QuoteTo follow him to a league of similar standard bar about 3 teams? Delusion.
How do people feel about this?
More Irish-based players will move to Scotland as football comes to terms with the credit crunch, according to a top football agent.
Northern Ireland's Gerry Carlile said Derry City winger Niall McGinn's move to Celtic was a sign of things to come.
"I'd be very surprised if all the SPL clubs didn't dip their toe in to the Irish market," Carlile said.
"Clubs are looking for a bargain and they know they can pick up good players relatively cheap in Ireland."
Scottish Premier League strugglers Motherwell are tracking Linfield goalkeeper Alan Mannus, who is available on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season.
And First Division outfit St Johnstone benefitted this week from the financial problems afflicting the Eircom Premier League by picking up central defender Graham Gartland after he left Drogheda United under freedom of contract.
Carlile, who represents a number of Northern Ireland internationals, including McGinn, said a growing number of Scottish clubs were casting covetous eyes towards the Irish leagues.
I would be surprised if other Irish players do not make the journey over, starting in January
Football agent Gerry Carlile
"I have spoken to several SPL managers and they know that they will get decent players who have played at a decent level," he said.
"They have a good work ethic and they can settle in easily enough.
"If you look through the SPL, it might surprise you just how many Irish players are already playing at the moment.
"We know Rangers have Steven Davis and Kyle Lafferty, who cost big money from English clubs.
"But Niall has joined Paddy McCourt at Celtic, Kilmarnock have also brought Conor Sammon over from Derry City and Aberdeen have Sammy Stewart, who is only 17 but is a great talent.
Carlile added: "Hamilton have David Elebert, who is a Republic of Ireland Under-21 international.
"Warren Feeney, Willo Flood, Sean Dillon and Jon Daly are at Dundee United, Stephen Craigan is at Motherwell and Dean Shiels is at Hibs.
"I would be surprised if other Irish players do not make the journey over, starting in January.
"The standard of football has improved in both leagues over here, north and south, there is no doubt about it."
Carlile added that McGinn's move to Celtic would inspire other Irish-based players to follow him to Scottish football.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...em/7806490.stm
To follow him to a league of similar standard bar about 3 teams? Delusion.
Nothing delusional about it at all. Players move for money. If they think they'll gte more playing for Motherwell or Kilmarnock, good luck to themOriginally Posted by Red&White Rover
54,321 sold - wws will never die - ***
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New blog if anyone's interested - http://loihistory.wordpress.com/
LOI section on balls.ie - http://balls.ie/league-of-ireland/
Carlile a "top football agent"?
That gets my first ROFL of 09.
What's the standard of the LOI when you subtract our top three teams? SPL has better football, bigger money and better stadia.
Hardly surprising really. Means nothing in any real terms. Just slow news day stuff.
The ones that went over 2 years ago hardly set the world alight
Bigger money and better stadium definitely. Better football.....you don't watch much SPL do you
Delusional? Those who thought Gartland was bound for Ibrox would fit into that category. Says it all that he's happy to sign for a SFL club, no?
PP
Semper in faecibus sole profundum variat
You can hardly blame a player for going to another club if they offer him £5,000 a week, thats what i hear McGinn is getting now.
Go lí cúnna ifrinn do thóin bheagmhaitheasach
Good luck to the lad but he should have decared for Ireland though.
Why should he?
Did the FAI watch him? Did Givens or any of those involved with the international setup watch him or approach him?
The IFA have been actively watching him and encouraging him for a while. He probably only came onto the FAI radar when he moved. Very sad, but true.
Echoes of the 'modern day slavery' in football that Blatter mentioned ?
The lad should have declared for whoever he wanted, as he does have a choice, you know. And as Maribor mentioned - the FAI didn't even know he existed until about a month ago.
Players will get paid in the SPL something that cannot be guaranteed in the LOI & its not much of a step up for most players.
Was he not registered while at DCFC? That's very bad.
" I'll go right up to here,
it can't possibly hurt.
All they will find is my
beer and my shirt."
it makes perfect sense!
It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.
Muhammad Ali
You know what we both meant, ya muppet.....
I agree, but thats up to McGinn. Personally i wouldnt play for N Ireland the matter how much i wanted to get noticed as a footballer, but thats my politics and beliefs. Standing to GSTQ and recognising N Ireland as a seperate statelet is a serious contradiction for any Nationalist.
Go lí cúnna ifrinn do thóin bheagmhaitheasach
I suspect that playing football to the best of his ability (which is his job) is much more important to Niall McGinn than political beliefs.
The Englishmen came over in the year 2005
But little did they know that we'd planned a wee surprise
Sir David scored the winner, and Windsor Park went wild
And this is what we sang...
Moderation: Dortie and Not Brazil, chill out there lads. Leave at that now will ye.
The SFAI are the governing body for grassroots football in Ireland, not the FAI. Its success or the lack of is all down to them.
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