Eligibility Rules, Okay

[Not Brazil]

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/catholic-teenager-playing-for-rangers-is-threatened-16043285.html

What has this got to do with the eligibility issue?

[bwagner]

What has this got to do with the eligibility issue?

God there is always one isnt there.

Who gives a fuk

[Not Brazil]

Who gives a fuk

Presumably you do - that's why you posted the link.

What I'm wondering is what it has to do with the eligibility debate?

[Charlie Darwin]

It has nothing to do with anything because it's a nonsense story to begin with.

[bwagner]

Is it going to destroy the world as we know it, it has plenty to do with catholic players playing for their country and not a pub team. incidents like this only push them even more into republic hands

[ArdeeBhoy]

BW is right.
Shows them in their true colours.

Paranoid bigots, 'innit'.

[Not Brazil]

Is it going to destroy the world as we know it, it has plenty to do with catholic players playing for their country and not a pub team. incidents like this only push them even more into republic hands

I don't know what a couple of bigoted Rangers fans on an unofficial Rangers fans' site has got to do with "catholic players playing for their country", or how it will "push them even more into republic hands".

On the issue of "catholic" players playing for Northern Ireland, it was pleasing to see Celtic shareholder and journalist, Hugh Jordan, sing the praises of Northern Ireland fans in relation to their support for Paddy McCourt, on UTV News last night.

The cesspit of sectarianism that is the OF has no bearing on eligibility for international sides.

[Not Brazil]

Shows them in their true colours.

Paranoid bigots, 'innit'.

The article posted by bwagner highlights three comments from Rangers supporters on an unofficial Rangers fans' website - it shows the two or three posters involved in "their true colours".
Sadly, such people see being labeled as a sectarian bigot as some kind of honour.

I would bet big money that those posters wouldn't be very theologically bright.

The article in no way adds to a debate on eligibility.

[bwagner]

Brazil i wasnt trying to upset anyone here but come on there are some serious sectarian crap inbedded in a lot of loyalist people, I know catholics can be as bad but stuff like this will sway young footballers mind to play south.

[Not Brazil]

Brazil i wasnt trying to upset anyone here but come on there are some serious sectarian crap inbedded in a lot of loyalist people, I know catholics can be as bad but stuff like this will sway young footballers mind to play south.

I'm not "upset" bwagner, I just fail to see the relevance of OF based sectarianism to a debate on international eligibility.

Indeed - sadly, there are a lot of sectarian bigots on both sides of the divide.

I don't believe a few ****s on an unofficial Rangers fans site, spilling their sectarian bile, will have any bearing whatsoever on where players play their international football.

Sectarian bile is par for the course for the OF.

On the contrary, I feel that the support afforded to the likes of Paddy McCourt by Northern Ireland fans might act as a positive influence regarding "nationalist" players choice of international career.

[bwagner]

Can we hug ? i need a hug ? Truth be told I hope to jaysus both our teams win Friday :O)

[1st time post]

I'm not "upset" bwagner, I just fail to see the relevance of OF based sectarianism to a debate on international eligibility.

Indeed - sadly, there are a lot of sectarian bigots on both sides of the divide.

I don't believe a few ****s on an unofficial Rangers fans site, spilling their sectarian bile, will have any bearing whatsoever on where players play their international football.

Sectarian bile is par for the course for the OF.

On the contrary, I feel that the support afforded to the likes of Paddy McCourt by Northern Ireland fans might act as a positive influence regarding "nationalist" players choice of international career.

Was mcginn not booed by a good segment of the crowd when coming in the exact same game??

[ArdeeBhoy]

Aye.
But as stated above by a certain poster, they're 'not' guilty of Hypocrisy...
:rolleyes:

[Not Brazil]

Was mcginn not booed by a good segment of the crowd when coming in the exact same game??

No.

Watch the highlights.

[Not Brazil]

Aye.


Were you at the match?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Yeah, I was there with my pal Alex, but you refused to take my call...
;)

[bwagner]

Shane Ferguson played for the north under 21s today
they lost 1 -0

[BonnieShels]

Time for that on Monday... concentrate on Ireland today.

U21s mean nothing. He could still ours.

[holidaysong]

Was a small bit about the 'eligibility row' on Football Focus on BBC1 yesterday. Included an interview with Shay Given. The BBC were spouting the usual GFA rubbish though unfortunately.

[DannyInvincible]

Was a small bit about the 'eligibility row' on Football Focus on BBC1 yesterday. Included an interview with Shay Given. The BBC were spouting the usual GFA rubbish though unfortunately.

Any particular reason as to why they decided to delve into it?

[holidaysong]

Any particular reason as to why they decided to delve into it?

They had a segment of the show dedicated to each of the four Home Nations. The piece followed the highlights and reaction to the Northern Ireland vs. Serbia match from Friday. The presenter Dan Walker introduced the report by referencing the GFA. During the piece they had Worthington giving out about players opting to play for another country. Given said he'd like to see an All Ireland team during his interview. It cut back to the studio then and the presenter Dan Walker said that the Northern Irish FA (sic) would obviously not like to see that happen but didn't go into any other detail on why not.

[Mr_Parker]

Let him know

http://twitter.com/#!/danwalkerbbc

[holidaysong]

I did at the time.

[DannyInvincible]

I did at the time.

Did you get any response? Just having a look at his profile, he generally seems receptive to tweets.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Both he and at least one other (Joel Taggart) have touched upon this issue previously in their 'Blogs' on the BBC's football site...

[Mr_Parker]

Both he and at least one other (Joel Taggart) have touched upon this issue previously in their 'Blogs' on the BBC's football site...

Joel 'Victory' Taggart! :D

[ArdeeBhoy]

'Victory'??

[holidaysong]

Did you get any response?

No I didn't. To be fair though he was live on TV at the time.

[DannyInvincible]

No I didn't. To be fair though he was live on TV at the time.

What an ignorant... :p

AB; I had a brief scan through recent posts on those BBC blogs but couldn't find any reference to the eligibility issue. You have a specific link?

[Mr_Parker]

'Victory'??

Back in 2007 when FIFA ruled on the eligibility issue, he was one of several who claimed victory for the IFA. He was doing so live on his BBC radio phone-in. He had the then IFA President on too and there was lots of mutual backslapping until someone http://irishleaguesupporters.com/forums/images/smilies/whistling.gif phoned in and pointing out that in fact absolutely nothing had changed. He had his parade well and truly ****ed on.

[ArdeeBhoy]

It wasn't recently, was under Taggart's 'blog' a few months back, maybe even last year?
Will try to find a link...


Turns out he doesn't mention it specifically but I'm sure some of the replies to his posts made passing reference to it, but small beer compared to the standards of OWB, The BT comments section or even here...

[ifk101]

In full flow, Shiels spoke of his dismay at numerous players opting to snub Northern Ireland and play for the Republic instead, insisting had he still been working at the IFA, it would not have happened.

He said: “Northern Ireland has a population of 1.5m people, but their target is 1m because, unfortunately, the way things have developed half a million people now want to play for the Republic of Ireland.

“When I was there that didn’t happen and it wouldn’t have happened.

“I had Darron Gibson, Shane Duffy and Daniel Kearns in my squad and there’s no way that they would have left to play for the Republic if I was still there. No way: they still phone me.

“But they’ve gone because they’ve brought in too many English staff. Worthington brought this whole entourage from England — his assistant Glynn Snodin, goalkeeping coach Fred Barber and all the rest.”

Shiels continued: “The kids don't have any affinity with the staff. As well as that they also introduced English kids — from 16-19 — right through the system.

“It became clogged with English youngsters who weren’t any better than the Northern Ireland lads.

“The Irish boys are being brought through to the age of 16 and being replaced by average English players because they play at youth level for Coventry or Norwich or Watford.

“They’re no better than what we had, but young locals were pushed aside so there is resentment there straight away. That shouldn’t have been allowed to happen.

“Mal Donaghy and I left — and got sacked — because we wouldn’t work under those conditions and it’s just gone downhill from there.”

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/ifa-wonrsquot-want-me-as-new-boss-says-shiels-16047204.html

[ifk101]

"...... and the Republic have come and asked me to come and join them."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14914219.stm

[BonnieShels]

Another Northern Ireland native. Give me patience.

[geysir]

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/ifa-wonrsquot-want-me-as-new-boss-says-shiels-16047204.html

Wasn't Kenny Shiels the youth coach when Gibson switched? Is Kenny trying to revise history, put a martyr's halo on his head in order to have enough appeal to join the knife wielding mob out baying for poor Nigel's blood.

[Predator]

Is Trapattoni in such desperate need for wingers that he's asking League 2 players to declare? I wonder who asked him.

[SwanVsDalton]

Apparently James McClean was flown over for the Slovakia games as a guest of the FAI's. Whatever about any underhandedness that might be going on, the FAI certainly do make an effort for these guys.

[Mr_Parker]

So the IFA have appointed Gerry Armstrong as the great ambassador to stop players slipping from their grasp. Obviously he has not been briefed very well nor familiarised himself with as demonstrated by this nonsense he penned for today's Sunday Life

http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy337/Mr_Parker2009/scan0095.jpg

[Sullivinho]

'Naughty'. 'Capturing'. 'Far off fields'. 'Good Friday Agreement'. 'Country of his birth'.

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/2319/trainwreckb.jpg

[ArdeeBhoy]

The point is though, as a close relation pointed out (she was from Doire;but not the usual suspect), "Why wouldn't an Irishman want to play for Ireland??"

[co. down green]

Keep up the good work Gerry 'mainland' 'country of his birth' 'morally wrong' Armstrong. :)

[BonnieShels]

Argh! That hurt.

[Predator]

I've heard Gerry has been attempting to poach some current underage internationals of ours to add to O'Connor, Kane, Gorman, Brobbel and Bruce. However, is that column really written by him? It sounds like something straight from the OWC forum.

[Closed Account]

I've thought for some time and I still hold the view that the predator that is the FAI is simply taking players for the sake of it and at the same time knowing they are depriving Northern Ireland. They know the opportunity is there so they are going for it.
They may be within their rights because of the Good Friday Agreement, but they know what they are doing is morally wrong.
OMG, and I hate saying OMG, but OMG. So much wrong with all of it. DI would have a field day.

[boovidge]

I almost feel sorry for them. Everyone in the IFA seems to be as about as competent as Don Givens.

[Charlie Darwin]

I almost feel sorry for them. Everyone in the IFA seems to be as about as competent as Don Givens.
My God... do you think they'd poach Givens too? Do we dare to dream?

[geysir]

It's well known that nationalists in the 6 counties are a feckless lot and can't be trusted.
The OWC are pressurising the IFA to require all kids from a nationalist background, currently playing football at some formal level, school or club, to declare full allegiance to the IFA and undergo some form of denationalising program (yet to be set up) to ensure lifelong loyalty. Those kids who decline will have the letter N tattooed onto their forehead so they can easily be detected and excluded from all IFA recognized football activities.

[Not Brazil]

(FIFA) "ignoring their own rules" - Gerry Armstrong.

Word of advice to Gerry:

If you are going to write pieces in the paper about eligibility matters, please do your homework first - reading, and digesting, the content of the recent CAS ruling might be a good starting place.

Otherwise, you come across as a, ill informed, plank.

[CraftyToePoke]

Otherwise, you come across as a, ill informed, plank.

This is it exactly, its just one blow after another in credibility terms every time someone from the IFA opens their mouth on this at present. And the assumption the lad is being foolish in declaring for us as he is unlikely to feature for our senior side just puts the other foot in it, its his country as he and his community sees it, and good luck to him surely, all a bit embarassing really.

[ArdeeBhoy]

To be fair, GA's just another 'Special Agent', along with that chap Nigel...