Macken in Ireland squad!!!

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Originally Posted by Macy

What reason would an Irishman have for playing for England?

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The same reason an Englishman would want to play for Ireland, career progression. He was only 19 at the time and was far from guaranteed his career would ever begin as he hadn't played a 1st team game. What better way to get your career going than by playing in the world youth championships?

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Jaysus scan, keep your head down and your boots on, I got slated for calling those players "non-Irish", I hope you have a good life assurance policy.

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No, you got slated because everyone thought you were calling all the English born players English. I think its safe to say that Morrison and Holland are English. O'Brien, Breen, Kilbane, Connolly, McCarthy are all Irish.

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

The same reason an Englishman would want to play for Ireland, career progression. He was only 19 at the time and was far from guaranteed his career would ever begin as he hadn't played a 1st team game. What better way to get your career going than by playing in the world youth championships?


No, you got slated because everyone thought you were calling all the English born players English. I think its safe to say that Morrison and Holland are English. O'Brien, Breen, Kilbane, Connolly, McCarthy are all Irish.

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Didnt Andy O'Brien play u21 for Ingerland?

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Originally Posted by Pablo

Didnt Andy O'Brien play u21 for Ingerland?

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Nope, played u21 for Ireland.

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Originally Posted by Bowsy

Nope, played u21 for Ireland.

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i'm pretty sure he played for ingerland underage

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Originally Posted by Pablo

i'm pretty sure he played for ingerland underage

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It's true, honest guv'nor. Made his senior debut in 2001 before the ruling and played u21 for Ireland. Check it out on the FAI website if you don't believe me.

Andy O'Brien had a choice of playing for Ireland or England and, after deliberating over the issue as a teenager, he eventually selected Ireland and was a regular member of Ireland's Under 21 panel until Mick McCarthy called him into the senior panel during the summer of 2001.

But he did play for england u21 against France in february 1999

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Originally Posted by Pablo

But he did play for england u21 against France in february 1999

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Where you getting this info from. He made his debut in 2001. The ruling that u21 players could change nationality came in last year. This means he has been playing for ireland illegally until this ruling

your actually right:

In February 1999, O'Brien played in a friendly against France at Pride Park but when Taylor offered him the chance in England's next competitive outing, O'Brien demurred and took time out to ponder his international future. He was flattered by the English attention but he was aware of his Irish roots - his grandparents Danny and Kathleen O'Brien had moved from Kilfinnane in south-west Limerick to look for work in the mills of Yorkshire - and two months after his English debut, he played for Ireland in an under-21 friendly against Sweden in Birr.

People approach him now and wonder, what with his upwardly mobile status, if he regrets the decision. "I say no. It wasn't really close. I only played against France because it was a friendly and there was pressure from the club's point of view because they think it's more prestigious to play for England than for Ireland." He has no doubts. He travelled to Kilfinnane with his father last summer and the experience overwhelmed him. "Just picking up a few pieces of my past," he said.

davros, do you actually think McAteer considers himself Irish? I love McAteer but I'm pretty sure he considers himself English.

I have to imagine any Shels player near the squad (Byrne, Wes, etc) would probably not get called up to the Bulgaria game in case they pick up a stupid injury in what's going to be a pretty meaningless game, and all a week before the biggest game in their club's history. The bulgaria game is only to get the squad together before the real business of the qualifiers begins.

They should get a call up to the Cyprus, or at the very least the Faroes though.

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

your actually right:

In February 1999, O'Brien played in a friendly against France at Pride Park but when Taylor offered him the chance in England's next competitive outing, O'Brien demurred and took time out to ponder his international future. He was flattered by the English attention but he was aware of his Irish roots - his grandparents Danny and Kathleen O'Brien had moved from Kilfinnane in south-west Limerick to look for work in the mills of Yorkshire - and two months after his English debut, he played for Ireland in an under-21 friendly against Sweden in Birr.

People approach him now and wonder, what with his upwardly mobile status, if he regrets the decision. "I say no. It wasn't really close. I only played against France because it was a friendly and there was pressure from the club's point of view because they think it's more prestigious to play for England than for Ireland." He has no doubts. He travelled to Kilfinnane with his father last summer and the experience overwhelmed him. "Just picking up a few pieces of my past," he said.

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Can someone explain how this to me? Was it that only competitive underage matches tied you to that country?

Apologies Pablo. I bow to your superior knowledge. :)

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Originally Posted by Bowsy

Can someone explain how this to me? Was it that only competitive underage matches tied you to that country?

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Yes.

:) PP

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Originally Posted by Plastic Paddy

Yes.

:) PP

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Brief and informative. Good to see you back PP. :)

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Originally Posted by Bowsy

Apologies Pablo. I bow to your superior knowledge. :)

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i wasnt sure myself but it was in the back of my mind. IMO he shouldnt then have played for Ireland

Just my opinion

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Originally Posted by Bowsy

Brief and informative. Good to see you back PP. :)

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Why thank you Bowsy. :) A break from football and also from cyberland is a good thing sometimes. Patrick J must be enjoying his right now. ;)

:D PP

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Originally Posted by Paddy Joe

Patrick J. will always live on. Good to see ya back Plastic Paddy. :D Heard you went on the holiday of a lifetime . . . Ibiza or Majorca or somewhere? Hear there's lots of Luton fans out there. Too many northsiders for my liking however. Must be great to be back home in England?

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Welcome back, how's skipper.

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Originally Posted by Paddy Joe

Patrick J. will always live on. Good to see ya back Plastic Paddy. :D Heard you went on the holiday of a lifetime . . . Ibiza or Majorca or somewhere? Hear there's lots of Luton fans out there. Too many northsiders for my liking however. Must be great to be back home in England?

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Keep fishing, P. I'm too chilled out to bite.

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Originally Posted by Paddy Joe

Going to Skipper's birthday party tomorrow night actually. He hasn't had a chance to log back on in recent days, due to preparations for his party. It's in the Kilashee Hotel in Kildare if you fancy popping in. Semi-formal of course. :)

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Some of the lads hereabouts reckon Skipper isn't so much your right-hand man as merely your right hand, if you know what I mean. I couldn't possibly comment. :rolleyes:

:) PP

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Originally Posted by Paddy Joe

Going to Skipper's birthday party tomorrow night actually. He hasn't had a chance to log back on in recent days, due to preparations for his party. It's in the Kilashee Hotel in Kildare if you fancy popping in. Semi-formal of course. :)

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No can do i'm afraid got to be at work at 5am tomorrow, just like yerself i'm working class and have got to put in the overtime to maintain my high standard of living. Also like PP I live in Sassana (you probably would'nt understand that word) and it would be awkward to make it.
BTW is Skipper yer pet Kangaroo.

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Originally Posted by tiktok

There's no need for an Englishman to get an Irish passport, but maybe he considers himself an Irishman and he wanted an irish passport.

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Well if what Davros says is true then that may be true, but I had heard he qualified via a grandparent(s).

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Originally Posted by davros

Born in Manchester to Irish parents......I think from Galway........He's as Irish as anyone...what's the problem?

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Can someone point to to credible information on his elligibility?

My metal gymnastics is as follows ( I think we all are playing this mind game ) :

1 grandparent born in Ireland = dodgey. Should be damn good player to make up for lack of Irish genes.

2 grandparents born in Ireland = Qualifies as Irish, no questions.

One or both parents born in Ireland = 100% Paddy.

It is the Morrisons, McAteers and Hollands that cause me a problem, again ability goes a long way as in Ray Houghton. Plus scoring against England makes you Irish instantly and forever.

So where does Macken fit into these scheme?

Giles had a nice line damning Macken and Connolly at the same time: “He’s obviously not as good as Robbie Keane, and he’s probably on the same level as somebody like David Connolly, so I’m not sure he’ll set the world alight.”

But as we are so short of options...