Ian Harte

**theworm2345** · 30/05/2006, 3:31 AM

Dont forget to mention that, with 11 goals, he is our 2nd highest active scorer.

**Over the post** · 30/05/2006, 8:22 AM

I too feel his commitment and danger from set pieces outweigh any defensive frailty. For me, it's between himself and Killer at left back.

**Roo69** · 30/05/2006, 8:41 AM

Man City apparently offering him a 3 year deal ?

**as_i_say** · 30/05/2006, 9:08 AM

source plz?

**tetsujin1979** · 30/05/2006, 9:19 AM

Originally Posted by Roo69

Man City apparently offering him a 3 year deal ?

Quite possible, the only recognised left fulls in the squad are Ben Thatcher and Stephen Jordan. Thatcher is rank and Jordan is still too young to command a first team place, and there's very little in the way of cover if either gets injured.

**Roo69** · 30/05/2006, 9:55 AM

heard it on today fm this morning driving into work

**as_i_say** · 30/05/2006, 10:27 AM

ah. must be true so! would be a good move for him. agree he is our best option at lb, always gives 100%, i'd fear that john o shi te would get in ahead of him though...

**Roo69** · 30/05/2006, 10:45 AM

[QUOTE=as_i_say]ah. must be true so![QUOTE]

Hence my question mark.

**Closed Account 2** · 30/05/2006, 10:35 PM

Harte is a good player, always gives his best, and good from set plays.

If every player in the team was as committed as Ian then we really would be a force.

**dr_peepee** · 31/05/2006, 9:38 PM

Harte's merits and vices are apparent but if you've a pacey astute centre centre half pairing (Like leeds during their run a few years ago) there's enough there to play to his strengths..

When you consider his poor runs, you have to look at who's playing beside him. As good as Breen and Stan were in Japan Korea, they weren't gonna be able to carry him. And playing beside Ferdinand, Woodgate, Radebe is a world of difference from Roque Junior, Didier Domi, Matteo.

It's sad to say but to get the best from Harte you have to carry him to an extent. But that'll be difficult until we get someone to cement his place beside Dunne.

**Stuttgart88** · 01/06/2006, 7:39 AM

Kilbane carried him too, to an extent. I lost count of the number of times Kilbane was last man back to make a tackle on Harte's side.

However, I think it's a bit unfair to judge Harte purely on his WC02 performances as he was injured throughout, with a nerve problem in his foot.

I'd like to see Kilbane LB against Holland and Harte is a useful weapon from the bench (for us, not the oposition

) with his ball striking ability.

Don't we have anybody coming through in that position? What a disappointment Clive Clarke's season has been.

**dr_peepee** · 02/06/2006, 12:08 AM

Think Marcos Painter is a left full. Birmingham going down maybe a a blessing in disguise and expose him to more first team football than if they'd have stayed up.

**tricky_colour** · 02/06/2006, 12:42 AM

I notice sometimes Harte 'balloons' his free kicks, you rarely see Beckham
(for example) doing this. Is this down to technique and practice?
He still has a good strike rate though, but it seems to be a case of all or
nothing whereas Beckham seems to be more consistant in getting close
at least, but not necessarilly scoring.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 02/06/2006, 7:12 AM

Hartey is a poor defender. He has suffered relegation in 2 of his last 3 seasons. He is an excellent player going forward, he crosses well and is good from dead ball situations. I'd use him at left wing if at all for Ireland. Kilbane is a better defender , in spite of being by nature a windy winger. Hartey is thinking of leaving Spain because he is homesick, which logically should be good news for Dundalk F.C. ,Drogheda United or Monaghan United. However he is homesick for England which is a foreign country!

**ColinR** · 02/06/2006, 8:44 AM

why shouldn't he be homesick for england

- it's been his home his entire adult life, and well since he left drogheda at 15 or 16, considering he is 27 or 28 now, i think he is entitled to call england 'home'

**Stuttgart88** · 02/06/2006, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by tricky_colour

I notice sometimes Harte 'balloons' his free kicks, you rarely see Beckham
(for example) doing this. Is this down to technique and practice?
He still has a good strike rate though, but it seems to be a case of all or
nothing whereas Beckham seems to be more consistant in getting close
at least, but not necessarilly scoring.

Remember the famous "Beckham game" against Greece? He took about 8 frees from the same place and only scored with the last one (after Sheringham's dive).

An hour later, after 90 seconds of play only, Harte got a free from the same place against Cyprus, Result? Goal, with first attempt!

**pineapple stu** · 02/06/2006, 12:50 PM

Not to forget his first competitive game since being dropped from the squad for a long time last summer. Five minutes into the Israel game - free kick, goal.

Hartey's free-kicks are normally very good. Just a shame about the rest of his play...

**geysir** · 02/06/2006, 1:16 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Not to forget his first competitive game since being dropped from the squad for a long time last summer. Five minutes into the Israel game - free kick, goal.

Hartey's free-kicks are normally very good. Just a shame about the rest of his play...

I also liked his corner kicks in the Chile game, high with the sudden dip into the danger area. Better than Duff's skimmers.

**as_i_say** · 02/06/2006, 3:15 PM

so we're all in agreement then-he's great and should start at lb??!

**tetsujin1979** · 02/06/2006, 11:07 PM

He was practising free kicks during half time against Chile and skied every one of them, and did the exact same with every free kick he took in the second half