Ireland's greatest player poll.

**EalingGreen** · 29/10/2006, 1:56 PM

Originally Posted by Den Perry

gotta say Given is a better keeper than Jennings.....and I cant rem NI having a better striker than Robbie keane....though the furthest I rem back was 1982 World cup

What is your overall selection

Den,
I don't want to compromise the integrity of this thread, dealing as it does, with the "Greatest Ever ROI XI".

However, when I get a while to think about it properly, I might start a separate thread for a "Greatest Ever Irish XI", though.

I guess it will last about 10 posts before the Mods transfer it to the Current Affairs section, and another 10 before they bin it altogether...

**Not Brazil** · 29/10/2006, 2:31 PM

Originally Posted by Den Perry

gotta say Given is a better keeper than Jennings

**Superhoops** · 29/10/2006, 3:54 PM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Superhoops, your midfield has no width and leaving out Ireland's top goal scorer of all time? Don't judge Robbie on his current form.

I am sure that quartet would sort out how to provide width. Also, with Irwin's and Dunne's ability to overlap, I'd be confident the shape would be right.

Your point about Robbie (inconsistency), is exactly why I would have Stapleton and Givens ahead of him.

**theleprechaun** · 29/10/2006, 4:43 PM

shay given

**bennocelt** · 30/10/2006, 7:52 AM

got that free dvd with the sun, normally i would never buy that rag but you know a free football dvd!
watching paul mcgrath on it, awesome, def the best the rep has ever produced
was thinking that paul mcgrath basically did enough in our def to cover 2.3 players, and thats why we went to 2 world cups

about the north, jennings and best

someone is having a laugh if they say Givens is as good as Jennings!

**cavan_fan** · 30/10/2006, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by geysir

Nothing better to do.

Alan Kelly snr.
Irwin, Lawrenson, McGrath, Dunne.
Houghton, Giles, Brady, Duff.
Stapleton, Givens.

Alan Kelly? even his sperm contained goalkeeping genius

Alan Kelly vs Shay Given. Dont honestly see how this can go any way but to Given who is a world class goalie. I'd have Packie instead of Alan Kelly

Lawrenson at CB is a tough one, would wonder about O'Leary or Moran here. I'd want to find a position for Johnny Carey, probably at left Back.

The problem in midfield is that 3 of our 4 greatest players are Central Midfielders (Giles, Keane and Brady). Seems harsh to leave one out when Duff gets in (though he is our best LM). But if I had to leave one out it would probably be Giles. Dont think you can have Giles and Keane as they are similar. So Brady gets in as more creative. In the end achievement matters and Roy got us into a WC.

Don Givens!!! Even ignoring the fact he was rubbish, his handling of the U21's should exclude him.
I know we're not blessed up front but God wouldnt you choose Quinn, Aldridge or Robbie ahead of these 2?

If we can pick a non 442 would have

Given

Irwin McGrath Moran Carey

Houghton Keane Giles Duff

Brady

Aldridge

**Dassa** · 30/10/2006, 1:12 PM

way to young to remember most ROI players but going by past clips would have to be Giles.

**geysir** · 30/10/2006, 2:08 PM

I haven't a clue about Carey.
Alan Kelly Snr. was a class goalie, stylish like Jennings, my first hero when diving full length across concrete school yards.
What ever opinions about Givens as coach wouldn't cloud my value of him as a player, he could never be regarded as a rubbish player, except when he was of course.
But it's Stapleton and who ever else you want up front. Frank's game against France '81 was the best I have ever seen from a front man for Ireland.

**Closed Account 2** · 30/10/2006, 2:40 PM

Given
Irwin, McGrath, Moran, G. Kelly (on his WC94 form)
Ray Houghton, Roy Keane, Sheridan, Duff
Aldridge, Robbie Keane

Due to my age I havent seen too much pre 88, so my selection has a 88/90/94 bias

I have also got left an right the wrong way round

**PaulB** · 30/10/2006, 3:05 PM

Given, irwin, Mcgrath, Lawrenson, Hughton
, Whelan,Giles, keane, Brady
stapleton, keane

**geysir** · 30/10/2006, 4:03 PM

Very nice team Paul, who's your captain?

**Anto McC** · 30/10/2006, 4:08 PM

Roy Keane

**PaulB** · 30/10/2006, 4:13 PM

Its a team of captains, but Keane or Giles, given that he does more with less Technical ability than Giles, I'll give it to keane..

**PaulB** · 30/10/2006, 4:49 PM

Originally Posted by Brooklyn ZMB

Keane - Doing the most with the least
Best- Doing the least with the most

hard call.

couldn't have put it better myself..

And what was it they said about Giles, he could do everything Brady could do, but with both feet

**Superhoops** · 30/10/2006, 7:33 PM

Originally Posted by cavan_fan

Don Givens!!! Even ignoring the fact he was rubbish, his handling of the U21's should exclude him

Did you ever see Don Givens play?

Made his Ireland debut in Copenhagen in May 1969 in a 0-1 defeat. He won 56 caps and scored 19 goals, 4 in his first seven games, often playing up front on his own or with Ray Treacy between 1969 and 1975. In October 1974 against Russia in Dalymount Givens scored all three in the 3-0 win. In October 1975 against Turkey at Dalymount, he scored all four in the 4-0 win.

In October 1976 against Turkey away in a 3-3 draw, he was joined up front by a young debutant, Frank Stapleton. They played three games together before renewing his parnership with Treacy for that never to be fogotten 1-0 win against France in March 1977. Givens and Stapleton hooked up again in June 1977 against Bulgaria and played the remaining three games that year and played together regularly up to 1979.

His last start for Ireland was against Wales in Tolka Park in February 1981 and his last cap came in another memorable 3-2 win against France in Lansdowne Road in October 1981, when he came in near the end as a substitute for Stapleton.

He scored for Ireland in three different decades, the sixties (3 in 1969), the seventies (15 in total) and the eighties (1 in 1980).

Yeah, real rubbish!!!

**tricky_colour** · 30/10/2006, 9:34 PM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

got that free dvd with the sun, normally i would never buy that rag but you know a free football dvd!
watching paul mcgrath on it, awesome, def the best the rep has ever produced
was thinking that paul mcgrath basically did enough in our def to cover 2.3 players, and thats why we went to 2 world cups

about the north, jennings and best

someone is having a laugh if they say Givens is as good as Jennings!

I must say that on the DVD torrent download McGrath looks outstanding, he looks world class on all the clips, the short clip of him defending against Italy in New York is something else. We sure could we do with a player like that right now!!

**red metal** · 31/10/2006, 12:21 AM

Mcgrath by a mile then Brady and Keane!

**antrimgreen** · 31/10/2006, 7:49 AM

Keane & Giles.

**cavan_fan** · 31/10/2006, 8:54 AM

Originally Posted by Superhoops

Did you ever see Don Givens play?

Made his Ireland debut in Copenhagen in May 1969 in a 0-1 defeat. He won 56 caps and scored 19 goals, 4 in his first seven games, often playing up front on his own or with Ray Treacy between 1969 and 1975. In October 1974 against Russia in Dalymount Givens scored all three in the 3-0 win. In October 1975 against Turkey at Dalymount, he scored all four in the 4-0 win.

I'm 33 so vaguely remember him playing.

Looking at these stats though, if he scored 7 in 2 matches that means in his remaining 54 matches he scored 12 goals. Don't forget at the team Turkey were a joke team, not much above the standard that some of the minnows are now. (This was before 'there are no easy games in international football').

You have to look at club careers to help compare and the only top class strikers we have had are Stapleton and Aldridge. Quinn and possibly Robbie Keane are a bit behind that. After that we have journeymen like Givens, Cascarino, Treacy etc etc