James McClean M Wrexham b.1989

"The Derry-born youngster has resisted attempts by new Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill to switch back to his native land.

Capped up to under 21 level by the North, McClean has officially switched allegiances under the FIFA ruling imposed by the Good Friday agreement and isn’t for turning."



For f**k sake! Was never a fan of Cathal Dervan but I did think the chap was an iota above this kind of 'black or white' tabloid trash.Native land! And he just shows himself up as clueless re: the GFA bit.

Seriously, where do we get these lads!

This is my favourite:
Keen to bolster the Northern Ireland squad when he officially starts work on February 1st, O’Neill will attempt to stop other Ulster born players defecting to the South
.

Personally I don't think we should stop there. Ban all Breffni scroungers, Oriel muppets, Tyrconnell muckaghs and those b*stards in the Fews.

Sure JMcC will prove to be the next Andy Reid/Stephen Ireland & Keith O'Neill all rolled into one.

And will never be allowed anywhere near a major international tournament. Ever.

And Duff/McGeady and my adored Hunty will score or create at least 2 goals for Ireland in every Finals game.

Then we'll all wake up...

The End?

The thing is though Stuttgart, we all need to embrace potential change a bit more readily. Which some seem more than a tad reluctant to do.

Hence the sarcasm.

Change the record AB, we got your point the previous 15 times you made it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Scooby Doo

"The Derry-born youngster has resisted attempts by new Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill to switch back to his native land.

Capped up to under 21 level by the North, McClean has officially switched allegiances under the FIFA ruling imposed by the Good Friday agreement and isn’t for turning."



For f**k sake! Was never a fan of Cathal Dervan but I did think the chap was an iota above this kind of 'black or white' tabloid trash.Native land! And he just shows himself up as clueless re: the GFA bit.

Seriously, where do we get these lads!

---

An email to Dervan might prompt him to further educate himself on the issue. Link him to Dan's magnum opus.

Trapattoni and the FAI - football's equivalent of Niamh Chinn Óir (Trap Chinn Airgid? :o).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

This is my favourite:
Keen to bolster the Northern Ireland squad when he officially starts work on February 1st, O’Neill will attempt to stop other Ulster born players defecting to the South

---

Too bad he wasn't around before Shay Given, Séamus Coleman and Jonathan Douglas got away.

Yeah, but there are two Ulsters.
The real one and the imagined one.

Doesn't even need debate, that!

Hmm, you'd be surprised...
;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by geysir

Yeah, but there are two Ulsters.
The real one and the imagined one.

---

Ulster is a state of mind?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

Ulster is a state of mind?

---

Yeah, a split personality

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/16555513.stm

This was on RTE news this evening. Trap basically said it's only fair that the players that obtained qualification for the Euro's be in the squad for the Euro's.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

This is my favourite:
Keen to bolster the Northern Ireland squad when he officially starts work on February 1st, O’Neill will attempt to stop other Ulster born players defecting to the South
.

Personally I don't think we should stop there. Ban all Breffni scroungers, Oriel muppets, Tyrconnell muckaghs and those b*stards in the Fews.

---

What about Cillian Sheridan, actually hed probably make the Norn team

Just saw that myself. I suppose it's fair enough to remain loyal to the players who got us there in the interests of squad harmony, consistency, team morale and all that, save in the case of injury or whatever.

Gary McAllister reckons:

Quote:

---

James McClean won't make the Euros and is still an NI player. He'd still be welcome to represent OWC in my book.

---

Quote:

---

Could well be a lost cause, but are we privy to all that may go on in the background? Many wrote Shane Ferguson off.

---

McClean's comments to the media recently, however, suggest he has no plans on returning to the NI fold, so I think McAllister is just trying to stir the pot with pointless speculation there.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by cavan_fan

What about Cillian Sheridan, actually hed probably make the Norn team

---

Ah yes, Sheridan had slipped my mind. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Olé Olé

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/16555513.stm

This was on RTE news this evening. Trap basically said it's only fair that the players that obtained qualification for the Euro's be in the squad for the Euro's.

---

I tend to agree with this in principle but it should not be a hard and fast rule by any means. By accident of birth McLean appears to have been too young to get involved in the qualification campaign just gone, but that should not preclude him from earning a place on the plane to Poland if he deserves that on merit. There have been several peripheral players in the squads throughout the qualification campaign, that should by no means have their place copper fastened to the exclusion of McLean if his performances are superior.

That said McLean has not nearly proved himself as a Premier League player. I have not wanted to engage in the hype that has surrounded his FOUR appearances but do think the lad should be judged at the end of the season. If his credentials stack up at that stage, that should warrant a place in the Irish squad.

Statistically there are going to be at least 3 or 4 established Irish players who will miss the Euros through injury, an outsider will emerge.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by French Toasht

That said McLean has not nearly proved himself as a Premier League player. I have not wanted to engage in the hype that has surrounded his FOUR appearances

---

Ah c'mon, there's room for one more...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MvEYWJiWsk.../BAndwagon.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Just saw that myself. I suppose it's fair enough to remain loyal to the players who got us there in the interests of squad harmony, consistency, team morale and all that, save in the case of injury or whatever.

---

Footballers are big enough and well paid enough to know that football is a results business and that form at any given time is crucial to your prospects of selection. Loyalty is nice, but it should not be blind. See Kev Kilbane scenario.

By the time we take on Croatia in June it will have been almost 8 months since the squad will have played any game of consequence. To select players purely on the basis of how they played in matches in the preceding years is a resolutely close minded and uninformed selection. We know there won't be wholesale changes but by no means should he close the door on players who show form in the next 6 months. Players are grown men, so being selected or left out of squads should not affect harmony or morale. As regards consistency, new players don't have to be geniuses to figure out how to play in the Trap's straight jacket style formation.

My philosophy is, if you are good enough, you should play. Simplistic? Yes. Effective? Yes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by French Toasht

To select players purely on the basis of how they played in matches in the preceding years is a resolutely close minded and uninformed selection. We know there won't be wholesale changes but by no means should he close the door on players who show form in the next 6 months. Players are grown men, so being selected or left out of squads should not affect harmony or morale. As regards consistency, new players don't have to be geniuses to figure out how to play in the Trap's straight jacket style formation.

My philosophy is, if you are good enough, you should play. Simplistic? Yes. Effective? Yes.

---

Sure but I don't think that philosophy is enough to overcome the inherent problems highlighted by Danny (consistency, harmony, morale). These games didn't happen years ago, it was only three months ago they qualified and there's a friendly in a month. By and large I wouldn't suggest a close-door policy, but I'd mostly say stick with the players who got you this far.

Trap's tactics, philosophy and policy are all 100% based around consistency and discipline - while new players wouldn't need to be geniuses to figure it out, the entire 11 need to be completely clued in and on each other's wavelength for the system to work in any way. Courting disharmony, by leaving out a well liked member of the previous squad, could be disastrous.

The Kilbane example is a good one, but pretty exceptional considering he was never more than a make-shift (albeit fairly decent) left-back solution. His fall down the leagues meant his replacement was fairly inevitable. Hard to say that about anyone else in the current squad imo.

My view - it's up to McClean or Hoolahan to make themselves impossible ignore. If McClean bangs in 20 goals between now and June, maybe...but it'd have to be some run of form for anyone to force their way in (notwithstanding injuries or the two-three positions genuinely up for grabs).