Jamie O'Hara

[SkStu]

I suppose I carry a bit of a resentment towards people who flee the country in difficult times, particularly those who adopt the old enemy as their new "home" and contribute to their economy instead of ours, to me it seems like some cheek and a bit insulting to claim the role of an avid supporter of the country in sporting events after you do that.


Im sorry man but youre talking from your hole. There a whole host of reasons why Irish people have left the country over the last 400 years and you wish to belittle those people who left their home while trying to better themselves and their families instead of remaining so they could adhere to the beliefs of uber nationalist keyboard warrior Murfinator. Please. You belong in some parish in the arse end of nowhere, sittin at the bar drinkin pints of guinness with other barstool nationalists who are all head of the local GAA club.

i fled the country in the middle of the Celtic Tiger to marry a Canadian stripper* who's work visa had expired. What does that make me? Im living in Canada through circumstance but im Irish, always will be and my kids will be proud Irish people too.





*may not be true

[TrapAPony]

Anyone here know if Simon Cox of WBA has Irish connections?

[colster]

I suppose I carry a bit of a resentment towards people who flee the country in difficult times, particularly those who adopt the old enemy as their new "home" and contribute to their economy instead of ours, to me it seems like some cheek and a bit insulting to claim the role of an avid supporter of the country in sporting events after you do that.

If that's your view how can you support an Irish team made up of players who are all playing in Britain?

[DeNiro]

Well they're definitely strong I'll give you that whatever about the second part. :D

I suppose I carry a bit of a resentment towards people who flee the country in difficult times, particularly those who adopt the old enemy as their new "home" and contribute to their economy instead of ours, to me it seems like some cheek and a bit insulting to claim the role of an avid supporter of the country in sporting events after you do that.

Half of my family emigrated to England, because they had no other choice. I'm sure they feel resentment to a government that let them down. They now have kids who walk around London in their Ireland jerseys and were as gutted as the rest of us the night we lost in Paris. It'll hurt them next summer that they can't sport their green amongst a sea of white. Refrain from being judgemental of people who haven't had the luck of being able to be able to stay in their own country and can't 'contribute' to their native economy. Lest us not forget that many that did emigrate to England years ago, did send money back to families and were directly contributing.

[irishultra]

Same for me in Belgium, same way

belgium is class :D

i love belgium as much as ireland lol

[irishultra]

haha with murfinator i kinda get what he means when he says this view of irishness. i never viewed ireland as some wonderful land that i 'loved' so much when i grew up in other country. i supported ireland and stuff and followed finn harps(my dads team) but i was firmly belgian and he always told me to see myself as such.

but traitors and stuff if a bit much. irish elites for so long wanted i dont know why to create a country of emmigration. its like they wanted ireland to be a crap country basically which i never understood but thats going off the point.

[Irish_Praha]

My God, how did this turn into the poor/hard working Irish emigrant thread?
I suppose the majority of us on here can agree that murfinator is talking through his @rse even if it's meant as tounge-in-cheek or not. However, it has a nice little side-effect of getting to know our fellow posters a little bit better. I'd normally just read what they have to write without taking much notice of their "location" but the replies to his post have put the spotlight on where some posters are living and why they are there now, which is kind of interesting.
I myself left ireland beacuse I had finished my degree and wanted to study further but the complete lack of investment in Ireland in scientific research forced me to move abroad.
So all I wanted to say is that anyone who says/thinks I should have stayed in Ireland and ignored my full potential because I would be more Irish as result can suck my balls!

[irishfan86]

Definitely some great replies in here. I love the diversity of the Irish support. I was born in Ireland but moved to Canada at a very young age due to the recession in the '80s. Now 23 but no accent and I suppose many people would say, "you grew up in Canada, you're Canadian, get over it," but I love both countries and am very passionate about the Irish team.

The idea of nationality is going to be seriously tested and altered over the next hundred years, with so many people moving from the nation of their birth and calling a foreign land home all over the world.

[Kingdom]

Just to try and get back on topic a bit (not a dig at anyone cause the stuff we've been discussing is a bit sensitive) but some of these "potentials" have the potential to be massive for us. I wouldn't be too up on other kids coming through, I'd be up on the Irish lads alright (no jokes please :)) but someone like Naughton is highly rated, and if he was to come in, or an equally good other right back, then it would release Johnny O'Shea back to the centre, which would improve the team again.
Strength in depth was lacking a bit in the last campaign and if that was the sole outcome of all this then at least that would be something.

[twoenz]

How about Matt Derbyshire of Olympiakos? He's married to an Irish girl and even has a kid with an Irish name (fada & all) and hasn't a bad goalscoring record and is still young. Roy Wegerle despite being South African used the marriage ruling to play for the USA.


I think lower-end-of-the-first-division standard Ashley Ward was trying to get an Irish passport near the end of his career through his wife to try and get a cap.

[Razors left peg]

Last player I can remember getting a cap for us just because he was married to an Irish girl was Paul Butler... dont really want a repeat of that .

[boovidge]

Would a declaration through marriage even be possible because of the two year residency rule?

[Fixer82]

Well they're definitely strong I'll give you that whatever about the second part. :D

I suppose I carry a bit of a resentment towards people who flee the country in difficult times, particularly those who adopt the old enemy as their new "home" and contribute to their economy instead of ours, to me it seems like some cheek and a bit insulting to claim the role of an avid supporter of the country in sporting events after you do that.

maybe they fell in love and married someone from that country. Or maybe it's just what they had to do to survive....
Doesn't mean they love their country less. In that case you'd have to say James Connolly, Jim Larkin, Michael Davitt, Roger Casement, Samuel Beckett, James Joyce, Sam Maguire, Michael Collins didn't love their country because they all spent time living abroad during their adulthood....

[tetsujin1979]

Last player I can remember getting a cap for us just because he was married to an Irish girl was Paul Butler... dont really want a repeat of that .

This has come up a few times before. Butler qualifying through marriage is a popular myth, but according to an interview with Butler in the Independent from February 2000, he qualifies because of his step-father's father
from http://www.independent.ie/sport/butler-ready-to-serve-cause-383342.html

But Butler, who could have applied for an Irish passport through his wife, has a stronger connection through his step-father, Clifford Butler. ``My step-father's father, Seamus, was born in Dublin and it's through him that I've qualified to play for Ireland,'' he explained. ``My wife came to Dublin and spent two weeks getting all the documentation I needed. Once the paperwork was in place, I applied for a passport.''

[seanfhear]

Would one of those civil partnership things do as I am sure their are plenty of die-hard Irish supporters willing to do their duty in order to get better players qualified to play for Ireland

No seriously would a civil mariage/partnership set up pass for getting a player qualified.

[Newryrep]

Well they're definitely strong I'll give you that whatever about the second part. :D

I suppose I carry a bit of a resentment towards people who flee the country in difficult times, particularly those who adopt the old enemy as their new "home" and contribute to their economy instead of ours, to me it seems like some cheek and a bit insulting to claim the role of an avid supporter of the country in sporting events after you do that.

quite possibly the stupidest ill informed post on this thread - congratulations

[TrapAPony]

Anyone here know if Simon Cox of WBA has Irish connections? Thought somebody before said that he does...

[bwagner]

Rosinei Adolfo???

[DeNiro]

Anyone here know if Simon Cox of WBA has Irish connections? Thought somebody before said that he does...

He does. His grandmother is from Mayo. Piece in the NOTW about him today.

[boovidge]

WEST BROMWICH ALBION striker Simon Cox has sent a come-and-get-me plea to Giovanni Trapattoni - hoping he can become Trap's John Aldridge.


http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/football/match_reports/championship/635058/COX-REVEALS-REPUBLIC-OF-IRELAND-DREAM.html

[Razors left peg]

Cox definately looks like he could be a decent addition to the squad

[DeNiro]

Rosinei Adolfo???

Checked the wikipedia :rolleyes: entry for him and says he is eligible for Italy, Brazil and us. Where did you find out about him bwagner?

[bwagner]

Checked the wikipedia :rolleyes: entry for him and says he is eligible for Italy, Brazil and us. Where did you find out about him bwagner?

I heard about him from a die-hard supporter in a pb :O)

He heard it from somebody else - but i guess Brazil like Argentina would still have a percentage of Irish - 2nd and 3rd generations.

[endabob1]

I heard about him from a die-hard supporter in a pb :O)

He heard it from somebody else - but i guess Brazil like Argentina would still have a percentage of Irish - 2nd and 3rd generations.

I think we're probably at least one generation too far for any genuine South Americans but I do recall Jose Luis Brown of the 86 Argentina side was supposed to have Irish grandparentage, iirc Jimmy Magee mentioned in commentary a couple of times.

[Deckydee]

WEST BROMWICH ALBION striker Simon Cox has sent a come-and-get-me plea to Giovanni Trapattoni - hoping he can become Trap's John Aldridge.


http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/football/match_reports/championship/635058/COX-REVEALS-REPUBLIC-OF-IRELAND-DREAM.html

This is VERY interesting

[bwagner]

I think we're probably at least one generation too far for any genuine South Americans but I do recall Jose Luis Brown of the 86 Argentina side was supposed to have Irish grandparentage, iirc Jimmy Magee mentioned in commentary a couple of times.

Your right buddy but sure we Irish get around every :O) every generation.
It just takes one randy Irishman and one willing local :O)

I really hope we get Simon Cox but I have been keeping tabs on him a few years and emailed Fai a while back about him - They replied about the goalkeeper of the same name but they would look into it....2 years later still no action of course.

We seriously need more firepower up front.

[rambler14]

Simon Cox...........his name ROCKS!

[bwagner]

Andy Lonergan linked with a move to Stoke.

[Irish_Praha]

Andy Lonergan linked with a move to Stoke.

Is that the Preston 'keeper?
If so I don't think he's Irish.

[Stuttgart88]

He's been linked before. I think he has played U21 for England but is of Irish descent.

[TrapAPony]

Is that the Preston 'keeper?
If so I don't think he's Irish.

He is eligible to play for us.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/opportunity-beckons-to-pledge-allegiance-1766303.html

[dan o d]

cox starts up front for west brom against qpr on sky tonite

[Scooby Doo]

Call this boy up now! I'd hate us to lose out on him (a la Tim Cahill). Could be a real prospect!

http://www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_3203880,00.html

Two fantastic goals from him also. Two beauties!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXlINN4UHTs&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy0YuNuPrhw

[Deckydee]

Call this boy up now! I'd hate us to lose out on him (a la Tim Cahill). Could be a real prospect!

http://www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_3203880,00.html

Two fantastic goals from him also. Two beauties!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXlINN4UHTs&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy0YuNuPrhw

Yeah, I know :mad::mad::mad:

[endabob1]

Cox took his goal well but Kiely made a couple of top class saves, for a 39 year old he's still a great shot stopper

[Murfinator]

He's playing well but It'll take time to convince me of him, lets not forget he was deemed behind Shane Long, Noel Hunt and Dave Mooney at Reading, 3 strikers who probably aren't good enough for us.

[Yard of Pace]

Call this boy up now! I'd hate us to lose out on him (a la Tim Cahill). Could be a real prospect!

http://www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_3203880,00.html

Two fantastic goals from him also. Two beauties!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXlINN4UHTs&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy0YuNuPrhw

A younger, slimmer Lee Trundle? :)

[geysir]

Did Aldo ever scored goals like that?

[greendeiseboy]

He's playing well but It'll take time to convince me of him, lets not forget he was deemed behind Shane Long, Noel Hunt and Dave Mooney at Reading, 3 strikers who probably aren't good enough for us.


Bit of a mute point considering where Reading are at the moment and how these players careers are developing i.e. his star is rising while Hunt is out injured, Long dosent seem to be progressing and Mooney is playing League One on loan with Charlton while Cox is scoring regularly and chasing promotion to the Premiership

[Irish_Praha]

He's still only 22 and is making all the right noises. Why not give him a try?

[Murfinator]

Still, being a Reading reject doesn't exactly fill me with confidence. He might be hitting above his paygrade at the moment a la john makin.

[SkStu]

Still, being a Reading reject doesn't exactly fill me with confidence. He might be hitting above his paygrade at the moment a la john makin.

caught the game on Setanta last night. First time i seen him in action but theres something about this player. His technique is excellent and cerny made a few good saves from him, one in particular just before the goal.

[TrapAPony]

caught the game on Setanta last night. First time i seen him in action but theres something about this player. His technique is excellent and cerny made a few good saves from him, one in particular just before the goal.

Saw the game myself & I'd have to agree with you. Trap should
definitely get this guy on board for the next friendly.

[dr_peepee]

Still, being a Reading reject doesn't exactly fill me with confidence. He might be hitting above his paygrade at the moment a la john makin.

He has a good goals/game ratio at all his clubs. Is only 22 also.

[Deckydee]

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/boysingreen/news.asp?n=37862

http://www.sundaymercury.net/midlands-sport/birmingham-city-fc/birmingham-city-fc-news/2010/01/10/birmingham-s-gary-mcsheffrey-eyes-international-call-up-with-scotland-or-ireland-66331-25562676/


Birmingham City forward Gary McSheffrey hopes to make a belated entry to the Republic of Ireland international set-up – as he believes he’s more Irish than some of Giovanni Trapattoni’s current squad.

McSheffrey comes from solid Irish roots, with his father and three grandparents all coming from these shores.

The 27-year-old represented England at under-21 level but under newly-constituted Fifa regulations, but whereas previously the change of nationality needed to be declared before the age of 21, players of any age can now switch allegiances once they have not played a senior international.

McSheffrey’s fourth grandparent is Scottish, meaning he also qualifies for the Tartan Army, and he hopes he still has an international future with either country.

The former Coventry City star told the Sunday Mercury: “My old man is Irish and I’ve got three Irish grandparents. I’m probably more Irish than some of the players in the current squad. My mum’s mum is also Scottish.

“It’s up to them whether they want me. It would be nice to be given the chance to play international football and I’d definitely consider it if I were given the opportunity.

“The rule has changed. Before I used to have to declare myself but I thought that it would just be arrogant to declare myself to a country that hadn’t shown any interest in me.

“I see the case being that if somebody does their homework and sees that I’m capable of adding to their squad then I’d be asked. I don’t think I can comment until the opportunity is there.”

McSheffrey has started just one Barclays Premier League game for Birmingham this season and has been linked with a move away from St Andrews before the end of the January transfer window.

[ifk101]

“My old man is Irish and I’ve got three Irish grandparents. I’m probably more Irish than some of the players in the current squad. My mum’s mum is also Scottish.

That's brilliant! Just to point out how Irish he is he says that his mum's mum is also Scottish. :D

[Junior]

There's nothing arrogant in declaring your nationality? He was sitting on the fence morelike.......

[ifk101]

There's nothing arrogant in declaring your nationality? He was sitting on the fence morelike.......

More like pimping his nationality. He can't get his game at Birmingham so he's hoping that getting called up to an international squad will get him a move at club level.

[Junior]

More like pimping his nationality. He can't get his game at Birmingham so he's hoping that getting called up to an international squad will get him a move at club level.

Exactly. You say Tomato, I say........ I was being facetious.

[dr_peepee]

I'm almost certain I read before that he threw his hat in with Scotland..