Originally Posted by
DannyInvincible
Wouldn't necessarily agree with this, gastric. My father, for example, was born in Tyrone, but NI isn't his country. Just as, say, Scotland isn't his country. It's as simple as that. It's not that these players necessarily feel they cannot represent NI. Sure some have been content to do so at youth level. Niall McGinn represents NI in spite of continuing to support Ireland; the country with which he actually identifies nationally. These players who switch want to play for the country to which they actually affiliate and relate with regard to their national identity. The only reason Niall McGinn is playing for NI is because he didn't have enough faith in his ability to challenge for a place in the Ireland sqaud. He took the pragmatic or careerist option, which is perfectly fine, as far as I'm concerned. Duffy, McClean, Gibson, Wilson and whoever have also all been pretty clear on the country with which they identify. McClean even went to the lengths of correcting Colin Murray from 'Match of the Day 2' via Tweeter when the latter erroneously referred to him as "Northern Irish".
The IFA run a 'Football for All' programme and embrace the likes of Niall McGinn and Paddy McCourt without issue, to be fair to them. Whether it can convince broad nationalism to take an interest in them, I'm not so sure, but they may try.
I know he's a unionist through and through, but the reason I think NB is reasonable is because he more often than not acknowledges the facts of a situation and respects the right of nationalists to identify however they wish without flinging accusations of bigotry and sectarianism at them.
Have a feeling his issues are not political here but may well relate to Derry's past dealings with other Irish League clubs; Cliftonville and Dungannon Swifts, I'm guessing?