Shane Ferguson

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Arteta's wikipedia entry is more on the ball than the UK media:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikel_Arteta

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I'm trying to think of players who have qualified to play for a country other than their birth country through the residency rule in order to see if there are any who might have originally represented their home country at youth level. While it wouldn't confirm anything really if they hadn't, if there was even one that had played for the country of their birth at youth level and then went on to play for another country after attaining citizenship of that country through residency, I presume it would mean that Arteta may well be eligible for England, assuming the same rules applied then as they do now. However, to mention a few examples of players who qualified through residency to play for countries other than the ones in which they were born, neither Deco or Pepe, who went on to play for Portugal, ever played with Brazil at youth level, and then there's Cacau who plays for Germany. He was never called up by Brazil at youth level either. It doesn't appear Marcos Senna, who went on to play for Spain after qualifying under residency, represented Brazil at youth level either. The difficulty in finding a player to have played at youth level for one country and to have then later qualified to play for another under the residency rule bolsters the original suspicion that Arteta might not be eligible to play for England could well be entirely correct. I think the wording of article 18 makes that reasonably clear anyway, but this seems to back it up somewhat. Unless there are other examples I've missed?

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Originally Posted by bwagner

irish teenager paul george signs new celtic deal
Mark Henderson
CELTIC are delighted to announce that highly-rated youngster Paul George has signed a new three-year deal with the club.

The 16-year-old, who has spent the last year on the Celtic Academy’s innovative school programme at St Ninian’s High, has already made an appearance for the first-team towards the end of last season, coming on a substitute in a friendly match with AZ Alkmaar at Celtic Park.

Celtic, Head of Youth, Chris McCart said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured Paul for the next three years.

“Paul is a player we have had over here for two years now. He has settled into Scotland has been part of our schools project at St Ninian's for the last year and is the type of player that is an entertainer. He has very good skills, but is also dedicated and hard-working too.

“He has had a taste of the first-team with the friendly with AZ Alkmaar last season and is a Northern Ireland internationalist as well. This year, he is going to be a regular with the 17s and breaking into our 19s – establishing himself in the 19s will be his challenge this year.”

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Young George attended a football function in Downpatrick a few weeks back and said a few words. Let's say, he was quite clear about his future international hopes...and they did not involve playing at Windsor Park.

So that's another one to the 'possibles' list.

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Originally Posted by co. down green

Young George attended a football function in Downpatrick a few weeks back and said a few words. Let's say, he was quite clear about his future international hopes...and they did not involve playing at Windsor Park.

So that's another one to the 'possibles' list.

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Cool, maybe we'll see him in the next few squads, if he's good enough.

Bit on Ferguson's debut in the Journal today. He appears to be committed to the IFA:

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Originally Posted by Derry Journal

Shane has also been heavily involved in the N. Ireland underage set-up and he returns home next weekend for the N. Ireland Under-19 European Championship qualifying campaign.

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Young Mickey McCrudden gives his two cents as well.

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Bit on Ferguson's debut in the Journal today. He appears to be committed to the IFA:

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with a name like Ferguson, is anyone too surprised??

Not that names, educational background and interests are strict indicators of where a northern-born player's national allegiance might lie, but he also happened to play GAA for St. Mary's of Limavady, so I wouldn't be so presumptious as to his background and outlook on life due to his surname. After all, I believe Adams is a surname with its origins in Ireland dating back to the Ulster Plantation. And who would think a guy with a name like Sammy Clingan was from the Falls Road?

ah, i was only messing DI...

discussing a player's eligibility based on their school, name and whether they played GAA or not.

Call yourselves a national team?

you're a poor man's old firm.

Oh wind yer neck in fhtb. They're indulging in a spot of half arsed "profiling" and joining a few dots. It's vulgar I'll concede but there's hardly old firm-esque badness in it.

On the individual concerned -he's not reached the top of the altar yet and is as entitled to play for our team as I am. But it'd be a low business if he walked out on the IFA now -not that I expect him to.

Nothing sinks lower than some of the heads when standing to attention to GSTQ.

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Originally Posted by fhtb

discussing a player's eligibility based on their school, name and whether they played GAA or not.

Call yourselves a national team?

you're a poor man's old firm.

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You really are some craic, boy.

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Originally Posted by fhtb

discussing a player's eligibility based on their school, name and whether they played GAA or not.

Call yourselves a national team?

you're a poor man's old firm.

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We're not really discussing his eligibility either. That's something which has been long cleared up and there is no ambiguity over whether or not he qualifies. Shane Ferguson qualifies to play for Ireland, despite the fact that he has appeared in a senior international friendly for the IFA. However although he is free to do so, it seems unlikely, in my opinion, that he will change allegiance at this stage. Best of luck to him either way.

to those 'real' RoI fans that are allegedly out there, this is the type of what-foot-does-he-kick-with ****e the international teams have now been reduced to thanks to that gob****e Delaney.

cheers.

Ha ha, are you still here?
Surely you should be back to harrassing anyone with a contrary view on OWB....

Paranoid fool.

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Originally Posted by fhtb

discussing a player's eligibility based on their school, name and whether they played GAA or not.

Call yourselves a national team?

you're a poor man's old firm.

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He has, in fairness, made a good point, though not the one he thought he was making. Just because someone is called Ferguson, or is from Larne, or drinks Tennants, or played rugby at school, or whatever else, we shouldn't be treating them any differently. Its a guide to us speculating here on the internet about who might to be willing to make the switch, but I would hope the FAI leave no stone uncovered in this regard. It is now clear that EVERY player born in the 6 counties is as eligible to play for us as anyone else, and I would argue we should be making a particular effort with the protestant lads, and ladies (No reason whover takes over from Noel King shouldn't benefit as much as anyone else - might be worth giving the job to a northerner actually).

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Originally Posted by fhtb

to those 'real' RoI fans that are allegedly out there, this is the type of what-foot-does-he-kick-with ****e the international teams have now been reduced to thanks to that gob****e Delaney.

cheers.

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Ah yes the old "F.ootball A.partheid in I.reland" nugget. Makes a nice banner I'm sure (and more tasteful than the one that makes sniggering nods to child abuse) but it's a spurious argument at best. There'll still be plenty from both sides of the community turning out for the IFA, regardless of the doom prophets who make this phenomenon out to be something new, and there'll still be the odd player from either side of the community who turns south as Duffy did, as Gibson did, as McStay did, as Crossley did, as Kernaghan did.

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Originally Posted by backtowalsall

He has, in fairness, made a good point, though not the one he thought he was making. Just because someone is called Ferguson, or is from Larne, or drinks Tennants, or played rugby at school, or whatever else, we shouldn't be treating them any differently.

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I don't believe we are. I know little about their backgrounds (and care less) but we've two lads in and around the squad -Darron Gibson and Marc Wilson who's names are so utterly Nordie I have no difficulty imagining them on DUP election posters resplendent with great big red, white and blue rossettes. Nobody's checking if these lads or anyone else know the angelus.

your ignorance knows no bounds.

Unlike Northern Ireland, as one can only play for the RoI with Irish citizenship, it'd be pretty difficult to expect those who don't want to make a political statement to do so. Also would threaten the FAI's pretence that all they do is wait beside a phone, as Jonny Evans' public statements proved. Nah, better to concentrate on the young nationalists, now where's my big book of Catholic-sounding names?

Shame on you.

lol @ your 'sniggering nods to child abuse' comment btw. Turn your radio on. The decade you're stuck in should still be pumping out the tune. Perhaps a Freudian slip on your part mind. +1 for the Alan Kernaghan 'Sam Maguire was a prod' reference too.

But then what do people expect from a member of Fianna Fail I guess. Where did you choose to open your first office in NI again? Seems you don't get it on a number of levels.

Would agree with most of the first part of LR's post
Though would go more with Btw's stance that we offer a more realistic chance of making Finals (or just missing out!), especially in the light of the uncompromising attitude of the more paranoid about freedom of choice....

As for Darron Gibson or family, potentially being in the DUP ( ;) ), not sure you would find too many of his surname in that fraternity

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Originally Posted by fhtb

your ignorance knows no bounds.

Unlike Northern Ireland, as one can only play for the RoI with Irish citizenship, it'd be pretty difficult to expect those who don't want to make a political statement to do so. Also would threaten the FAI's pretence that all they do is wait beside a phone, as Jonny Evans' public statements proved. Nah, better to concentrate on the young nationalists, now where's my big book of Catholic-sounding names?

Shame on you.

lol @ your 'sniggering nods to child abuse' comment btw. Turn your radio on. The decade you're stuck in should still be pumping out the tune. Perhaps a Freudian slip on your part mind. +1 for the Alan Kernaghan 'Sam Maguire was a prod' reference too.

But then what do people expect from a member of Fianna Fail I guess. Where did you choose to open your first office in NI again? Seems you don't get it on a number of levels.

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Huh? Care to explain in language that is even vaguely comprehensible? Yer beloved monarch would not be too impressed....
;)

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Originally Posted by fhtb

your ignorance knows no bounds.

Unlike Northern Ireland, as one can only play for the RoI with Irish citizenship, it'd be pretty difficult to expect those who don't want to make a political statement to do so. Also would threaten the FAI's pretence that all they do is wait beside a phone, as Jonny Evans' public statements proved. Nah, better to concentrate on the young nationalists, now where's my big book of Catholic-sounding names?

Shame on you.

lol @ your 'sniggering nods to child abuse' comment btw. Turn your radio on. The decade you're stuck in should still be pumping out the tune. Perhaps a Freudian slip on your part mind. +1 for the Alan Kernaghan 'Sam Maguire was a prod' reference too.

But then what do people expect from a member of Fianna Fail I guess. Where did you choose to open your first office in NI again? Seems you don't get it on a number of levels.

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You reap what you sow fhtb. Until very, very recently the IFA made absolutely no effort to appeal to the large non unionist minority in Northern Ireland, in fact it's symbolism, anthem and a large section of it's support would actively have discouraged such support from this minority (and still do to a point). Seriously do you really think many Catholic or Nationalist children growing up in NI would have been attracted in any way to supporting the NI team after witnessing the sectarian abuse in Windsor in 93 thrown at the ROI team and it's fans?

Of course in the past many Catholic and/or Nationalist players born in the North that may have felt little association with the NI team may still have chosen to play for them as there was little appeal in switching to the ROI team at the time due to the controversy and possible unpleasant consequences in a personal sense that such a decision may have generated and let's also not forget that NI had been, up until that point, by far the more succesful of the two teams in International competitions.

As for throwing that old sectarian argument into the mix you'll need to have your own house in order for a long time first before bringing that elephant into the proverbial room as I would suggest that whatever you like to delude yourself into believing you'd find it highly unlikely that many protestants born in Wicklow or Dublin would be eager to switch to play for the Northern Ireland team if they were involved in the ROI youth setusp so I think the FAI (and Irish state as a whole I might add) have done quite well in integrating the state's religious minorities into it's framework since it's existence thank you very much.

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Originally Posted by fhtb

your ignorance knows no bounds.

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Okay -ignorant I may be but I understood this sentence. a good start.

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Originally Posted by fhtb

Unlike Northern Ireland, as one can only play for the RoI with Irish citizenship, it'd be pretty difficult to expect those who don't want to make a political statement to do so.

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Out of courtesy I've read this sentence about 50 times and I still can't work out what the hell it is you're trying to say.

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Originally Posted by fhtb

Also would threaten the FAI's pretence that all they do is wait beside a phone, as Jonny Evans' public statements proved. Nah, better to concentrate on the young nationalists, now where's my big book of Catholic-sounding names?.

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I dunno what Jonny Evans stated less again what it proves. But I'll guess it was something to do with someone at the heart of the FAI conspiracy to wipe out NI, Delaney himself perhaps or some minnion underling trying to lure him to the dark side -well if that's true it at least puts to bed the theory that the FAI only chase northerners with excellent bogball credentials as Jonny Evans sounds as Welsh as Manic Street Preachers. We'll have Cymru giving out yards next.

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Originally Posted by fhtb

lol @ your 'sniggering nods to child abuse' comment btw.

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Ye have a banner that reads something along the lines of FAI -Stop Interfering With Our Kids. It must be testament to the ethnic gulf between us, my southerner deficit of that robust caustic northern wit,that I didn't consider it an absolute belter.

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Originally Posted by fhtb

Turn your radio on. The decade you're stuck in should still be pumping out the tune. Perhaps a Freudian slip on your part mind. +1 for the Alan Kernaghan 'Sam Maguire was a prod' reference too.

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...um ...what?

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Originally Posted by fhtb

But then what do people expect from a member of Fianna Fail I guess. Where did you choose to open your first office in NI again? Seems you don't get it on a number of levels.

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...I can't find a 'what the f*** are you on about?' emoticon