Best Footballer of Last 25 Years

aaronboyse

I want to know who is the best footballer (GAA) of the last 25 Years.

I think its Mattie Forde (Wexford).

duchalla

Maurice Fitzgerald (Kerry), others worth a mention Peter Cavanan (Tyrone), Darragh O Se (Kerry), Colm Cooper (Kerry). I dont think Mattie Forde is in the same league as any of these 4. And yes, I am from Kerry!

lala88

aaronboyse wrote: »

I want to know who is the best footballer (GAA) of the last 25 Years.

I think its Mattie Forde (Wexford).

I wonder where your from?

Uncle Mclovin

Mattie Forde? Are you actually serious?


I'd say its between Darragh and Tomas, Cooper and Maurice Fitz. Oh and Seamus Moynihan. I'd probably throw in Peter Canavan aswel just to show I'm not too biased.

The best would be Cooper for me because he's the one I've seen most of.

Hammer Archer

Never in a million years will you get consensus on this, but for what it's worth, I think Declan Browne is up there with any of the big names already mentioned. He really was a truly outstanding player.

aaronboyse

What about Galway and Dublin Footballers...

splashthecash

Breaking it out a bit - heres where my votes would be

Goalkeep: Stephen Cluxton
Back: Glen Ryan
Midfield: Dermot Early
Forward: Colm Cooper

aaronboyse

What about Bill Kelly from Wexford who won an All Ireland and a couple of Railway Cups...

aidan24326

aaronboyse wrote: »

What about Bill Kelly from Wexford who won an All Ireland and a couple of Railway Cups...

Yeah Bill Kelly is a name that really springs to mind alright :rolleyes:

Over the last 25 years would mean we're going back to the late 80s.

I'd say in that period of time Colm Cooper is probably the best I've seen. In fact I'd say he's the most gifted footballer I've seen full stop.

Cooper aside, I think Anthony Tohill, Peter Canavan and Declan Browne warrant a mention at the very least.

In terms of pure genius ability Browne was probably the equal of Cooper. Unfortunately we didn't see enough of him to compare or to know just how good he really was or could have been (his performance in Croke Park against Donegal is still probably the best individual performance I've ever seen) At his best he was totally unmarkable.

Diabhal Beag

I'm sure bias has a lot to do with it but all in all Padraic Joyce is IMO the best footballer maybe ever nevermind the last 25 years.

Two All-Irelands for Galway
6 Connacht Titles
4 County Titles IIRC
Captain of the International Rules team when it wasn't meaningless
But more importantly a man who didn't piss off when we are at our lowest point. It would have been very easy to retire but he didn't and still shows signs of his greatness. Nice guy too.

The_Kew_Tour

Maurice Fitzgerald and Colin Cooper and im from Cork.

You will never win with this debate.

From Cork Tompkins and Canty get mention.

Starie1975

Colin Cooper first and Joyce a close second.

keane2097

PJ Banville.

aidan24326

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

I'm sure bias has a lot to do with it but all in all Padraic Joyce is IMO the best footballer maybe ever nevermind the last 25 years.

Two All-Irelands for Galway
6 Connacht Titles
4 County Titles IIRC
Captain of the International Rules team when it wasn't meaningless
But more importantly a man who didn't piss off when we are at our lowest point. It would have been very easy to retire but he didn't and still shows signs of his greatness. Nice guy too.

Joyce is for me the best Galway footballer of my lifetime (and my memory of Galway teams goes back to the 83 debacle) Probably the best we've ever had really. I can't imagine Sean Purcell was that much better.

Over the last 25 years he's as good as there has been, no doubt about it. What sets him apart is that not only is he a gifted footballer but he's a leader aswell. Always stood up when he was needed, and dug us out of many a hole. A worthy candidate for sure.

Fireball07

Maurice Fitzgerald and Colm Cooper



And a shout out to John Galvin who has consistently been one of the top midfielders in the country for the last 10 years.

Lizzybet

Maurice Fitzgerald
Peter Canavan
Johnny Doyle of Kildare


If I had to pick one, Johnny Doyle

Tombo2000

Gooch and canavan.

I'd probably give Gooch the number one.

Maurice Fitz obviosuly deserves special mention, but he didnt achieve enough in my view to be considered the number one. He is the most elegant player but not the best.

Of counties that have not won an all Ireland in that time, Kildare's John Doyle IMO.

Lizzybet

Tombo2000 wrote: »

Gooch and canavan.

I'd probably give Gooch the number one.

Maurice Fitz obviosuly deserves special mention, but he didnt achieve enough in my view to be considered the number one. He is the most elegant player but not the best.

Of counties that have not won an all Ireland in that time, Kildare's John Doyle IMO.

Great minds and all that.
Can't help but think a person who agrees with you has great taste

Seamu$

aaronboyse wrote: »

I want to know who is the best footballer (GAA) of the last 25 Years.

I think its Mattie Forde (Wexford).

You're unlikely to get consensus on this Aaron, but I'd probably go for Cooper from a list of Cooper, Moynihan, Maurice Fitz, Darragh & Tomas O'Se, Canavan, Cavanagh, Tompkins, O'Rourke, McConville, Joyce, Browne. Obviously there are others you could consider and there have been plenty of good footballers, but if you're picking the very best from the entire length of time there are realistically only 6 or 7 that would have a shout. Difficult to assess really good players in weak teams that didn't have much success also.

MfMan

On all that I've seen I must admit that Cooper has done more great things than any other player I've seen in my time. PJ probably the best Galway footballer of his era. Michael Donnellan, I would say without question, the most physically gifted player of this era - when he was good, which sadly wasn't too often, he was unplayable.

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

aaronboyse wrote: »

What about Galway and Dublin Footballers...

padraig joyce, michael donnellan. Amazing in their prime. (from a roscommon man!)

Utopia Parkway

MfMan wrote: »

On all that I've seen I must admit that Cooper has done more great things than any other player I've seen in my time. PJ probably the best Galway footballer of his era. Michael Donnellan, I would say without question, the most physically gifted player of this era - when he was good, which sadly wasn't too often, he was unplayable.

Michael Donnellan is probably worth a mention as for the few years he was at the top of his game he was as good a footballer as I've ever seen. Had absolutely everything, could kick scores from anywhere, lightning pace, unbelievable engine and was a tremendous athlete that seemed to cover every blade of grass on the field. One of the few players who when he got the ball you could feel the crowd rise up off their seats in anticipation (if they had seats).

Only thing holding Donnellan back from being included in conversations like this is he had a relatively short career at the top due to persistent injuries. He was supremely brilliant between 98-01 and even in 02 and 03 he was still very good (I remember his scoring a fantastic solo goal against Kerry in 02 at Croke Park). By 04 you felt his intercounty career was winding down but he still produced a brilliant display against Kerry in the National League final that year when he scored 1-4 from play. Won an All-Ireland club final in 2006 with Salthill and he was the best player on the pitch that day but you could tell that the injuries had slowed him down considerably.

lala88

keane2097 wrote: »

PJ Banville.

Not Vinne Murphy?

keane2097

lala88 wrote: »

Not Vinne Murphy?

Good to see you acting your age kid

JFlah

As a proud Kerryman the most naturally gifted player i,ve seen in the past 25 years is definitely Maurice Fitz , some of the things he,s done in club matches are simply beyond belief , pretty close is the Gooch but in my humble opinion the best of all through a combination of talent and effectivness was Seamus Moynihan unreal player , it,s a question with no answer though as it,s purely an individual choice I think we have been blessed in the past 1/4 century to have seen some superb players the 3 i mention above the o se,s M mcCarthy D o Sullivan and any number of kerry players tompkins canty joe kavanagh from cork Joyce Donnelan ja fallon a couple of meehans SO de Paor 5 or 6 from tyrone the same from armagh the brogans cluxton doyle early Niall buckley glen ryan a rainbow D browne J Galvin from Limerick E o Hara countless other fantastic footballers K mcDonald ... gifted loads and loads more a great era indeed G Geraghty T giles i could go on and on but again for me it,s S Moynihan

lala88

The best 15 of the last 25 years that iv seen would be something like this. Most have been in the last 15 or so

1. Diarmuid Murphy
2. Anthony Lynch
3. Darren Fay
4. Joe Higgins
5. Tomás Ó Sé
6. Kieran McGeeney
7. Séamus Moynihan
8. Darragh Ó Sé
9. Anthony Tohill
10. Paul Galvin
11. Trevor Giles
12. Maurice Fitzgerald
13. Colm Cooper
14. Pádraic Joyce
15. Declan Browne

largepants

Only one man can win this award and its Maurice Fitzgerald. Balance, poise, skill, two footed etc. Who can forget his two frees from the sideline (was it the 97 AI Final)? His goal against Armagh in 2000. No acting the maggot from him either. He took the hits and was well able to take them. Didn't go down easily by the hard belt either.

daniels.ducks

Colm Cooper and Declan Browne jointly.

ciarriaithuaidh

I worry for some people if they're being serious here.

Padraig Joyce was a very good footballer, but nowhere near the level of a Maurice Fitz or Canavan as an alltime great. He was totally eclipsed by his buddy Seamus Moynihan is the 2000 AI replay for example. The true greats, like the 2 above produce the goods on the big occasion. Canavan was exceptional in 1995 and 2005 especially. Maurice Fitz in 1997 and 2000 (off the bench) took AI finals by the scruff of the neck.

I'm biased as a Kerry man, but I've never seen a more talented footballer than Maurice Fitzgerald. It was just a pleasure to watch him for St Marys, South Kerry or Kerry.

RickRoll

Keeper: Stephen Cluxton
Back: Seamus Moynihan
Mid Field: Anthony Tohill
Forward: Peter Canavan

elefant

ciarriaithuaidh wrote: »

The true greats, like the 2 above produce the goods on the big occasion. Canavan was exceptional in 1995 and 2005 especially. Maurice Fitz in 1997 and 2000 (off the bench) took AI finals by the scruff of the neck.

.

Padraig Joyce scored 1-2 in the 1998 All-Ireland final, and 10 points in the 2001 All-Ireland final.

RickRoll

lala88 wrote: »

The best 15 of the last 25 years that iv seen would be something like this. Most have been in the last 15 or so

1. Diarmuid Murphy
2. Anthony Lynch
3. Darren Fay
4. Joe Higgins
5. Tomás Ó Sé
6. Kieran McGeeney
7. Séamus Moynihan
8. Darragh Ó Sé
9. Anthony Tohill
10. Paul Galvin
11. Trevor Giles
12. Maurice Fitzgerald
13. Colm Cooper
14. Pádraic Joyce
15. Declan Browne

Good team but replace bolded players with Stephen Cluxton, Ryan McMenamin(sp), Johnny Doyle and Peter Canavan, now thats a great team.

ciarriaithuaidh

lala88 wrote: »

The best 15 of the last 25 years that iv seen would be something like this. Most have been in the last 15 or so

1. Diarmuid Murphy
2. Anthony Lynch
3. Darren Fay
4. Joe Higgins
5. Tomás Ó Sé
6. Kieran McGeeney
7. Séamus Moynihan
8. Darragh Ó Sé
9. Anthony Tohill
10. Paul Galvin
11. Trevor Giles
12. Maurice Fitzgerald
13. Colm Cooper
14. Pádraic Joyce
15. Declan Browne

Not bad lala in fairness. I'd have Seán Marty Lockhart at 4 instead of Higgins. If we're talking last 25 years, Tompkins has to be at 11 also. Off the top of my head I'd go with this.

1. Stephen Cluxton
2. Seán Marty Lockhart
3. Darren Fay
4. Tom O'Sullivan
5. Tomás Ó Sé
6. Kieran McGeeney
7. Séamus Moynihan
8. Darragh Ó Sé
9. Niall Buckley
10. Trevor Giles
11. Larry Tompkins
12. Anthony Tohill
13. Colm Cooper
14. Maurice Fitzgerald
15. Peter Canavan

RickRoll

ciarriaithuaidh wrote: »

Not bad lala in fairness. I'd have Seán Marty Lockhart at 4 instead of Higgins. If we're talking last 25 years, Tompkins has to be at 11 also. Off the top of my head I'd go with this.

1. Stephen Cluxton
2. Seán Marty Lockhart
3. Darren Fay
4. Tom O'Sullivan
5. Tomás Ó Sé
6. Kieran McGeeney
7. Séamus Moynihan
8. Darragh Ó Sé
9. Niall Buckley
10. Trevor Giles
11. Larry Tompkins
12. Anthony Tohill
13. Colm Cooper
14. Maurice Fitzgerald
15. Peter Canavan

Kerryman I take it? Tom O' Sullivan? Really?

MfMan

Any best team of the past 25 years cannot include Giles, nor can it exclude Joyce, nor probably Donnellan or Ja Fallon. Arguably Tomas Mannion was a way better footballer than McGeeney. Actually replace 'arguably' with 'certainly'.

Joyce spent much of the 2000 final (drawn game) away from Moynihan and was instrumental in bringing Galway back into the game. Even Kerry men I was talking to afterwards regarded him as MOTM.

ciarriaithuaidh

RickRoll wrote: »

Kerryman I take it? Tom O' Sullivan? Really?

Is it not obvious by the username?

And yes, really. Care to offer an alternative? Mark O'Reilly, Tomás Mannion and Anthony Lynch were all great corner backs also. Don't think Tom ever had a bad All Ireland final though.

RickRoll

ciarriaithuaidh wrote: »

Is it not obvious by the username?

And yes, really. Care to offer an alternative? Mark O'Reilly, Tomás Mannion and Anthony Lynch were all great corner backs also. Don't think Tom ever had a bad All Ireland final though.

I didn't look at your username.

Anthony Lynch was a great man marker and a better all round footballer than O' Sullivan imo. I do appreciate you are wearing green and gold tinted glasses though.

ciarriaithuaidh

MfMan wrote: »

Any best team of the past 25 years cannot include Giles, nor can it exclude Joyce, nor probably Donnellan or Ja Fallon. Arguably Tomas Mannion was a way better footballer than McGeeney. Actually replace 'arguably' with 'certainly'.

Joyce spent much of the 2000 final (drawn game) away from Moynihan and was instrumental in bringing Galway back into the game. Even Kerry men I was talking to afterwards regarded him as MOTM.

So on the basis of a game he scored 1 point in and his team lost, you are arguing his case? He did spend some time on the 40 and gave Eamon Fitzmaurice some trouble but not a huge amount. Look, he was a very good player, I just wouldn't have him in my greatest XV of the past 25 years is all.

The first part of your post: Giles - why not? He was as good a passer and creative player as there has been in the period.
Ja was a great player but 11 was his best position and Tompkins occupies that slot without doubt for me.
Tomás Mannion was not a better centre back than McGeeney. He was a very good corner back though.

ciarriaithuaidh

RickRoll wrote: »

I didn't look at your username.

Anthony Lynch was a great man marker and a better all round footballer than O' Sullivan imo. I do appreciate you are wearing green and gold tinted glasses though.

I judge footballers by their performances at the highest level they have played at. Anthony Lynch was an excellent player, but underperformed many times in the AI semi finals and finals he played in. Destroyed by Ollie Murphy in 1999 final, Destroyed by Gooch in 2002 semi, well beaten by Cooper in 2009 final...

Tom O'Sullivan has man marked Donnellan, Mortimer, Goulding, Bernard Brogan and Canavan to name but a few in huge games and rarely if ever given massive trouble. He was having a fantastic final last year before 1 stupid error at the end.

Just my opinion and fair enough if you rate someone else better. These things are always a matter of opinion barring a few glaringly obvious choices.

Utopia Parkway

ciarriaithuaidh wrote: »

So on the basis of a game he scored 1 point in and his team lost, you are arguing his case? He did spend some time on the 40 and gave Eamon Fitzmaurice some trouble but not a huge amount. Look, he was a very good player, I just wouldn't have him in my greatest XV of the past 25 years is all.

In fairness you're argument for not including Joyce was not doing it in the big games until someone corrected you by mentioning he scored 1-2 in the 98 All-Ireland final and 0-10 in the 2001 All-Ireland final. Even in the drawn game in 2000 he pretty much dragged Galway back into the game when they were 7 points down at one stage. And had Derek Savage spotted him running free right at the end he would almost certainly have won that game for Galway right at the death.

Now including players on any kind of list or team is purely subjective but your reasoning is totally flawed on that one. Personally I think Joyce is a shoo-in for any team of the last 25 years.

ciarriaithuaidh

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

In fairness you're argument for not including Joyce was not doing it in the big games until someone corrected you by mentioning he scored 1-2 in the 98 All-Ireland final and 0-10 in the 2001 All-Ireland final. Even in the drawn game in 2000 he pretty much dragged Galway back into the game when they were 7 points down at one stage. And had Derek Savage spotted him running free right at the end he would almost certainly have won that game for Galway right at the death.

Now including players on any kind of list or team is purely subjective but your reasoning is totally flawed on that one. Personally I think Joyce is a shoo-in for any team of the last 25 years.

Fair enough, the 2001 final, 2nd half, he was on fire. I just happen to think that Canavan. Maurice Fitz, Gooch, Steven O'Neill and maybe even Stevie McDonnell are players who were more worthy of inclusion, but like you said, its all just each persons opinion.

DazMarz

So... from 1987 onwards basically... I really only remember from about 1995 onwards (I wonder why that year resonates with me so much???:P), so I'll try to give it a go...

Some of the best footballers I've ever seen are the following:

-Maurice Fitzgerald
-Colm Cooper
-Ciaran Whelan
-Jason Sherlock
-Peter Canavan
-Joe Brolly
-Padraic Joyce
-Stephen Cluxton
-Bryan Sheehan
-John Doyle
-Trevor Giles
-Graham Geraghty
-Benny Coulter
-Alan Brogan
-Dara O'Sé
-Tomás O'Sé
-Bernard Brogan

and probably a few others that I can't think of off the top of my head, but some of them above have been imperious in their careers.

Tombo2000

ciarriaithuaidh wrote: »

I'm biased as a Kerry man, but I've never seen a more talented footballer than Maurice Fitzgerald. It was just a pleasure to watch him for St Marys, South Kerry or Kerry.

Wouldnt disagree with you but the thread is about the Best footballer, not the most talented.....not quite one and the same thing. Over his career, would you say he was a better footballer than the Gooch.

Also....when people say "some of the things I saw him do in club matches"....no doubt he did big things, but Croke park on all Ireland day final or semi final day is the big stage.

keane2097

I'd have Padraig Joyce and Dara O'Cinneide as pretty much inseparable in terms of who was the better forward, with Fitzgerald, Gooch and Canavan on the next level up.

MfMan

ciarriaithuaidh wrote: »

The first part of your post: Giles - why not? He was as good a passer and creative player as there has been in the period.
Ja was a great player but 11 was his best position and Tompkins occupies that slot without doubt for me.
Tomás Mannion was not a better centre back than McGeeney. He was a very good corner back though.

We'll have to agree to disagree about Giles, a vastly overrated player IMHO. Tompkins more of a midfielder I would have thought. McGeeney was a good leader but a quite ordinary footballer. Mannion way, way better all round: was probably Galway's best player for a number of years prior to '98. Moynihan a better no. 6 than both with Sean De Paor on the wing.

You judge players on their performances at 'the highest level they've played at'? Don't forget, some of those Kerry ones you've included played in the '01 semi final when then were demolished by Meath!

homerjay2005

Gooch is one of the best GAA players of all time so would be favourite for this if it ever was awarded.

i also rate sean kavanagh as a fantastic player. after that, the 3 o sheas have to be up there, seamus moynihan, maurice fitz, canavan.

John Galvin and declan brown both are fantastic players who if they were born in one of the bigger counties, would have super star status.

Joyce deserves a mention also as does Mcdonell and Mcgeeny from Armagh.

lala88

RickRoll wrote: »

Good team but replace bolded players with Stephen Cluxton, Ryan McMenamin(sp), Johnny Doyle and Peter Canavan, now thats a great team.

I dont think Cluxton is a good a keeper as he's made out to be the fact he's on TV so much with Dublin games makes him seem better then he is, still a great keeper though!

I think Joe Higgins has been one of the most underrated backs for the last 10/15 years went about his business with no fuss and no of the s*** McMenamin got up to.

Johnny Doyle again a great player but there have been alot better then him. Declan Browne has to be on the team had he been playing with Kerry and not Tipp people would be picking him as the best player of the last 20 years

Hammer Archer

MfMan wrote: »

We'll have to agree to disagree about Giles, a vastly overrated player IMHO.

keane2097

Hammer Archer wrote: »

People are the same about Ciaran MacDonald.

There's always been an aversion to people who are flamboyant/overtly stylish in the GAA, football folks know what side their bread is buttered on and in many cases have a suspicion and innate dislike for the sort of digression from the normal manly man stereotype you see from guys like the two mentioned above and Paul Galvin.

All of them utterly amazing players, all destined to be sneered at in posterity. Sad really.

MfMan

keane2097 wrote: »

People are the same about Ciaran MacDonald.

There's always been an aversion to people who are flamboyant/overtly stylish in the GAA, football folks know what side their bread is buttered on and in many cases have a suspicion and innate dislike for the sort of digression from the normal manly man stereotype you see from guys like the two mentioned about and Paul Galvin.

All of them utterly amazing players, all destined to be sneered at in posterity. Sad really.

Um.. I didn't say anything about McDonald (whom I rated highly), or flamboyance, or stylish, or bread being buttered or anything. I simply stated that I felt Giles wasn't as good a player as he was made out to be.

An' I thought only popular daytime radio DJs used phrases like 'utterly amazing'!!!!

elguapo

OK, from 1987 onwards :

Best Keeper: Stephen Cluxton; a supreme command of all the basic goal keeping skills, and it turns out he can kick frees under the greatest pressure imaginable, the f**ker!

Best Defender: Seamus Moynihan; a gifted footballer, great reader of the game, and an absolute warrior.

Midfield: Anthony Tohill; the most complete midfielder I've ever seen, could take a score, and a great fielder of the ball.

Forward: So many to choose from; Canavan, Joyce, Declan Browne. Ultimately, the Gooch gets my vote. He scores with both feet, is almost unstoppable when taking on a defender, creates as many chances as he takes himself, and almost always performs well on the big days in Croke Park.

I would have to add that Maurice Fitz was and is the most naturally gifted player I've seen. The ball just seemed like a natural extension of his body. As a young fella it seemed to me that he didn't run so much as glide, and his fluid kicking motion was mesmerising. I'm off to Youtube to watch some highlights of all these guys now; work be damned!