International line up for your country featuring players who would have had at least twice as many caps, but for (combination of) terrible luck with injuries, decision to quit international football, idiot managers, laziness, career coinciding with undroppable player, etc.
Dean Kiely (stuck behind Shay Given for his entire international career. There's an argument to be made that Dean Kiely would have had 100 caps for Ireland otherwise)
Jim Beglin (just started to establish himself as a top fullback, but then broke his leg)
Damien Delaney (when Martin O'Neill decides he doesn't like you, that's it. You're out)
Marc Wilson (seriously reliable defender who is comfortable on the ball. Trap wrongly blamed him for giving him lip in training one day and didn't call him up for three or four years even though he was starting every week in the PL. When Trap finally realised that it was a case of mistaken identity, he finally cameca up Wilson and stuck him in the team. Played brilliantly for about twenty caps, before his career was essentially cut short by injuries)
Joey O'Brien (brilliant full back who also could play midfield. Comfortable on the ball. Legs made of glass)
Stephen McPhail (genius midfielder, one of Dave O'Leary's Leeds babies. Injuries took hold and he was never the same)
Stephen Ireland (more interested in being flash than playing football)
John Sheridan (a silky skilled midfielder about 10 years ahead of his time. Never understood by Jack Charlton)
Wes Hoolahan (nearly every time he played, which wasn't very often, he won the man of the match award. Had the misfortune of having to deal with stone age managers)
Steven Reid (the few times he played he was brilliant. Probably the best Irish midfielder who made debut for Ireland this century. Ravaged by injury)
Richie Sadlier (the Irish Alan Shearer. Retired age 24 with one cap)
Bench:
Stephen Carr (the Irish Cafu. Tearing up the wing and hammering the ball in the net. Brilliant defensively. Barcelona were going to make a move but he suffered a horrible knee injury. Managed to resurrect his career as a solid utility full back, but he was never the same again)
Andy Reid (all the skills, vision and positioning in the world, but never really put the work in)
Andy O'Brien (frail looking centre back with good positioning. Always got the job done. But because he rarely got himself into a bad position, he never had to make big time tackles, which never impressed bullshit managers. Most of his caps came under Kerr)
Stephen Kelly (Stephen Carr lite)
Mark Kennedy (brilliant player but I have no idea what happened)
Darron Gibson. (Spent years as understudy at Man Utd before making move to Everton where he nailed down a starting place and started every week. Got his chance to start against Germany in a nothing match after Trap was finally sacked. Suffered horrific knee injury after half hour and his career was done)
Moral of the story:
Don't be called Steve.
Dean Kiely (stuck behind Shay Given for his entire international career. There's an argument to be made that Dean Kiely would have had 100 caps for Ireland otherwise)
Jim Beglin (just started to establish himself as a top fullback, but then broke his leg)
Damien Delaney (when Martin O'Neill decides he doesn't like you, that's it. You're out)
Marc Wilson (seriously reliable defender who is comfortable on the ball. Trap wrongly blamed him for giving him lip in training one day and didn't call him up for three or four years even though he was starting every week in the PL. When Trap finally realised that it was a case of mistaken identity, he finally cameca up Wilson and stuck him in the team. Played brilliantly for about twenty caps, before his career was essentially cut short by injuries)
Joey O'Brien (brilliant full back who also could play midfield. Comfortable on the ball. Legs made of glass)
Stephen McPhail (genius midfielder, one of Dave O'Leary's Leeds babies. Injuries took hold and he was never the same)
Stephen Ireland (more interested in being flash than playing football)
John Sheridan (a silky skilled midfielder about 10 years ahead of his time. Never understood by Jack Charlton)
Wes Hoolahan (nearly every time he played, which wasn't very often, he won the man of the match award. Had the misfortune of having to deal with stone age managers)
Steven Reid (the few times he played he was brilliant. Probably the best Irish midfielder who made debut for Ireland this century. Ravaged by injury)
Richie Sadlier (the Irish Alan Shearer. Retired age 24 with one cap)
Bench:
Stephen Carr (the Irish Cafu. Tearing up the wing and hammering the ball in the net. Brilliant defensively. Barcelona were going to make a move but he suffered a horrible knee injury. Managed to resurrect his career as a solid utility full back, but he was never the same again)
Andy Reid (all the skills, vision and positioning in the world, but never really put the work in)
Andy O'Brien (frail looking centre back with good positioning. Always got the job done. But because he rarely got himself into a bad position, he never had to make big time tackles, which never impressed bullshit managers. Most of his caps came under Kerr)
Stephen Kelly (Stephen Carr lite)
Mark Kennedy (brilliant player but I have no idea what happened)
Darron Gibson. (Spent years as understudy at Man Utd before making move to Everton where he nailed down a starting place and started every week. Got his chance to start against Germany in a nothing match after Trap was finally sacked. Suffered horrific knee injury after half hour and his career was done)
Moral of the story:
Don't be called Steve.
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