Potentially eligible players thread

[Wangball]

Marcus Harness from Burton Albion is eligible and very interested in playing for us. He's a good pal of Cyrus Christie so I'd imagine the FAI are aware of him. He's playing championship football now with O'Reilly and McCrory so depending how he gets on this season he may be worth a look. Young fast player with an eye for goal.

[SkStu]

Marcus Harness from Burton Albion is eligible.

not sure we want to be saddled with him to be honest.

[Charlie Darwin]

If anyone can rein him in, it's Martin O'Neighll

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Marcus Harness from Burton Albion is eligible and very interested in playing for us. He's a good pal of Cyrus Christie so I'd imagine the FAI are aware of him. He's playing championship football now with O'Reilly and McCrory so depending how he gets on this season he may be worth a look. Young fast player with an eye for goal.

0 in 29. Source: Wikipedia.

I don't know. We might want to act fast on this one.

[samhaydenjr]

Marcus Harness from Burton Albion is eligible and very interested in playing for us. He's a good pal of Cyrus Christie so I'd imagine the FAI are aware of him. He's playing championship football now with O'Reilly and McCrory so depending how he gets on this season he may be worth a look. Young fast player with an eye for goal.


0 in 29. Source: Wikipedia.

I don't know. We might want to act fast on this one.

Fine, then - young fast player with an eye - happy now?

[SkStu]

If anyone can rein him in, it's Martin O'Neighll

Stirrup talking sh!te would ye.

[gastric]

Stirrup talking sh!te would ye.

You've really got the bit between your teeth on this one Stu.

Some info here on him. Clough seems with impressed with him. May be a call up to the U21s is on the cards.

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/marcus-harness-making-impact-burton-albion/story-29048924-detail/story.html

[OMTY]

Niall Maher scored for Bury last night. I know he was discussed on here before but not sure if it was ever confirmed whether he was eligible or not? A just turned 21 year old centre half playing League One football.

[nigel-harps1954]

Marcus Harness from Burton Albion is eligible and very interested in playing for us. He's a good pal of Cyrus Christie so I'd imagine the FAI are aware of him. He's playing championship football now with O'Reilly and McCrory so depending how he gets on this season he may be worth a look. Young fast player with an eye for goal.

So, what you're saying is, he'll provide a bit of support as we try to climb the rankings?

[OwlsFan]

Niall Maher scored for Bury last night. I know he was discussed on here before but not sure if it was ever confirmed whether he was eligible or not? A just turned 21 year old centre half playing League One football.

Don't be deceived by names. Conor Coady who plays for Wolves in an English underage international.

[TheBoss]

Don't be deceived by names. Conor Coady who plays for Wolves in an English underage international.

Just like the name Siobhan-Marie O'Connor, British swimmer in the Olympics.

[Charlie Darwin]

Derry City's Aaron McEneff has declared for Ireland after playing underage for the North: http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/sport/football/derry-city/football-mceneff-switches-to-republic-of-ireland-1-7523112

[CraftyToePoke]

All down to that loophole which allows us to poach their players.

[BonnieShels]

I couldn't let it go:


When will journalists not take the lazy route and call the declaration for Ireland a loophole?

Players born in Fermanagh, Armagh, Tyrone, Derry, Antrim and Down have been entitled to Irish Nationality since the foundation of the State as a result of the original Articles' 2 and 3. Such rights were further strengthened in legislation with the passing of the IRISH NATIONALITY AND CITIZENSHIP ACT, 1956. (http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1956/act/26/enacted/en/print#sec6).

The right to declare yourself as Irish or British or both was a component of the GFA in 1998 that highlighted the rights of players that they could indeed represent the nation of their identity if they so chose and if they were good enough to be picked.

It would do you well to read the excellent blog on the Nationality "issue" to clear up any confusion: http://playereligibilityinireland.blogspot.ie/ It states: "Irish nationality has been available from birth to those born in Northern Ireland who have wished to have it recognised long before 1998; what the Good Friday Agreement did was provide a confirmation of the now-undisputed nature of this with bilateral endorsement, and whilst this might have changed mindsets and cleared up any misgivings in what might have previously been an area of diplomatic dispute, it had no effect on the application of FIFA regulations governing Irish nationality. The fact that Northern Ireland-born players represented FAI teams in the mid-1990s, years before the Good Friday Agreement’s signing, should demonstrate this.

I'm sure that makes it eminently clear that there's no loophole at play here.

Read more at: http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/sport/football/derry-city/football-mceneff-switches-to-republic-of-ireland-1-7523112

[CraftyToePoke]

Good shootin' BS

I nearly had a rattle at them myself but I managed to contain my indifference to their uninformed wailing this time round

[BonnieShels]

Good shootin' BS

I nearly had a rattle at them myself but I managed to contain my indifference to their uninformed wailing this time round

I just couldn't. It did mean I had to sign up to the rag. Meaning that my Nationalist scorecard has taken a rattling. What next, reading the Newsletter?

[OwlsFan]

Jamie O'Hara continues on the slippery slope - this time to Gillingham.

[DeLorean]

Bonnie Invincible!

[geysir]

Bonnie Invincible!
Danny's feathers have been ruffled.

[gastric]

Yeah Bonnie is just so much better at this stuff than Danny! :-)Being serious, i also hate their use of the term 'poach'. TBH, I doubt the FAI even spoke to this bloke. His brother seems like a talent though.

[geysir]

We're not poaching, just fishing with a licence.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Lynden Gooch starts for Sunderland against City.

Might be the best Gooch we ever have.

[tetsujin1979]

apart from the lad from Kerry, obviously.

[Kingdom]

Jessica Ennis has the best gooch you'll ever have. Well if we're going by Johnny Knoxville's definition of a gooch.

[CraftyToePoke]

Jessica Ennis has the best gooch

Like the bonnet of a VW Beetle.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

What's his international outlook?

Although he's also eligible to turn out for England or Ireland, Gooch has made it clear on several occasions that his international ambitions are colored red, white and blue. He has seven US U-20 caps to his credit, and though left off the finals squad, helped the team qualify for the 2015 World Cup.
Gooch did accept one Ireland Under-18 call-up in 2013 and started a friendly loss to Switzerland, but stated that it was more of a due-diligence maneuver. “I just wanted to see what it was like,” he told American Soccer Now at the time. “But No. 1 is the US. The US is my country. I definitely want to play for the US.”

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/08/13/who-lynden-gooch-all-about-new-sunderland-mid-us-u-20-vet

(http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/08/13/who-lynden-gooch-all-about-new-sunderland-mid-us-u-20-vet)

[BonnieShels]

apart from the lad from Kerry, obviously.

Over-rated

[BonnieShels]

What's his international outlook?

Although he's also eligible to turn out for England or Ireland, Gooch has made it clear on several occasions that his international ambitions are colored red, white and blue. He has seven US U-20 caps to his credit, and though left off the finals squad, helped the team qualify for the 2015 World Cup.
Gooch did accept one Ireland Under-18 call-up in 2013 and started a friendly loss to Switzerland, but stated that it was more of a due-diligence maneuver. “I just wanted to see what it was like,” he told American Soccer Now at the time. “But No. 1 is the US. The US is my country. I definitely want to play for the US.”

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/08/13/who-lynden-gooch-all-about-new-sunderland-mid-us-u-20-vet

(http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/08/13/who-lynden-gooch-all-about-new-sunderland-mid-us-u-20-vet)

I think he wants to play for the US

[Charlie Darwin]

I think he wants to play for the US
Danny wouldn't give up this easily.

[BonnieShels]

Danny wouldn't give up this easily.

No doubt about it. I'm not made of such stern stuff.

[Olé Olé]

A reference to Rob Brennan's twitter feed in another thread made me go have a look. Always the odd nugget inside there.

Apparently, Olamide Shodipo's father is still living in Dublin. I had been under the impression that his links with Ireland extended no further than being born here and the few years he lived here prior to moving to London. It's positive to hear that he still has a tangible link here and, hopefully, remains in contact and visits his father.

Also, we can expect to see 20 year-old Marcus Harness in upcoming under 21 squads, per Brennan. He's in and about the first team at Burton Albion, plays in midfield and his mother is from Cork. He served to stoke the fire by retweeting a tweet from an Irishman regarding whether the FAI had been in touch with him: https://twitter.com/E_Diddy/status/763451203250454528. Of course, he'd have to be from Coventry!

[Wangball]

Funny story, that tweet that Harness retweeted was mine! I'm not sure why I haven't shared the background on that story but a while back Cyrus Christie - upwards of 9 months ago - tweeted a pic of himself in the Green and looking through the replies I saw Harness replied saying something like "I hope I get a shot" or something to that effect so I messaged him and asked if he qualified, he said yes, I lashed an email off to the FAI address (found in this thread!) and forgot about it, then saw Burton got promoted and thought I wonder if that was ever chased up on so tweeted the above to see if he got a call! Evidently he has!

[Olé Olé]

Funny story, that tweet that Harness retweeted was mine! I'm not sure why I haven't shared the background on that story but a while back Cyrus Christie - upwards of 9 months ago - tweeted a pic of himself in the Green and looking through the replies I saw Harness replied saying something like "I hope I get a shot" or something to that effect so I messaged him and asked if he qualified, he said yes, I lashed an email off to the FAI address (found in this thread!) and forgot about it, then saw Burton got promoted and thought I wonder if that was ever chased up on so tweeted the above to see if he got a call! Evidently he has!

Haha. Good work. Have you seen him play by any chance? Has racked up a good number of appearances for a coming side and at a young age.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

He's 20 or 22 years old depending on which source you read.

5 League One appearances last season and none so far this season.

Any prior experience seems to be in League Two.

People talk about LOI players having the talent but not being given the opportunities, talking about how they should stay at home for an extra few years and harness their talent rather than rush through a move to England, and you see caps handed out like confetti to any player who is eligible.

I'm genuinely not making an attempt to sound like a muppet here but if any player playing above National League level was found eligible for Ireland there would be calls for them to be selected for one of our Intl teams.

Has anyone even seen this lad play?

[Wangball]

Harness might get 1 cap or he may get 100 caps, the point is his name is now in the conversation. The more names in the conversation the stronger we are.

[CraftyToePoke]

Not sure where to put this as he is definitely eligible, but Joe Gormley came off the bench the other night against Millwall for Peterborough. He lost all of last season to injury immediately following his move there in June '15. Scored 41 & 37 goals for Cliftonville in the prior two seasons to earn that move. Twenty seven soon so needs to get on with it now it it's in him but good luck to the man, nice to see him fit again and a very warm welcome back from the home fans when he came on. With a better square ball would have scored also, made the run perfectly but the ball didn't arrive.

[liamoo11]

Aiden o neill 18 yo Brisbane lad made debut for burnley today. Possibly eligible

[CraftyToePoke]

From the Burnley site ''His long awaited international clearance was finally granted in the summer of 2015, following a frustrating spell training and playing with the Development Squad''

[liamoo11]

From the Burnley site ''His long awaited international clearance was finally granted in the summer of 2015, following a frustrating spell training and playing with the Development Squad''o. Yeah looking at it seems burnley had 5 or 6 Aussies in their youth team must b somewhere they r concentrating on. Brisbanians in my experience have no interest in their heritage so doubt he wil play for us

[Stuttgart88]

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/olympians-of-tomorrow-sprint-from-ranks-of-new-irish-1.2763651

I thought I'd put this here for discussion. As good a place as any...

[paul_oshea]

Finally offaly adding something to the country

[Stuttgart88]

Ah come on. Seamus Darby.

[paul_oshea]

Jees Stutts I'd be shamed for that one. I meant non gaelic sports obvioulsy, and golf while I'm at it.

Is he a descendant of henry darby i wonder.

Anyway on the article the Germans are a step ahead as usual, and even the british fast tracking all these athletes in. How difficult would it be to add an extra question on the form "are you into sports?"

[CraftyToePoke]

How difficult would it be to add an extra question on the form "are you into sports?"

Or just make them race each other ? Winners in, medal placings favourably looked upon, losers sent on to Britain.

[Stuttgart88]

Potm!

[livehead1]

Aiden O'Neill made second appearance for Burnley last night, Australian born, wonder whether FAI have made enquiries as to eligibility...

[paul_oshea]

get onto them there lads.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Here's his Twitter page for anyone who wants to ask him if he's interested/even eligible to play for Ireland.

https://twitter.com/aidenoneill98

(https://twitter.com/aidenoneill98)Michael Duffy is one of two players given a first senior call up for Northern Ireland BTW.

[samhaydenjr]

Technically still eligible for us, Will Keane has moved to Hull - http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37217074 - I hope you can all contain your excitement (watch now, he'll score 15 to help Hull secure a top-4 position)

[Olé Olé]

I’ve been really impressed with Kevin Kilbane on Newstalk of late. He’s a good skin, enjoyable to listen to and really insightful. Dan O’Donnell couldn’t make an assertion on the Irish camp last night without adding the caveat of “but, I don’t know” to the end of his sentences, seemingly mindful of Kilbane’s presence and obvious knowledge. Joe Molloy struck up a discussion on Andre Gray’s, admittedly despicable, tweets. As a presenter, a bit of context on Gray’s background would be within Molloy’s duty to provide. However, it took Kilbane to refer to his stabbing, involvement in gang activity and tough upbringing. He didn’t do it to excuse Gray but just to provide some context.

Anyway, John Cross of the Mirror was on to discuss Jack Wilshere last night and Kilbane couldn’t let him go without asking him what he thought of Sam Allardyce’s willingness to bring in naturalized citizens into the England squad (discussions having been recently held with Steven N’Zonzi). I thought it was really adding value to the show by Kilbane to ask this question of a well-placed English journalist.

After Cross was gone Kilbane struck gold again for the listeners. He discussed how the practice didn’t sit right with him. Most intriguingly, he said that there have been discussions in the England underage set-up whereby young players have been told to cut their teeth at international level in the underage set-ups of other countries, like Ireland, and if it works out they’d be brought into the England set-up. He also stated that England are really going after as many underage players as they can at the moment to hold such discussions or. Otherwise, to get them to switch across. Obviously, Grealish was name-checked in this but the likes of Agyei-Tabi, Crowley and others have began their international career with us before moving across to England also. A worrying practice if they’re doing this on the back of advice from someone like Gareth Southgate, who Kilbane did mention too.