Liverpool FC Forum

[greenred]

mark lawrenson was the finest defender England never had.....

[Supermarius]

Fair play to Big Jack Charlton for gettin them boys to play for Republic -Most where England rejects at the time lol  but they gave their all for the cause no doubt about it!
and i remember well the N.Ireland team of the eighties cos i was at windsor often enuff even mitching skool
Id be for a combined Irish team absolutely it couldnt be any worse for N ireland at the moment and i thinktheyd make a decent team
I agree about Lawrenson too..superb . im sure Greenwood and england missed him and when he saw them in spain he was glad he chose the republic

[Supermarius]

p.s you forgot to mention stormin NORMAN WHITESIDE  in the list sean!

[greenred]

Supermarius, I can think of an 80`s Irish squad that includes Pat Jennings,Paul Mcgrath,Dave O`Leary, Mark Lawrenson, Kevin Moran,Mick McCarthy,Denis Irwin,Martin O Neill,Jim  Beglin,Norman Whiteside,Liam Brady, Ronnie Whelan, Ray Houghton,Michael Robinson, Frank Stapleton, John Aldridge......possibly the best collection of footballers in Europe.

[Sean]

Whiteside was a smashing player when he went to Spain at 17 in 1982.  He was a big man and looked alot older.  He liked the physical duels and as a result he took alot of punishment from opposing players.  However, he played alot of football and he gave and took alot of punishment during his teens.  It was no suprise that he was finished by the time he had reached 24.
With a similar build, I wouldn't be suprised if the same happened to Rooney

[Stan Laurel]

Hi Supermarius,

Whats that about an all-ireland team being full of Irish grannies ?  You obviously don't know your Irish football.  Fair enough we've borrowed Aldridge, Houghton, Townsend and a few others down through the years but most of the greatest Northern & Republic players are 100% Irish.  For example,
Brady (Dublin)
Whelan (Dublin)
Roy Keane (Cork.....I live 15 minutes from where he grew up)
Jennings (Down)
Giles (Dublin)
Irwin (Cork)
Best (Belfast)
McGrath (Dublin) etc.etc. etc.
A combined Republic and Northern Ireland team played Brazil in Dublin 1974 in a friendly game.  I think Brazil won 4-3.
I firmly believe politics should not be introduced to a football debate.  However, now that the island of Ireland has left the "troubles" behind, I would love to see an all-Irish team in my lifetime.
Northern Ireland produced a wonderful team in the '80's qualifying for the world cups in '82 and '86.  The republic have done it three times since.  Think of what a combined team could do.
Finally, I reckon the best "english / Irishman" to play for the Republic was Liverpool's Mark Lawrenson.  He would have walked into the England team at the '82 and '86 world cups if he hadn't declared for the republic.  Instead, Ron Greenwood and Bobby Robson were stuck with the likes of Alvin Martin, Terry Fenwick and Russell Osman.

Are you sure Paul McGrath was born in Dublin, I don't think so. Because he was born in Eailing, London. His mother from Ireland.

It is hard to choose which best goalkeepers in Irish squad. Because they did have great Irish goalkeepers are Packie Bonner and Pat Jennings. I never forget what Packie did in World Cup 90, what a brilliant save against Romania in the Penalty Shoot-out!!!

[Sean]

Perhaps McGrath was born in Ealing but grew up in Dublin where was moved from foster home to foster home.
O'Leary was actually born in London too but came home to Ireland as a child.

[Stan Laurel]

I didn't know about Paul McGrath's background, mate but I did know that David O'Leary grew up in Ireland as a kid before went back to London to sign for Arsenal in apprenticeship.

You from Ireland too, I do have families live in near Dublin, mate.

[Sean]

Yeah, I'm from Cork (around 160 miles from Dublin) but manage to travel over to sample the sample the beer and see the reds three times a year.  More than any other city I think Liverpudlians are very like the Irish.....hope you take that as a compliment more than an insult.