Hunt is a mediocre player playing for a mediocre English side, occasionally :-), and a mediocre international side. He will have plenty of spare time while it lasts.

Brolly's comments were clearly in the context of EPL players who you would not trust to mind your dog, never mind your children.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 01/12/2014 11:31:15    1675732

I take my hat off to anyone who makes the grade at top level professional soccer. I would include the English Championship in that by the way as the standard is relatively high.

The competition faced, by the likes of Stephen Hunt, from players from every corner of the globe is staggering when you think about it.

The skill, talent and drive that these lads have in order to carve out a career for themselves is amazing. It genuinely is, anyone who calls a player like Stephen Hunt's achievement as "mediocre" would seriously want their head examined.

By any definition of the word, Stephen Hunt's achievement of making it at the top level of professional sport is exceptional.

Those who excel at the top level and become superstars have a tendency to over shadow the rest's achievement but it is laughable not to see the likes of Stephen's achievements in a massively positive light.

In this country there is a tendency to elevate our GAA players and Rugby players achievements whilst denigrating our soccer players. Despite the fact that our soccer players' achievements (in terms of their unlikeliness and difficulty with competition) leave the rest of the lads in the hapenny place.

For example - Stephen Hunt's achievements are more remarkable and exceptional than Brian O'Driscoll's when put into context. i.e. Stephen Hunt had to be better than more people than O'Driscoll to get to where they both got in their career.

Also, this point is not about what Stephen wrote but rather a reaction against those running down the achievements of our soccer players.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13710 - 01/12/2014 12:17:13    1675737

Excellent point, MesAmis. A stat - there are 10,000 new players in English FA club academies each year - that's just English homegrown talent. Each with massive potential and each expecting to make it to professional level. So Hunt's achievement is certainly something for him to be incredibly proud of and for Irish people too.

His point, however, was ill-informed. I mean it's crazy to think that he believed resting to be an outlandish commitment. In fact, it's so bizarre I would be inclined to think (hoping) it was tongue-in-cheek

wicklu (Wicklow) - Posts: 331 - 01/12/2014 13:11:08    1675747

Spot on Mes, can only agree with all you've said there.

Can't wait to see the reaction to the O'Driscoll comment...

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3685 - 01/12/2014 13:59:58    1675758

For example - Stephen Hunt's achievements are more remarkable and exceptional than Brian O'Driscoll's when put into context. i.e. Stephen Hunt had to be better than more people than O'Driscoll to get to where they both got in their career.


MesAmis>>>>>>>> Blasphemer, BOD is GOD :D

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8592 - 01/12/2014 14:25:12    1675764

01/12/2014 12:17:13 MesAmis
I take my hat off to anyone who makes the grade at top level professional soccer. I would include the English Championship in that by the way as the standard is relatively high.
The competition faced, by the likes of Stephen Hunt, from players from every corner of the globe is staggering when you think about it.
The skill, talent and drive that these lads have in order to carve out a career for themselves is amazing. It genuinely is, anyone who calls a player like Stephen Hunt's achievement as "mediocre" would seriously want their head examined.
By any definition of the word, Stephen Hunt's achievement of making it at the top level of professional sport is exceptional.
Those who excel at the top level and become superstars have a tendency to over shadow the rest's achievement but it is laughable not to see the likes of Stephen's achievements in a massively positive light.
In this country there is a tendency to elevate our GAA players and Rugby players achievements whilst denigrating our soccer players. Despite the fact that our soccer players' achievements (in terms of their unlikeliness and difficulty with competition) leave the rest of the lads in the hapenny place.
For example - Stephen Hunt's achievements are more remarkable and exceptional than Brian O'Driscoll's when put into context. i.e. Stephen Hunt had to be better than more people than O'Driscoll to get to where they both got in their career.
Also, this point is not about what Stephen wrote but rather a reaction against those running down the achievements of our soccer players. In context O Driscoll achievements are more remarkable and exceptional than Hunts. Now take a run of the mill rugby player than yes Hunts are more remarkable and exceptional but O Driscoll is a rugby hall in famer in waiting, one of the greatest players around. 100 caps internationally. The point you make is kind of right but O Driscoll is the wrong person to use in an example

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 01/12/2014 14:57:20    1675769

Agreed his achievements should not be undermined by any means, to achieve the level in soccer that he has is brilliant and very very hard to do.
But for him to play down the commitment of GAA players around the country is nothing sort of a joke, they are as committed as any pro athlete in the world.

On the point of him needing the rest I would guarantee that the likes of Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Rooney, Ribery, Suarez, Bale etc. don't get near as much rest as him as they are playing twice a week, travelling around Europe for games, going to sponsors gigs and staying back after training for hours a day to perfect their skills.

GAAHattrick (Dublin) - Posts: 278 - 01/12/2014 15:00:12    1675770

Talk about going from the sublime to the ridiculous, "Hunt has achieved more than O'Driscoll", just double the dose you'll be well again in no time.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4897 - 01/12/2014 16:31:34    1675786

O'Driscoll's achievements are remarkable.......for a rugby player.

O'Driscoll's achivements are exceptional..........for a rugby player.

Brian O'Driscoll was amazing but in a rugby context.

Stephen Hunt had to be better than more competitors to get his 40 odd caps for Ireland and his career in the Premier League/Championship than Brian O'Driscoll had to be better than to get to his level in rugby.

I'm not trying to belittle O'Driscoll but the point stands.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13710 - 01/12/2014 16:50:17    1675791

If in doubt and Wicklu

Fair play lads.

I don't like to see the achievements of our soccer players belittled in such a way. Unfortunetaly people often use the GAA and rugby to do this.

I don't think people really understand how remarkable an achievement it is to forge a career for yourself at Prem/Championship level. The sheer competitiveness of the sport is unreal and it leaves rugby and GAA in the hapenny place in terms of the difficulty it is to get to the relative top level.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13710 - 01/12/2014 16:53:52    1675795

Personally, I also don't like how people compare and contrast levels of commitment across the disciplines. The fact is when you turn out for your country you are there because you are the best we have to offer and it is typically based on merit whether you be Stephen Hunt, Brian O'Driscoll or William Porterfield. Our national soccer team, rugby team and for the most part cricket team are professional paid athletes. It's practically impossible to compare them to unpaid amateur athletes (although some of the cricketers are part timers). Hunt was a moron to even bother, he has no clue what a current inter-county player has to do commitment wise in the current game and try to juggle either a full time job or full time education.

The comparison of Hunt and O'Driscoll is also a moron's folly. Hunt was a decent Irish footballer and he has had a decent football career to reflect that. BOD was for many years the best centre in the northern hemisphere of rugby and arguably at one point, the world. He captained his team, his country and the lions. When you compare what each achieved in the respective careers there is little to draw on aside from them both being hard working to achieve what they did. Simply put, it's irrelevant how many each had to 'contend' with to progress. One made it to the very top, the other did not….talent at their chosen professions being the thing to separate them. Another way to look at it….Would hunt have ever made the Spanish international side at their peak, the german side, argentina et cetera….of course not. He was a decent player but not a world beater. BOD would have been selected in any rugby side during his peak, even the all blacks.

seanfinn (Monaghan) - Posts: 360 - 01/12/2014 19:10:41    1675832

i agree a lot with what you say mesamis in that our soccer players are often harshly criticized and its quite silly especially when you consider soccer is near impossible to make it at the highest level...they do often get harshly criticized often due to good rugby performances by us where the context is total taken out of it...now and again gaa players also used to belittle them...quite silly stuff...any man who makes it in pro soccer deserves lot of respect

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 01/12/2014 19:38:14    1675839

Hunt plays a sport played worldwide and made it to one of the top leagues in the world.

O'Driscoll made it to the top of a sport played seriously in less than a dozen countries worldwide.

I'd go so far as to say more people around the world would have heard of Stephen Hunt than Brian O'Driscoll.

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 01/12/2014 20:00:42    1675849

01/12/2014 20:00:42
mike03
Hunt plays a sport played worldwide and made it to one of the top leagues in the world.
O'Driscoll made it to the top of a sport played seriously in less than a dozen countries worldwide.
I'd go so far as to say more people around the world would have heard of Stephen Hunt than Brian O'Driscoll. Don't be ridiculous in regard to level of rugby. You going to try name the half dozen countries worldwide?

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 01/12/2014 20:47:44    1675856

Maybe Hunt was right and complimenting the GAA players..saying that GAA players mightn't hack doing nothing all day but resting, quite possibly true for the majority of them, as all off them are accustomed to having to graft hard everyday as well as train and play.
There's many an Irish lad who went to England and failed cause they couldn't handle the lifestyle change from having to work hard to getting everything handed to them on a plate.
Off course there's a few who have succeeded but there alot more who have failed and returned to ireland than have succeeded in then 'handy' life off lying around all day getting paid to do nothing.

wishfulthinkin (Cavan) - Posts: 1684 - 01/12/2014 20:57:36    1675862

Ormy rugby is a minority sport however you look at it. Every world cup has had the same 9 teams make up the 1/4 finalists.

There are 4 teams in the Southern Hemisphere and 6 in the Northern Hemisphere. That is 10. Less than a dozen. And of those 10 it is the main sport in only 3 of those countries. Does that explain it a bit better?

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 01/12/2014 21:24:19    1675871

mike03
County: Limerick
Posts: 892

1675871 Ormy rugby is a minority sport however you look at it. Every world cup has had the same 9 teams make up the 1/4 finalists.

There are 4 teams in the Southern Hemisphere and 6 in the Northern Hemisphere. That is 10. Less than a dozen. And of those 10 it is the main sport in only 3 of those countries. Does that explain it a bit better?

To play at the top of any sport requires huge dedication and ability. I would never disparage Stephen Hunt or his achievements. To play at the top level as he has done is a tremendous achievement. However when it comes to sporting excellence he is not in the same league as Brian O Driscoll, Colin Cooper or Henry Shefflin.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 01/12/2014 21:36:25    1675875

9 teams in 1/4 finals?? These foreign sports haven't a clue how to run things!

wishfulthinkin (Cavan) - Posts: 1684 - 01/12/2014 21:45:23    1675876

Are we seriously comparing Stephen Hunt to BOD?? Catch a grip lads and ladies!!

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 01/12/2014 21:50:17    1675879

seanfinn
County: Monaghan
Posts: 62

1675832
Personally, I also don't like how people compare and contrast levels of commitment across the disciplines. The fact is when you turn out for your country you are there because you are the best we have to offer and it is typically based on merit whether you be Stephen Hunt, Brian O'Driscoll or William Porterfield. Our national soccer team, rugby team and for the most part cricket team are professional paid athletes. It's practically impossible to compare them to unpaid amateur athletes (although some of the cricketers are part timers). Hunt was a moron to even bother, he has no clue what a current inter-county player has to do commitment wise in the current game and try to juggle either a full time job or full time education.

The comparison of Hunt and O'Driscoll is also a moron's folly. Hunt was a decent Irish footballer and he has had a decent football career to reflect that. BOD was for many years the best centre in the northern hemisphere of rugby and arguably at one point, the world. He captained his team, his country and the lions. When you compare what each achieved in the respective careers there is little to draw on aside from them both being hard working to achieve what they did. Simply put, it's irrelevant how many each had to 'contend' with to progress. One made it to the very top, the other did not….talent at their chosen professions being the thing to separate them. Another way to look at it….Would hunt have ever made the Spanish international side at their peak, the german side, argentina et cetera….of course not. He was a decent player but not a world beater. BOD would have been selected in any rugby side during his peak, even the all blacks.

I met a guy once (from Cork) who told me he played senior intercounty hurling - he played one game with Cavan in the early 1990s. In Cork when he played hurling - he played junior B hurling with a club's third team. He was as far off the top level as he could be. When he went to Cavan, due to the fact that he had fewer to contend with,he reached the top.

Nobody is belittling Brian O'Driscoll's amazing achievements. MesAmis made a simple point about playing numbers.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 02/12/2014 08:43:43    1675888