[teednab-el]

Originally Posted by Rockbeast2

Keane

Greatest Irish sportsperson? No thanks.

Yeah whatever. He was better than you anyway and did more for Ireland than you ever did or ever will.

[paul71]

Originally Posted by teednab-el

Yeah whatever. He was better than you anyway and did more for Ireland than you ever did or ever will.

How is that relevant?

[ToddDameron]

Originally Posted by Rockbeast2

I didn't mean to be disrespectful to Roy Keane in my previous post, no doubt he was a great player. But he was a cog in a domestically dominant Manchester Utd team. A Manchester Utd team that won the league before he joined and continued to have success after he left.

He "won" a European Cup without playing in the final. A Champions League that, if memory serves, they weren't even Premier League champions upon entry. It was calamity after calamity for Utd in Europe during the majority of Keane's time there.

You could write a book about Keane's attitude to Ireland; Saipan, Iran, attitude to friendly games, etc.. I'm pretty sure he was giving out about the U-21 set-up when he was 18/19.

Greatest Irish sportsperson? No thanks.

* Graeme Souness was arguably a better player than Roy, objectively more successful as both a player and manager. Are we really going to say that Graeme Souness (I've met him - he's a sound guy) as a sportsperson is superior to Ireland's greatest sportsperson? I don't want to live in that world! ;-)

Keane more than deserved that CL medal after his performance against Juventus.

[Rockbeast2]

Originally Posted by ToddDameron

Keane more than deserved that CL medal after his performance against Juventus.

For sure. No argument here.

[Edgware]

Originally Posted by teednab-el

Yeah whatever. He was better than you anyway and did more for Ireland than you ever did or ever will.

Did he fall down a well?

[El Tarangu]

Originally Posted by partyguinness

You are just trolling.

Is he though?

While there is no denying that Roy Keane was very talented player, the fact the he threw a strop and walked out on his national team at the crucial moment would discount him as the best Irish sportsperson ever in the eyes of many people, this poster included.

Tbh I'm surprised to see so few mentions of Robbie Keane in this thread - he seemed to be the only player scoring any goals for Ireland at times. Towards the end of his career, he was the highest-scoring international footballer in the world currently playing - so really meeting all the criteria of excelling on the world stage when representing his country.

[Mysterypunter]

Originally Posted by partyguinness

I am sorry but when you abandon your home country to play for England (or any other country) for personal ambition and gain you cannot be classed or even discussed as one of the best "Irish Sports person ever". Nobody in Ireland really gives **** about cricket anyway except a few ex pats and Asian medics. It had a novelty factor during the 2007 WC.

And people criticise Roy Keane for apparently walking out on his country. Give me a break.

He left to further his career, it's a higher standard which he would not have been able to play, as Ireland were not a test nation, by that reasoning, Roy Keane should never have left Cobh Ramblers

[JP Liz V1]

Jason Smyth

[Strumms]

Looking at Roy’s achievements, and his career.

12 years at Manchester United, Captain for 8 years

Champions League winner x1

Premier League winner x7

FA Cup winner x4

Celtic


Scottish Premier League winner x1

Scottish League Cup winner x1


Played professional football for 16 years, the majority at the pinnacle and high pressure end of the sport. Won 14 trophies. That’s greatness, greatness consistency, achieved in a seriously competitive league for the most part.

[Mysterypunter]

Originally Posted by Strumms

Looking at Roy’s achievements, and his career.

12 years at Manchester United, Captain for 8 years

Champions League winner x1

Premier League winner x7

FA Cup winner x4

Celtic


Scottish Premier League winner x1

Scottish League Cup winner x1


Played professional football for 16 years, the majority at the pinnacle and high pressure end of the sport. Won 14 trophies. That’s greatness, greatness consistency, achieved in a seriously competitive league for the most part.

Especially the Scottish league, that's a really high standard. I know he was a decent player, but united had some squad. If u want to nominate a decorated player then John O'Shea is your man

[El Tarangu]

Originally Posted by Strumms

Looking at Roy’s achievements, and his career.

12 years at Manchester United, Captain for 8 years

Champions League winner x1

Premier League winner x7

FA Cup winner x4

Celtic


Scottish Premier League winner x1

Scottish League Cup winner x1


Played professional football for 16 years, the majority at the pinnacle and high pressure end of the sport. Won 14 trophies. That’s greatness, greatness consistency, achieved in a seriously competitive league for the most part.

You've said that a couple of times already now - Dennis Irwin and John O'Shea would have similar medal hauls, Robbie Keane had a longer career; what is it that put Roy Keane's career ahead of any of the rest of them?

[Strumms]

Originally Posted by Mysterypunter

Especially the Scottish league, that's a really high standard. I know he was a decent player, but united had some squad. If u want to nominate a decorated player then John O'Shea is your man

That’s why I said ‘for the most part’. Still it’s an accomplishment.

OShea is a very decorated player himself but I think he had less overall ability and impact, there were far more influential and talented, Roy being one.

[Strumms]

Originally Posted by El Tarangu

You've said that a couple of times already now - Dennis Irwin and John O'Shea would have similar medal hauls, Robbie Keane had a longer career; what is it that put Roy Keane's career ahead of any of the rest of them?

John o Shea was for much of his career, a squad player who achieved less success while being at the club for a similar duration.

Robbie won in England, one League Cup. I’ve quoted the number of trophies Roy won.

[ToddDameron]

Originally Posted by El Tarangu

You've said that a couple of times already now - Dennis Irwin and John O'Shea would have similar medal hauls, Robbie Keane had a longer career; what is it that put Roy Keane's career ahead of any of the rest of them?

Ultimately it's because Keane had a bigger influence on the team. Listen to any ex players in those United teams and they'll say he drove them on and got the best out of the them. Irwin was excellent, but Keane held the captaincy, was a respected leader and was a major driving force behind the success.

[El Tarangu]

Originally Posted by ToddDameron

Ultimately it's because Keane had a bigger influence on the team. Listen to any ex players in those United teams and they'll say he drove them on and got the best out of the them. Irwin was excellent, but Keane held the captaincy, was a respected leader and was a major driving force behind the success.

In the context of being the best 'Irish sportsperson ever', how would you rate the leadership he displayed as captain of the national team in the world cup in 2002?