Top 10 Most hated footballers with Irish fans!

**SkStu** · 30/03/2016, 6:20 AM

http://www.balls.ie/football/in-ligh...ll-fans/328983

Saw this on Facebook and got me thinking that this would be a fun one to discuss amongst this group!

Henry the obvious one but I'm sure there's more out there and far better than the list that balls came up with! With little time to really think of it, I really really hated Toni Polster for a long time...

**DeLorean** · 30/03/2016, 7:34 AM

When I read the title I thought it was a list of our own players that are regularly vilified. I wouldn't care too much (one way or the other) about the guys on that list there, the Israeli goalkeeper probably stands out alright. For purely heartbreaking footballing reasons I'd probably have Kieft and even Alba in there. I can't really remember Hakan Yakin being a cheat, just a good player that gave us the runaround a few times. Luc Nilis did a lot of damage to us in that playoff in the 90's also.

**NeverFeltBetter** · 30/03/2016, 9:08 AM

The first player I hated in relation was Davor Suker for that last minute goal, but I was 9 so I like to think I've gotten over it.

The first I hated for duplicitous reasons was whoever got away with that throw-in that led to Nilis' goal in the second leg of that play-off. I can't even remember who it was now, but I remember getting given out to for cursing at the TV.

Edit: Man, so much time has passed I'm mixing up things. Suker's was 99 right?

**geysir** · 30/03/2016, 9:11 AM

What about those two Austrian p++ks from 1996?
I don't have a lot of love for them.

**tetsujin1979** · 30/03/2016, 9:37 AM

I wouldn't really hate anyone who scored against us, Suker, Polster, Schillaci etc, they were just playing the game. Don't get me wrong, I'm no fan of theirs, but I wouldn't hate them for it.
However anyone who cheated against us is fair game. Dudu Awat and Henry are the prime candidates

**paul_oshea** · 30/03/2016, 10:22 AM

Ya Toni Polster pops up and scores and always didnt seem to have many chnaces but he popped up. Dodo A-**** is the next big one for me. Henry with his smug face.

Schillachi the dirty greasy Italian. But there were a couple of turks in that too. Maybe suker for that goal but hate in a more admiration probably. Though the croats hate him too, so maybe i hate him as well!"

Edit:I didnt read the first replies, and came up with those players. Which is kinda telling as now i read everyone elses and i can see the same names popping up.

There was a midfielder for Belgium I didnt like either at the time. Heartbreak can sometimes lead to hatred :P

And love and hate are two sides of the one coin that sits in SVDs pocket. So now he could be the first person to put an Irish player at the top of the list.

**DeLorean** · 30/03/2016, 10:30 AM

Not a player... but the yellow capped douchebag

**geysir** · 30/03/2016, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

Not a player... but the yellow capped douchebag

He's been called much worse.

**SwanVsDalton** · 30/03/2016, 11:28 AM

Dudu Aoate was the first name that came to mind. Everyone else is a footnote. Henry doesn't even come close to him for me.

Maybe that Macedonian who so theatrically dived after Jason McAteer gently brushed his studs against his chest...

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

And love and hate are two sides of the one coin that sits in SVDs pocket. So now he could be the first person to put an Irish player at the top of the list.

Lost me there Paul. You talking about Whelan Dealin'? If anyone did put him on here, I'd be pretty upset as you'd understand.

**osarusan** · 30/03/2016, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

I wouldn't really hate anyone who scored against us, Suker, Polster, Schillaci etc, they were just playing the game. Don't get me wrong, I'm no fan of theirs, but I wouldn't hate them for it.
However anyone who cheated against us is fair game. Dudu Awat and Henry are the prime candidates

Seconded on all this.

Fairly silly to include a player on a list just because they played well against us.

**Real ale Madrid** · 30/03/2016, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by osarusan

Fairly silly to include a player on a list just because they played well against us.

You do realise this is a football forum - can you leave rationale at the door please?

For me its the two Jan's in Poznan in 91 - Furtok and Urban - although I never really forgave Packie either - we could have really done well in Sweden.

**geysir** · 30/03/2016, 12:09 PM

I'm including anyone who shouted "hopp schwiiz" Basel 2003

**DeLorean** · 30/03/2016, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid

For me its the two Jan's in Poznan in 91 - Furtok and Urban - although I never really forgave Packie either - we could have really done well in Sweden.

If you're going to hate somebody for that campaign, it has to be Ray Houghton and his terrible miss at Wembley. That guy is lucky he has plenty of good will banked!

That Poland match was a strange one. Coming back to draw 3-3 meant they were still in contention going into the final round of fixtures, so it suited us in a way that they had something to play for against England. If we had held on to our 3-1 lead maybe England would have went there and won as well. The Houghton miss bothers me much more, winning at Wembley would have been amazing and realistically almost guaranteed qualification.

**paul_oshea** · 30/03/2016, 1:48 PM

You know, i think i mentioned it on here before, but i always got annoyed by houghton when he was playing, i dont remember euro 88 properly, and 94 aside I have always had it that he ruined chances for us or made stupid mistakes. Revisionism through seeing and reading various accounts have me somewhat confused, but the example you gave has just reminded me why!! There are other examples too but i think i have mentally blocked them out. I remember Belgium, and thinking about fcuken time he did something right! I am pretty sure my brother and I were of the same opinion and his memory is better than mine on these things so I might ask him for more examples

**Stuttgart88** · 30/03/2016, 2:02 PM

He mucked in with at least one important home goal in WC90 qualification. Hungary at home I think.

**bennocelt** · 30/03/2016, 2:16 PM

Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

Dudu Aoate was the first name that came to mind. Everyone else is a footnote. Henry doesn't even come close to him for me.

Maybe that Macedonian who so theatrically dived after Jason McAteer gently brushed his studs against his chest...

Lost me there Paul. You talking about Whelan Dealin'? If anyone did put him on here, I'd be pretty upset as you'd understand.

Likewise, that glk was bloody annoying from start to finish, and i must be in a minority but i dont actually hate Henry, a lot of footballers would have done the same....

Also agree with Houghton on here, will never forget that chance against England, I think he could have at least got a save from it......

......dont hate him for it though

Bonner was dropping everything on his last campaign as well.....

**jbyrne** · 30/03/2016, 2:34 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

He mucked in with at least one important home goal in WC90 qualification. Hungary at home I think.

think he got 1 of the 3 against the north at home. cascarino and McGrath got the 2 v hungary in 89.

**geysir** · 30/03/2016, 2:35 PM

Henry is a class act, it's not as if he took off his shirt and did a lap of honour. Apart from that moronic clown of a manager Domenech, the French were decent enough.

I don't get these negative memories about Ray Houghton etc.
Once you're heart has survived a Mick Martin cross field pass or a Mick Martin own goal, you can pretty much give a pass to any indiscretion by an Irish player (saipan exception applies).

**DeLorean** · 30/03/2016, 2:44 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

There are other examples too but i think i have mentally blocked them out.

He had a one-on-one against Egypt in the World Cup. The keeper closed in him down quickly and made a good save. It wasn't a terrible miss or anything but chances were tough to come by the same day so it was one of the better ones. He hit the inside of the post when we beat Portugal 1-0, probably should have scored but a bit unlucky.

Actually, speaking of Houghton, himself and Alan McLoughlin were on an Off The Ball special from Lansdowne last night in the lead up to the match. I heard a small bit of it and they were discussing McLoughlin's goal up in Windsor Park. It was actually Houghton that was brought off for McLoughlin and they were having a little bit of a laugh about it, "just as well they brought you off Ray", kind of a thing. Houghton said that Jack Charlton actually apologised to him after saying that he shouldn't have taken him off, even allowing for the fact that he was proved right to bring McLoughlin on. I couldn't help feeling it sounded kind of petty, like his ego couldn't handle being the guy that was subbed or something. It also seems highly unlikely that Jack would apologise for anything, let alone something where he was completely vindicated! Anybody else hear it?