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I'm not worried in the slightest.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
You play your games wherever you like.
We'll be playing ours at a re-developed Windsor Park.
The Maze site may be still free, but it will not be hosting Interntional football matches.
No need - it'll continue to be called Northern Ireland.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
You still haven't answered his point.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
If all they wanted was an improved chance of qualifying then their best bet would be wanting an all UK team, not an AI one. So again what's in it for them?
Im from Munster, but Id have no interest in an All Munster football team, Im sure neither would Limerick or Waterford. Why would being Irish mean they'd want an AI team.
We know you'd prefer an AI team, and apparently improving the chances of winning is the only thing that matters, but to some THEIR team is precious and they aren't going to give it up to make you, or anyone down here, happy.
There's absolutely nothing in it for them and yet you continue to imply that it's wrong of them not to want it.
Very strange logic.
But they keep telling us they're 'Irish'.
If anyone's logic is :rolleyes: strange, it's being in 'denial' about that.
Surely an 'increased chance of qualifying or Finals participation' is worth the leap of such 'logic'.
As pointed above, which you and others continually ignore, AI teams are now making an impact on the world stage.
And has anyone asked their fans, who'd they prefer if it comes to it? Us or a Brit.XI which would be a 'de facto' England team....
Again, you miss micls's point.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
Northern Ireland fans are not interested in merging with EITHER the Republic Of Ireland or the rest of the UK.
Your question simply does not arise, and nor will it be arising for the foreseeable future.
We know :rolleyes: you're not, but no reason why we can't hypothesize though.
And whilst you claim it's going to last for 'hundreds of years' I reckon those :rolleyes: 'nice' people at FIFA might well ultimately see it differently.
;)
What's the point in Northern Ireland fans hypothesizing about something that they don't want?:confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
We've much more important things to hypothesize about.
Luckily for you!Quote:
Originally Posted by Gather round
There are bound to be Northern Ireland fans who would consider an all-Ireland team and I'm fairly sure that there is a sizeable section of Northern Ireland society that would also like to see an all-Ireland team - these people should surely hypothesize. Of course, as has been pointed out previously, some of Northern Ireland's greatest players have been advocates of the idea too and I reckon there's a chance some of their current players may also be advocates.Quote:
Originally Posted by Not Brazil
Very few fans Predator - amongst our block bookers, I would reckon that figure would be <5%. Either way, nowhere near a majority, or even a meaningful minority.Quote:
Originally Posted by Predator
Northern Irish society can hypothesize all they like - it'll not make a button of difference.
Indeed, a few of our "greatest players" have been advocates of the idea - I think most of our journeymen (ie. the vast majority) would not have been so keen - they would have lost out on an International career.
I would be struggling to think of any advocates in the current squad - I say that on the basis that only three or four of our players would be in a combined squad, and, of those, I don't think any would be advocates.
Furthermore, there is an All Ireland team - anyone in Northern Ireland who wishes to play for it, is welcome to do so.
You seem very sure of this. Even if 5% thought it was worthwhile, it's worth discussing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Not Brazil
Not sure if a majority of Irish people on here would be, but a majority of active Ireland fans would be overall.
Why do we always need to go political about it?
For football's sake on this island it makes sense to have an AIL and an AI National team.Better pool of talent, greater access to Capital funding, yeah sure the economies in the ****s now but it'll recover in time, in short time.
Look at rugby, we're one of the worlds best teams....Ireland! up there with the best.
Irelands call is always majestically roared out in Croker, and soon to be Lansdowne.
I would be pretty sure of it...I said < 5%.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
You keep discussing it all you like...there is nothing in it at all for the IFA or the overwhelming majority of supporters of the Northern Ireland International team.
You'd be better served just getting on with supporting your All Ireland team, instead of trying to engage in hypothetical nonsense.
I dare say if a lot of Northern Ireland fans were to look at your comments on the issue here, it wouldn't serve to persuade them.:D
I'm not being "political" about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Riddickcule
I simply don't wish to see a team I've supported passionately for a lifetime disappear - that would be the view of the overwhelming majority of Northern Ireland supporters.
For the umptenth time, you have an All Ireland National team.
Why can't you just accept the choice of those who support a different Irish team to have nothing to do with it?:confused:
For rugby?Quote:
Originally Posted by Riddickcule
So what?:confused:
Imagine that in football, it'd be class.Look Not Brazil i respect your views i really do but in footballs sake i mean do you not agree that on the international front we could progress far further than both sides currently do now?Quote:
Originally Posted by Not Brazil
If you say so. But it's not nonsense and while there's a potential to do so, we'll be carrying on discussing. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Not Brazil
If you don't like it, why even come on here if it's so painful to contemplate?
Whatever about the actual number of all-Ireland team advocates in the current set of NI fans, surely Northern Irish society should have a big say? After all, the IFA and the NI team purport to represent Northern Ireland (and by extension, obviously its people... and strangely, according to the Anthem, England :p) on the international stage.Quote:
Originally Posted by Not Brazil
Granted, there are players that would likely miss out on an international career, but leaving aside the implications on current and past squads, I'd say some players might promote such an idea for the future generations of footballers on the island, since there are a fair few possible positives in it.Quote:
Indeed, a few of our "greatest players" have been advocates of the idea - I think most of our journeymen (ie. the vast majority) would not have been so keen - they would have lost out on an International career.
I would be struggling to think of any advocates in the current squad - I say that on the basis that only three or four of our players would be in a combined squad, and, of those, I don't think any would be advocates.
Somehow I don't think NI fans would welcome people from NI deciding to play for the 'All Ireland team'... :eek:Quote:
Furthermore, there is an All Ireland team - anyone in Northern Ireland who wishes to play for it, is welcome to do so.
Technically of course, the FAI can choose players from anywhere on the island, but while there will be players from the North who decide to play for the Republic, there will also be players who don't wish to play for the Republic (due perhaps to their backgrounds). This situation doesn't exactly help NI's chances of retaining the best players within their boundaries, as you well know. You're obviously aware of the possible positive implications of an All-Ireland team and it would not simply mean the end of a team for you (and other people from Northern Ireland) to support. Could you truly not bring yourself to roar on a team containing a few lads from Belfast, Derry and Newry, as well as lads from Dublin, Donegal, Cork and Galway? Is it that abhorrent?
I welcome your and GR's input. It's important that both sets of fans discuss such things. I've read some threads on OWC though, that are disheartening, in that they simply ridicule the idea and deny it any space to develop, but for obvious reasons I understand.
This is the problem. Sure it's a generalisation, but it seems the majority of NI supporters see a Whole of Ireland team as the loss of something, whereas the the majority of ROI supporters would see it as the gaining of a (potentially) better team that would have a better chance of advancement in European Championship and World Cup qualifiers, even if it meant the team known as "The Republic of Ireland" no longer existed. We could live with that. I think.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gather round
Would it be so bad if the team was called, say, The Republic and Northern Ireland, or some variation/combination? It seems to work for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
I would think I speak for the majority of ROI supporters in saying that "getting one over" on NI supporters, or somehow trying to "abolish" their team is not the motivation here.
We could probably "progess" more as part of an All UK team, but I'm equally unsupportive of such a move.Quote:
Originally Posted by Riddickcule
I'm a Northern Ireland supporter - for better, or worse.
Please, carry on.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
Discuss all you like.
As the (hypothetical) question directly involves the future of theteam I support, I think it reasonable that I contribute my views on the matter.
It's not a case of being "painful", it's just that it's not happening.