A debate in JOE Towers led to us ranking the 20 most valuable players IF the GAA had a transfer market. Here’s numbers 10 to 1.
With all the talk of release clauses, big money moves and transfer shenanigans in the Premier League we started to ponder the age old question ‘wouldn’t it be great if the GAA had a transfer market?’.
And after the obligatory Seanie Johnston jokes died down we started to rank the players in terms of who would be the most pricey on a mythical GAA merry-go-round.
Before you dive in, here’s the criteria we used to rank them. It’s far from perfect, it is not even close to ideal, but it is the method we chose. Feel free to disagree.
- Versatility: A player who can bring more than just one ability to your team. Be that points scoring and free-taking, leadership and energy or athleticism and skill. The more you bring to the table, the higher you go.
- Scoring ability: There is a reason why strikers cost more than defenders. Same goes for our list.
- Potential: A 19-year-old Wayne Rooney is more valuable than a 27-year-old Rooney. That’s why youth reigns in our rankings.
- Positional: A few players are just the best in their role, meaning they would walk onto almost any county team in the country. That helps your cause too.
The players on our list qualify in some, or all, of these categories. The more you fulfill, the higher you go. Simples. Yesterday’s 20-11 is right here, and here’s the Top 10 for you.
And in response to the calls of ‘where are the hurlers?’ we decided to keep the codes seperate. A hurling list will be published before the Championship starts.
10. Ger Cafferkey (Mayo)
As good a full-back as there is in the game, most counties need a solid base to build their team on. Last year’s All-Ireland finalists rely on Cafferkey’s solidity and at 25, you have many more years of excellence to come from the big fella.
9. Bryan Sheehan (Kerry)
Probably the best dead ball striker in the game. A lethal free taker is beyond valuable these days and the Kerry man has no peers. He’s not a bad footballer either, has bags of experience, and at 28 has a few more years left on the clock. There’s very few counties who wouldn’t snap your hand off to take him.
8. Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin)
There is a certain leap of faith required here but the 19-year-old Dub could be the stand-out player of the next decade or more. Outstanding in the glimpses we have seen so far, he has already played in an All-Ireland semi-final and is exceptional off both feet. Add in his physique and he should be the complete forward for the modern game.
7. Aidan Walsh (Cork)
The only Rebel represented here but another whose potential is off the charts. An All-Ireland winner at 20, he has continued to improve and is now arguably Cork’s best player. An imperious, tireless midfielder and everything you would want in a centre-fielder.
6. Paul Flynn (Dublin)
If flying wing men are the key to the modern game then you can’t go wrong with Paul Flynn. Probably the best in this newly-crucial slot, the Dub has been outstanding these past two seasons. Back-to-back All-Stars confirms his class and at 26 we can’t think of a single county who wouldn’t give him a starting spot.
5. Jamie Clarke (Armagh)
A go-to forward who can score on his own against blanket defences is a must for any title contenders. Just imagine what the likes of Mayo or Cork would give to have the Armagh man in their ranks. As slippery a forward as there is in the game, his strike rate is phenomenal.
4. Bernard Brogan (Dublin)
Speaking of go-to forwards, here’s the Dublin version. Capable of racking up huge scores no matter what system is put in place to stop him. Also pretty handy from frees and even sidelines, he will find a way to rack up scores no matter what. Just exceptional.
3. Aidan O’Shea (Mayo)
Already a veteran at just 22, the powerful O’Shea is another rock on which Mayo can build. Physically imposing and comfortable at the old-school skill of fielding, he is also adept at more modern skills like covering acres of ground and funnelling back.
Has also been tried out at centre forward and may well settle there as a scoring threat. Can do it all and has years ahead of him still.
2. Karl Lacey (Donegal)
The prototype for the attacking wing-back the modern game is so fond of. The 28-year-old can play anywhere along the back six and he looks like he could play in any of the front six positions too. Pace, strength, skill, accuracy of both passing and shooting, he was a worthy winner of Footballer of the Year last year and another who no manager in the country would turn away.
1. Michael Murphy (Donegal)
Priceless. At just 23 he is the captain and spiritual leader of Donegal but he brings much more than a big presence and personality to his teams. He’s a wonderful scorer of points from distance. He’s big enough to win ball against virtually anyone. He has skills to match the very best we’ve seen and he can play in any position and still be the dominant player in the game.
Sensational at inter-county level since he was just 19, there is no reason he can’t go on like this for at least another seven or eight years. If money was no object, he’d be the man everyone would want to buy.
