Top 20 Forwards of All Time?

Started by Owen Brannigan, April 05, 2017, 08:32:46 PM

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DennistheMenace

Quote from: No1 on April 07, 2017, 05:07:51 PM
"Coulter was efficient"   ::)

Biased as I am, Benny Coulter was much more than efficient.  He was majestic and for a very long time was the only reason I paid money to watch the county footballers.  Even at the International Rules nonsense he was a class apart.  Any top 20 list without him is a load of shite, in my opinion of course!!

Biased as you are and you wouldn't have too many neutrals agreeing but hey ho. Very good player nonetheless.

JimStynes

If Benny had played on any of those tops teams during his era we would be talking about him being one of the all time greats. Unbelievable footballer.

Muck Savage

There are many ways to classify the best forwards and obviously everyone will be biased towards their own and some will be dependent on how many years you have been watching the game.
For me the best forward I saw was Matt Connor. Everything was done at ease and looked so simple. Scoring 2-9 against the greatest Kerry team in its prime was a remarkable achievement.
Best play-maker I saw was Trevor Giles, again, everything so effortless. Brilliant at finding space and then delivering pin-point passes.
Maurice Fitz was an exceptional footballer also and could score from everywhere.
Peter Canavan carried a Tyrone team on his shoulders in a number of games, he always seemed to be half a yard ahead of the defenders.
I have always wondered how good players like Mike Sheehy, Pat Spilane and others from the Kerry teams would have done in weaker teams. Similarly how would Declan Browne, Kevin O'Brien have done in a good team.

The Stallion

Benny Coulter wasn't even in the top 3 forwards of his era in Ulster never mind top 20 of all time in Ireland.

McDonnell, O'Neill, the Bradley brothers were all definitely better.

Jinxy

Matt Connor is exceptional also in that he is one of very few players you could take from that era and plug straight into a modern team and he'd be good to go.
Big, strong, fast, agile etc.
Not a scrap of fat on him either.
If you were any use you'd be playing.

blanketattack

Quote from: Owen Brannigan on April 05, 2017, 08:32:46 PM
Breheny in the Indo has thrown out this list in trying to put Colm Cooper in the context of the best forwards.........




1 MIKEY SHEEHY (Kerry)
2 PETER CANAVAN (Tyrone)
3 PAT SPILLANE (Kerry)
4 MATT CONNOR (Offaly)
5 COLM COOPER (Kerry)
6 SEAN O'NEILL (Down)
7 MAURICE FITZGERALD (Kerry)
8 LARRY TOMPKINS (Kildare & Cork)
9 JIMMY KEAVENEY (Dublin)
10 COLM O'ROURKE (Meath)
11 PADRAIC JOYCE (Galway)
12 Eoin 'BOMBER' LISTON (Kerry)
13 BERNARD BROGAN (Dublin)
14 JOHN EGAN (Kerry)
15 BARNEY ROCK (Dublin)
16 MICHAEL MURPHY (Donegal)
17 TREVOR GILES (Meath)
18 MARTIN McHUGH (Donegal)
19. MICKEY KEARINS (Sligo)
20 GREG BLANEY (Down)

Only one forward from the first 85 years of the GAA and 19 from the next 40.
Surely some from Sean Purcell, Mick Higgins, Jim McKeever, Mick O'Dwyer would be deserving of a spot.
Also think Declan O'Sullivan was vastly underated.

The Stallion

If you include players you haven't really seen enough of to judge it becomes a bit farcical to be fair.

J70

Quote from: Rudi on April 06, 2017, 11:19:13 AM
Martin Mchugh me hole.

Why, because you don't rate him as a footballer or a pundit?

Rudi

Quote from: J70 on April 07, 2017, 11:34:33 PM
Quote from: Rudi on April 06, 2017, 11:19:13 AM
Martin Mchugh me hole.

Why, because you don't rate him as a footballer or a pundit?
[/quote

I don't rate him as a pundit or manager. He was a decent footballer but well outside the top 200 players ever. His son Ryan is a massive talent imo. Watched him at club level, he was playing centre back, never seen a guy who could play that role as well as he could.

tonto1888

Outside my own county the best I've seen were probably Fitzmaurice, Joyce and Canavan. Maybe O'Neill and Cooper. Not counting anyone still currently playing

J70

#70
Quote from: Rudi on April 08, 2017, 12:14:09 AM
Quote from: J70 on April 07, 2017, 11:34:33 PM
Quote from: Rudi on April 06, 2017, 11:19:13 AM
Martin Mchugh me hole.

Why, because you don't rate him as a footballer or a pundit?

I don't rate him as a pundit or manager. He was a decent footballer but well outside the top 200 players ever. His son Ryan is a massive talent imo. Watched him at club level, he was playing centre back, never seen a guy who could play that role as well as he could.

McHugh, pending the completion of Ryan and Murphy's careers, is by broad consensus, the best player to wear the Donegal shirt. The man was a genius who could create space in a phone box, score off either foot with deadly accuracy, and direct the attack. It would be interesting to hear your arguments for why he wouldn't rate anywhere near the best 200 footballers ever or who the 200+ men are who were better.
Don't see how you can't rate him as a manager- he's been fairly successful in the posts he's had. Cavan were happy with what he brought, as were Sligo IT. Almost brought Kildare to their first county title in 25 years last year too.

Wildweasel74

I would have seen Tony Boyle has a better player than McHugh, maybe had not the passing ability of McHugh but if I was playing against either, Boyle would be my bigger concern, Boyle to me could have been even better, I think he didn't reach the vast potential he was capable of.

The Stallion

Mchugh was a decent player but nothing more.

J70

Quote from: Wildweasel74 on April 08, 2017, 12:36:22 PM
I would have seen Tony Boyle has a better player than McHugh, maybe had not the passing ability of McHugh but if I was playing against either, Boyle would be my bigger concern, Boyle to me could have been even better, I think he didn't reach the vast potential he was capable of.

Boyle was a different player. Traditional powerful full forward, fast, could win ball and score. Did not have the ridiculous skill of McHugh though. I wouldn't be too harsh on Tony though. Donegal didn't have a great team for much of his prime, while he had a lot of injury problems after 92.

mayoaremagic

Quote from: Jinxy on April 05, 2017, 08:37:08 PM
I would remove the following:
Keaveney
Liston
Rock
Murphy
McHugh
Kearins

No Stephen O'Neill,Declan Browne,Paddy Bradley