I'm sure James knows well where his home is.Quote:
Originally Posted by SolitudeRed
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I'm sure James knows well where his home is.Quote:
Originally Posted by SolitudeRed
unionist sports journalist in sports headline shocker!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by SolitudeRed
Of course he doesn't he has been brainwashed by the SF/FAI/Pope Benedict XVI/IRA axis of evil into turning his back on the tolerant utopian nation that is Norn Iron, there can be no other rational explanation for such a defection :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
For once we'll have to disagree. How dare you call it only 'prestigious'....Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
Well if you go way back up the thread, at least one other poster had drawn that somewhat paranoid conclusion, that JMcC had been adversely 'influenced' by at least two of the above...Quote:
Originally Posted by SolitudeRed
Limited as my knowledge is regarding the nuances (if they can be termed as such) of the North's geography, would the fact that Michael O'Neill is a catholic from Portadown, Co. Armagh be somewhat different to McClean's background from Creggan in Derry? Hence, O'Neill trying to relate to James is more difficult than would appear on first glance?
Given the fact that McClean expressly stated his desire to play for the Republic prior to O'Neill getting the job and that Hunt and Duff have approached the wrong side of 30, I'm not quite sure what it would take to change his mind. Big enough a step as it was changing over, what could O'Neill say to make him change back? "Come with us mate, I promise you'll be be left wing in all our qualifiers if you're the top form left winger I have..." Should be the case anyway.
McClean's not going to reconsider. He only switched 6 months ago and I suspect in his head he knows he'll be an Ireland international within the next year. Wilson would be more of a worry, but I don't think his head will be turned either. It's the likes of the McEleneys and Daniel Lafferty who could possibly make the switch to the Northern Irish team.
I would agree that there is no way McCLean will switch back to NI, However, O'Neill has at least to be seen to be trying to do something about it in order to keep the fans happy. What does intrigue me about all of this, is this new positive discrimination in favour of Catholics. These players who have joined us have achieved more in terms of trying to remove politics and sectarianism from NI football than anybody else, even though the IFA are doing it for ulterior motives.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Yes I noticed you wrote ' a wee bit' about it, unfortunately it was rather too much for me to comprehend :)Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
I'm sure (Michael) O'Neill and McClean have shared different upbringings by virtue of geography whilst also having shared some similar experiences, but it's not really as simple as that. There's also quite an age-gap to consider. Both are products of different environments and different generations. Guys like Liam Coyle and Liam O'Kane from pretty much the same place as McClean have represented NI in the past. Liam O'Kane's nephew is a good friend of mine, was next to me at the Estonia game and is as avid an Ireland supporter as myself with no interest in the NI team to my knowledge despite his uncle's former connection. Furthermore, it's not only northern-born players from Derry who've opted to declare for the FAI. Marc Wilson is from just north of Lurgan and Paul George is from near Downpatrick. Sure, then there's Shane Ferguson from near Eglinton just outside Derry and he's decided to stick with the IFA. And what about Gerry Armstrong who grew up on the Falls Road? I have it on good authority that he wears 'Ulster Banner' boxers nowadays!Quote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
Here's the opening clip from a fascinating and insightful address Martin O'Neill made in Áras an Uachtaráin in December of 2008 on what it meant to him to be Irish:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsKFaSbdCEY
He speaks of the anomalies, ironies, paradoxes and downright contradictions. Obviously his Irishness is something of which he's very proud, yet he was still the first Irish Catholic, as he puts it, to captain NI in football internationally. He speaks about it in the second part of the five clips. Whether that was a further expression of his complex and multifaceted version of Irishness or in spite of it remains open to debate, I suppose. Strangely though, Martin doesn't appear to mention having beaten my father in the hotly-contested end-of-year GAA handball final back in his St. Columb's days. Hmm, my da had assured me that finally beating him was Martin's defining moment!
Has Lafferty declared for us?Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2012/0104/oneillm.html
And the North's double standards on the "poaching" issue continue. But, alas, as Armstrong and the lads have specified before, these are "their" players; you can't poach what you already own, only if it escapes, then you can return it.Quote:
"James McClean is eligible for Northern Ireland so of course he's on my radar," he said.
"Whilst respecting the wishes of the players, I'll be doing everything in my power and my remit to emphasise to them that their long-term futures lie with the Northern Ireland national team."
That's a shockingly paternalistic tone. As if he just won't contemplate the idea McClean's future lies with, you know, following his heart and playing for the country he identifies with.
I think O'Neill will have more success than Worthington in convincing players to choose NI over ROI, but his quotes so far show he doesn't really understand the issue much better than his predecessor.
Hmm, looks like he hasn't. I'm not sure why I thought he had.Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
No we dont, we shouldnt have to cap somebody to tie him to usQuote:
Originally Posted by tricky_colour
Rubbish and speculation see Danny' s excellent blog for clarificationQuote:
Originally Posted by tricky_colour
Does anyone know if McEleney is llikely to switch? Doolin messed him around but hopefully he will not let that effect him. Really surprised if patrick mceleney does not move to england this monthQuote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Yes I have seen his blog, but regarding capping him, firstly he wants to play for the Republic and capping him would get rid of all the speculation and perhaps pressure being put on him to switch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Newryrep
Plus he is a good player so I think we would all like to see him get a chance sooner rather than later based on ability alone. So not so much to tie him in but because we need as many decent players as possible!!
On the other bit, yes that is speculation, he is from the North and at the time the North 'was' the Irishteam as far as international football was concerned, I think it was kind of like an all Ireland team in a way?
So I would say I was wrong on that point, there were 'both types' of players in the team and they were singing 'both kinds' of songs on the team bus in a friendly manner according to the MON interview.
It's not the first time i have posted 'rubbish' here by the way!!! :p
I'd say NI fans have come to terms with that fact that McClean won't be backtracking. It's likely the IFA have also accepted it behind the scenes but they need a steady supply of oxygen to maintain their running media campaign attempting to highlight the supposed injustice. Mentioning whenever possible the name of a "defector" who has just burst onto the Premier League scene serves that agenda well.Quote:
Originally Posted by tricky_colour
I don't think Martin O'Neill was strictly saying the the NI team was "the Irish team" back then, nor was it an all-island team either by any means. It was made up of players from nationalist backgrounds like himself who might well have self-defined as Irish and players from unionist backgrounds who might well have self-defined as British, but it wasn't made up of Irish players from south of the border. Admittedly, it would have been the stronger of the two teams on the island at the time. In that sense, possibly southerners lent their support north of the border. I wasn't even one year old in 1986, mind, so I'm sure someone else would be better equipped with years than I to know for sure.Quote:
On the other bit, yes that is speculation, he is from the North and at the time the North 'was' the Irishteam as far as international football was concerned, I think it was kind of like an all Ireland team in a way?
So I would say I was wrong on that point, there were 'both types' of players in the team and they were singing 'both kinds' of songs on the team bus in a friendly manner according to the MON interview.
It's not the first time i have posted 'rubbish' here by the way!!! :p
McClean (centre) scored his first Black Cats goal against Wigan on Tuesday Sunderland's James McClean appears to have ruled out reversing his decision to declare for the Republic of Ireland.
McClean played for Northern Ireland at youth and under-21 level but opted for the Republic last year after turning down a Northern Ireland senior call-up.
New Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill said earlier this week that McClean was on his "radar" but those hopes appear to have been dashed.
"I have declared myself for the Republic," McClean told the Irish News.
"That's where I see my (international) future.
"If I don't get called up, then I'll live with that but I have confidence in my own ability that I will get a call-up at some stage with the Republic of Ireland.
"Hopefully this now puts this matter to bed."
McClean, who moved to Sunderland from Derry City last August, revealed that he had been contacted by the new Northern Ireland manager in recent days.
"He rang me just to congratulate me about how the last two (Sunderland) games have gone and to see how I'm getting on.
"He said he would keep in touch with me and he'll call up and see me, which I appreciate, but I just want to put the Northern Ireland thing to bed now."
After a number of outings as substitute, the Derry-born player made his first Sunderland start in the New Year's Day win over Manchester City and he scored in the 4-1 win over Wigan on Tuesday
I'm with Newry Rep on this one, no need to rush him ahead of the queue in order to cap him.
If the IFA wants to talk (IFA talk whereas FAI poach) and try to persuade a player to reverse his declared intent to play for the FAI, then fine.
We already have thrown in the towel on that one.
There really is no hope that the IFA and their merry band of mopes, will ever see the slightest hypocrisy or irony in such an approach.
I'm amazed how insecure some people are about this. The lad declared for us, he's Irish. I don't see why he needs to re-iterate this.
Because of the press coverage perhaps?
Fair play to him for settling the matter almost immediately after O'Neill's comments.
Imagine if Noel King said he was calling up to Newcastle to see Shane Ferguson and how he's getting on and keeping in touch.
:bigsmile:Quote:
Originally Posted by Murfinator
Look, all these defectors have a right; James has as much right to a 100-pager as Gibby.Quote:
Originally Posted by Murfinator
How long (was a chinaman, I know) was the the thread on Daniel Kearns? I think he might have run Gibson close.
It's a bit like the ending to Saving Private Ryan, when the last Ryan was told by a dying Tom Hanks, to justify the massive effort made to save him.
I am pretty sure the original eligibilty thread was a 100 pager and included the premature claims of victory by the IFA, gleefully recorded by local media subsequently proved to be rather embarasing as the FAI also claimed victory , think the current one was started to use as a reference pointQuote:
Originally Posted by geysir
McClean posted this on twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JMcC_23/statu...55460361015297
So that's the end of that.Quote:
Following my dream, mind was never going to change, latest barage of insults come right on queue #irish
Incidentally, he also posted this charming message that was sent to him: https://twitter.com/#!/Neil_GFC/stat...59476465811456
Quote:
He spelled "barrage" incorrectly. I don't think he's cut out for us.
The succinct and to-the-point hashtag is a nice touch.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
And cue. The youth of today.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
I harbor the fear that Twitter is the pre-sentient Antichrist (Facebook is the decoy) but some of it's emanations don't half make me smile.
Never mind Noel King. Trap should head to St. James' Park ASAP.Quote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
im lost here lads, is Shane Ferguson gona declare for us?
Also there was a close to 100 pager for CAS/Daniel Kearns in the summer of 2010.Quote:
Originally Posted by Newryrep
Though the length could be more explained by filler posts, to fill in the time while waiting.
I think we could almost extract enough good lines for a 10 verse song, in the same vein as Joxer goes to Stuttgart.
Call it, The Day the IFA rode into FIFA-Strasse.
Not that we know but we could ask him just to be sure, I think we are allowed to call 3 times.Quote:
Originally Posted by bwagner
No, he settled the matter recently that he was sticking with the North. But my point was that people from IFA and supporters constantly wheel out this tired old line that the FAI have "poached" some underage players from them. There have recently been some media stories (Anton Rodgers, James McClean) which have demonstrated fairly glaringly that the North are more partial to the bit of "poaching". McClean clearly switched allegiances. O'Neill clearly comes out and says he's considering McClean and wants a chat.Quote:
Originally Posted by bwagner
But this conduct has, in the past, seemingly been qualified by people such as Armstrong putting forward a mad notion that the players born in the North are "their" players, when this is not always the case.
It's 'never' the case surely?
Well, is a player that commits wholeheartedly to the IFA "their" player? I suppose the player is not a possession etc. in which case 'never' is correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
To the tune of the Martin Jol song:Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
James McClean, James McClean, James McClean
He can't spell, who gives a hell
James McClean
@ OO, exactly.
Anyone born on the island etc.
Is eligible for both.
And Worm, that ditty is even worse than most Ireland songs....
Maybe we should just give them back their players. I mean they do own them after all.