Potentially eligible players thread

[Bielsa´s irish]

Probably better for everyone if ya just go back to reading it ~ ~ Cheerio !

You see Sean, thats not the answer from an irishman your anwer is very elitist. My country was built by some proud irishmen and irishwomen one of them my granny.

Of course i have the right. the human right to express my thoughts. I havent insulted nor offended anyone here, yet i have been insulted by fellow irish football fans called names and that this was made-up. Thats a shame, if someone wants to call me you can call me to Argentina now to check im a true fan from abroad, a professor and a journalist.
<MOD EDIT> no personal information, even if it's your own

[Eirambler]

Mark Sykes has asked not to be named in the NI squad this week because he wants to switch allegiance to the good guys.

23 years old so a Nations League cap would still tie him to the North under the new rules.

Looks like a slightly later developer, in fairness given his career trajectory until recently it would have been difficult for him to justify switching to us before now, however coming off a big season with Oxford and with his career on the up he has seemingly decided to go for it - fair play to him.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/mark-sykes-could-land-northern-ireland-spot-for-euro-2020-play-off-after-starring-against-newcastle-says-sammy-clingan-38929902.html

[liamoo11]

Mark Sykes has asked not to be named in the NI squad this week because he wants to switch allegiance to the good guys.

23 years old so a Nations League cap would still tie him to the North under the new rules.

Looks like a slightly later developer, in fairness given his career trajectory until recently it would have been difficult for him to justify switching to us before now, however coming off a big season with Oxford and with his career on the up he has seemingly decided to go for it - fair play to him.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/mark-sykes-could-land-northern-ireland-spot-for-euro-2020-play-off-after-starring-against-newcastle-says-sammy-clingan-38929902.html


Best of luck to him. Great to see the northern lads feeling comfortable enough to come on board. Really hope Kenny makes it explicit that he is proactive in helping northern players play for us.

[CraftyToePoke]

Fair play to him is right, backing himself.
Bit more on it here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53881533

[Olé Olé]

This is the first lad that has switched to us in a while. There definitely have been very few from Belfast of late. Were the Hale brothers the last to do so? Paul Smyth appeared to have been considering his options.

Y'know, it might be just a co-incidence but Michael not being there to talk someone like Sykes around could have had an impact.

[Bielsa´s irish]

I’m all for people saying whatever the **** they want on platforms like this. Saying that...

Surely the admins can see the IP addresses from which every post is made? In this instance, they might choose to verify Chelo’s claims that he’s posting from Argentina. Cause it’s just a pointless and constant back and forth. Chelo posts something outlandish or untrue, which leads people to call him a WIM and an idiot, to which he goes back to his story of being an innocent and passionate yet simple man from Argentina, veins coursing with irish blood. The whole thing is so obviously implausible, and his writing full of tells, someone calls him out as being from say, Templeogue (good shout). And it continues on and on and on, like some kinds of deeply unfunny and tiresome skit...

im tired too. anyone can call me to. im telling the truth i talk about facts because people here call me an impostor a fake. I ve been following Ireland since Liam Brady for Inter when Maradona was at Napoles

<MOD EDIT> no personal information, even if it's your own

[Eirambler]

I think there was definitely an O'Neill factor to it alright. Both in terms of NI's period of relative success on the field (actually qualifying for something) and the fact that having O'Neill at the centre of it all probably made playing for the team more palatable from a nationalist point of view if we're being honest.

Then again, I always think these things are a win for both sides, if he genuinely would rather play for us I'd imagine most NI fans would prefer if he didn't play for them anyway and it certainly doesn't seem like there's been any agent or media pressure on him to make the switch, so quite different to the Declan Rice situation.

[Olé Olé]

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/5816847/mark-sykes-declare-republic-ireland-northern-oxford-united/

The Sun reporting that Kenny made contact with Sykes.

I love the reporting on how the IFA are "irate" and that the lad "routinely" appeared for underage sides.
1297557377122816000

[Diggs246]

Sorry to lower the tone but with a name like that is he the first person from the unionist community to swap sides? Who knows

[Olé Olé]

I did a bit of research. Looks as though he went to school at St. Mary's, a Christian Brothers' school in West Belfast.

[Diggs246]

Rice crispy so

[Mr_Parker]

The hypocritical meltdown here in the north is in full swing.

[Eirambler]

Sorry to lower the tone but with a name like that is he the first person from the unionist community to swap sides? Who knows

Names aren't everything in NI - a huge amount of crossover between the communities over the years. Players with names like Gibson, Wilson etc playing for us on one side, Healy and Lafferty on the other. I would be amazed if a NI player from a fully unionist background ever switched to us.

[CraftyToePoke]

The hypocritical meltdown here in the north is in full swing.

Is there Unionist outrage ? They love a bit of outrage.

[Olé Olé]

Names aren't everything in NI - a huge amount of crossover between the communities over the years. Players with names like Gibson, Wilson etc playing for us on one side, Healy and Lafferty on the other. I would be amazed if a NI player from a fully unionist background ever switched to us.

Not to mention James McClean.

[Fixer82]

Names aren't everything in NI - a huge amount of crossover between the communities over the years. Players with names like Gibson, Wilson etc playing for us on one side, Healy and Lafferty on the other. I would be amazed if a NI player from a fully unionist background ever switched to us.

Kernaghan was from Unionist background but couldn't be picked by the North because of their policy at the time. Not sure if he played underage with them or what their policy was anyway. Something stupid that hindered them anyway.
He got dogs abuse in 1993 in Windsor Park

[seanfhear]

Mark Sykes has asked not to be named in the NI squad this week because he wants to switch allegiance to the good guys.

23 years old so a Nations League cap would still tie him to the North under the new rules.

Looks like a slightly later developer, in fairness given his career trajectory until recently it would have been difficult for him to justify switching to us before now, however coming off a big season with Oxford and with his career on the up he has seemingly decided to go for it - fair play to him.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/mark-sykes-could-land-northern-ireland-spot-for-euro-2020-play-off-after-starring-against-newcastle-says-sammy-clingan-38929902.html
A bit of a Bulls-Eye for Kenny !

[Charlie Darwin]

Mark Sykes has asked not to be named in the NI squad this week because he wants to switch allegiance to the good guys.
Another proud Mexican!

[Charlie Darwin]

Best of luck to him. Great to see the northern lads feeling comfortable enough to come on board. Really hope Kenny makes it explicit that he is proactive in helping northern players play for us.
I don't think that's Kenny's way. He'd be more along the Brian Kerr lines that he understands the political situation and any switch has to be led by the player themselves.

[The Fly]

Is there Unionist outrage ? They love a bit of outrage.

They're all supporting Cambridge in the boat race next year.

[tetsujin1979]

Liam Delap scored a hat trick in a preseason game for Man City U18's. Here's one of them
Also, Joe Hodge captained the team.
1297808564153704448

[Diggs246]

Quick question

If Rory qualified via grandparent ( i don't know his background, but hypotactically, does his young fella actually qualify for us? as it would be his great grandparent

[tetsujin1979]

According to his wiki page, both his parents are Irish: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_Delap#Personal_life_and_charity_work

Rory's father is John Delap from Letterkenny and his mother Maura Delap from Kells

[Diggs246]

Putting rory aside. Let's say david mcgoldrick, who qualified through the grandparent rule. Would mcgoldrick son qualify for us?

[CraftyToePoke]

I don't think that's Kenny's way. He'd be more along the Brian Kerr lines that he understands the political situation and any switch has to be led by the player themselves.

Reports suggesting / saying he was approached by SK though Charles.

[ColourfulPeanut]

Putting rory aside. Let's say david mcgoldrick, who qualified through the grandparent rule. Would mcgoldrick son qualify for us?
His son wouldn't no. Not unless he happened to be born here.

[Olé Olé]

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/mark-sykes-northern-ireland-boss-hits-out-at-fifa-system-as-midfielder-declares-for-republic-39472767.html

Baraclough speaks on Sykes. I find this terribly entertaining.

[greendeiseboy]

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/mark-sykes-northern-ireland-boss-hits-out-at-fifa-system-as-midfielder-declares-for-republic-39472767.html

Baraclough speaks on Sykes. I find this terribly entertaining.

This is even more entertaining;);););

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/mark-sykes-ian-baraclough-can-succeed-in-top-northern-ireland-job-and-im-determined-to-get-that-first-cap-39110275.html

[ColourfulPeanut]

They're always going to lose players when they're waving Union Jacks, abusing Catholics and the players have to stand to GSTQ every time they play.

The set up is geared towards unionists and they're getting what they deserve. It'd be great if they acted like Northern Ireland and not the Great British D team.

[Diggs246]

The GSTQ is hard to believe.. just sing danny boy until they can find a proper fair anthem

[John83]

Putting rory aside. Let's say david mcgoldrick, who qualified through the grandparent rule. Would mcgoldrick son qualify for us?


His son wouldn't no. Not unless he happened to be born here.
I could imagine he may have gotten a passport at some point. Does that 'reset' the whole thing?

[Diggs246]

I could imagine he may have gotten a passport at some point. Does that 'reset' the whole thing?

Yep that's the question. Does it reset or not

[brine3]

Putting rory aside. Let's say david mcgoldrick, who qualified through the grandparent rule. Would mcgoldrick son qualify for us?

If the son was born after McGoldrick activated his Irish citizenship, then yes.

[seanfhear]

This is even more entertaining;);););

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/mark-sykes-ian-baraclough-can-succeed-in-top-northern-ireland-job-and-im-determined-to-get-that-first-cap-39110275.html
Confident Lad ! Great Man for a build Up !

[Eirambler]

As long as McGoldrick got his Irish citizenship before his son was born, his son could also become an Irish citizen and this could continue down the generations.

However the rules for international football are different, you can't go past grandparents. None of McGoldrick's kids can ever play for Ireland under the current rules.

[brine3]

As long as McGoldrick got his Irish citizenship before his son was born, his son could also become an Irish citizen and this could continue down the generations.

However the rules for international football are different, you can't go past grandparents. None of McGoldrick's kids can ever play for Ireland under the current rules.

That is interesting, because you could technically have the situation where the Irish citizens abroad have Irish citizen children who in turn have Irish citizen children. Let's say they live in a country that doesn't automatically confer citizenship by birth (the Netherlands for example) and they never bothered to become naturalised Dutch citizens, because it was too much hassle and they still identified as Irish. Would FIFA force the youngest generation to play for the Netherlands, a country that they are not a citizen of?

Obviously a very edge case scenario I'm offering here, but interesting nonetheless.

[liamoo11]

I don't think that's Kenny's way. He'd be more along the Brian Kerr lines that he understands the political situation and any switch has to be led by the player themselves.

My issue with Kerr was he had personal beliefs that it would be best for northern nationalists to play for the north which is fair enough but his beliefs shouldn't come into it as his job was to bring the best players possible available to Ireland on board and that should always involve actively seeking out northern players who will want to represent us and welcome them into the fold

[seanfhear]

My issue with Kerr was he had personal beliefs that it would be best for northern nationalists to play for the north which is fair enough but his beliefs shouldn't come into it as his job was to bring the best players possible available to Ireland on board and that should always involve actively seeking out northern players who will want to represent us and welcome them into the fold
Pretty stupid for a manager not to be actively encouraging good players or even potentially good players to play for the team he was managing !

Brian Kerr was not the smartest manager in the Dug-Out ! !

[Olé Olé]

I know Kerr's father (and mother?) Was from Belfast. I remember him telling a story around Euro 2016 regarding Michael McGovern and how McGovern reached out to him about switching and playing for us. Kerr dissuaded from doing so, citing the players in and around his age and a few goalies that would be around for a while like Shay Given.

[Bielsa´s irish]

They're always going to lose players when they're waving Union Jacks, abusing Catholics and the players have to stand to GSTQ every time they play.

The set up is geared towards unionists and they're getting what they deserve. It'd be great if they acted like Northern Ireland and not the Great British D team.

Neil Lennon Mal Donaghy and many more were insulted by the locals there

[DCWA]

It'd be great if they acted like Northern Ireland and not the Great British D team.

They are both exactly the same thing. They do act like like Northern Ireland which is in essence a D rate GB.

a) England
b) Scotland
c) Wales
d) NI

Literally Great Britain’s “D”.

[elatedscum]

Southgate strikes again. The moment there's news of Kalvin Phillips being eligible for Ireland and presumably with Kenny making contact, Southgate calls him up (no reason to think this except Kenny has shown diligence with Ogbene and Sykes and I'm sure when he became aware of Phillips availability, he would have made contact). Southgate leaves out Grealish, Dele Alli, Madison and Barkley to call up a player who has never played a premier league match... Cynical...

[Razors left peg]

Must say I have a chuckle every time an England squad is named and Grealish not in it. Petty I know, but it gives me some joy

[Olé Olé]

Must say I have a chuckle every time an England squad is named and Grealish not in it. Petty I know, but it gives me some joy

I find it a little funny because you just know he's at home moaning to his daddy about Southgate.

And Southgate has gone and named a list of lads ahead of him, basically confirming Greenwood has leapfrogged him too: https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-40037849.html

[Eirambler]

Agents are playing Southgate like a fiddle in England. In this case it was more the link to Jamaica than Ireland to be honest, but it was a clear tactic from the start.

It's not even about playing for England, it's just about becoming an "England International" because you can basically double your transfer value and wages by being one. Easy money for player and agent, yet Southgate falls for it every time.

I'd say, once Southgate is finished with the England team, he'll struggle badly in club management, like Coleman did after Wales. International football can hide a lot of weaknesses in managers if they have a few top level players in their international teams.

[elatedscum]

Agents are playing Southgate like a fiddle in England. In this case it was more the link to Jamaica than Ireland to be honest, but it was a clear tactic from the start.

It's not even about playing for England, it's just about becoming an "England International" because you can basically double your transfer value and wages by being one. Easy money for player and agent, yet Southgate falls for it every time.

I'd say, once Southgate is finished with the England team, he'll struggle badly in club management, like Coleman did after Wales. International football can hide a lot of weaknesses in managers if they have a few top level players in their international teams.

Southgate’s club form prior to England wasn’t great at all. I think he got very lucky in the World Cup. Easy group with Tunisia and Panama. Took a 91st minute winner to beat Tunisia. Lost to Belgium as well.

In the knockouts, they got Colombia (who they only beat on penalties) then Sweden in the quarter before being beaten by Croatia in the semi.

Meanwhile the other side of the draw had France, Belgium, Brazil, Uruguay, Portugal, Argentina.

Suddenly he’s gotten the best tournament result since 66 - when they could just as easily have gone out in the last 16 or group stages and then the narrative would be entirely different and he would probably have been sacked and replaced by Mourinho or someone...

Even getting the job was only because Big Sam couldn’t keep his greasy mitts of an extra few bob and he was send packing faster than you can say entrapment.

[DeLorean]

I don't rate him either but, in terms of aggressively tying players, he's only doing what many here say we should be doing.

[Diggs246]

England will be humiliated by Germany or Belgium one day and that will be him gone.

I dont agree with this business of ireland capping a guy in the last minute or taking a guy who has a friendly cap for someone else

What southgate is doing is very cynical. He is knowingly ruining the international careers of certain players. He knows dawn well he will never play nathan Redmond. Kalvin phillips will play once for him and then will not be brought to the euros. Next manager comes in and says no thanks kalvin I'm going for the guy from man u or liverpool

[dynamo kerry]

England will be humiliated by Germany or Belgium one day and that will be him gone.

I dont agree with this business of ireland capping a guy in the last minute or taking a guy who has a friendly cap for someone else

What southgate is doing is very cynical. He is knowingly ruining the international careers of certain players. He knows dawn well he will never play nathan Redmond. Kalvin phillips will play once for him and then will not be brought to the euros. Next manager comes in and says no thanks kalvin I'm going for the guy from man u or liverpool

Interesting trends right enough. I wonder. Jack grealish will be 25 soon... he will be 26 at least before he plays for England regularly. Rice seems to be different in that hes more what southgate needs in that position..

Players with a choice may need to evaluate that 1 cap benefit to their salaries against anyway making plenty of money and having a long career with ireland /scotland.. whomever.

Grealish is becoming a cautionary tale.

[SkStu]

Must say I have a chuckle every time an England squad is named and Grealish not in it. Petty I know, but it gives me some joy

Would youse take him back? (it could happen with the rule change although it would be difficult for both sides to walk it back)

I'd have him back in a heartbeat.