Tim Pilkington

[boovidge]

What happened to him? Is he playing for New Zealand or us now?

edit:
http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/index.php?id=448

I guess he failed in Europe then?

[superfrank]

I guess he failed in Europe then?
He's 17, ffs.

[TheBoss]

He is obviously getting confused with Anthony Pilkington at Huddersfield Town.

[tetsujin1979]

He is obviously getting confused with Anthony Pilkington at Huddersfield Town.thought the same myself, but Tim Pilkington played for the U16s in 2008: http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3001

[boovidge]

He's 17, ffs.


I'm not saying his career's over but he presumably didn't make the grade at Freiburg.

[NZfootie]

Tim Pilkington returned to NZ a month after SC Freiberg resigned him, for family reasons (& to finish school.) He was asked by NZ to join the U17 World Cup squad and being half a world away from Ireland, eventually agreed. Irish football have kept in touch. Rumour has it he may be back in Europe in 2011.

[Serb]

Has he played for Ireland in any games? If he has, and he switches associations to New Zealand, he's locked to them since only one association change is permitted.

[boovidge]

As he's already played for both Ireland and New Zealand doesn't that mean he can't switch back if he wanted to?

[Serb]

As he's already played for both Ireland and New Zealand doesn't that mean he can't switch back if he wanted to?

In my understanding of the rules, yes. It was mentioned in the Daniel Kearns case (the former Norther Irish U17 international who's now involved in the Irish setup in case you haven't been following) that he couldn't switch back to Northern Ireland even if he wanted to now.

[Adrock]

Playing a friendly for the under-16s wouldn't have tied him to anyone. At least playing for New Zealand you get about a 50% chance of qualifying each world cup.

[Serb]

Playing a friendly for the under-16s wouldn't have tied him to anyone. At least playing for New Zealand you get about a 50% chance of qualifying each world cup.

I think you're missing the point slightly there. I'm saying, the fact he played for Ireland at U16 implies he had declared for Ireland. Playing for New Zealand at any level and competitive or non-competitive implies a change of association, which I believe prevents him from switching back to Ireland, even if he wanted to. It's possible these rules don't apply to under 16 level though, anyone know for sure?

[DannyInvincible]

I think you're missing the point slightly there. I'm saying, the fact he played for Ireland at U16 implies he had declared for Ireland. Playing for New Zealand at any level and competitive or non-competitive implies a change of association, which I believe prevents him from switching back to Ireland, even if he wanted to. It's possible these rules don't apply to under 16 level though, anyone know for sure?

Article 18 is the one permitting players to make one change of association but I can't see any exception made there for any age group to return back to the association they represented originally once that change has been made. In other words, I think you're correct.

[Alf Honn]

Tim played for NZ U18s against the Irish Schools today in Celbridge and set up the second goal of a 2-1 win.

[Adrock]

I think you're missing the point slightly there. I'm saying, the fact he played for Ireland at U16 implies he had declared for Ireland. Playing for New Zealand at any level and competitive or non-competitive implies a change of association, which I believe prevents him from switching back to Ireland, even if he wanted to. It's possible these rules don't apply to under 16 level though, anyone know for sure?

You only count as having declared for a country though if you have played competitively for them. Under-16 games are not played at Uefa level, that begins a year later. In that sense Pilkington was never formally an Ireland player and also explains how players such as Wallace of Everton can be picked to play for us despite not being in any respect qualified to do so.

[sean r]

how come tim cahill was allowed to switch from samoa to ireland after getting full caps for samoa?

[DannyInvincible]

I don't recall Tim Cahill ever switching to Ireland, nor did he ever receive full caps for Samoa. He wanted to switch to Ireland prior to the 2002 World Cup after playing for the Samoan under-17s at the age of 14, mind, but FIFA rules at the time tied him to Samoa despite him being otherwise eligible to represent both Ireland and Australia. I think FIFA introduced the rule allowing a player to make one switch between associations up until they represented an association at under-21 level (from what I can recall anyway) to facilitate the likes of Cahill. By the time of that rule-change, however, Cahill had decided he wanted to make the switch to Australia. Since then, FIFA have introduced a newer rule allowing players to switch associations once up until they make a fully competitive appearance for a particular association.

[NZfootie]

With respect to Tim Pilkington - he can still change back to represent Ireland. He chose to play for NZ in the U17 World Cup having clarified that. Haven't the rules changed this year and now a player only has to finally declare at 21yrs old.??? Does anyone know?

[boovidge]

As I understand it - a player can change elegiences as late as he likes as long as he's not played a competitive game for an association or has switched associations once before.

[DannyInvincible]

As I understand it - a player can change elegiences as late as he likes as long as he's not played a competitive game for an association or has switched associations once before.

That's the situation. The rule was changed again within the last few years under a lot of pressure from African associations like Algeria who were eager to have former French under-21 internationals of Algerian descent, but who no longer figured in the French international set-up, represent their senior international team.

[seanfhear]

Tim Cahill was one that got away (pity). He is a hell of a good player. He does tend to be injured a bit though. Anyway thems the breaks and he has done a good job for Australia and best of luck to him.