Irish Independent 100 Greatest Football Stars Of Today

[muppet]

Dublin have more players in the top 20 than Connacht combined and Cork have only one in the top 25. How does that work?

And how is Gooch ahead of Larry Reilly??

[Redhand Santa]

How does one decide that Philip Jordan is 13 and Ricey is 23??

Interesting list but hard to work out why it's in the order it's in... Cooper no.1 fair enough

Hard to argue with Jordan being ahead of Ricey. Probably doesn't always get the recognition he deserves, one of Tyrone's most important players in recent years.

[mouview]

Where forwards are concerned, any proper manager would have Gooch first, Michael Meehan second, a long way ahead of any others about at present.

[imtommygunn]

10 possible Players missing from the List

Neil Gallagher
Aidan Walsh
Padraig Clancy
Fergal Doherty
Ciaran Hyland
Redmond Barry
John O'Brien
Colm McFadden
Alan Costello
Brian Kavanagh

Colm McFadden must be one of the most inconsistent players about. Brian Kavanagh wouldn't be far off this either.

Alan Costello very young yet as with Aidan Walsh.

Wouldn't agree on Redmond Barry - good footballer but not brilliant.

Don't know who John O'Brien and Ciaran Hyland are though Clancy and Doherty would maybe merit their inclusion.

[laoisgaa]

John O'Brien - Louth and Ciaran Hyland - Wicklow

[Jinxy]

Where forwards are concerned, any proper manager would have Gooch first, Michael Meehan second, a long way ahead of any others about at present.

Ahead of Bernard Brogan?
Don't be silly.

[thewobbler]

That's who has the highest profile. There are great players in weak counties that kids at the other end of the country would never have heard of. For example, what kids in Cork or Kerry were running around pretending to be Barry Owens five years ago?

Surely the stars of the game should have the highest profile?

For my money, Bernard Brogan is the de facto superstar of our game at this time. He doesn't need 5 years of football and 2 All Irelands to take this honour, just the right combination of skills and profile.

[ONeill]

Surely the person who compiles the list is allowed to use his own criteria?

Jordan is ahead of Ricey 100/100. (in my book)

[Maguire01]

That's who has the highest profile. There are great players in weak counties that kids at the other end of the country would never have heard of. For example, what kids in Cork or Kerry were running around pretending to be Barry Owens five years ago?

Surely the stars of the game should have the highest profile?

This list was based on talent, commitment, success, form and longevity, and whatever about the merits of some of those criteria, I don't think 'profile' adds anything of worth.
And if we go on the basis of profile, then the #1 star of our game is arguably Paul Galvin, with every other player miles behind.

[thewobbler]

Mostly right O Neill, but when you're going to entitle it the 'stars if the game', then it should reflect that title and not invove some sort of ageing socialist style methods to avoid offending people.

Using the same criteria in the Premiership would see the likes of Jamie Carragher, Patrick Vieira, and Gary Neville in the top 10.

[ONeill]

Mostly right O Neill, but when you're going to entitle it the 'stars if the game', then it should reflect that title and not invove some sort of ageing socialist style methods to avoid offending people.

Using the same criteria in the Premiership would see the likes of Jamie Carragher, Patrick Vieira, and Gary Neville in the top 10.

Right. My interpretation would be different to yours. I don't subscribe to the modern definition of a 'star', i.e. the flavour of the month.

[Maguire01]

Mostly right O Neill, but when you're going to entitle it the 'stars if the game', then it should reflect that title and not invove some sort of ageing socialist style methods to avoid offending people.

I'm not so sure. If a county player is still going strong 10+ years later, they must be doing something right. I don't think it's about not offending people.

[thewobbler]

O Neill, this isn't a 'modern' thing.

Stars are the box office; the people who put bums on seats, the people who generate column inches, those who can influence by the simple act of doing. This is nothing to with sport, nor the times we live in - it's basic public reach and it extends to all fields in life.

Best players, most important players, they're something different.

[ONeill]

O Neill, this isn't a 'modern' thing.

Stars are the box office; the people who put bums on seats, the people who generate column inches, those who can influence by the simple act of doing. This is nothing to with sport, nor the times we live in - it's basic public reach and it extends to all fields in life.

Best players, most important players, they're something different.

But you have adopted the modern definition as created by the mass media and accepted by the teenagers today, a shorthand for those who sell papers. Christy Ring was a star of 1940s hurling. Now, I've no idea of what column inches he generated or how his actions influenced the 1940s populace. All I know was he was one of the top hurlers of that generation for a variety of reasons, one of which was longevity. The word 'star' may not have been used then.

[The Real Laoislad]

Padraig Clancy

The Laois one? Yer having a laugh he hasn't played well for Laois for a long time