A few of us were having this debate in work today. Who would you choose between Kevin Kilbane and James McClean? History will be kind to both and there’s a lot of similarities to their Ireland careers
Both always showed up as much as possible
Both came in for heavy criticism at various points of their career
They reinvented themselves as left backs from wingers later in their careers
What they lacked for in pure skill and ability they made up for with heart and effort. Commitment could never be questioned
McClean popped up with some crucial goals but in some games was a pure liability. Kilbane seemed to have less howlers but was usually just more solid than spectacular. A pure Big Mick player.
We haven’t had a player in the last 20 years that was as honest in their efforts as McClean. Kilbane also had a significantly better supporting cast for most of his playing days than aul Cleansie. Cleansie used every single ounce of talent he had, at his somewhat limited disposal whereas Kilbane had plenty of games where he didn’t look arsed.
Jesus was Kilbane not a likeable bomb scare at times? I seem to remember him scoring a calamitous own goal against Bulgaria in Croke Park back around 2009. I liked Kilbane but he definitely had more howlers in him than McClean. Mainly because he often played left-back. The worst damage McClean could do was a cross failing to beat the first man. Kilbane did finish top 4 with Everton which a level above anything McClean did at club level.
