Potentially eligible players thread

[Bielsa´s irish]

I think the invisible hand of FA and the english flag wont let any hot prospect to declare for the nat team, when they are rejected then, if they are secnd hand youngsters, then you have a chance. Agents and suits are denting the irish national team from these dual nationality player.

What happened with Grealish Rice has been a tremendous situation for the progress of the irish football. Its like a boomerang.

Anyway I support what MON said about it ...if a player wants to play for the Republic they have the means of communication to let FAI know about it.

Ditto this there is a huge pressure on irish players born in England

[irishfan86]

I notice a 17 year old named Ryan Finnigan is on the bench for Southampton in the FA Cup today. Very little info about him online, but identified as English. Any idea on Irish links?

[Paddy Garcia]

Louie Barry posted a nice photo of himself wearing an irish jersey with his grandfather after an u15 or 16 game to mark the anniversary of the passing of his grandfather, who he described as “the greatest man in his life” and hoping he was doing him proud. I’d previously seen him describe his grandfather as the proudest grandfather ever when he played for ireland. Obviously huge likelihood that he ends up at England but maybe just 95% rather than 100%

Turning in his grave now

[John83]

I notice a 17 year old named Ryan Finnigan is on the bench for Southampton in the FA Cup today. Very little info about him online, but identified as English. Any idea on Irish links?

https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2020-08-31/southampton-fc-academy-full-scholarship-list-2020-2021
This says he's a midfielder and has been at Southampton since he was 9.

https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2020-12-11/four-youngsters-sign-new-professional-deals-southampton-fc-academy-2020-21
This says he's a central midfielder under contract until 2023.

It all reads like it was written by PR drones who've never met any of the people involved.

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/12/11/high-potential-southampton-coach-thinks-excellent-teen-is-a-future-saints-star/
This calls him a "deep-lying midfielder" but doesn't seem to have any source other than the article above.

I can't see anything to say one way or another. Big ginger head on him: he looks Irish, if I'm allowed say that. ;) Not that there haven't been a load of Irish-qualifying lads opting for England in this generation anyway, so I wouldn't hold my breath.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Ryan Francis Patrick Galvin? left wingback at S Wednesday

[Deckydee]

Eligible players: (that I recently heard of)

Joel Bagan Age 19 (Cardiff City) - Source : Eire Guide-> Qualifies through this mothers side. Handy perhaps that Mick is the manager there now?

John Joe Patrick Finn Age 17 (Getafe Juvenil C) - Source : sportsnewsireland.com -> Qualifies through this fathers side (father is from Ballyhaunis)

[ColourfulPeanut]

News that Munir is being allowed to play for Morocco after all after an appeal, despite him not coming close to fulfilling even the new softer rules.

Makes a bit of a farce of it all and the Johansson situation. Basically sets a precedent of us or any nation to appeal any ruling by UEFA.

[Bielsa´s irish]

News that Munir is being allowed to play for Morocco after all after an appeal, despite him not coming close to fulfilling even the new softer rules.

Makes a bit of a farce of it all and the Johansson situation. Basically sets a precedent of us or any nation to appeal any ruling by UEFA.

Yeap we may get the Johansson and maybe someone else under this and TAS of sport.

For instance, now Tomori can play again for Canada, same case as Munir

[Eirambler]

This clarification seems to be that the new rule that playing for a country after your 21st birthday ties you to that country only applies from September 2020 onwards. So if a player played for a country after his 21st birthday but before that date he could still switch.

It's a pretty specific clarification that won't apply in most cases, however two players linked to us that it might affect are Nathan Redmond and Kieran Dowell. My understanding of the new rules up to now was that they could not switch to us as they had played for England after their 21st birthdays, but as these games were before September 2020 it would appear that they are now both eligible for us if they wished to switch.

I think we have established at this stage that Redmond has no interest but Dowell is maybe an interesting one for the FAI to follow up.

[Bielsa´s irish]

This clarification seems to be that the new rule that playing for a country after your 21st birthday ties you to that country only applies from September 2020 onwards. So if a player played for a country after his 21st birthday but before that date he could still switch.

It's a pretty specific clarification that won't apply in most cases, however two players linked to us that it might affect are Nathan Redmond and Kieran Dowell. My understanding of the new rules up to now was that they could not switch to us as they had played for England after their 21st birthdays, but as these games were before September 2020 it would appear that they are now both eligible for us if they wished to switch.

I think we have established at this stage that Redmond has no interest but Dowell is maybe an interesting one for the FAI to follow up.

Youre a bit mistaken here but most of your statement is correct.

The Munir case is an ethical and moral situation, you see the "bigger more powerful footie countries with a stronger structure and resources" had played youngsters with dual citizenship in competitive matches just to keep them in their zone....so this new rule fix that moral hole.

When Martin O'Neill was crucified by the irish people because he wont do that for Rice and Grealish, he was a human and an ethical coach of football.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Redmond played in a friendly for Angelterre , has always been ready for an irish call up, his mother is from Ireland, ask the mother for a word to her offspring.

The problem with Nathan Redmond is that he was brainwashed by the english F.A since he was a real talent at a very short age

[Bielsa´s irish]

I believe that they promised something that wasnt true, even more with the whole pool of players available for England. Now he is a substitute and forgoten, im no irish so I would accept him for Ireland national team if he declares...

My question to all you irish amigos is.....Would you accept Redmond for the irish team, if he makes himself available?

[CraftyToePoke]

I believe that they promised something that wasnt true, even more with the whole pool of players available for England. Now he is a substitute and forgoten, im no irish so I would accept him for Ireland national team if he declares...

My question to all you irish amigos is.....Would you accept Redmond for the irish team, if he makes himself available?

Its a question we often ask ourselves Bielsa, indeed there are days we speak of little else. But we'd need the wisdom of one such as yourself in matter so such national importance naturally.

[tetsujin1979]

Redmond has made his position on his international allegiance clear, unless new information arises about him switching nationality, do not discuss it further.
Any posts about it will be removed.
Move on.

[irishfan86]

More importantly, what are they saying about Nathan Redmond on ESPN Argentina?

[CraftyToePoke]

My question to all you irish amigos is

Bielsa, amigo, tell us what you know about Tomás Bernardo Cavanagh would you ? Véles Sarsfield left back.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Bielsa, amigo, tell us what you know about Tomás Bernardo Cavanagh would you ? Véles Sarsfield left back.

He is a newbie, never heard of him, is a left back will check further, he is 20 under velez coach former Liverpool player Mauri Pellegrino, too

Joel Sacks and Juan Sills had irish distant links, but they are ending their carrers. Early times for Tomás. The irish embassy could get some reports,

C.A Velez Sarsfield and Argentinos Juniors are very good clubs for creating proper players from their youth systems they hardly buy players. Lanús, Rosario Central, Newell's Old Boys and Huracán also.

[Bielsa´s irish]

I dont know how it works in Ireland or the Northern Ireland but in Argentina is really hard to get to play for ateam if you dont have a "football godfather" (doesnt matter how good you are, they dont care they have a lot of kids), a football grandfather in Argentina is someone who knows the right people (could be a youth talent agent, your father, grandpa or uncle, or a relative who is a former player), It is like private party. So if you are 13 or 14 years old and have no club you are moreless done, check Messi they said he wasnt good enough to play football at 14 and they had better players in their youth teams.

Rich kids in Argentina play rugby it is the upper class main sport

[Olé Olé]

Was just trying to figure out the links between Bamford and JCB were after he hoisted (hawr hawr) Leeds up the table today.

Found this piece here. Sounds like his mother won out on the naming rights and his name being Patrick might not have been a coincidence. His sisters' names are Ciara and Orla.

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/patrick-bamford-leeds-united-footballer-who-plays-violin-speaks-french-and-could-have-gone-harvard-270068

[Olé Olé]

Roy Hodgson speaking about Eberechi Eze at the weekend: “I would like to think that like Jack Grealish before him – who I found myself in a situation of needing to speak to, to try and persuade him he was good enough to play for England – I would certainly say the same to Eberechi Eze. Is he ready at the moment? I wouldn’t think so. There’s so many players in his position of his type that it would be very bold of me to suggest he could go in front of them. But I’m more than happy with the progress he has made with my team.”

Pains me when I read something like this but I'm starting to get a little more realistic and admit to myself that this dilemma for young dual nationals might, in most instances, simply boil down to whether they are "good enough to play for England." This is definitely how Hodgson (and many like him) view the matter anyway. Whether that is informed by an inflated sense of English importance, I don't know in this case but surely applies in many others.

[seanfhear]

Roy Hodgson speaking about Eberechi Eze at the weekend: “I would like to think that like Jack Grealish before him – who I found myself in a situation of needing to speak to, to try and persuade him he was good enough to play for England – I would certainly say the same to Eberechi Eze. Is he ready at the moment? I wouldn’t think so. There’s so many players in his position of his type that it would be very bold of me to suggest he could go in front of them. But I’m more than happy with the progress he has made with my team.”

Pains me when I read something like this but I'm starting to get a little more realistic and admit to myself that this dilemma for young dual nationals might, in most instances, simply boil down to whether they are "good enough to play for England." This is definitely how Hodgson (and many like him) view the matter anyway. Whether that is informed by an inflated sense of English importance, I don't know in this case but surely applies in many others.
Just think of the potential earnings through advertising / otherwise from being a successful international with the Countries of bigger populations ! !

[Trequartista20]

Young Bournemouth goalkeeper, Josh Clarke, is seemingly interested in declaring for Ireland

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Also, Cardiff left-back, Joel Baden, is apparently interested in defecting to us from Scotland. He's made 4 league starts this year and his progress this season is the reason Mick let Cunningham go to PNE.

1357353704408637445

I must say, it seems a strange way of going about letting your interest in playing for Ireland be known.

I wonder if Tets has ever been contacted like this?

[ColourfulPeanut]

Joel Bagan is only down as English anywhere I've seen, where did you see Scotland?

Also Josh Clarke has seemingly been involved with both England and Sweden at underage. That's an interesting background!

[CraftyToePoke]

Joel Bagan is only down as English anywhere I've seen, where did you see Scotland?

He has played underage for Scotland.

[Eirambler]

Was reading a short interview with Tyriek Wright where he talks about settling in at Walsall on loan and he mentioned that he already knew Walsall player Jack Nolan from playing with him at international level. I wasn't familiar with Jack Nolan so I looked him up - it turns out he was in an Ireland under 16 squad a few years ago.

Under 16 is a non competitive level so that doesn't necessarily mean he is actually eligible for us I suppose, but he is at least potentially eligible. He has been in and out of the Walsall first team this season but seems to be doing OK for a 19 year old.

Would probably struggle to get into our Under 21 squad this time around anyway but might be one to keep an eye on in case he kicks on.

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/walsall-fc/2021/02/06/tyreik-wright-settles-in-at-walsall/

[Olé Olé]

Was reading a short interview with Tyriek Wright where he talks about settling in at Walsall on loan and he mentioned that he already knew Walsall player Jack Nolan from playing with him at international level. I wasn't familiar with Jack Nolan so I looked him up - it turns out he was in an Ireland under 16 squad a few years ago.

Under 16 is a non competitive level so that doesn't necessarily mean he is actually eligible for us I suppose, but he is at least potentially eligible. He has been in and out of the Walsall first team this season but seems to be doing OK for a 19 year old.

Would probably struggle to get into our Under 21 squad this time around anyway but might be one to keep an eye on in case he kicks on.

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/walsall-fc/2021/02/06/tyreik-wright-settles-in-at-walsall/
Looks like Nolan has donned the jersey of the Three Lions going by his Twitter page: https://twitter.com/JackNolan_11?s=09

[tetsujin1979]

Rory Delap says he won’t interfere in son Liam's international choice: https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/rory-delap-says-he-wont-interfere-in-son-liams-international-choice-40063577.html

“He has spoken to a couple of people but he’s at the stage where there was no real debate, and I would never put pressure on him to make a choice either way,” Rory told the Irish Independent.

[elatedscum]

“ Speaking last September, senior team manager Stephen Kenny said he was aware of Liam but added that his status was complicated by FIFA rules on when exactly a player held citizenship for a particular country”


From the Rory Delap thread in 2019:


His son is an absolutely fantastic young player. Have seen 2 City underage games he's been involved in this season and he's looked the best player on the pitch. Absolute shame he's not involved with us considering Rory. Hopefully someone from the FAI is getting him citizenship before he represents England in a competitive underage game in March...

[Eirambler]

The issues Kenny mentioned have been resolved by the new rules, so he is now eligible. However I think it's clear enough that England is his first choice.

[Olé Olé]

His dad's quotes read that way when he says "there was no real debate." Let's see how far this lad makes it. I'm sure we would be a great fallback option if he doesn't make it to the degree it is looking at the moment.

[Trequartista20]

https://www.balls.ie/football/12-ireland-granny-rulers-460660

[Eirambler]

It's just all the usual names in that article really. The only one that hasn't already been discussed at length is Greg Docherty. I actually think he's a decent player but he doesn't offer anything above what we already have - a poorer version of Browne basically, and if he ever kicked on he'd just get a Scotland call up anyway. So if Browne can't get in our team there's not much point following up on Docherty.

[Diggs246]

Jordan shipley. seems to have good stats, I've never heard of him if I m honest but he is consistently picked and won the "community player of the season"www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/fankaty-dabo-player-awards-season-18459950

[Diggs246]

Im not sure what the community player award is

[CraftyToePoke]

Jordan shipley. seems to have good stats, I've never heard of him if I m honest but he is consistently picked and won the "community player of the season"www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/fankaty-dabo-player-awards-season-18459950

He has played U21 for us Diggs, a Noel King recruit.

"I couldn't turn down the invitation when Noel got in touch to call me in," said Shipley.

"My mam, Peggy Meade, is so proud of me getting the call-up. I never really thought about international football, be it with Ireland or England, until Kieran started the ball rolling.

More - https://www.independent.ie/regionals/herald/sport/soccer/jordans-in-ship-shape-for-debut-37406390.html

[Trequartista20]

Is Driscoll-Glennon - a starter for Burnley tonight in the Cup - eligible?

[Eirambler]

I remember there was some talk about Daniel Jinadu being Irish qualified on the forum before but I don't know if his link to Ireland was ever clarified. It seems from this article that he lived in Ireland for 11 years, from age 1 to 12, before moving to England. So, a similar enough timeline to Mipo Odubeko - they're both in the West Ham under 23 setup now.

Anyway Jinadu is with Nigeria at present, but would be eligible for us on residency. 11 years is quite a while, he's possibly the first Irish/Nigerian dual national that we have lost out on to Nigeria?

https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=36329

[Bielsa´s irish]

O'Hare played really well in the hole vs leaders Brentford, he really looks like Hoolahan!!!

[Bielsa´s irish]

Gerry Docherty of the Tigers eligible

What about Scott Fitgerald Kennedy? he is tearing Bundesliga II apart

[Eminence Grise]

Stop being The Great Tw*tsby.

[Diggs246]

Stop being The Great Tw*tsby.

It's a curious case of bellend button

[geysir]

Great name but is there any family connection to the ol' sod?
He could be as Irish as Nelson Eddy or Monty Python were Canadian.

[irishfan86]

If we pretend Bielsa isn’t trolling....which is not actually possible to comprehend at this point...Kennedy is going to be 24 next month, and if you’re playing in Bundesliga 2 at age 24, you will never be good enough to play for Ireland. The drop off from Bundesliga to the second tier in Germany is far more pronounced than the drop off from the Premier League to the Championship. As an Irish born, Canada raised guy I hope Kennedy can come good for Canada as a squad guy but IF he’s eligible for Ireland it will be purely academic.

[Olé Olé]

https://theathletic.com/1289786/2019/10/14/he-takes-a-bag-of-balls-to-the-park-and-his-sisters-a-champion-irish-dancer-meet-callum-ohare/?access_token=4846315

Found this article on O'Hare which refers to his sister's Irish dancing exploits. His father is a builder named Brendan and his mother's name is Fiona. Not sure the extent of his Irish connections though.

I also found this tweet here. Apparently he and Corey O'Keeffe are in these pics with their GAA clubs: https://twitter.com/Mick_Healy/status/1274054113240678402?s=19

[Olé Olé]

https://theathletic.com/1289786/2019/10/14/he-takes-a-bag-of-balls-to-the-park-and-his-sisters-a-champion-irish-dancer-meet-callum-ohare/?access_token=4846315

Found this article on O'Hare which refers to his sister's Irish dancing exploits. His father is a builder named Brendan and his mother's name is Fiona. Not sure the extent of his Irish connections though.

I also found this tweet here. Apparently he and Corey O'Keeffe are in these pics with their GAA clubs: https://twitter.com/Mick_Healy/status/1274054113240678402?s=19

Might not be Irish on his mother's side. Her brother is Ian Clarkson, who played for Birmingham City and others.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/heres-how-birmingham-city-fans-17631656.amp

[Razors left peg]

What about Scott Fitgerald Kennedy? he is tearing Bundesliga II apart

What makes you say hes tearing the league apart? Are there stats that you are looking at that show that or do you watch a lot of Regensburg?

[dr_peepee]

D’ye remember Scott Fitzgerald at Wimbledon in the 90s... !!

[tetsujin1979]

Yep, most premier league appearances by an Irish player without earning a senior cap - http://irish-abroad.appspot.com/Blog?id=3079832700603167034

[dr_peepee]

Wow. That’s a dark horse of a Stat if ever there was one.

[Trequartista20]

Yep, most premier league appearances by an Irish player without earning a senior cap - http://irish-abroad.appspot.com/Blog?id=3079832700603167034


Hmm. We wasted little talent, if that's the case - Delap being the glaring example that shows otherwise.

If we can get his son to play for us, that would go some way to making amends