Best Ireland XI of Your Life Time

Quinn

Keane

Are you well?

343, for no reason whatsoever. 

Irwin

Staunton

McGrath

Lawrenson

Keane (c)

Brady

Houghton

Duff

Stapleton

Keane

Big one for me was Quinn v Stapleton. Frank was my first favourite player so gets the nod. Shay v Packie tight too but Packie did more for us in green and Shays Euro 2012 shenanigans linger in the memory.

Separately, just on the Denis Irwin discussion, it really is crazy in hindsight that having played at every level for Ireland, including B , he didn't make his  full debut til he was 24. By June 1990 he was 10 times the right full back that Chris Morris was and had done enough to get a move to Man United. Crazy he wasnt at Italia 90, let alone even capped by then.

You're not wrong with any of that generally. I'd argue that Quinn and Kelly were already well established squad members given they had been in the Euro 88 squad and Quinn had seen game time in that tournament. I think they were put in just to get a run as Jack wanted to look at Slaven up front in the senior friendly that week. Interestingly, Jim Beglin had just been promoted with Leeds and was picked as the other full back in the B game for his last appearance in green iirc. 

But regarding Irwin, Morris had been first choice through Euro 88 and all the Italia 90 qualifiers and was nailed on for the squad. So for Irwin to get in it would have been ahead of one of the other defenders. I think that list of 7 is the lot. Realistically, it's only Chris Hughton that could have made way who had started to fade from the first team picture at Spurs and had suffered from injury. But given he'd played in the top flight for years before then and his service in green, I don't think there was any appetite for him to be replaced by someone who had never played in the top flight at that stage. Probably a bit of sentimentality involved. Irwin was unfortunate that we were very strong at the back rather than say midfield where Gary Waddock made the initial squad before McLoughlin, who also played in that B game I think, forced him out due to doubts over Houghton's fitness. Or up front where Slaven got picked. I just don't think there was any chance that Jack was going to change the team that had qualified due to an admittedly superb run of form from that January nor was there any expectation. 

Funny enough, I was at all the games back then and regularly bemoaned Morris' crossing. A few years later, I was having a pint in Quinn's with a mate and they were playing the video of the Italia 90 qualifiers. Who was pumping in quality ball after quality ball? Chris fcuking Morris!  I know it was highlights but we had a good laugh over it!

Actually found the teams and a video of that B game if anyone's intersted. Was a very strong England side. 

Ireland B: Gary Kelly, Denis Irwin (Terry Phelan), Jim Beglin, Derek Brazil, Pat Scully, Alan McLoughlin (Kenneth de Mange), Brian Mooney, Mike Milligan (Gary Waddock), Niall Quinn, David Kelly (Owen Coyle), Mark Kelly

England B: Dave Beasant (David Seaman), Lee Dixon (Ian Snodin), Nigel Winterburn, Carlton Palmer, Andy Linighan, Tony Adams, Matthew Le Tissier (Tony Daley), David Batty, Paul Williams (Nigel Clough), Dalian Atkinson, Andy Sinton, Paul Lake

Yeah, I’d agree with you. I suppose “top flight” is what I was thinking. He would certainly have been handy 15 years later. There was once a story about him going to Barcelona I think. He was f**king fast in fairness