EARLIER IN THE week, Liam Brady, in an appearance on Second Captains Live, made the controversial decision to remove Roy Keane from ‘The Good Wall’ and replace him with John Giles.
The decision stirred up plenty of debate, not least in The42.ie office.
Consequently, we’ve decided to pick our all-time Ireland XIs in a bid to definitively separate the good Irish footballers from the great ones.
So here are the teams that our writers ultimately came up with…
Steve O’Rourke
Playing a traditional 4-4-2, this XI supports attacking creativity on a foundation of defensive invulnerability. The likes of Mick McCarthy and Ronnie Whelan could probably feel hard done by but I’d fancy this side to beat anyone, especially with the little ‘un/big ‘un combination up front.
Shay Given
Denis Irwin Paul McGrath Richard Dunne Steve Staunton
Ray Houghton Roy Keane Johnny Giles Liam Brady
Robbie Keane Niall Quinn
Eoin O’Callaghan
In theory, I don’t like naming a Best XI and including players I haven’t seen play.
But, for the purposes of this assignment and the general dearth of brilliant players Ireland have had during my lifetime, some just had to be included. Everyone is aware of the immense contributions made by Giles and Brady but other figures like Noel Cantwell and Johnny Carey were immense characters. They may not have the cap-count that other less-decorated players have but quality over quantity everytime. There’s a stylish central defensive pairing while the midfield speaks for itself.
The attack is a different beast. I wanted to allow Keane & Giles the space to dictate a game so have gone with a 4-2-3-1 with Houghton and Sheedy providing some width and Brady given the freedom to combine with a young, fresh and willing Robbie Keane.
Shay Given
Noel Cantwell
Johnny Carey
Paul McGrath
Denis Irwin
Roy Keane
John Giles
Ray Houghton
Kevin Sheedy
Liam Brady
Robbie Keane
Paul Fennessy
Shay Given gets in just ahead of Pat Bonner in goals. Defence was particularly tricky to choose, with Steve Staunton, Dave O’Leary and Richard Dunne among those unlucky to miss out.
Three out of four midfielders are straightforward enough picks, with Giles, Brady and Keane almost impossible to leave out, while Ronnie Whelan gets the fourth spot, ahead of other once-great players including Damien Duff and Ray Houghton.
Robbie Keane deserves to be up front for his phenomenal goalscoring record alone, while Frank Stapleton joins him, despite stiff competition from the likes of Niall Quinn, John Aldridge and Tony Cascarino.
Shay Given
Finnan McGrath Lawrenson Irwin
Giles Ronnie Whelan Roy Keane Brady
Robbie Keane Stapleton
Sean Farrell
My team is gonna play ball. That’s why I’ve sacrificed some of the blood and thunder you might get with the Honey Monster in favour of the out-and-out comfort on the ball you get with Irwin, O’Shea and Staunton.
The midfield trip is pretty much inter-changeable and would pin defences into their own box mercilessly until they crack. While the 4-5-1 formation lacks a target man up top, Damien Duff is sure to win a ton of free kicks which Dinny and Stan can fight over/come to a sensible decision based on the best angle for their strong foot.
Shay Given
Denis Irwin (Capt.) Paul McGrath John O’Shea Steve Staunton
Roy Keane Liam Brady
Ray Houghton John Giles Damien Duff
Robbie Keane
Will Slattery
Robbie Keane tells us constantly he can’t play on his own so I’ve gone for the classic big man/little man combo that should ensure we score many goals just like Ireland did against Germany in 2002. Omitting Roy Keane is a big call, but I like the balance that Whelan and Giles provide, and Roy wouldn’t be worth the hassle.
Given
Irwin McGrath Dunne Staunton
Brady Giles Ronnie Whelan Duff
Robbie Keane Quinn
Mine would be:
Gary Breen (Gk)
Breen Breen G. Breen (Capt) Breen
Breen Breen
Breen Breen Breen
G. Breen
I bet you could name all the subs too. Fair play.
We can only dream
John Aldridge and Duff seem to be getting forgotten a lot here
Don’t forget Paul McShane
Yep Paul McShane is the only one to grace the bench for a team of Gary Breen’s!
That’s impressive Diego, I’d just make a few changes to that ‘dream of a team’..
Mine would be :
G.Doherty (GK)
G.Doherty
G.Doherty
G.Doherty
G.Doherty
G.Doherty
G.Doherty
G.Doherty
G.Doherty
G.Doherty
G.Doherty (Capt)
Can’t believe that nobody has picked Tony Dunne at full back. European Cup winner with Man U.
Sean Farrell choosing John O’Shea over Dunne, McCarthy, Lawrenson, Moran and O’Leary? You are surely having a laugh?
Some utd fans here think that winnnng more makes you the better player..
@james Dolan have a day off you cabbage !
I like cabbage.
xXx
No Glenn Whelan,Stephen Ward or Andy Keogh in there either?shocking stuff lads.
Paul McShane?
He deserves a team of his own.They could play the team of Garry Breens.
Alan Kernaghan
Aldridge, hardly got a mention, Don Givens, Stapleton , and I can not believe no one had Steve Highway , are ye all only just left school.
Steve Highway, bang on, loved to watch him go. Wonder what he’s doing now. Probably still running.
Gerry Daly, super player.
Steve Heighway great player… Duff was better though.. no one has Bernie Slevin?
Given
Irwin, McGrath, O leary, Finnan
Keane, Giles
Whelan, Brady, Duff
Stapleton,
Tony Galvan !!!
Heighway great player and never stopped running however I would have to ask you how many goals he scored for club and country.
I think until recently he had a role coaching the youth team at Anfield. He was one of the few top players in his day who held a university degree.
If Roy Keane won Ireland the World Cup,Liam Brady still wouldn’t have a good thing to say about him!
If my granny had wheels instead of legs she,d be a bike.
Must resist attempt at humour here…..
If you ask a thousand people you’ll get a thousand different teams.
Chances are those thousand people will still all have McGrath, Brady, Giles and Roy Keane. They were not just good Irish players. They would have made any international or club side during their respective primes
Yes but Mark Lawrenson was so good he and PMCG have to be nailed down on every team. It goes with out saying all based on their peak playing years.
Given,
S Coleman , P Mcgrath, M Lawrenson, Steven Staunton,
Roy Keane, J Giles L Brady Ronnie Whelan
R Keane Damian Duff
You’d have Coleman in ahead of Irwin and Finnan? – Staunton was good but again not better than those two..
Don’t forget Stephen Carr who was a genuinely world class full back when fit and better than both Finnan and Staunton imo. I’d shift Irwin to the left where he was equally as good.
John o’shea…get real !..
Nutmeg Figo.
No room for Kevin Moran?
Imagine meeting this ireland team on a night out on the pour , ………d.kiely . Babb. McGrath . McCarthy. Kelly. Mc ateer . Roy keane, stapleton , ronnie whelan , aldridge. Casarino , ……… Some session !!!!
Given
Finnan McGrath Dunne Irwin
Houghton Keane Brady duff
Keane Quinn
Although it would be hard to overlook the great Packie Bonner.
What about Terry Phelan???
Once the most expensive defender in English football and always picked at left full for us ahead of Stan when he was available.
Phelan, Finnan, Irwin, Harte were all better left fulls and played there ahead of Staunton in Irish teams during his career.
It’s only Jack’s and Mick’s blind loyalty to Stan and accommodating him on the left wing and centre half (following injury crisis) that he won so many caps. Not to mention all the American tours. No where near Ireland’s best left full back.
No sign of Packie Bonner at all
Christy brown ?
Can’t believe Dave Langan and Tony Galvin didn’t get a honourable mention,, two great footballers who gave it their all when playing for Ireland
Johhny Giles & Roy Keane would frightened the living daylights out of any of the current pansies playing the game today
Has the Bill Will show lost “their” Wi-Fi signal?
I remember creating a Classic Ireland team on Pro Evo in college, it was a 32 county team as Pat Jennings and Best were already in the game.
Packie Bonner, Pat Jennings
Denis Irwin, Tony Dunne, Mark Lawrenson, Paul McGrath, Kevin Moran, Jackie Carey, Noel Cantwell, Steve Staunton,
Steve Highway, Liam Brady, John Giles, Roy Keane, Ronnie Whelan, Ray Houghton, Andy Townsend, Martin O’Neill, Tommy Eglington.
Niall Quinn, Norman Whiteside, George Beat, Frank Stapleton.
Think I’m missing a midfielder but I’ve hazy memories of 2005 at the best of times. That squad was alway a match for Classic Netherlands!
I remember playing that too, classic Argentina were my favourite, Maradona was a beast in it. Used to hate the way the names were all mixed up though and you had to fix them yourself as pro didn’t have the rights to use real names and kits etc. Great games tho.
Not a mention of Phil babb either. Unbelievable.
What about Bernie Slaven ? It’s almost like he’s been forgotten !
I cant believe you guys left out paul green!
Did will slattery really pick Ronnie Whelan over Roy Keane?? Lol
Jon Macken leading the line with Caleb Folan. Unplayable
It’s amazing for such a small country how many great players were produced over the years in this country (particularly the ones actually born here) even though it’s not the main sport.
I bet an all time Irish vi would nearly be as strong as our English counterparts which I regard as a great achievement given England’s vast population and it’s their no 1 sport
No Roy Keane in will slattery team. That is a joke.
What about Kevin Moran and Mick McCarthy ? Just wondering
What, no David Connolly??!!
Eh, where’s Peter clohessy lads??
Duff/Dunne and O’Shea!!!! Your having a laugh.
Shay Given
Steve Finnan
Paul McGrath
Kevin Moran
Denis Irwin
Liam Brady
Roy Keane
Ronnie Whelan
Damien Duff
John Aldridge
Robbie Keane
Bonner
Irwin Moran Mc Grath Staunton
Sheddy Keane Brady Houghton
Stapleton, Robbie Keane
Gary waddock ?
Given, Irwin, McGrath, Lawrenson, Whelan, Brady, Giles, Roy Keane, Duff, Robbie Keane, Stapleton
You must be young, where’s Dennis Erwin, Frank. Stapelton , Dave O’Leary, Mark Laurance ?
You must be young yourself. Obviously you never saw Charlie Hurley, the king of Roker Park and the best centre half in England in his day.
No mention of Don Givens and very little mention of Frank Stapleton. Two strikers that, imo, were far superior to Robbie or Niall. On the wings, Tony Gavin and Michael Robinson would deserve a look in. Roy Keane and Brady in middle. McGrath and Moran were probably the best defensive partnership we ever had.
Glen Crowe? Lee Carsley? Eddie McGoldrick? Come on….have to be in there….
I noted your comment that you don’t like to judge players you have not seen play. Yet you include Johnny Carey whist not even mentioning Charlie Hurley who played twenty years after Carey. Without doubt Carey was a great defender but in his day Charlie Hurley of Sunderland was the greatest centre half in English football and this was almost universally accepted. He is still revered in Sunderland.
You can’t have Giles and Brady in the same team they would cancel each other out dissapointed and surprised by the omission of Andy Townshend as for Brady removing Keane that’s personal reasons not footballing reasons love or hate him no Irish 11 is complete without Keane.
Alan Kelly , Paul McShane, Alan Bennett, Paul Butler , Terry Phelan , Alan O’Brien , Jon Douglas , Joe Gamble , Caleb Folan , Conor Sammon , Joey Lapira
5 Mick McCarthys and 5 Roy Keanes fighting it out over a 3 day battle royale, moderated by Paul Green.
Given
Irwin Mcgrath Moran Staunton
Houghton Giles Keane Duff
Brady
Stapleton
Given.
Irwin. McGrath. Staunton.
Roy Keane
Giles. Whelan.
Heighway. Brady. Houghton.
Robbie Keane.
McDonagh G.Kelly, McGrath,Moran,Staunton Brady,R Keane Townsend, Sheedy, Aldridge,Quinn
I liked tony galvin a fine player
No Alan Kelly Snr in goal or Eamonn Rodgers? Great players of the 1970s?
Jim Beglin?
Terry Mancini
Conar sammon anyone !!
I honestly don’t think I’ve seen Conor mispelt as Conar before. Congrats!
No Eamo ?
Would be first name on my team !
Are the people voting for Staunton old enough to remember his career? He wasn’t very good.
Presuming that Irwin is one of the fullbacks that allows any number of far better players than Stan available (Carr, Coleman and Finnan were much better).
Stan was a great servant and in great teams but not a great player
Bonner, Irwin, O’Leary, McGrath, Lawernson Keane , Brady, Giles, Heighway, Aldridge, Stapleton
Paul Butler surely worth a mention!
My team – from the fifties to date:-
Alan Kelly Snr
Irvin McGrath Hurley Dunne
Houghton Giles Keane Brady
Stapleton Keane
Dunne marginally ahead of Cantwell. Robbie Keane (in spite of record number of goals)
Marginally ahead of Aldridge and Quinn.
Given
McGrath Dunne Cunningham
Coleman Roy Keane(C) Irwin
Duff houghton Kilbane
Robbie Keane
Given
Irwin Dunne McGrath Staunton
Keane Giles
Houghton Brady Duff
Keane