No harm in just making sure, and no reason for him to be so lazy. He's an elected member of Dáil Éireann, after all.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gather round
He's been pretty vague, but considering he felt bothered enough to write an article about the matter and assuming he wasn't merely talking baloney for rhetorical effect, it would appear that he would prefer northern Irish nationals to be playing for the IFA or would rather they were limited in some manner, further to the rules as they stand at present, from opting to represent the FAI. As far as he is concerned, there's a problem that needs intervention, careful consideration and protocols to solve it. Considering his popular profile and public position, I’m sure you can appreciate why I feel it worth critiquing and challenging the sentiment of such ignorant rubbish, for fear it was to further misinform and influence other parties or individuals similarly bereft of knowledge on the subject.Quote:
Has Feighan made any specific suggestions (eg, 'guys from NI shouldn't play for the Republic', or with qualification 'if they've already played U-19, U-21 or in a friendly up there'). Or is he just throwing out vague platitudes?
I would never. And the session he was hosting was purportedly about understanding and reconciliation, so I thought he'd be eager to be educated on all perspectives relevant to the discussion.Quote:
Maybe he's more interested in cosying up to his colleagues on the cross-border junket? Also, never underestimate Fine Gael partitionism...
No exaggeration necessary from me. NI fans have been making it very easy for me for years. The whole thing has been a litany of insanity and delusion. It was a pretty clueless-sounding Sammy Douglas who declared himself a fan and used the term "poaching" at the BIPA panel discussion.Quote:
The way you characterise it is somewhat exaggerated. Nobody's comparing it to a press gang. NI fans are ****ed off that someone can agree to a call up for a latest cap for us one day, then move to your squad the next.
An hysterical and innuendo-laden banner also springs to mind. What did it say again?:
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/c...psjl8vs4hh.jpg
"FAI, stop interfering with our kids."
If that wasn't a downright crass and scurrilous means of framing matters and insinuating that something underhand, or indecent even, was going on, I’m not sure what was. As if "kids" were being unduly influenced or manipulated by FAI predators...
Spin-doctor Owen Polley used the phrase "systematic plunder" and the term "raids". Polley spoke of Daniel Kearns having to be "persuaded to defect". Why couldn't he acknowledge that the lad might simply just have wanted to declare for his country? Polley was desperate to shut the whole thing down by trying to feign some concern for the "identity rights" of nationalists through a pretty twisted argument that, more so than anything else, ultimately just exposed his own narrow-minded self-interest and wish to claim nationalists for himself. As if that charlatan had the best interests of nationalists at heart… I’d be fairly confident that many NI fans still possess such extreme views whereby they’d gladly deny northern Irish nationals the fundamental choice to play for Ireland. Worryingly, Polley is obviously one of the more educated fans, yet still harboured such cloaked and crooked intolerance. If I had access to OWC, I’m sure I’d be able to find opinions expressed as bad and much worse. Sure even the head-honcho of the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs, Gary McAllister, was alleging that youngsters were being abused, intimidated and threatened into playing for the FAI. And then he cowered behind the "breach of confidence" excuse in order to avoid backing up his ridiculous claims before resorting to crude, infantile jibes and disengaging.
The FAI have often been accused of breaching the general rules, of behaving illegally (as far as FIFA’s regulations are concerned) or of having had some special and unfair exemption decreed specifically for them by FIFA, so I don’t think it’s at all inaccurate to portray the hysterical nature of the accusations as I have. Indeed, Trevor Ringland still seemed to possess the belief that the FAI weren't conforming to the rules as they should be applied when he spoke in Croke Park to the BIPA. These types of guys have influence and stature. People listen to them when they speak because of the positions they hold.
I really shouldn’t forget the bat-sh*t crazy "End Footballing Apartheid in Ireland" farce either. I mean, if NI fans really wanted some unity and an end to "apartheid" (apart-hood or the state of being apart) in Ireland or if they truly wanted an ensure there was no automatic imposition of British citizenship upon Irish nationalists in the north, they’re more than welcome to advocate a single all-island team or to vote for Irish nationalist/republican parties intent on ending partition. Just an idea, like… Or maybe those ideas wouldn't actually appeal to them and they're just full of bullsh*t.
And it is actually just our association with whom NI fans seem to have this issue. I was surprised that there were no such howls of disdain and anguish (like Gibson, McClean and Duffy got) when a young IFA player "defected" to the FA a while back. I can't recall his name - I'm sure someone can clarify - but he was mentioned on here and the OWC response was pretty much zilch. Some of the very few posters in a less-than-two-pages-long thread who were actually interested enough to respond even wished him well!
If he was suggesting that northern-born Irish nationals declaring to play for Ireland would lead to that, I think he’s getting his cause and effect mixed up. Don't the teams kind of inherently represent the two respective traditions anyway? And it's not because of the FAI, but more to do with the socio-political reality. I know they run FFA and all that, but can the IFA genuinely or fully represent nationalists who identify with Ireland as a nation? As I posed in one of the pieces I'd written, would a tricolour be welcome in Windsor Park, for example? Not that I'm suggesting it ought to be embraced by NI fans or anything; just pointing out a reality and demonstrating how it's rather insincere for NI fans to demand or expect loyalty from the nationalist community and then accuse then accuse the latter of bigotry when they're naturally not interested. Nationalists in the north already support Ireland en masse and it is for the reason that they broadly and culturally identify with the FAI team that northern-born Irish national players opt to play for the association.Quote:
Surely he means effectively all-Unionist fanbase, not players? If so, it's not scaremongering, some exaggeration at worst.
Well, if that’s the case, he should stop playing dumb. And he’s got a higher profile than I, unfortunately. :pQuote:
I've suggested some explanation above. Broadly Frank's motive may be mainly to boost his own career and contacts. He's probably cuter than you give credit. You don't need to over-rate his importance, though.
