If Gaelic Football had a transfer market, who would be most the valuable player?

Dirty Dingus McGee

Niall McNamee would be snapped up by the big teams if there was a GAA transfer market a class operator and one of the most naturally talented players in Ireland. Brian Connor is one of the best young footballers in Ireland a powerful runner a good fielder of the ball and a great player to kick a score many teams would love to have a centre forward with his qualities

MaroonAndGreen

Donie Shine from Roscommon is another I think is worth a mention for the top 20, very good footballer, one of the best in Connaught really? And pretty young too..

Syferus

megadodge wrote: »

I couldn't disagree more.

Like you, I'm from Roscommon, so I've seen a fair bit of Mulligan over the years and in my opinion it's a case of 'in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king'. If he was in Kerry he wouldn't even make the panel, not to mind being close to Gooch. That's completely nuts.

He's a quite a good footballer, but really that's it.

He's a player who can operate as the fulcrum of any team's attack. Melvin Gaels rode him to Kiltoom in the Connacht championship last season and he was easily the best player on display that day, Senan, Frankie and Mango included. He did more damage to Brigids this season than any other player did throughout their run to the AI.

He's got great body control and the best way to stop his has always been to prevent him getting the ball in the first place, which is sadly what happens most times Leitrim play because they rarely have a stable platform to work off. It's pretty clear to me it's a Declan Browne situation with Mulligan, his team is holding him back and not the team that is allowing him to look good by their bad play. Just about the only thing Leitrim don't ask him to do is play in goal and on a better team he'd be able to rely on other players taking some of the attention away from him; he'd only be better on a different team.

Maroon, if we're talking Roscommon forwards Senan Kilbride is a step above Donie in just about every area. He's a great target man for a team to have, big, but skilful and far more mobile than he he might appear. Hard to rank him in terms of Connacht forwards but he'd probably be below Andy Moran and in the Mulligan/David Kelly group, though he obviously does very different things to both of those players.

Always_Running

In fairness Donal Shine is a fair bit younger than Senan Kilbride If there was a transfer market Shine would cost more than Kilbride. Looks like both have there injury problems and that would turn away plenty of counties.

AOS reminds me of Phil Jones a big strong lad that can play in many positions has be tipped to be one of the best but still has plenty to prove at the highest level.

ciarriaithuaidh

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

Niall McNamee would be snapped up by the big teams if there was a GAA transfer market a class operator and one of the most naturally talented players in Ireland. Brian Connor is one of the best young footballers in Ireland a powerful runner a good fielder of the ball and a great player to kick a score many teams would love to have a centre forward with his qualities

I've said it here before, Niall McNamee is as good a forward as I've seen in my 25+ years watching the game on his day. He would walk onto any team in the country and I don't make that statement lightly. I think at his peak (which hopefully we may see glimpses of again) he was as good a points scorer as Stephen O'Neill, Cooper, Fitzgerald, Canavan or McDonnell..just about the 5 best in my time.

FWIW, it's siding with the masses, but I rate Cluxton as being as good a keeper as I've seen. He has made unbelievable point blank saves in big games, his kickout accuracy is pretty much better than 99% of keepers and on top of that his ability now to kick frees (in the last minute of AI finals even. ) makes him a serious player.

Emlyn Mulligan is decent, but not in the league of the forwards mentioned above.

Brendan Murphy is an unbelievable athlete and one man I think would flourish with better players around him, but thats only a theory.

Most valuable player in Gaelic Football right now would be between Karl Lacey, Colm McFadden and Kevin McLaughlin. After this season I project you may add Ciaran Sheehan, Jack McCaffrey and Johnny Buckley to that list.

megadodge

Syferus wrote: »

He's a player who can operate as the fulcrum of any team's attack. Melvin Gaels rode him to Kiltoom in the Connacht championship last season and he was easily the best player on display that day, Senan, Frankie and Mango included. He did more damage to Brigids this season than any other player did throughout their run to the AI.

He's got great body control and the best way to stop his has always been to prevent him getting the ball in the first place, which is sadly what happens most times Leitrim play because they rarely have a stable platform to work off. It's pretty clear to me it's a Declan Browne situation with Mulligan, his team is holding him back and not the team that is allowing him to look good by their bad play. Just about the only thing Leitrim don't ask him to do is play in goal and on a better team he'd be able to rely on other players taking some of the attention away from him; he'd only be better on a different team.

Maroon, if we're talking Roscommon forwards Senan Kilbride is a step above Donie in just about every area. He's a great target man for a team to have, big, but skilful and far more mobile than he he might appear. Hard to rank him in terms of Connacht forwards but he'd probably be below Andy Moran and in the Mulligan/David Kelly group, though he obviously does very different things to both of those players.

I suggest you watch him playing county football against better footballers and aside from frees, he won't stand out.
Definitely not in Declan Browne's league.

megadodge

ciarriaithuaidh wrote: »

I've said it here before, Niall McNamee is as good a forward as I've seen in my 25+ years watching the game on his day. He would walk onto any team in the country and I don't make that statement lightly. I think at his peak (which hopefully we may see glimpses of again) he was as good a points scorer as Stephen O'Neill, Cooper, Fitzgerald, Canavan or McDonnell..just about the 4 best in my time.

FWIW, it's siding with the masses, but I rate Cluxton as being as good a keeper as I've seen. He has made unbelievable point blank saves in big games, his kickout accuracy is pretty much better than 99% of keepers and on top of that his ability now to kick frees (in the last minute of AI finals even. ) makes him a serious player.

Emlyn Mulligan is decent, but not in the league of the forwards mentioned above.

Brendan Murphy is an unbelievable athlete and one man I think would flourish with better players around him, but thats only a theory.

Most valuable player in Gaelic Football right now would be between Karl Lacey, Colm McFadden and Kevin McLaughlin. After this season I project you may add Ciaran Sheehan, Jack McCaffrey and Johnny Buckley to that list.

Agree with almost everything in this post, though obviously the last paragraph cannot be verified just yet.

J Cheever Loophole

keane2097 wrote: »

He started taking 45s what, two years ago and already had multiple All Stars? He was noted from the very beginning of his career as being a terrific distributor, which he is. He's a great goalkeeper.

Thank you Keane for saving me the trouble of writing that.

qwerty93 wrote: »

I put the last sentence you wrote in bold because i dont really understand what you mean by doing no favours here? Surely by having such a solid full back in front of you it would only improve youre defensive recod and make you look better?

I was referring to your argument - you do your argument no favours at all by linking Cluxton's ability to ROC at full back. The best retort is to plagiarise Keane's response above, so in advance, apologies to Keane;

keane2097 wrote: »

ROC started with Dublin, what, two / three years ago and Cluxton already had multiple All Stars? He was noted from the very beginning of his career as being a terrific distributor, which he is. He's a great goalkeeper.

MaroonAndGreen

Surprised Cillian O'Connor isnt in the top ten, been the best young footballer in the country in the last 2 years!

manofwisdom

MaroonAndGreen wrote: »

Surprised Cillian O'Connor isnt in the top ten, been the best young footballer in the country in the last 2 years!

Great freetaker nerves of steel still only 21 would be worth a fair few bob alright. In reply to Mulligan he's not at Colm 'Gooch' Cooper level however i was to pick the 6 best forwards in Connacht he would be one of them.

Niall McNamee a good call Sean McCormack (longford) John Heslin, (Westmeath) Donal O'Hare (Down) another few worth a mention.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Been very impressed the Paul Mannion throughout the league, lightning quick and an excellent free taker. Even with Brogan and Kilkenny to come back I'd be surprised if he doesn't start.

ciarriaithuaidh

MaroonAndGreen wrote: »

Surprised Cillian O'Connor isnt in the top ten, been the best young footballer in the country in the last 2 years!

Was underwhelming last year after a great 2011 I thought. Still very young though.

Syferus

megadodge wrote: »

I suggest you watch him playing county football against better footballers and aside from frees, he won't stand out.
Definitely not in Declan Browne's league.

I've seen him in plenty of county games. The same applies.

The Brigids test is apt because Dean Rock and Jamie Clarke in particular found it much tougher going than Mulligan did against the same defence and they both had much more on their own teams to draw attention away from them while Brigids knew that Mulligan was the only man who could hurt them that day.

A very good free-taker who is elusive and can take his points? That's the number one piece you'd want if you were building a team from scratch. Like it or not Mulligan is one of very few players that package in one player.

digzy

tipp's barry grogan would make most teams forward lines

keane2097

Always_Running wrote: »

In fairness Donal Shine is a fair bit younger than Senan Kilbride If there was a transfer market Shine would cost more than Kilbride.

He wouldn't. Shine is a good level below Kilbride regardless of age. I didn't think Kilbride was that much older in any case?

megadodge

Syferus wrote: »

I've seen him in plenty of county games. The same applies.
.

Well so have I and on more than one occasion if it wasn't for the frees he'd probably have been taken off. He just doesn't produce it against teams that would be regarded as quite good or better.

pipelaser

Syferus wrote: »

I haven't a clue where all this Graham Reilly love is coming from. I genuinely had to Google his name to make sure people were talking about the Meath player and not some guy I zoned out on.

A good player with upside but I could think of a load of players I'd be take before I'd get to him (it's verging on blasphemy putting him in the Gooch/Clarke discussion) and even then there's plenty I'd have on at least the same level as him.

Graham Reilly kicked 18 points from play in 5 leinster championship games from Midfield last year, the most surprising thing is that he actually did play as a midfielder! Hes an immense player when fully fit.
Watch him...

davegrohl48

Reilly was often Meaths one star upfront playing from half forward kicking long range points from play. But in recent seasons generally on the losing side on the big occasions, so not really a big name. But he would walk onto every other team in the country.

Brendan97

Karl Lacey because he is the best playmaker in the game.

Syferus

Nah. Andy Moran is a better playmaker. Best passer in the game.

Lacey and Emmett Bolton are the outstanding attacking backs, though.

Brendan97

As much as I would like to agree (because Moran is a fantastic player) I still think Lacey is the best playmaker by some distance. His pass to Murphy for Murphy's goal in the All-Ireland Final was amazing, just inch perfect!

Syferus

I think it's actually harder to do what Andy does than it is to see and place a few wonderful long bombs a game. A lot of Andy's best passes (given he's usually so high up the pitch he rarely has the option to kick deep) are reading congested spaces and releasing other forwards by looking men off or sleight of hand. Both are very different types of playmakers.

It may not be the most spectacular thing you'll see in a match but it's the type playmaking that's even harder to do properly and something Moran has grown into with years of experience.

Moran makes more chances for others than anyone in the country right now from my vantage. The way I see it no matter how good a HB is he's still only a HB who doesn't really need to do the grunt work a good CF or FF has to when it comes to dealing with defences that aren't just bring caught on the break.

Lacey is a maker of spectacular plays but Moran is a spectacular playmaker.