What English born Irish players would have made the English team?

Think it was mentioned in some thread recently, possibly the Grealish one.

Anyway, over the last decades, what English born players chose to play for us when they could have slotted into the England team?

One obvious one is Mark Lawrenson, a very classy defender and a mainstay in the great Liverpool side, winning 5 titles, an FA Cup and a European Cup.

Perhaps there are less obvious ones though, would Steve Finnan have made the English team during his time at Liverpool? If you look at the competition, Danny Mills racked up 20 or so caps in the early 00s but that might have been before Finnan emerged and Gary Neville would probably have been the main competition.

Any others? Chris Hughton is one who I think could have made it, think Kenny Samson racked up a lot of caps and never thought he was that great myself.

Flint Fredstone

Aldridge surely would have got in an England squad.

BOHtox

Paul McGrath

Flint Fredstone

Flint Fredstone wrote: »

Aldridge surely would have got in an England squad.

Easily in the squad, and ahead of players like Steve Bull and Mark Hateley. But might have suffered from the direct competition with Gary Linekar.

Ludo

Kevin Sheedy (crap...born in Wales..ah sure that is practically England).

glued

Steve Finnan is from Limerick so he wouldn't count. I doubt he would of broke into the England side but he was a very good full back.

Agent Coulson

Read it wrong the first time.

Townsend would have gotten a few caps.

O'Leary probably would have as well.

kfallon

I'd say John Sheridan might have got a cap or two in friendlies, that Sheff Wed team he played in was probably 3rd or 4th best in Premier League in it's first couple of seasons.

Very good footballer!

keeponhurling

Gary Breen, obviously

Mick McCarthy

PTH2009

Tony cascarino ?

AllGunsBlazing

O'Leary would have walked into an England team during his prime. An excellent centre back in his day.

How about Terry Phelan?

He would not have displaced Stuart Pearce, but there was a time when City paid a British transfer record for a defender and he would surely have had a few caps.

monkey9

Just in terms of the Paul McGrath shout, he was born in England but was raised in Ireland by his Irish ma, so he is Irish.

I read the thread title as someone who was basically English, but declared for Ireland as a career move i.e Lawrenson, Townsend etc but who would subsequently have been good enough to play for England (not that Townsend would neccessarily have got a cap mind)

DenMan

Tony Cascarino for me! A big target man who'd hold the ball up well. An 80's and 90's England team would have loved to have had him to compliment their good attacking midfield players. Barnes, Beardsley and Trevor Steven would have definitely benefited from him.

theoneeyedman

Dave O'Leary?

Is he English?? Raised in Dublin from a nipper of Irish parents, just because toy are born in a stable it doesn't mean you're a horse!
Aldridge & Houghton (yea I know, he's 'Scottish') were at the top of the English game in the late 80's/early 90's. I fancy kilbane might have picked up a few' flavour of the month' type caps at a time given England's derth of left sided players

Speak Now

Shay Brennan surely! Probably would have been in the winning world cup squad as well.

JoeA3

Tony Cascarino?! Not sure if serious. Not for me... Matt!

Then again... Graham Taylor did pick the likes of Carlton Palmer.

Iused2likebusts

Mcateer would probably have a few caps. Ireland tend to give caps to LOI players as soon as they move to an English team. England tend to give caps to someone as soon as they sign for or play a couple of games for Utd, Liverpool or arsenal.

keeponhurling

Jonny Walters would have gotten a cap at some stage.

keeponhurling

[Deleted User] wrote: »

How about Terry Phelan?

He would not have displaced Stuart Pearce, but there was a time when City paid a British transfer record for a defender and he would surely have had a few caps.

Same could be said for Phil Babb

Francie Barrett

Jack Grealish - oh wait, he'll never get capped :pac:

DeanAustin

keeponhurling wrote: »

Gary Breen, obviously

Mick McCarthy

If Steve Bruce couldn't get a cap, Mick McCarthy certainly wouldn't have.

Bobby Baccala

Jason Mcateer anyone?

Edit: iused2likebusts beat me to it!

keeponhurling

keeponhurling wrote: »

Jonny Walters would have gotten a cap at some stage.

He hasn't been exactly prolific at Stoke, not sure who he'd have got in ahead of in the English set up.

That has to be factored in as well, it's why Id see Hughton earning a lot of caps for England, often overlooked in lists of the best Irish players...but definitely one of the best full backs in England at the time and better than a few who played there for England.

keeponhurling

[Deleted User] wrote: »

He hasn't been exactly prolific at Stoke, not sure who he'd have got in ahead of in the English set up.

If players like Dean Ashton, Jay Boothroyd, Dave Nugent, Frazier Campbell , Carlton Cole etc. can all get caps - and these are essentially Championship level players - then Walters would have been called up.

No point putting England up on a pedestal

Richard Hillman

Rory Delap would have been given a chance with those throw ins.

I think ignoring Delap was one of the more criminal things that Trap can be accused of.