Anthony Pilkington M Fleetwood Twn b.1988

**TrapAPony** · 05/11/2011, 2:06 AM

Originally Posted by Supreme feet

Late bloomers like Lawrence and St. Ledger both jumped at the chance to play for us and have been very committed. On the other hand, players like Jon Macken and Paul Butler never really passed the 'gut test'; it took me a while to warm to Clinton Morrison, and the idea of someone like Jermaine Pennant or Mark Noble playing for Ireland would leave me feeling a little bit disillusioned. We have to draw the line somewhere.

Can never understand this ''gut test'' myself. If you have an Irish grandparent then you are eligible to play for Ireland no matter who you are. I personally don't care who we cap as long as they have something to offer us.

**SkStu** · 05/11/2011, 2:24 AM

I used to care but then I got a life.

**theworm2345** · 05/11/2011, 2:26 PM

Just beat Shay with a wonderful free kick

**eighties mullet** · 05/11/2011, 10:22 PM

great performance again today he has to get a senior call up asap

**shakermaker1982** · 06/11/2011, 7:12 AM

Murf - don't forget O'Gara. He was born in California....

**tetsujin1979** · 06/11/2011, 11:46 AM

And Heaslip was born in Israel

**Deckydee** · 06/11/2011, 1:47 PM

Frankie Sheahan - Canada

Malcolm O'Kelly & Simon Easterby - England

Brendan Mullin - Jerusalem

**Sullivinho** · 06/11/2011, 2:28 PM

Roy Keane - Cork

Denis Irwin - Cork

**Paddy Garcia** · 06/11/2011, 5:41 PM

Paul McGrath - London
David O'Leary - London
Stephen Ireland - Cork

This could go on for ages, and all to no good end and totally meaningless.

More importantly why would we not give a chance to a player currently staring in the Premiership. Must be the strength of depth in our midfield!

**youngirish** · 06/11/2011, 7:44 PM

Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia

More importantly why would we not give a chance to a player currently staring in the Premiership. Must be the strength of depth in our midfield!

Probably because they're not Irish and the team is called Ireland. The clue is in the name.

**the bear** · 06/11/2011, 8:15 PM

Originally Posted by youngirish

Probably because they're not Irish and the team is called Ireland. The clue is in the name.

maybe we could look into changing the name?

**Paddy Garcia** · 06/11/2011, 8:26 PM

Probably because they're not Irish and the team is called Ireland. The clue is in the name.

Ah I see - must go and look for the Post of the Month thread to nominate this insight.

**brine3** · 07/11/2011, 11:30 AM

Jesus, Ireland has suffered from emigration for centuries. It means that we have an overseas pool of players who are proud to pull on the green jersey and represent their homeland. Other football teams would kill for such a resource.

I myself have not lived in Ireland since 1986. Probably since before some of the whingers on this thread were born.

Sure, it would be great if we could turn back the clock and undo everything that caused emigration. There'd be 30 million people living in Ireland. We'd have four Richard Dunnes and five Damien Duffs.

Limiting the current Irish team only to those that are born and bred on the island of Ireland is like punishing ourselves twice over for emigration.

And so what if some of them are confused about where their allegiance lies. If they have an English father and an Irish mother then of course they are going to feel torn. It's only natural. It's all a part of being en emigrant. It's why Mark Lawrenson says "we" when talking about either Ireland and England. I never had a problem with that. But some little-Irelanders do.

**ifk101** · 07/11/2011, 12:23 PM

The issue isn't place of birth. So can we give the emigration rambling a rest?

Pilkington and his club were not aware of his eligibility to represent Ireland prior to his call up for a U21 friendly. Given this and that he subsequently was never selected again for U21s, it calls into question whether he is actually eligible to play for us.

**Irwin3** · 07/11/2011, 12:37 PM

Lol. How about laying off the wild speculation? That post is classic conspiracy theorist stuff.

His wiki says he qualifies through his paternal grandmother (unsourced). Maybe you know better, ifk101?

Other sources state his grandmother is from Dublin.
http://irishnewsreview.wordpress.com...-ireland-call/

I wouldn't put it past a footballer from not knowing the eligiblilty criteria. Tradtionally they are not the smartest bunch.

**ifk101** · 07/11/2011, 1:00 PM

Originally Posted by Irwin3

Lol. How about laying off the wild speculation? That post is classic conspiracy theorist stuff.

His wiki says he qualifies through his paternal grandmother (unsourced). Maybe you know better, ifk101?

I know the FAI have fielded players with zero connection to Ireland in the past.

Originally Posted by Irwin3

Other sources state his grandmother is from Dublin.
http://http ://irishnewsreview.wordp...-ireland-call/

Ah yes the FAI discovered an Irish granny that Pilkington had no previous awareness of.

Originally Posted by Irwin3

I wouldn't put it past a footballer from not knowing the eligiblilty criteria. Tradtionally they are not the smartest bunch.

Now, now .....

**Jaysus** · 07/11/2011, 1:04 PM

Was he adopted or something? I can't imagine not knowing where my grandmother is from lol

**paul_oshea** · 07/11/2011, 1:08 PM

Supreme/sulvinho got what i was getting at. Japan had 10 or 11 players born abroad I think, rugby is a joke.3 year rule or whatver lo

Court was also born abroad, 3 players from the squad.

Look there has been loads of rugby players, and mercenaries throughout, from australia, nz, south africa etc in the past, people probably have forgotten ones like OCuinneagain.

Gleeson was born in ireland but left at 4.
Mike Mullins
OCuinneagain (English mother god forbid but thats alright cos he has a proper sounding irish name i suppose murf?)
Brendan mullin also born in jeuresalem. And these are just off the top of my head. I'm sure there have been many more.

The difference is the rugby players parents had enough money and were priviliged enough to come home and there kids grew up in ireland, thats the only difference to making them any "more" irish. It doesn't make kilbane any less irish etc.

Here is a nice "watered" down list of the "countries" and the teams(and yes again i meant to "misplace" the words like this) they represent at the RWC 2011 -> http://www.superrugbytips.com/2011/0...orn-other.html

**brine3** · 07/11/2011, 1:34 PM

Maybe Pilkington has one of Stephen Ireland's grannies?

What really gets on my nerves as far as mercenaries go are the rich football leagues benefiting from players qualifying for the country through residence. Like Deco for Portugal and Marcos Senna for Spain. Like Spain doesn't have enough of a footballing advantage already.

Maybe we can all chip in and get Cork City to sign some 16 year old Brazilians, who will qualify for permanent Irish residence inf five years from now.

**Stuttgart88** · 07/11/2011, 2:08 PM

Originally Posted by brine3

Maybe we can all chip in and get Cork City to sign some Brazilians

There's a barber shop in Kensal Rise (NW10) called Gee Barber. I joked to my wife that that's where to go to get a Brazilian. She's English, so didn't get it.

Photo of said shop here.