Irish player most likely to be true World Class

[youngirish]

Paul Butler could have been World Class but he let all the talent he had go to his head. What a waste.

[livehead1]

Puyol can play full back also and has done on numerous occasions in the past. Didn't know that now did you? And the tired old he plays for one of the best teams in Europe so he's great argument is, and never has been, true. Many great teams have average and/or even poor players. Anyway Barcelona are hardly renowned as one of the best teams in Europe because of their water tight defence are they?

As for Gary Neville. Over hyped English drivel. He can't get forward to save his life. Average at best and even then that's only recently in his career. He was total rubbish in his earlier years. Remember John O'Shea (yes he's Irish) plays for United also (and the aforementioned Darren Fletcher). I suppose that means they are two of the best players in Europe also? As for me being biased don't I regularly diss Irish players for not being any use on these forums when others often (nearly always in fact) disagree with me?

As for getting 100 caps for England and still not being any good. Yeah remind me when did they last look like winning anything in International football? I've become a rich man from betting against them winning anything in Ladbrokes. Rich I tell you.

And no I actually think Finnan is good because he is so and not because he's Irish while I think Puyol and Neville are overrated muck because they are so.

Cmyro and Livehead you wouldn't be partial to a few prawn sandwiches in Manchester the odd time now would you?

your last comment sums you up. i honestly feel you know very little about real football ability. I support Nottingham Forest so i know a useless player when i see one. tell me the last time Gary Neville had a mare, he normally wins his battle with the left winger and has seen off his fair share of right backs over the years

[youngirish]

your last comment sums you up. i honestly feel you know very little about real football ability.

You would be wrong.

As for informing you when the last time Gary Neville had a mare, instead you tell me the last game you seen him play where he was brilliant (which he should be on a regular basis if you are seriously stating that he is world class). I struggle to name a single game where he was anything other than average.

He never scores any goals, rarely sets any up, can't shoot or pass, is fairly slow. Overall, yeah muck would be the word that best describes him. Not as bad as Puyol mind.

[Cymro]

You would be wrong.

As for informing you when the last time Gary Neville had a mare instead you tell me the last game you seen him play where he was brilliant (which he should be on a regular basis if you are seriously stating that he is world class). I struggle to name a single game where he was anything other than average.

He never scores any goals, seldom sets any up (if ever), can't shoot or pass, is fairly slow. Overall, yeah muck would be the word that best describes him. Not as made as Puyol mind.

And the last time Finnan was brilliant?

I refer you to gustavo's comment where he sums up the role of a world class full back:

Thing is though , the world class atributes of a right back are just that , being solid if unspectacular , he is at least the equal of Denis Irwin who is rightly lauded here for just those qualities.

[youngirish]

Finnan was brilliant in nearly every game throughout the Champions League campaign.

Here compare the two sets of opta stats for the players and admit yous are wrong and we can move on. Also consider Finnan was playing in a team that scored nearly 30 goals less than united and these figures don't take into account the Champions League games where Finnan had a way better tournament than Neville.

http://home.skysports.com/optastats....verpool&cpid=8


http://home.skysports.com/optastats...._United&cpid=8

[Cymro]

Finnan was brilliant in nearly every game throughout the Champions League campaign.

As were the whole Liverpool team, more or less.

Here compare the two sets of opta stats for the players and admit yous are wrong and we can move on. Also consider Finnan was playing in a team that scored nearly 30 goals less than united and these figures don't take into account the Champions League games where Finnan had a way better tournament than Neville.

Well going on those stats you could say Finnan had the better season but there are two things to point out here.

Firstly, for someone who according to you never sets up chances, Neville certainly got a lot of crosses in at 32.2% success rate the best of anyone at Man United.

Also, those stats don't compare their individual records, only the whole team's record with individual club rankings. Therefore while Finnan is in the top 5 at Liverpool in 3 catergories compared to Neville's 1, it doesn't show the whole picture.

[livehead1]

Youngirish heres one for you...duff's views on the toughest player he has played against...you guessed it, its Gary Neville quote "hes a top player"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LlevQ85h3A
but you probably play sunday league football so you would be in a better position to comment

[youngirish]

Youngirish heres one for you...duff's views on the toughest player he has played against...you guessed it, its Gary Neville quote "hes a top player"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LlevQ85h3A
but you probably play sunday league football so you would be in a better position to comment

Ha ha. Duff is a well known United fan like yourself and Cymro. He probably meant toughest as in he had to keep his eye on him for the whole 90 minutes and he's an ugly bunched b*stard.

[Stuttgart88]

I think both Neville and Finnan are among the best right backs in the world.

[Cymro]

Ha ha. Duff is a well known United fan like yourself and Cymro. He probably meant toughest as in he had to keep his eye on him for the whole 90 minutes and he's an ugly bunched b*stard.

Sure. I must support Man United because I don't think Gary Neville is sh*t.

I'd agree with Stuttgart.

[eirebhoy]

Youngirish heres one for you...duff's views on the toughest player he has played against...

As did McGeady. Although obviously there isn't a lot of competition for that title when it comes to McGeady.

[youngirish]

As did McGeady. Although obviously there isn't a lot of competition for that title when it comes to McGeady.

Eirebhoy do you ever take time off? I'm just back in the office after a full day on the razz. I'm now off again to see if I can find some fit English muffin though bunched will do aswell. Should be sacked by Monday.

[eirebhoy]

Eirebhoy do you ever take time off?

Time off? You make it sound like posting on the internet is a chore. I'm just finished a 12 hour shift and getting my fix before I got to bed.

[Kivlehan]

The only Irish player ever to make it onto the the European Team of the Year (Onze Mondial) was Liam Brady in 1980. Liam was our only player on the 100 European players of the century, about 70th.
On another ranking, Liam was in the top 10, three years in a row, Keane only showed up there one year near the bottom of the frame.
Uefa put Duff on their team of the year 2003.
Since the mid '70's, Brady has clearly been our most recognized player on a consistant level at least in the eyes of Europe.

McShane has done the first step, he has made the best international debut since Brady.

Roy Keane was the only Irish player on Pele's list of the greatest footballers (not counting George Best since he's NI).

[DmanDmythDledge]

Roy Keane was the only Irish player on Pele's list of the greatest footballers (not counting George Best since he's NI).

In fairness that list means nothing. There were some players that were nowhere near world class on that list.

Keane was still world class though.

[Bluebeard]

In fairness that list means nothing. There were some players that were nowhere near world class on that list.

In my opinion, any list that fails to include Liam Brady is a completely bankrupt list. I suspect that the non-Cork part of Ireland has been ridden rock solid.

And the tokenism of having a couple of women on it too, so that it seems to be "truly inclusive" or whatever spin line they like - two American women, despite the fact that Scandinavia have dominated the women's game, particularly prior to the first world cup. Germany are a major force, and China, this year's hosts, have been successful too.

And the only non-American woman in the FIFA 100? Lilian Thuram

[bellavistaman]

In my opinion, any list that fails to include Liam Brady is a completely bankrupt list. I suspect that the non-Cork part of Ireland has been ridden rock solid.
And the tokenism of having a couple of women on it too, so that it seems to be "truly inclusive" or whatever spin line they like - two American women, despite the fact that Scandinavia have dominated the women's game, particularly prior to the first world cup. Germany are a major force, and China, this year's hosts, have been successful too.

And the only non-American woman in the FIFA 100? Lilian Thuram

Oh ya sure pele loves cork!

[geysir]

I just had a cursory look at that FIFA list. Two of Brady's contempories are included, Ceulemans and Dalgleish. Brady polled better than both of them in the European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or). Ceulemans in particular, only registered on the list two years in a row at 5th and 21st.
Tets provided this link once before (at least)
http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/europa-poy.html

Brady
1979 7th
1980 8th
1981 9th
1983 23rd

Other honourable mentions
1972 Giles 18th
1975 Givens 27th
1977 Heighway 10th
1980 O'Leary 22nd
1981 Stapleton 21st
1989 Bonner 17th
1991 McGrath 13th
1990 McGrath 12th
1993 McGrath 26th
1999 Keane 6th
2000 Keane 27th

We haven't anything near that standard of recognition playing for us now. Even Given would be down the list a bit for goalkeepers, maybe if he had saved two of those penalties against Spain, who knows.
I don't know why Keane only seriously registered for one year, Man U had plenty of TV exposure.
And yes Don Givens? I think he got the Soviet's vote.

[danonion]

I know I'll get attacked for this but I can't see McShane being other than an average premiersihp fullback or central defender. He's small and rash and even though he has a heart the size of a bucket I just can't see him becoming much more than another Andy O'Brien or the like.

[eirebhoy]

He's small and rash

So is Cannavaro. There's no comparison with O'Brien imo. McShane's is already years ahead of O'Brien in terms of reading the game.