JOHN ALDRIDGE POPPED along to The Fantasy Football Club last night and sketched out his best XI of players he’s played alongside.
It’s a pretty formidable group with his former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland team-mates making up the entire selection.
Five ex-Irish players made the cut and here’s what Aldo had to say about them:
Paul McGrath:
“He is the hardest defender I have ever played against. A true gentleman. When we beat Italy 1-0 in the giant stadium in the 1994 World Cup, if any young lad is aspiring to be a centre-half, get the DVD of that game and watch Paul McGrath. It was the best performance I have ever seen, he had [Roberto] Baggio in his pocket for 90 minutes. He was absolutely awesome.”
Mark Lawrenson:
“He was brilliant. One of the best tacklers and the best reader of a game I’ve ever seen. He had long legs but if you needed someone to get a little toe on the end of the ball to get it away, Lawro’s your man. He was a fabulous player, very elegant.”
Ray Houghton:
“Ray was a very intelligent footballer, he really was. He was just so brainy. Jack [Charlton, the former Republic of Ireland manager] didn’t know his dad came from Donegal. When Jack picked me, I told him about Ray Houghton and he said “bring him along, he can have a game as well”.”
Liam Brady:
“He was fabulous. One of the best left foots you are likely to ever see in world football.”
Roy Keane:
“He is a man mountain. People questioned his temperament but you are talking about a winner and a born leader. It’s in his blood. Very passionate about the game.”
Aldo’s dream team in full:
Bruce Grobbelaar, Steve Nicol, Paul McGrath, Alan Hansen, Mark Lawrenson, Ray Houghton, Roy Keane, Liam Brady, John Barnes, Peter Beardsley, Ian Rush.
Holding hands?
Do ya think he was trying Humor, normally people together that long get married hence the holding hands and ceremony. Do ya think maybe he was just havin a laugh. Homophobs starting to panic “Gay” is getting into rugby. Gareth Thomas one of the best sportsman to take to the field and one of the toughest men around aswell(was gonna use hardest around but thought better)
It’s a great idea on lots of levels. I hope that this doesn’t disturb the homophobes too much!! Real men are not insecure about their sexuality or how their actions look to bigots
Holding Hands…a sort of Irish haka ..I’m sure Wales would be really scared by it
Well they are Ladyboys…..?
2 Zimmer frames
As a munster fan you shame is all Elrat get a life son.
Elrat. You’re a trolling pain in the arse
Combined age – 67 – free travel for both!
They’ve had lots of free travel, London, Paris, Rome, cardiff, Edinburgh, the states, Australia, new Zealand , south Africa the list of free travel is endless elrat.
Did he really just say that ? he shouldn’t be captain, hes too soft, hes too much of a p**sy ,” , and a total shaper, holding hands “,,,,,
Lighting up . He said it lightheartedly..
Rugby players don’t hold hands , I thought they were Real Men..
All that groping and grappling? Not to mention where heads and hands are positioned in the Scrum!
He’d want to go and eat a few spoons of cement and harden up !
“Bigger tackles and softer hands….”
I’ll just leave this link here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTpXymuwxNs