Dermot Ahern's comments on an all Ireland side

[Noelys Guitar]

Agree or disagree? I have to admit I have always wanted a united Ireland side. And I believe it will happen in the not too distant future.

[theleprechaun]

TOATALLY for the idea!! it works in rugby, we have one of the top sides in the world, so surely it can work in soccer!! the past is behind us. let's look towards the future

[Soper]

It'll be a pointless exercise if Irish people don't start supporting domestic teams.

[Lionel Ritchie]

I think there's a lot of merit in patching up 80 odd years of division and needless duplicity in two organisations with common purpose that would be far stronger united.
So how about it Demot? ...Why don't Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael merge?

[joe_barry80]

As the article says most sporting bodies are already joined together why not the fai and the ifa. they will have more funding i presume from Irish Government and Uk Government. We could have 18 team 1st division and 2nd division. then a regional 3rd division split into the 4 provences where the winners would play two semis and the winner of the final going up into the 2nd division. We cold bulid a second state of the art stadium in belfast therefore spliting the home games. I think Ireland would be stronger for it.

[Qwerty]

Football is still pretty sectarian in the North, look what happened to Lennon fairly recently. The peolpe who play rugby and attend rugby games in the North are not the same type of people by and large who attend NI games. It will happen eventually in it's own good time. Give it another 10 years.

[brine3]

As long as the IFA take over and not the FAI, I'm all for it.

But there's too many suits in cushy jobs on both sides who prefer the current status quo.

[p_o_r]

As long as the IFA take over and not the FAI, I'm all for it.

But there's too many suits in cushy jobs on both sides who prefer the current status quo.

They should have every right to also, seeing as they are the original organisation and the FAI are the 'splitters'

[Noelys Guitar]

Disband both the FAI and the IFA. Appoint people like Jennings, Moran, Whiteside, David Kelly(yes David Kelly) with a mix of what makes up both orgo's. Why not? Where is the vision of Giles, Dougan, Best etc. I believe it is still very much alive amongst those who don't pretend to represent either teams 'fans'!

[dynamo kerry]

Disband both the FAI and the IFA. Appoint people like Jennings, Moran, Whiteside, David Kelly(yes David Kelly) with a mix of what makes up both orgo's. Why not? Where is the vision of Giles, Dougan, Best etc. I believe it is still very much alive amongst those who don't pretend to represent either teams 'fans'!

jennings?why do you think he'd even be interested?? Why any of them? I've not heard a single soundbite to sugges they would

afaik jennings snr passes his time with healthy amounts of scotch and golf.


I agree with qwerty give it 10 years- too many of the boo boys up north who would have major problems with it (not to mntion the blazers fown here)

in fact the fans down south probably deserve the admin up north

[dr_peepee]

I heard an interview with the president of the IFA after the comments. What a pr!ck. Typical "Ulster says No" rubbish. I dunno what his motivations were but they weren't footballing. A man in his position should obviously be a bit diplomatic but should also be a football fan first and foremost. Leaving aside the obvious baggage, any 'fan' from either side of the border should at least be a little curious as to the potential of a united pool of Irish players. Not this guy.

I think it'll start to happen over the next ten years with a gradual progression from then. Start with a united schoolboy team, through to youth u18s 21s and the n finally the senior team so it's not so much of a culture shock and those with chips on their shoulders with paranoia over selctions and omisions will be minimised.

I for one would like to get hold of the likes of Steve Davis, Jonny Evans Tony Capaldi....

[lopez]

...I believe it is still very much alive amongst those who don't pretend to represent either teams 'fans'!You reckon? This is what the voice of NI fans think.

http://ourweecountry.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=16620

Far better is for the FAI to say 'Anyone with an Irish passport, Catholic or Protestant, Nationalist or Unionist, is welcome to play for us.' We can have that great and united Irish side. They can have a team that one day might qualify for the Viva World Cup. :D

[Dr. Ogba]

You reckon? This is what the voice of NI fans think.

http://ourweecountry.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=16620

Far better is for the FAI to say 'Anyone with an Irish passport, Catholic or Protestant, Nationalist or Unionist, is welcome to play for us.' We can have that great and united Irish side. They can have a team that one day might qualify for the Viva World Cup. :D

Not particularly surprising....Quite enjoyed the repeated comments along the lines of "sure of course they want to merge with us given that we're the better team"...the only lads I'd consider taking from the north would be McCartney and Davis....wouldn't mind their manager though! :D

[cheifo]

As said earlier Rugby is a different kettle of fish.There would be so much hassle over flags/anthems etc.NI supporters like to take Union Jacks to games, we would have our tricolours there.The infamous Windsor park qualifier
is'nt that long ago.Yes things have moved on thank God but is it realistic?

[pete]

As said earlier Rugby is a different kettle of fish.

I always get the impression that Ulster is not treated a full member of the IRFU. Only recently have they added some token Ulster fellas to the team & you rarely see players swop between the Republic provinces/teams.

[youngirish]

This same argument drummed up again and again. I'm all for keeping our own team and let the North have theirs. Rugby is a different ball game altogether. There was never the split in the first place and you don't have all the secterian bulls*it that you have with football (particularly in the North though also to a less degree in the South).

I also wonder whether the majority of the Unionists in NI are happy with their representation within the united Rugby team. I tend to not mind the united Rugby team for a number of reasons:

1. I know no better as we have never had the split.
2. The rugby team in recent years has leaned more towards the South and Southern based players which I feel more represent myself and my country.
3. All home games are played in the south.

However it still grates me when we can't sing our national anthem at away games though I understand why this is not acceptable. Anyway I'm not a big rugby fan to be honest so I tend not to have any strong feelings on it either way in the first place.

If all I have to gain from a united Ireland team is Steven Davis and Jonny Evans (2 games at Sunderland and he's a legend. Are people for real?) then I'll stick with what we have thanks very much.

[Wolfie]

We could throw in our lot with an insular, clannish organisation, who view all connected with the ireland team with suspicion -

Hang on - is that the GAA or the IFA? :confused:

[Schumi]

I always get the impression that Ulster is not treated a full member of the IRFU. Only recently have they added some token Ulster fellas to the team & you rarely see players swop between the Republic provinces/teams.Don't agree, if they're good enough they'll get in. None of their backs would make the Leinster team and only Neil Best would have a chance of making the Munster pack IMO.

[Dodge]

Previous Irish rugby teams have been dominated by ulstermen, its one of those cyclical things. If any province has a right to claim its being ignored by the IRFU its connaught

[dr_peepee]

You reckon? This is what the voice of NI fans think.

http://ourweecountry.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=16620

Far better is for the FAI to say 'Anyone with an Irish passport, Catholic or Protestant, Nationalist or Unionist, is welcome to play for us.' We can have that great and united Irish side. They can have a team that one day might qualify for the Viva World Cup. :D

Maybe there's some latent Nationalism in me... I dunno... But I rolled my eyes at nearly every post on that board.. "Player Grabbing"... Yeah! And Iain Dowie and Lawrie Snachez :rolleyes:

The more I think about it... Leave them to it... Anyone who wants to play for us will anyway. Let them have their Respectable 3rd place in the qualifiers. I don't think they'll benifit from the service of the like of Neill Lennon again if that's still their attitude. Like I said, a fan would at least be curious, whatever your politics.

[youngirish]

The more I think about it... Leave them to it... Anyone who wants to play for us will anyway. Let them have their Respectable 3rd place in the qualifiers. I don't think they'll benifit from the service of the like of Neill Lennon again if that's still their attitude. Like I said, a fan would at least be curious, whatever your politics.
Amen to that. And they won't get anywhere near 3rd by the time the group is wound up in the latter half of the year. Of this I'm 100% certain.

Call me overly nationalistic (which I'm not) but the day I see a union jack waving at Lansdowne Road to support my beloved football team is the day I'll crawl into a ditch and tear my own heart out.

All this let's join the North rubbish is embarrassing. Why strive to unite with a place where:

1. The majority of the people in it want nothing to do with you.
2. Has sh*t footballers in the first place.
3. Is part of Britain.
4. All the Northern Irish people who wish to can play for our team anyway.

Lads show some respect for yourselves. And Dermot Ahern is a mongo anyway.

[Paddy Garcia]

Is that our same Ealing Green, as our own, on that site posting somewhat less than positive comments about the "ROI football team" ?

[WeAreRovers]

3. Is part of Britain.


Without stirring, it's not now a part of Britain and never has been - The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This fact does not, of course, prevent Northern Unionists from feeling British and calling themselves British.

As for Ahern's blatant electioneering, it's actually a good debate to open up and an All Ireland league is obviously the way forward. as for one national team, I honestly couldn't care less.

KOH

[Paddy Garcia]

To be fair to that NI thread they have managed some 8 pages without getting drawn into a debate about EL V Championship, EL Vs SPL ,etc;)

[Wolfie]

You reckon? This is what the voice of NI fans think.

http://ourweecountry.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=16620

Far better is for the FAI to say 'Anyone with an Irish passport, Catholic or Protestant, Nationalist or Unionist, is welcome to play for us.' We can have that great and united Irish side. They can have a team that one day might qualify for the Viva World Cup. :D

Some of the paranoia on that NI site is laughable.

Leave them to it.

[youngirish]

Is that our same Ealing Green, as our own, on that site posting somewhat less than positive comments about the "ROI football team" ?
Of course. Sure he does the same thing on here anyway so why would that surprise anyone? He also claims David Healy is better than Kevin Doyle or Robbie Keane though so a phrase containing 'words' and 'pinch of salt' springs to mind.

[lopez]

Maybe there's some latent Nationalism in me... I dunno... But I rolled my eyes at nearly every post on that board.. "Player Grabbing"... Yeah! And Iain Dowie and Lawrie Snachez :rolleyes: It's the sort of sh*te that makes you want to shake their heads to see if there are two brain cells that could get together and reproduce. The other classic is 'poaching'. You poach eggs you daft tw*ts. Even the thicker players can at least make the decision of what their nationality is.

There is the odd decent contribution, like this one from 'Carrickally'. '...Anyway, as those who frequent the irish league section know, I'm in favour of an all-island league but not an all-island international team. Ahern's ill-judged comments only serve to push my goal further away, which is perhaps a good thing if this is the attitude of political sports fans from the ROI. I do not want a serious sporting consideration that may benefit progressive Irish League clubs being used as a vehicle to promote redundant (from a Southern perspective) political ideals.'

I think this is the problem with Ahern. He's a bit clueless on the 'Realpolitik' of Irish football. Namely, even if we had a 32 county republic tomorrow, there still would not be any certainty of a 32 county team. If Ahern wants to play politics with football then he should get FIFA to recognise one country - one team, and get the UK to field one side, rather than rattling the cages of not only the neanderthals but rational Irish League fans that want to see some form of raising of standards to local football. If Ahern was successful, then he'd have his (de facto) all-Ireland team in a second.

[Paddy Garcia]

Of course. Sure he does the same thing on here anyway so why would that surprise anyone? He also claims David Healy is better than Kevin Doyle or Robbie Keane though so a phrase containing 'words' and 'pinch of salt' springs to mind.

I just thought life was a bit short for joining a forum of a team you don't like -in fact, at times, even for one you do support.

[lopez]

I just thought life was a bit short for joining a forum of a team you don't like -in fact, at times, even for one you do support.It's a bit sad if you are coming over and trying to be chummy. Another thing is going all guns blazing.

One poster on here, who shall remain nameless, went on the Follow Follow forum and said 'For Sale: One sun bed. One vast collection of ray bans. One bag of cheap Ratners gold jewlery. Contact Mrs. Jim 'Doris Day' Gray.' It went, in his words, 'thermo-nuclear.' :D

[Wolfie]

It's a bit sad if you are coming over and trying to be chummy. Another thing is going all guns blazing.

One poster on here, who shall remain nameless, went on the Follow Follow forum and said 'For Sale: One sun bed. One vast collection of ray bans. One bag of cheap Ratners gold jewlery. Contact Mrs. Jim 'Doris Day' Gray.' It went, in his words, 'thermo-nuclear.' :D

Nice One. :D :D

[lopez]

Some of the paranoia on that NI site is laughable.

Leave them to it.:D :D F*cking hysterical.

Meanwhile, remember 'O'Connor And Kane Go To The Darkside, when are IFA going to get a set of balls'? That's up to an incredible page 56 (that's right 56!!!)

http://ourweecountry.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=15485&st=825

And they are still debating the legality of it all. :rolleyes:

[Wolfie]

:D :D F*cking hysterical.

Meanwhile, remember 'O'Connor And Kane Go To The Darkside, when are IFA going to get a set of balls'? That's up to an incredible page 56 (that's right 56!!!)

http://ourweecountry.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=15485&st=825

And they are still debating the legality of it all. :rolleyes:

Bloody Hell!! - Petitions to FIFA, The small print on Irish Citizenship, The Good Friday Agreement - it's all in there.

What's the perception - Is it that these young, impressionable, mislead pups have been lured to the Dark Side. Darth Staunton anyone?

What's wrong with freedom of choice?

[lopez]

...What's the perception - Is it that these young, impressionable, mislead pups have been lured to the Dark Side. Darth Staunton anyone?

What's wrong with freedom of choice?The last post from 'Big Rab' is revealing 'The thing is, their talent development at a domestic level is already very good. I'm doing a bit of research now, which I'm going to post up soon, about how many Irish born players have appeared in the Premiership in recent seasons, when compared with ourselves and balanced against population size. Essentially, they don't need to poach under 21's from us and the Jocks. But they keep doing it.'

Woods and trees. Woods and trees.

[Not Brazil]

Thanks, but no thanks, Mr Ahern to an "All Ireland" international team.

Hope the northern born players issue is sorted speedily, and then we can all get on with supporting our respective teams.

As for the person who said they would like Capaldi - :eek:

[lopez]

...Hope the northern born players issue is sorted speedily, and then we can all get on with supporting our respective teams...I think you'll find it already is.

[Not Brazil]

I think you'll find it already is.

Great - now we can get on with supporting our respective teams.:cool:

[dr_peepee]

As for the person who said they would like Capaldi - :eek:

That was me... Never seen him play but by all acounts the second best left full outside the premiership (after Gareth Bale)... I apologies for my impetiuousness, what with our embarrasment of riches at left full and all.

[Dr. Ogba]

That was me... Never seen him play but by all acounts the second best left full outside the premiership (after Gareth Bale)... I apologies for my impetiuousness, what with our embarrasment of riches at left full and all.

Surly Lewis Emanuel is the second best full back in the championship?? ;)

[Not Brazil]

That was me... Never seen him play but by all acounts the second best left full outside the premiership (after Gareth Bale)... I apologies for my impetiuousness, what with our embarrasment of riches at left full and all.

He isn't even the first choice left back for Northern Ireland.:eek:

[reder]

:D :D F*cking hysterical.

Meanwhile, remember 'O'Connor And Kane Go To The Darkside, when are IFA going to get a set of balls'? That's up to an incredible page 56 (that's right 56!!!)

http://ourweecountry.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=15485&st=825

And they are still debating the legality of it all.

That thread is priceless alright. A few things. Firstly, I would be dead set against merging with NI in international football. We are too seperate entities. Merged leagues for the island would most definitely be of benifit to clubs North and South but international football is different.

Dont get me wrong, I would actually love to meet them in qualificiation. Aside from the fact that I would love to stuff them again and see a 75% empty stadium like the last time we played them up there, I personally would always respect their fans when I visit belfast and when they travel down here. They have every right to sing their anthem and fly their flags and display their traditions.

We should just leave them to their own devices at the moment. The remind me of the bitters (everton) after a derby day win. Their tails are up at the moment. As others have said, when the qualification is finished they will be 2nd from bottom and will have slipped back down the rankings and all will be back to normal. Granted we will probably have finished 3rd or 4th and missed out on qualification again :(

Also, didnt that youtube clip from germany make you wanna puke, we really do have some class A1 idiots supporting us. I dream of the day when the minority of our fans lose that stupid mindset!

[Lionel Ritchie]

That was me... Never seen him play but by all acounts the second best left full outside the premiership (after Gareth Bale)....

:eek: will you ever quit boegardin' that gluebag.

Also while I'll agree with wolfie about some of the paranoia on that OWC thread (and some other threads too) ...it's actually no less laughable than some of the "holier than thou-isms" on this one here.

I'm not entirely convinced of the merits of an AI-league. I suspect it would end up with at very least an AI premier and a regionalised 1st and 2nd division.

I'm against an AI team ...for no other reason than I have no interest in disenfranchising people.
In the imperfect present situation everyone still has choices as to who they'd like to support ...or play for -for that matter. If the two FAs merge and field one team then all concerned lose the flags and anthems and all the other crap that goes with it that makes international football the event it is.

But oh I forgot ...plenty of us seem to believe that in the event of a merger -they'd "join us" but we might use their name (IFA), we'd play under the tricolour and sing SS when there is in fact a better chance that any of us would play under a duvet with Felicity Shagwell and sing "Take it all bitch, the whole fcukin' thing"...

Even in the event of a an AI politically unified state I don't think I'd be in favour of it. There's precedent out there ...Hong Kong for example.

[lopez]

...there is in fact a better chance that any of us would play under a duvet with Felicity Shagwell and sing "Take it all bitch, the whole fcukin' thing"...
What mushrooms you chomping there mate?

...Even in the event of a an AI politically unified state I don't think I'd be in favour of it. There's precedent out there ...Hong Kong for example.Exactly, although in an AI unified state, if a team represents the whole island, then don't cry in your onions if the players want to ultimately play for that team.

Even then, there will be no unification unless a. FIFA decide that only one country can enter a team or b. The FAI and IFA decide to amalgamate. But this is where those honchos across the border should 'cop themselves on.' Nothing they or Mr. Aherne can do about things. I can point you and them to clubs across the world whose 'custodians' have shafted their own supporters. If they have one thing to worry about it's more the IFA 'selling out', not the grabbing of their team by the FAI.

[dr_peepee]

He isn't even the first choice left back for Northern Ireland.:eek:

Who is?? McArtney has retired (He was always injured any way) and Teenager Jonny Evans is a specialist centre half that filled in there. I mentioned Capaldi, not out of some misplaced obsession but in acknowledgement of our lack of options at left full.

But hey, why even mention them if they've never been on the books at united..

[EalingGreen]

Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia
Is that our same Ealing Green, as our own, on that site posting somewhat less than positive comments about the "ROI football team" ?

Subsequently Posted by Young Irish
Of course. Sure he does the same thing on here anyway so why would that surprise anyone? He also claims David Healy is better than Kevin Doyle or Robbie Keane though so a phrase containing 'words' and 'pinch of salt' springs to mind.

To which Paddy Garcia replied
I just thought life was a bit short for joining a forum of a team you don't like -in fact, at times, even for one you do support.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Yes, I'm one and the same.

As for my "less than positive comments about the ROI* football team", actually, I'm positive they're my comments. Care to discuss any of them specifically? If so, I'd hope you will be a bit more accurate when you do, since nowhere have I ever said that Healy is "better" than Robbie Keane (or the still very inexperienced Kevin Doyle, for that matter). Rather, I've consistently said I wouldn't swap DH for RK internationally, for a number of reasons, not least of which is DH's 24 goals in 54 games in an often poor NI side. As such, I am confident that the rest of my fellow NI fans are 100% in agreement.
If, however, you wish to know my opinion on RK as a player, you might refer to my post in the thread on this forum ("Robbie Keane, So sick of it"), where even some ROI fans are "less than positive" about him.

As for my reasons for joining this forum, these are varied, but chief amongst them is that I love football, in particular I love the NI team and since the ROI is our nearest neighbour and our dearest rival (arguably!), I am curious to know what ROI football fans think and to debate with them.
I don't know from where your antipathy to that stance derives, since I hadn't realised there was some sort of "Ourselves Alone" policy in operation on this Board.
Indeed, I might have thought that anyone who wishes to see a United Ireland football team would actually welcome the contribution of a potential future fellow-supporter...:eek:


* - Why the use of inverted commas around my reference to the "ROI football team"?

[dr_peepee]

All due respect Ealing, I didn't quite see the "Ouselves Alone" attitude you were reffering to on this site. If anything I think most fans were quite embrasive of the idea of a united pool of player (leaving the obvious baggage aside).. But having read some of the comments on corresponding message boards from the north it's clear that it's along way off. Most of the so called "Fans" on the other site seem to have other agendas in keeping the team separate. I reiterate that any FAN would relax the analysis paralyis and at least be a little curious of how the better players from each side might impact the international stage.

Hell when I was younger in the early to mid 90's I used to daydream of a united Welsh/Irish team purely because of Wealth of talent in midfeild and defense with the wealth of wingers an attackers.

Point is, when you enter a Football message boards..... Your compatriots should leave their baggage at the door.

[EalingGreen]

All due respect Ealing, I didn't quite see the "Ouselves Alone" attitude you were reffering to on this site. If anything I think most fans were quite embrasive of the idea of a united pool of player (leaving the obvious baggage aside).. But having read some of the comments on corresponding message boards from the north it's clear that it's along way off. Most of the so called "Fans" on the other site seem to have other agendas in keeping the team separate. I reiterate that any FAN would relax the analysis paralyis and at least be a little curious of how the better players from each side might impact the international stage.

Hell when I was younger in the early to mid 90's I used to daydream of a united Welsh/Irish team purely because of Wealth of talent in midfeild and defense with the wealth of wingers an attackers.

Point is, when you enter a Football message boards..... Your compatriots should leave their baggage at the door.

Thank you for your response, but I really do feel it proves my point. OK, perhaps I shouldn't have used a provocative term like "Ourselves Alone", but I meant the idea that I and my opinions weren't welcome - presumably because I'm not from/a fan of the ROI team.
Which might be fair enough I suppose, had I been in some way subverting, abusing or "taking over" the Board, but I hardly think that's the case. (Besides, I know of two or three members of this Board - at least - who post on OWC and they're entirely welcome to do so as far as I'm concerned).
And even if the response was: "Clear Off - you've got your own Board", I daresay I could accept that, were it not for the fact that this is a thread where people are discussing merging their side with my side.
Has it not occurred to those proponents of a united side that they would not get just players from NI in the team, but they'd also be getting fans from NI alongside in the stands, including at games staged in Belfast? Or is it a case of "We'll take Stevie Davis, but we'll only play in Dublin and you fans can feck off"?

As for the notion of "embracing a united pool of players", don't you see that that must inevitably bring with it "baggage", since it will mean the end of the team we support? Can't you understand that whatever other advantages it might bring, the overwhelming majority of NI fans don't want it? I don't know which Eircom team you support, but how would you feel if some rich businessman bought it and merged it with your nearest neighbours, to form a brand new team? OK, the new entity might win more trophies, make more money and even make a splash in Europe, but in my experience, such things invariably count for nothing amongst fans when set against the feeling of belonging that supporting "your" team brings.

As for the other side of the coin, it strikes me as curious that, after 84 years, many ROI fans seem much less concerned at the prospect of losing their team. Is this because a united team satisfies certain other, non-purely footballing aspirations? (And we NI fans are the ones who get accused of bringing politics into sport - how ironic)
Or is it because some ROI fans consider this new team would in reality only be the same old ROI team "but now with 20% extra free"?

Why do you refer to "the North", when the name of the team is "Northern Ireland". Why are posters on OWC only 'so-called "Fans"'? You may not think much of people like me, but I'm as true a fan of my team as you are of yours.
It seems to me you've got "issues", and they aren't much to do with football, either.

As for the our curiosity as to how our players might do in a United Ireland team, of course we will happily speculate on such things - dammit, fans spend countless hours compiling "The World's Best Slaphead XI", or the "Top Team of Players whose Names are Parts of the Human Body" etc, but that's some way off from actually wanting to see such a team, especially if it were to replace our own!

Don't forget that this particular thread was not prompted by some mass bout of daydreaming; rather it followed a proposal by the Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dublin Government. Now quite aside from the blatant electioneering involved, have you ever stopped to think how you would feel if an NI (or GB) Minister were to step in and tell you e.g. that your breakaway in 1922 was an unfortunate mistake, so wouldn't it be better for everyone if the FAI were to disband and you all to come back within the IFA? (Incidentally, Foreign Affairs and Irish FA - rather ironic terms, don't you think?;) )

As for your final sentence (with the proviso that it shouldn't include abusive, threatening or offensive material) surely the whole point about a Message Board is that posters are contributing their "baggage" i.e. opinions?
Or is it just that you don't happen to like my own particular opinions?
If so, then I suggest you get used to it, since just like the NI football team, I exist, and I think I've got every bit as much right to do so as you! (With "all due respect, dr peepee", that is :) )

[dr_peepee]

Is this because a united team satisfies certain other, non-purely footballing aspirations? (And we NI fans are the ones who get accused of bringing politics into sport - how ironic)

A fair point man, there may well be some latent Nationalism there. I've sincerely got no politcal agenda, conciously anyway. But allot of the people on this board that have expressed an interest in an All Ireland team, myself included, would in the same breath lament missing out on the likes of Paul Scholes, Nolan and Rooney (through the granny rule), hardly the thoughts of a true "Fenian".

"The North" is just regional dialect on my part, no other connotations intended. It may well be too easy for me to speak so flippintly regarding "issues" and "baggage" due to the little or no exposure I've had to such matters. I personally welcome your contribution to this thread and any other for that matter. You're more constuctive than some of your compatriots (And mine).

Fact is though I never got as far as thinking about "Grounds" or "Fans", just purely football and players. I firmly believe that as football fans it shouldn't be too difficult to entertain a hypothetical scenario regarding these factors without taking it down the route it has gone. We all watch the news, have gone to school and know the history involved. If I wanted that kind of stimulation I'd watch Panorama, Primetime or Newsnight. Instead I frequent this message board to talk (sh!te about) football.

I can say to a large degree of certainty that had we had this conversation in the early 80's when Nothern Irish internationals would have represented signifiacantly more than the "20% extra free", or a decade or so later when I think it's fair to say NI would have struggled to make the 20% extra, my stance would be the same. It's not a case now that you've got a couple of players we're short in we want to merge.

[youngirish]

EalingGreen I have no aspirations whatsoever to have a United Ireland team, probably even less so than yourself, so on this we agree. To me Northern Ireland is a completely separate country. We might aswell merge with Brazil as far as I'm concerned and get some decent players and fit chicks with it.

What is funny though is the paranoia and suspicion that the ROI and it's team are regarded with on that NI site. The derogatory comments passed about us are amusing but deluded.

As for Dermot Ahern the man is an idiot as I've said earlier and should know better than to be stirring up sh*t on this matter.

[Not Brazil]

Who is?? McArtney has retired (He was always injured any way) and Teenager Jonny Evans is a specialist centre half that filled in there. I mentioned Capaldi, not out of some misplaced obsession but in acknowledgement of our lack of options at left full.

But hey, why even mention them if they've never been on the books at united..

Evans will play in the left back role for Northern Ireland well into the future, I would imagine.

[eirebhoy]

As for the other side of the coin, it strikes me as curious that, after 84 years, many ROI fans seem much less concerned at the prospect of losing their team. Is this because a united team satisfies certain other, non-purely footballing aspirations? (And we NI fans are the ones who get accused of bringing politics into sport - how ironic)
Well tbh it's pretty impossible to keep politics out of a subject like this. If there was no politics involved I don't see why anyone would want to merge in the first place. The only reason I'd want us to merge is because it's a huge step closer to a United Ireland. That's my personal view.