FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[thewobbler]

Roy Keane had a few issues, but one one those was not being limited skill wise.

In always favouring a 15-yard pass to where his teammate was running, over a 70-yard hollywood ball that would require his teammate to slow then take 2 touches, it meant he never would have Steven Gerrard's highlights reel... but it also made him the better (and much more bemedalled) player.

[Ed Ricketts]

Yes, insane to suggest that Roy Keane was anything other than a highly skilled footballer. You don't spend a decade in the engine room of one of Europe's top clubs without outstanding technical ability.

Perhaps the poster means flair rather than skill.

Skill is a necessity, flair is a luxury.

[Jell 0 Biafra]

Do Irish people really make good soccer players. We rarely produce a player at international level standard that can leave a player dead with skill. Liam Brady and Damien Duff are the only two that come to mind, and Georgie Best who was on another level. A Roy Keane was a great player but very limited skill wise. When it comes to nimbleness and skill, as a race we are great at the fiddle, tin whistle, bodhrán, Uileann pipe, guitar, boxing, plastering and the pen. We seem to have been overly blessed with movement in the elbow, fists and fingers, but useless with the feet. Even Irish dancers look very stiff compared to the Latins and the few lads who venture out onto the floorboards and get too ambitious are in danger of tripping over themselves. Our best chance is immigrants adding to our gene pool. We are seeing that in Athletics and the beginnings of that in soccer. There's hope yet.

This is a very, very strange post.

[seafoid]

Do Irish people really make good soccer players. We rarely produce a player at international level standard that can leave a player dead with skill. Liam Brady and Damien Duff are the only two that come to mind, and Georgie Best who was on another level. A Roy Keane was a great player but very limited skill wise. When it comes to nimbleness and skill, as a race we are great at the fiddle, tin whistle, bodhrán, Uileann pipe, guitar, boxing, plastering and the pen. We seem to have been overly blessed with movement in the elbow, fists and fingers, but useless with the feet. Even Irish dancers look very stiff compared to the Latins and the few lads who venture out onto the floorboards and get too ambitious are in danger of tripping over themselves. Our best chance is immigrants adding to our gene pool. We are seeing that in Athletics and the beginnings of that in soccer. There's hope yet.

Soccer is globalised. We do better in sports that are not globalised like rugby and GAA. In athletics and rowing we wait for generational talents .

We don't have a development system and we don't have a league of an appropriate standard for soccer.

It is not a priority. 

[NAG1]

Do Irish people really make good soccer players. We rarely produce a player at international level standard that can leave a player dead with skill. Liam Brady and Damien Duff are the only two that come to mind, and Georgie Best who was on another level. A Roy Keane was a great player but very limited skill wise. When it comes to nimbleness and skill, as a race we are great at the fiddle, tin whistle, bodhrán, Uileann pipe, guitar, boxing, plastering and the pen. We seem to have been overly blessed with movement in the elbow, fists and fingers, but useless with the feet. Even Irish dancers look very stiff compared to the Latins and the few lads who venture out onto the floorboards and get too ambitious are in danger of tripping over themselves. Our best chance is immigrants adding to our gene pool. We are seeing that in Athletics and the beginnings of that in soccer. There's hope yet.

Soccer is globalised. We do better in sports that are not globalised like rugby and GAA. In athletics and rowing we wait for generational talents .

We don't have a development system and we don't have a league of an appropriate standard for soccer.

It is not a priority. 

What a weird post, take a look at some of the great Dublin/ Kerry recent footballers especially the attackers. All have the ability to shoot accurately on the move with both feet, I think this sometimes get overlooked when it is actually an incredibly difficult skill.

Take a look at the premier league stars that are lauded who point blank refuse to shoot with their 'weaker' foot.

There is no lack of skill or flair in this country.

[Aaron Boone]

Do Irish people really make good soccer players. We rarely produce a player at international level standard that can leave a player dead with skill. Liam Brady and Damien Duff are the only two that come to mind, and Georgie Best who was on another level. A Roy Keane was a great player but very limited skill wise. When it comes to nimbleness and skill, as a race we are great at the fiddle, tin whistle, bodhrán, Uileann pipe, guitar, boxing, plastering and the pen. We seem to have been overly blessed with movement in the elbow, fists and fingers, but useless with the feet. Even Irish dancers look very stiff compared to the Latins and the few lads who venture out onto the floorboards and get too ambitious are in danger of tripping over themselves. Our best chance is immigrants adding to our gene pool. We are seeing that in Athletics and the beginnings of that in soccer. There's hope yet.

Soccer is globalised. We do better in sports that are not globalised like rugby and GAA. In athletics and rowing we wait for generational talents .

We don't have a development system and we don't have a league of an appropriate standard for soccer.

It is not a priority. 

What a weird post, take a look at some of the great Dublin/ Kerry recent footballers especially the attackers. All have the ability to shoot accurately on the move with both feet, I think this sometimes get overlooked when it is actually an incredibly difficult skill.

Take a look at the premier league stars that are lauded who point blank refuse to shoot with their 'weaker' foot.

There is no lack of skill or flair in this country.

+ Tyrone also.

[WT4E]

Had GAA not been invented soccer probably would have had a better time - maybe something like a Uruguay stature. Regular qualification and long runs in tournaments?

[Joeythelips]

Do Irish people really make good soccer players. We rarely produce a player at international level standard that can leave a player dead with skill. Liam Brady and Damien Duff are the only two that come to mind, and Georgie Best who was on another level. A Roy Keane was a great player but very limited skill wise. When it comes to nimbleness and skill, as a race we are great at the fiddle, tin whistle, bodhrán, Uileann pipe, guitar, boxing, plastering and the pen. We seem to have been overly blessed with movement in the elbow, fists and fingers, but useless with the feet. Even Irish dancers look very stiff compared to the Latins and the few lads who venture out onto the floorboards and get too ambitious are in danger of tripping over themselves. Our best chance is immigrants adding to our gene pool. We are seeing that in Athletics and the beginnings of that in soccer. There's hope yet.

Roy Keane may not have done many step overs but he was one of the all time great PL footballers, you don't get to that level without being extremely skillful.

[Itchy]

Do Irish people really make good soccer players. We rarely produce a player at international level standard that can leave a player dead with skill. Liam Brady and Damien Duff are the only two that come to mind, and Georgie Best who was on another level. A Roy Keane was a great player but very limited skill wise. When it comes to nimbleness and skill, as a race we are great at the fiddle, tin whistle, bodhrán, Uileann pipe, guitar, boxing, plastering and the pen. We seem to have been overly blessed with movement in the elbow, fists and fingers, but useless with the feet. Even Irish dancers look very stiff compared to the Latins and the few lads who venture out onto the floorboards and get too ambitious are in danger of tripping over themselves. Our best chance is immigrants adding to our gene pool. We are seeing that in Athletics and the beginnings of that in soccer. There's hope yet.

I think you are totally understating Roy Keane. He was not just a stopper. He rarely gave the ball away and he rarely went backwards. He was an truly outstanding world class player. We also have produced brilliant players like Paul McGrath, Liam Brady, John Giles - all world class. There is nothing in our DNA that prevents us doing so again. However, I would have serious concerns about how our children are being coached in LOI academies. It is robotic stuff and is taking flair and ingenuity out of young players. They are trying to copy the Barcelonas and real madrids of this world but they are not recognising our kids and there kids are coming from different backgrounds.

[imtommygunn]

People sometimes seem to describe / remember Roy Keane as Neil Lennon. Keane could hold his own with anyone - phenomenal player skill wise and otherwise.

[weareros]

Yes, insane to suggest that Roy Keane was anything other than a highly skilled footballer. You don't spend a decade in the engine room of one of Europe's top clubs without outstanding technical ability.

Perhaps the poster means flair rather than skill.

Skill is a necessity, flair is a luxury.

I thought I was clear that I meant the type of footwork that is very unusual in an Irish footballer save for Best or Brady. Giles was a brilliant footballer, so was Keane, so was Whelan, so was McGrath. But had any of them the type of skills of a Dragan Stojković. That was more than flair. Doesn't seem to come naturally to Irish players. Keane didn't have that level of class nor Giles, Whelan, etc. Of course, had other great qualities.


https://youtu.be/Is-wcs6zM8I?si=6-luYVNDf-q0qg4_

[johnnycool]

Do Irish people really make good soccer players. We rarely produce a player at international level standard that can leave a player dead with skill. Liam Brady and Damien Duff are the only two that come to mind, and Georgie Best who was on another level. A Roy Keane was a great player but very limited skill wise. When it comes to nimbleness and skill, as a race we are great at the fiddle, tin whistle, bodhrán, Uileann pipe, guitar, boxing, plastering and the pen. We seem to have been overly blessed with movement in the elbow, fists and fingers, but useless with the feet. Even Irish dancers look very stiff compared to the Latins and the few lads who venture out onto the floorboards and get too ambitious are in danger of tripping over themselves. Our best chance is immigrants adding to our gene pool. We are seeing that in Athletics and the beginnings of that in soccer. There's hope yet.

Soccer is globalised. We do better in sports that are not globalised like rugby and GAA. In athletics and rowing we wait for generational talents .

We don't have a development system and we don't have a league of an appropriate standard for soccer.

It is not a priority. 

What a weird post, take a look at some of the great Dublin/ Kerry recent footballers especially the attackers. All have the ability to shoot accurately on the move with both feet, I think this sometimes get overlooked when it is actually an incredibly difficult skill.

Take a look at the premier league stars that are lauded who point blank refuse to shoot with their 'weaker' foot.

There is no lack of skill or flair in this country.

This takes me to the absolute cleaners... Lads payed 10's of thousands of pounds a week and aren't confident enough to pass or shoot on their supposed weaker foot.
What have they been coached in a professional environment to do FFS.

[imtommygunn]

or get over the first defender at corners.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Yes, insane to suggest that Roy Keane was anything other than a highly skilled footballer. You don't spend a decade in the engine room of one of Europe's top clubs without outstanding technical ability.

Perhaps the poster means flair rather than skill.

Skill is a necessity, flair is a luxury.

I thought I was clear that I meant the type of footwork that is very unusual in an Irish footballer save for Best or Brady. Giles was a brilliant footballer, so was Keane, so was Whelan, so was McGrath. But had any of them the type of skills of a Dragan Stojković. That was more than flair. Doesn't seem to come naturally to Irish players. Keane didn't have that level of class nor Giles, Whelan, etc. Of course, had other great qualities.


https://youtu.be/Is-wcs6zM8I?si=6-luYVNDf-q0qg4_

Be careful of those youtube highlights reels. Lee trundle has a load of them. You watch them and think he is better than Messi yet spent most of his career in the lower leagues

[seafoid]

GAA is a good framework in which to analyse Irish soccer. Some GAA teams have very long cycles.  Antrim hurlers reach the all Ireland final once every 60 years. Leitrim footballers win Connacht once every 50 years. Irish soccer is on a similar cycle.