Best foreign player in League of Ireland history?

ANTIFA!

Theres only one Kevin Hunt

tdv

Socratese

DSB

Joey Ndo has to be the best of my time supporting the league.

Hank Scorpio

Steven Ireland

8-10

Has to be Bobby Charlton

elshambo

1 or 2 game merchants dont count imo

DIXIE DEAN

Those who saw him play in his prime reckon if tv/video had been then as it is now he would be up their with the Pele's and Maradona's of this world

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Dean

He joined Sligo Rovers in January 1939 in time to help the club with their FAI Cup campaign. He played 7 league games for the club, scoring ten goals, including 5 in a 7-1 win over Waterford which remains a club record for the most goals scored in a single game. He also played four Cup matches scoring once. His goal came in the final against Shelbourne which ended in a 1-1 draw, Shelbourne taking the replay 0-1. Subsequently, Dixie’s runners up medal was stolen from his hotel room. On a return trip to Ireland to watch Rovers in the 1978 cup final a package was delivered to his hotel room with the medal inside.

Im pretty sure the return trip was to see them win the league tbh but not 100% sure

Played in Midfield for Sligo Rovers

thread closed!:rolleyes:

geurrp the yard

Charles Livingstone Mbabazi. Still only 28 which is mad.

andyman

Wesley Charles :pac:

cournioni

8-10 wrote: »

Has to be Bobby Charlton

Without a doubt. The only world cup and European cup winner to play here too.

The Hustler

Raskolnikov

George Best.

Close thread!

bullpost

In Fairness he turned up , not sure if he played

Peter Thomas.

Raskolnikov wrote: »

George Best.

Close thread!

showry

During the 90s Waterford embarked on a bit of a galacticos project.
The stand out was former Benfica, and future Hearts brainless winger Jose Quitongo, always a crowd pleaser; from his pre-match walks around the ground sporting a huge Fedora hat to his mazy dribbles - often with the ball.

Honourable mentions to American keeper Scott Garlick who went on to win a couple of MLS titles with DC United and Belgian goalie Dominique Wouters who turned up at the RSC, declared himself impressed with the training facilities and asked "Ou est le stade?"

_blank_

Best foreign player I've ever seen in the LoI was Ndo, without a doubt.

bullpost

Brilliant

showry wrote: »

... Belgian goalie Dominique Wouters who turned up at the RSC, declared himself impressed with the training facilities and asked "Ou est le stade?"

Xavi6

Mark Rutherford

cournioni

Raskolnikov wrote: »

George Best.

Close thread!

Thats debatable... Not his ability, but his nationality. Would hardly call anyone from this island "a foreign player".

rovingrover

The likes of Best, Charlton, Banks, Hurst and Seeler came to the league for a handful of games when their best days were long behind them.

Carl Davenport and Johnny Matthews were among foreign players who came here and were top stars in the league in their day. Joey Ndo is a strong contender too.

Het-Field

Xavi6 wrote: »

Mark Rutherford

I would agree. He was involved with almost every Dublin club, and won all in the Irish game. He was equally a terror to visiting European Teams who used come over for a stroll around the ground of whatever LOI team they were drawn against. Biggest disapointment was his flop performance against Derry City in the 1995 FAI Cup Final.

Delighted that he finished his career in Ireland with Shels. It was his natural home, and he should not have left in 1998.

stovelid

In the last 10 years, Joe Ndo or Hunt, I guess.

Although if you could condense the actual effort of Joe's 6-7 years here, you'd get about a year.

dfx-

Ndo
Rutherford
Mbabazi
Hunt

Ndo scored the best goal I've ever seen at an LOI game against UCD in 2006 gets him top spot.

Though if Twigg stays..:D

smashey

Owen Da Gama.

flahavaj

Dominic Iorfa. Nigerian international who singlehandedly kept Waterford United in the top flight back in 1997 or 1998. Some footballer.

iregk

In my life time Joey Ndo.

In a few years time. Gary Twigg

Nalz

iregk wrote: »

In my life time Joey Ndo.

Hunt > Ndo

Pighead

iregk wrote: »

In a few years time. Gary Twigg

Doubt it. If Twigg keeps on scoring goals he'll be snapped up by an English lower league club. Seems to be the way these days. Any half decent player gets snapped up pretty sharpish by clubs looking for the next Kevin Doyle. Very hard for a player to become a club legend if he only sticks around for a season or two.

Anyway, the correct answer to this thread is Tom McNulty. Dundalk's finest!

gernon

Have to agree Pighead but Scotty would be just ahead of Super Richie Blackmore.

stovelid

Trilla wrote: »

Hunt > Ndo

I rated Noel myself when he was at Rovers, but he's from Waterford no?

anplaya

stovelid wrote: »

I rated Noel myself when he was at Rovers, but he's from Waterford no?

yeah hes from waterford.used to play for waterford united before he went to shamrock rovers.

CHD

andyman wrote: »

Wesley Charles :pac:

He is the soundest footballer i have ever met, would talk to you all day.

dfx-

andyman wrote: »

Wesley Charles :pac:

He always used to be great against Rovers until one game in Richmond Park where Stephen Grant absolutely ran him inside out in a first half where he was very tired at the end of it. It was a great battle, never was the same since though.

Nalz

stovelid wrote: »

I rated Noel myself when he was at Rovers, but he's from Waterford no?

snackbox and garlic dip please

HalloweenJack

Wesley Charles, Chris o'Connor and Mbabazi Livingstone.

Foxx92

Alvin Rouse, terrible goalkeeper but one of the soundest players I ever talked to. Looks like Chris Rock too.

pablomakaveli

Dan Murray and Danny Murphy are absolute legends. Ndo and Kalonas and Twigg would be three other foreign players i'd rate highly.

iregk

Trilla wrote:

Hunt > Ndo

I agree, but the thread is best foreign player. Hunt is from Waterford.

Pighead wrote: »

Doubt it. If Twigg keeps on scoring goals he'll be snapped up by an English lower league club.

Unfortunately even though he signed a new extension I fully agree. Tis the way is it is in this land. Score a few move across the water.

Nalz

iregk wrote: »

I agree, but the thread is best foreign player. Hunt is from Waterford

KEVIN HUNT

stovelid

Trilla wrote: »

KEVIN HUNT

his parrot's a......

8-10

rovingrover wrote: »

The likes of Best, Charlton, Banks, Hurst and Seeler came to the league for a handful of games when their best days were long behind them.

Bobby Charlton played 31 games for Waterford United, that's quite a few handfuls. He also scored 18 goals in LOI that season. Not bad considering best days long behind him.

Charlton, best player, foreign or otherwise, in LOI history. Thread finish.

applehunter

Bobby Charlton, George Best, Raich Carter... 3 of the all time greats there.

Imagine that as a front 3.

Saint_Mel

Tony Izzy :P
Danny O'Leary

iregk

8-10 wrote: »

Bobby Charlton played 31 games for Waterford United, that's quite a few handfuls. He also scored 18 goals in LOI that season. Not bad considering best days long behind him.

Charlton, best player, foreign or otherwise, in LOI history. Thread finish.

Could have sworn I read somewhere he only played 4 times for Waterford. In anycase I wasn't born yet in '76 so can't say if he was the greatest. Never saw him kick a ball in this country.

rovingrover

8-10 wrote: »

Bobby Charlton played 31 games for Waterford United, that's quite a few handfuls. He also scored 18 goals in LOI that season. Not bad considering best days long behind him.

Charlton, best player, foreign or otherwise, in LOI history. Thread finish.

Absolutely not true. He played 4 games for Waterford and scored 1 goal.

Zebra3

Xavi6 wrote: »

Mark Rutherford

Would probably win the most popular foreign player ever anyway.

elshambo

8-10 wrote: »

Bobby Charlton played 31 games for Waterford United, that's quite a few handfuls. He also scored 18 goals in LOI that season. Not bad considering best days long behind him.

Charlton, best player, foreign or otherwise, in LOI history. Thread finish.

There some dreams you've been having, lay off the cheese before going to bed if I was you!

Lads yer embarrasing yourselves with all these names:rolleyes:

5 goals in a game, still a club record
Scored in a cup final
Seen as one of the finest players who ever walked the earth
Kept in touch, came to see them play some 40 years after he left

DIXIE DEAN!!!

No wonder the barstoolers look at most LOI heads like yer nutjobs:rolleyes:

gucci

Eric Lavine FTW!

8-10

iregk wrote: »

Could have sworn I read somewhere he only played 4 times for Waterford. In anycase I wasn't born yet in '76 so can't say if he was the greatest. Never saw him kick a ball in this country.

rovingrover wrote: »

Absolutely not true. He played 4 games for Waterford and scored 1 goal.

I'm confused where this is coming from? I'm open to correction but I'm pretty sure he played for a whole season. Please post a few sources. I have the following from various places that use the same stats, 31 and 18.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2323105/Bobby-Charlton-was-the-complete-player.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Charlton#After_playing_football

http://www.manchester-united-fans-site.com/bobby-charlton.html

http://www.talkfootball.co.uk/guides/football_legends_bobby_charlton.html

rovingrover

elshambo wrote: »

There some dreams you've been having, lay off the cheese before going to bed if I was you!

Lads yer embarrasing yourselves with all these names:rolleyes:

5 goals in a game, still a club record
Scored in a cup final
Seen as one of the finest players who ever walked the earth
Kept in touch, came to see them play some 40 years after he left

DIXIE DEAN!!!

No wonder the barstoolers look at most LOI heads like yer nutjobs:rolleyes:

Dixie Dean was a great goalscorer but was not one of the all time greats. He only played a handful of games for Sligo Rovers in the latter half of 38/9.

Furthermore he was past his prime when playing for Sligo having already moved to Notts County.

While I agree that some of the name smentioned here are ridiculous I think Dean has to be grouped with the likes of Best, Seeler, Banks and Charlton who were not here long enough to make a real difference.

You also lost the Cup Final. Raich Carter came here and helped win the cup for Cork Athletic in 53.

elshambo

rovingrover wrote: »

Dixie Dean was a great goalscorer but was not one of the all time greats. .

that apparently is a modern(ish) myth about the man that started years after he quit playing

Cant have been good, just a goal hanger etc

Was supposed to be an extraordinary footballer according to those who played against him or saw him play

The Matt Busby's, Stanley Matthews & Tom Finney's of this world

from Matt Busby's autobiography

"To play against Dixie Dean was at once a delight and a nightmare. He was a perfect specimen of an athlete, beautifully proportioned, with immense strength, adept on the ground but with extraordinary skill in the air. However close you watched him, his timing in the air was such that he was coming down before you got anywhere near him, and he hit that ball with his head as hard and as accurate as most players could kick it. Defences were close to panic when corners came over. And though he scored a huge tally of goals with headers he was an incredibly unselfish and amazingly accurate layer-off of chances for others. He was resilient in face of the big, tough centre-halves of his clay - and I cannot think of one centre-half today to match up with that lot, though it was often the unstoppable force against the immovable object - and he was a thorough sportsman."

Sur anyhu, what makes a great, you play your position and do what you do

rovingrover

8-10 wrote: »

I'm confused where this is coming from? I'm open to correction but I'm pretty sure he played for a whole season. Please post a few sources. I have the following from various places that use the same stats, 31 and 18.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2323105/Bobby-Charlton-was-the-complete-player.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Charlton#After_playing_football

http://www.manchester-united-fans-site.com/bobby-charlton.html

http://www.talkfootball.co.uk/guides/football_legends_bobby_charlton.html

The wikipedia article is confusing. It actually states the 4 & 1 stat and then puts in a total.

My source is my own memory. I can recall it from the time. He came in January 1976. Waterford got dumped out of the cup by Harps early on and he was back to England. To have played that many games he would have had to stayed for most of the following season as well. Appreciate the links you have provided but they are just simply wrong.

Slash/ED

Des wrote: »

Best foreign player I've ever seen in the LoI was Ndo, without a doubt.

fyp, and it's not even close.