Top 10 Forwards since 1977 - Survey Results

[Syferus]

My question is how has Connolly performed away from a home venue of Croke Park in the Championship? How does he play in away League semi finals and League finals. Does he find the travelling difficult and staying in Hotels during the Championship. How does he manage to get time off work to get to training? How does he always manage to overturn red cards? How many more times will he say that, that will be the last rush of blood? How many more times does he expect to get a free run in a game? How many times do the Dublin media expect him to get a free run in a game? How many solicitors does he have? How many shrinks does he have? How many times will he be the victim? How many times will he not live up to the hype? How many more people will come on here and say he is the best of his generation? How much longer can I listen to this?

+1

He's a lovely footballer but the bandwagon he seems to have got behind him only because he's from Dublin and his disaplinary record and performances in numerous big games are what make the efforts to elevate him into the best player of a generation a bit daft.

Give me a prime Paul Flynn if I need a square-to-square HF that can do everything, and Bernard Brogan if I need a forward to nail a score with two lads hanging out of him with the game on the line. Brogan gets plenty of love but he deserves more than Connolly gets at least.

[ONeill]

What kind of standard is that? I think that's a ridiculous question. Teams are now set up to take the best players out of the game. Gifted footballers are now more about working hard for the team than displaying wonderful scoring performances. Connolly has been one of the most effective players in Ireland for over 10 years. He is the most complete footballer in Ireland by some distance, it isn't even close IMO.

Since when has a MOM performance in major game become the mark of a truly great player? Connolly has been a great player for Dublin and delivered in many big games. If some people can't see that then you'd have to wonder what they are looking at.

Since forever.

Agreed. Kevin Hughes is a truly great player.

[Beffs]

While one might criticize Connolly for not scoring enough, if you look again at the last 10-15 minutes of the 2011 final, Dublin don't win that without his contribution.

Yeah, but that was 6 years ago and he wasn't the marked man then, that he is now. Point me towards a knock out game, that the Dubs won in the past 2 or 3 years, where he was the most important or influential player on the pitch.

National League final showed what happened when his influence was removed from the game and Kerry were able to put Dublin under enough pressure to win.

There have been plenty of games where he was on the pitch and, other Dubs got the over the line, far more than Connolly did....Brogan, McMannamon, MDMA, McMahon, just to name a few. Heck, it was a skinny bench warmer that won them the AI title last year, the one that Connolly's ego pissed away 2 weeks before. Connolly is an exceptionally gifted player, physically. Maybe, he is the most naurally talented player to ever don a Dublin jersey. But what goes on between his ears, will prevent him from being up there with the all time greats imo.

[Zulu]

What kind of standard is that? I think that's a ridiculous question. Teams are now set up to take the best players out of the game. Gifted footballers are now more about working hard for the team than displaying wonderful scoring performances. Connolly has been one of the most effective players in Ireland for over 10 years. He is the most complete footballer in Ireland by some distance, it isn't even close IMO.

Since when has a MOM performance in major game become the mark of a truly great player? Connolly has been a great player for Dublin and delivered in many big games. If some people can't see that then you'd have to wonder what they are looking at.

Since forever.

Really, so one MOM performance in a major game marks you out as a great player while repeatedly performing does not?

[Wildweasel74]

I thought Connolly was a really good player, maybe not great, but the total roasting he got from the slaughtneil man in the club championship this year changed my mind, he got totally destroyed

[Zulu]

Just to be clear, any player that is considered by some as great is definitely not great if he has a bad game in a club championship while being marked by another notable IC player?

I seem to be working off a different criteria to some others so can I just get this clear, to be a great player you must:

1. Never, ever, ever, play poorly in a club game, no matter who is marking you or how your teammates are playing?

2. You must have a MOM performance (I presume only the Sunday Game one counts) in a recent AND winning game?

3. A MOM in an AI club final doesn't count or a MOM in an AI semi final that you lose doesn't count either?

4. Having a disciplinary problem rules you out but Lee Keegan, sent off in an AI semi final and black carded in an AI final in the past 3 years, can still be regarded as the best player in Ireland?

[Wildweasel74]

How many great forwards do you know who let the man marking him from defence; score 4pts off him! I literally can only think of 1

[The Stallion]

If a defender scores a point it should be of no concern to the forward. Forwards should only be concerned about scoring.

[Zulu]

How many great forwards do you know who let the man marking him from defence; score 4pts off him! I literally can only think of 1

Again, that surely doesn't matter. If he was a great player before that game then that game changes nothing. The game has also changed remarkably. A half back is more likely to score more than a full forward these days.

[seafoid]

How many great forwards do you know who let the man marking him from defence; score 4pts off him! I literally can only think of 1

Again, that surely doesn't matter. If he was a great player before that game then that game changes nothing. The game has also changed remarkably. A half back is more likely to score more than a full forward these days.

That is so true,Zulu. And I don't think anyone planned it to be so.
The Dubs only scored 5 points from play in the drawn final last year.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_rugby_league_and_rugby_union
The laws of rugby league football have been gradually changed with the aim of creating a faster,[16] more entertaining and spectator-friendly sport.[17] Player numbers were reduced to thirteen a side, creating more space for attacking play, and rucks and mauls were replaced with a play-the-ball restart.[1

[Syferus]

How many great forwards do you know who let the man marking him from defence; score 4pts off him! I literally can only think of 1

Again, that surely doesn't matter. If he was a great player before that game then that game changes nothing. The game has also changed remarkably. A half back is more likely to score more than a full forward these days.

Jesus.

[Zulu]

I'm not surprised you don't understand the point being made.

[Syferus]

I'm not surprised you don't understand the point being made.

No one does.

[Dire Ear]

I'm not surprised you don't understand the point being made.

Correct

[Zulu]

I'm not surprised you don't understand the point being made.

No one does.

Ah Syferus, don't lump the rest in with you. The majority here know something about football.