored in the Amsterdam Arena to give Ireland the lead in a game that ended 2-2

Robbie Keane scored the first goal in that game. Header

**EastTerracer** · 28/02/2011, 8:48 PM

The SoccerRepublic website did a similar series last year and the Top 10 selected by a panel of judges ended up as follows (SwanvDalton and TheFly are very close):

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

The full list was covered in a thread here http://foot.ie/threads/132843-Soccer...-Players-Vote?

**seanfhear** · 28/02/2011, 9:16 PM

I would say that McGrath was the best ever performer in an Irish jersey. Keane, Brady and Giles did great things as Irish players at club level and some very good stuff for Ireland but I believe that Paul McGrath was the best performer in the Irish jersey.

**Sullivinho** · 28/02/2011, 9:21 PM

Originally Posted by Fixer82

Robbie Keane scored the first goal in that game. Header

The attractive, widely acclaimed style of football currently employed by clubs such as Barcelona and Arsenal is based entirely upon the moments leading up to Robert David Keane's goal versus the Netherlands in September 2000. [citation needed]

**paul_oshea** · 28/02/2011, 9:21 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ObXxJ6tfnk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm84YD0NH30

Damn i cant find the one i was looking for, anyway "paul mcgrath" in youtube is postfixed with "vs Italy". Mcgrath transcends sorta the whole football player/hero status for me, partly because of the kind of person he is away from it all, partly i suppose feel sorry for someone that offered so much to me as a youngster by getting me into watching ireland and all that, and partly because of all the troubles he had and yet managed to do so much when he put on the green jersey. He is, and always will be to me a true sporting irish legend. The story about the guy in his 60s who wouldn't press charges because he was his hero says it all really.

And that video features the saddest thing of all about McGrath, "when it was over i felt down"...

**Fixer82** · 28/02/2011, 9:37 PM

The fact also that McGrath was in constant pain with his knee joints literally rubbing off each other and produced those performances is nothing short of phenomenal.
Definitely number 1

**cornflakes** · 28/02/2011, 9:49 PM

Imagine the player McGrath could of been?
I'l never forget that match against Italy, my first taste of football. McGrath was my hero when I was a chap