TG4 - Best Footballer: 1984-2009

[Donnellys Hollow]

Two people voted for Ciaran Whelan. 

Gnevin & Tankie

[longrunsthefox]

Here goes...
I honestly believe that Maurice Fitz was greatly over rated. He may be the most naturally talented footballer ihave ever seen but definately not the best. There is a huge difference. Indeed i would rate Moynihan and Dara O Se as better footballers. Neither would possess the god given talent of Fitzgerald but i wiuld rather have either of them in my team.
Ready for the backlash from the purists

Are you serious? If anything Fitzgerald was hugely underrated. He had to spend half his Kerry career out around midfield because Kerry were in transition in the early nineties. He's easily the best on this list IMO. Canavan, great player and all that he was, doesn't come close.

It is just unfortunate that he was born either ten years too early, or ten years too late. Had he been playing on the Kerry team of the late 70s/early 80s or the Kerry team of today, he'd have a similar standing to Ring in hurling.

Absolutly and Frank McGuigan would be legend throughout Ireland not just Tyrone had he been on the recent teams

[BallyhaiseMan]

Peter Canavan,
for me an absolute footballing genius.

Anthony Tohill a close number 2 as in my opinion the best midfielder of all time.

[saffron sam2]

What is entirely unsurprising, yet still most disappointing, about this thread is the inability of many to see beyond the narrow parochial boundaries that cause us all to pre-judge. Always try, as I do, to adopt the position of a neutral. That will help prevent you posting some of the muck that it has been my misfortune to read on this thread.

Stuff like this:

2001 team had too many weak links and the lads who played on the minor teams of 97-98 were that year or 2 young.

So Mick O'Dwyer didn't win an All-Ireland with an equally young team in 1975 - that is a myth?

Besides the Tyrone team of 2001 had already comfortably beaten Derry in that year's Championship. The same Derry team would put Galway to the pin of their collars in cliche land of the 2001 semi-final. The same Galway team who destroyed Meath in the All-Ireland final of 2001. Had Canavan not been sent off, Tyrone would have seen off Derry and I would have put my money on them beating Galway. Maybe not 100% convinced they would have beaten Meath such is the forelock-tugging reverence the Bushmen reserve for the Royal county.

The youngsters on the Tyrone team in 2001 needed Canavan to help them over the line, just as the did in '03 and '05 when they were that year or two older.

Or this

Maybe the wee man needed those flaws in order to save his remaining teeth.

Maybe the wee man saw Johnny McBride coming at him with a big pair of pliers. Something no else saw. Surely a man without the disciplinary flaws would simply have laughed at McBride's windup efforts or called him a Littlebridge clown. Or something like that.

Do you think Peter costs you Sam in '01?


But particularly this

All irelands: 2 each
National League medals: Canavan 2; Fitz:
All stars:
Player of the year awards:
International rules appearances:
Career length:
Points / goals scored in chamnpionship:

You can't compare like this, but if you like off we go.

Two All-Irelands each, Paidi, Jacko, Spillane and Mikey Sheehy had three each (from the '84 - present period) by the time '86 was finished. Dooher has three, so does Ciaran Gourley and Collie Homes yet none are on this list. (Would have no qualms with Dooher on it btw.)

League titles, are you seriously suggesting league titles are a measure of greatness? At least you had the good grace not to mention Vocational schools and under 21 titles.

All stars, are you mad? I refer you back to 2005, when Tyrone's best ever footballer Frank McGuigan auctioned off his All Star in protest at Canavan getting one. Sort of. The All-Star system is not taken seriously by anyone who takes Gaelic games seriously. 

International appearances? You are bringing in a totally different game and hence this is totally irrelevant.

Scores - may be some validity there. I'll give you that one.

When did the three of you pose for this picture?

[passedit]

mcgrane and o'hara (the latter in particular) "glaring ommissions"?? i disagree completely, whilst good footballers don't get me wrong. nowhere near the best in the last 25 years. i agree with the rest of your post with the exception of the complete dismissal of graham canty and cooper?? what difference does it make how many kerrymen in particular are on the list. would that mean stephen o'neill and cavanagh should not be there because canavan is also on the list?

Anyway its Maurice FitzGerald for me

Canty completely beaten by a mullocker in this year's final, gooch is behind his contemporaries, the O Se's,Galvin and donaghy in his importance to the team and that's too many to be considered for this list. Gormley has been a standout in different positions on one of the best teams ever. More important to tymoan than Moynihan was to Kerry ( and better able for Clarke than him).

Fitzgerald is in a straight fight with O Neill for the most naturally gifted on the list but there's more to being the best footballer than that. The ability to carry a team rests only with Tompkins,Canavan, Tohill and Cavanagh. Tompkins gets it for me as he had the heaviest load to carry.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

All stars, are you mad? I refer you back to 2005, when Tyrone's best ever footballer Frank McGuigan auctioned off his All Star in protest at Canavan getting one.

Mc Guigan's protest was entirely about Brian not getting one, and not about Canavan getting one. The general consensus was that Canavan secured one at Mc Guigan's expense, yes, but Frank's beef was about the specific absence, not about a presence.

[ONeill]

Ah come on, Tyrone didn't comfortably defeat Derry in 2001. Something like 3-7 to 0-14. McConnell saved a point-blank chance in the last minute to win it. They even struggled in the Ulster final v Cavan.

[Donnellys Hollow]

mcgrane and o'hara (the latter in particular) "glaring ommissions"?? i disagree completely, whilst good footballers don't get me wrong. nowhere near the best in the last 25 years. i agree with the rest of your post with the exception of the complete dismissal of graham canty and cooper?? what difference does it make how many kerrymen in particular are on the list. would that mean stephen o'neill and cavanagh should not be there because canavan is also on the list?

Anyway its Maurice FitzGerald for me

Canty completely beaten by a mullocker in this year's final, gooch is behind his contemporaries, the O Se's,Galvin and donaghy in his importance to the team and that's too many to be considered for this list. Gormley has been a standout in different positions on one of the best teams ever. More important to tymoan than Moynihan was to Kerry ( and better able for Clarke than him).

Fitzgerald is in a straight fight with O Neill for the most naturally gifted on the list but there's more to being the best footballer than that. The ability to carry a team rests only with Tompkins, Canavan, Tohill and Cavanagh. Tompkins gets it for me as he had the heaviest load to carry.

He wasn't willing to carry it with Kildare! 

[passedit]

mcgrane and o'hara (the latter in particular) "glaring ommissions"?? i disagree completely, whilst good footballers don't get me wrong. nowhere near the best in the last 25 years. i agree with the rest of your post with the exception of the complete dismissal of graham canty and cooper?? what difference does it make how many kerrymen in particular are on the list. would that mean stephen o'neill and cavanagh should not be there because canavan is also on the list?

Anyway its Maurice FitzGerald for me

Canty completely beaten by a mullocker in this year's final, gooch is behind his contemporaries, the O Se's,Galvin and donaghy in his importance to the team and that's too many to be considered for this list. Gormley has been a standout in different positions on one of the best teams ever. More important to tymoan than Moynihan was to Kerry ( and better able for Clarke than him).

Fitzgerald is in a straight fight with O Neill for the most naturally gifted on the list but there's more to being the best footballer than that. The ability to carry a team rests only with Tompkins, Canavan, Tohill and Cavanagh. Tompkins gets it for me as he had the heaviest load to carry.

He wasn't willing to carry it with Kildare! 

Well ye seemed to have learned yer lesson about opening the purse strings since. 

[Donnellys Hollow]

 

Tompkins and Fahy were the missing pieces of the jigsaw during the early 90s.

There was such a rich irony to Brian Murphy scoring the goal against Meath in 1998. As long as Cork don't come looking for a few new Lilywhites to win the All-Ireland again!

[blanketattack]

TG4 - Best Footballer: 1984-2009

Jack O'Shea (Kerry)Wrong era



*best days behind them in 84

Jack O'Shea's best years behind him in '84 at the age of the 26??? IMO his peak years were when he was 26-29, winning Player of the year twice and was probably runner up another year, also winning 3 All-Irelands.
Probably not the best player over the last 25 years but it's wrong to say his best years were behind him in '84.

[Highlander3]

Canavan best i ever saw,

think Blaney should be on the list, and can't believe McGuigan is being compared to him

For length of playing at the top i do think what Linden did was amazing

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

4 of the top 5 are from Ulster. Think that puts the nail int he coffin of an unbiased vote!

[Donnellys Hollow]

Shefflin and O'Shea are fans' favourites

Two greats of the GAA. Kilkenny's Henry Shefflin and Kerry's Jack O'Shea
02 November 2009

Kilkenny's Henry Shefflin and Kerry legend Jack O'Shea were yesterday named as TG4 viewers' favourite hurler and footballer of the last 25 years.

To celebrate the GAA's 125th anniversary, the Irish language station asked viewers to vote for their favourite hurler and footballer of the past quarter of a century. Over 104,000 viewers voted, with Shefflin voted the best hurler. Fellow county man DJ Carey came second with Tipperary's Nicky English third.

Kerry's Jack O'Shea was voted best footballer, followed in second place by Tyrone's Peter Canavan and Kerry midfielder Darragh O Se in third place.

http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=119893


No Maurice Fitz in the top 3? 

Well deserved by Jacko all the same. I only caught the tail end of his career but he was clearly an incredible footballer and athlete. I was priveleged to be at the last game he ever played - Leixlip v Clane in the Kildare County League Final 21/12/1997!

[tyssam5]

For the older boffins comparing Canavan and Maurice Fitz was like comparing Kevin Keegan and George Best. Keegan worked far harder and had a longer career and won far more awards and medals but Best was pure magic when he did play, a natural genius who didn't win as much and hadn't the same drive and dedication.
If I had to choose who I could go and watch... wud be Fitz and Best any day.

Not sure about that, did I not read about Fitz deciding to get serious with a weights program that including training on Christmas day?

But I see your point about Wee Peter, his genius was absolutely matched by desire to win, workrate, hardiness etc. Also a far better head of hair than Kevin Keegan and will no doubt prove to be a better manager!