Brian Fenton - Overrated?

People say Jack Barry was poor, but Fenton only played well after he went off tbh

So this man has retired from county GAA, and is universally eulogised by the wider GAA community!

As far as I'm concerned was overrated, but it's actually hard to know how good he was. Easy to be good in a team generally cruising in second gear, and rarely tested.

Definitely a level below the greats for me. He'll be remembered as a versatile midfielder who had all the attributes, and cruised and looked good, in a Dublin team often steamrolling others, and wasn't tested all that much.

When he was tested, namely against Kerrys Jack Barry, failed on every count it must be said. Even in Dublins latest All Ireland win, only really featured after Barry went off, due to lack of fitness. In every other match up, featured only in Jack Barrys pocket.

When Meath rallied and put it up to Dublin a few years ago, he disappeared, as he did when Mayo knocked them out in extra time.

He's good, versatile and consistent, but for me doesnt have the presence of a Niall Buckley. When the crunch comes, Buckley stood taller, had an formidable aura, Fenton wilted.

Kerry are Dublins greatest rivals. Fenton failed every test against Barry and Kerry, and if Dublin won, was in spite of Fentons disappearing act to Barrys pocket. Meath, Dublins biggest local rivals and generally useless for a long time, actually rallied a few years ago, and Fenton was no where to be seen. Same when Mayo knocked them out.

I'm not even trying to provoke or wum here, genuinely any real test he's faced, I felt he's failed. He's good, but this GOAT talk is nonsense tbh!

Thats the point, they were a juggernaut steamrolling everyone. So can't really judge a players.

Can only judge them, in terms of greatness, when they did face tests. And Fenton failed on all counts really, everytime he met Kerry and Barry, against Mayo in a semi or quater final one year, and even the once Meath rallied and put it up to Dublin he disappeared

He can have all the great attributes he wants, but its about doing it when the crunch comes, and when it did, he often wilted. You can keep repeating his all Ireland medals, but it doesn't disprove this. Ye, Dublin beat Kerry in the finals in the end, but it was in spite of him for example.

All the eulogising is over the top, he was a decent Dublin midfielder, who would be steady and alright in the poor Dublin teams of the late 90s for example. Would he be better than Whelan even? Sure a better "footballer", but at the same time doesnt command the same presence and aura, needed in big moments.

So when people ask is he the best ever, its questionable if he's even the best midfielder Dublin ever had, let alone the best Dublin player ever

I'll let the thread die after this as I made my point. But I do want to pick you up on one thing. People keep saying Fenton is so good, Kerry had to "sacrafice" a player just to contain him. That implys Barry is man marking him, or following him around, in effect, Kerry down a useful man. Or putting two players on him etc.

That's not what happened. Kerry didn't "sacrafice" anyone to "contain" Fenton or follow him around. Barry and Fenton simply went head to head, infact Barry was often commanding the midfield, turning over ball, and starting the Kerry attacks, with Fenton desperately trying to contain Barry. Barry wasn't hiding away, following a man around to disrupt him.

Fenton and Barry went head to head several times, and no matter what anyone wants to say or spin it, Barry was the more impressive, imposing player of the two, anytime they met. Read the game better even, fielded far more balls he claimed over Fenton in duals, and turned over more ball in the centre of the field and started Kerry attacks.

And as you say this is a man who was taken off due to fitness issues in one game, and lacked pace, yet still got around the midfield better than Fenton, and in all honesty, lorded it over him. And as I said, Barry considered an average player, not guaranteed a place on the Kerry team, but could still lord it over Fenton. And some people want us to believe Fenton was the best ever? And I'm being the one accused of fishing ffs?