QuoteMight prefer Tony Dunne and Shay Brennan to the two full backs. Whelan was only a stand in full back as you know.
what a team !!Originally Posted by stojkovic
Was he crazy!! Yeah , in a very special way , an Irishman.
I slept, and dreamed that life was Beauty;
I woke, and found that life was Duty.
Might prefer Tony Dunne and Shay Brennan to the two full backs. Whelan was only a stand in full back as you know.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
I know of Dunne and Brennan but I never saw them play. Otherwise Jackie Carey, Noel Cantwell and Charlie Hurley would be listed.
If Whelan goes back in midfield Im afraid Razor would be out.
Am I right in saying that Whelan is often forgotten as one of our greatest players , seldom gets a mention.
I have seen 3 seconds of Noel Cantwell in that clip against Spain 1965,
I haven't even seen that much of Charlie Hurley, "10 foot six, arse like a barn"
Not sure on this one - Didn't Charlie Hurley and Noel Cantwell score a goal each in our 2 nil win over England at Goodison?
I think Charlie Hurley's goal was described in the press match report as "an acute lob".
I remember him interviewed about the goal and he modestly replied "The press described it as an acute lob - but I just closed my eyes an hoped for the best"
Quoting years at random since 1975
That 2-0 England game was 1949, before they were capped.
There is not much archive material of Ireland games <1972.
Afaik, the first game to have any prolonged footage is the '72 Irel 2 France1.
Even then it's just one B/W camera struggling hard with the Dalymount lights.
Irl 3 Soviets 0 is the first game with decent footage. In a remastering of that footage, RTE decided to a Jimmy Magee voice over commentary, rubbing out Phil Greene. Takes half the pleasure away.
I do have a very very faint memory of watching the '65 wc play off with Spain live on tv and before that listening to the commentary to the away 0-4 in the kitchen on the wireless.
The entire RTE archive clip of the 1-0 win against Spain '65 is about a minute long. Frank O'Neill takes the free kick and Iribar spills it.
The sportswriters who followed Irelands games post war would pick Charlie Hurley at Centre Half, also most I have heard talk would pick Giles as the single outstanding player to this day.
I was way off there. Just Wiki'd it.
Con Martin (Converted Peno 33rd Minute) and it was Peter Farrell who got the second (85th).
Quoting years at random since 1975
You are right but it is hard to stick him in ahead of Messrs Giles, Roy Keane and Brady in midfield.
Last edited by OwlsFan; 08/08/2007 at 12:13 PM.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
I'd also have Givens on the subs bench instead of Aldo and Moran instead of O'Leary. Sub goal keeper Bonner .
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
Was Whelan ever a great player for Ireland though? Great for Liverpool, but we only got a few really good performances out of him. I remember him being booed at Milltown in the 80s, mainly because they felt he didn't turn up for Ireland.
Can't include giles as only saw him on video....
Given
Irwin McGrath Lawrenson Hughton
Duff Keane Townsend Brady
Keane Stapleton
Bench: Kiely, Moran, Sheridan(never got enough games), aldridge,quinn,houghton
Given
Irwin Mc Grath Moran Brennan(C)
Houghton Keane Giles
Brady
Robbie Keane Stapleton
Subs: Bonner, Dunne, O' Leary, Duff, Quinn, Staunton.
Given
Irwin, McGrath, Lawrenson, Holmes
Houghton, Keane, Giles, Highway
Keane, Stapleton
Brady & Aldridge bidding for a place.
For me the best players of the last 20 years or so (which is when I started watching) are McGrath and Roy Keane - both players were consistently brilliant and inspired others around them. Behind them - in a second tier if you like - I'd have Ronnie Whelan, Kevin Moran, Pat Bonner, John Aldridge, Dennis Irwin, Kevin Sheedy and maybe Townsend.
None of the current players - including Duff, Given, and Robbie Keane - come close imho
60 million Italians may disagree with Brady on the bench.
you can sing that , any italian of a certain age will mention his last penalty kick for juventus with respect. 4 years in that league when they were only aloowed one JF per team , you had to be some player to make it .
Was he crazy!! Yeah , in a very special way , an Irishman.
I slept, and dreamed that life was Beauty;
I woke, and found that life was Duty.
My mate lived in Italy until March this year. He says that in the Italian media to this day if a young player shows real promise they ask if he could be the new Liam Brady. Says it all when you consider how many brilliant midfielders have played in that league.
He played there for seven years at Juve, Samp, Inter and Ascoli.
How many foreign players can you think of who spent seven years in Serie A, not many.
I spoke to loads of Samp fans at the European Cup Final in 92 and they idolised Brady. Eight years after he left them !!
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