possibly blocking anyone with a ROI i.p address?
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possibly blocking anyone with a ROI i.p address?
I dunno. They give an option of ROI. I've picked all other 3 before without proxies. I decided to be honest in this one and see how it goes. Otherwise I'll infiltrate them with a can of whoop ass and a computer in Donaghcloney.
Odd. I've always found our wee minds to be a place of open discussion where opinions at odds with the party line are encouraged and welcomed.
I'm sure that, in years to come, academics will look back and reference the small-time siege mentality of that forum in a study of football fans in northern Ireland.
I found debate on the eligibility issue to be of a generally saner and more advanced level on IrishLeagueSupporters.com - even the fact it's allowed is a good start - although it might well have something to do with the presence of Ireland-supporting Cliftonville fans such as our own Mr. Parker and some of the more reasonable NI fans that frequent here. I did get bogged down in a rather monotonous debate recently with one particular poster though over such things as the subjective nature of fairness/unfairness. I think I still owe him a reply, but, thankfully, the Estonia play-off came round and distracted me there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Not Brazil
The FAI has replied to Gary's letter.
Quote:
Date: Movember 2011
Name; John Delaney (JD)
Address; Ireland HQ
Dear Ms/Mr Gary:
Thank you for your interest in the FAI. Our doorman enjoyed meeting you.
While we were impressed with your drawing skills, ultimately it falls to me to inform you that your letter has been rejected.
We appreciate your interest and the time you have invested in coming down to the big smoke. It made our qualification to the Euros all the more sweeter.
Laughing out loud,
JD.
I hope Gary got an autographed tie from the doorman.
And you/we of course have never indulged in even the slightest form of irony...Quote:
Originally Posted by ifk101
;)
I call fake! John Delaney would never refer to himself as "JD"; I know for a fact he much prefers the title of Grand Master John Delaney.Quote:
Originally Posted by ifk101
Guys, seriously, what is the big joke? Don't you know there's an apartheid going on 'round here?
Ah Danny, no. He wrote Laughing Out Loud, not LOL!Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sp...html#idc-cover
should take it to a 100 pager
Was wondering why there has been no mention if Paul McVeigh today. It was a headline on RTÉ.ie.Quote:
Originally Posted by Newryrep
the comments section is quite funny - the usual misinformation, irelevent nonescene postedQuote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
I haven't seen such furious debate over a song since I visited YouTube this morning.Quote:
Originally Posted by Newryrep
I propose replacing all instances of 'Queen' with 'Team' and changing the melody to that of the McGyver theme. Voilà, an anthem with it's priorities in order that eleven gentlemen and one deity can get right behind.
Symbols are a non-issue for me really. The IFA could make their anthem "A Nation Once Again" and adopt a flag of a leprechaun with shamrocks sprouting out his ears but the IFA would still be as irrelevant to me as any of the other British associations.
This comment was interesting:Quote:
Originally Posted by Newryrep
He's quite clearly plucked that out of his arse and hasn't a notion what the circumstances are there, but, out of interest, does anyone with a knowledge of the region know what the reality is? Would ethnic Serbs in Croatia support Croatia over Serbia, for example?Quote:
No doubt in the Balkans, there are muslims and christians supporting the various teams, but they appear to get behind the flag.
To think we were in a group with Yugoslavia, Croatia and Macedonia at the time of the Kosovan war? Absolute madness to think that those teams would be allowed be drawn in the same group.Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
Not even going to profess to know the intricacies of the Balkan situation but in a conflict that is so much more complex and has seen such a greater level of bloodshed, I can only imagine that much like our own situation, ethnic serbs support Serbia, ethnic Croats support Croatia.
Identity is not dictated by one's postcode.
It's decent Friday entertainment.
BigWillyJohn's fire is well lit.
Could it be that it's just a small number of like minded loudmouths, who manically rush around to give the appearance that every barricade is over manned to fight to the death, against any hint of a perceived erosion of the British identity.
Not surprisingly, those who consider it their wee country want others to butt out. Come and play for our "all-inclusive" team, but don't dare tell us what to do with our anthem or our stadium. The idea that only NI fans should have a say in the anthem of the team that purports to represent "Northern Ireland" is ridiculous; No surrender to papists, eh?
Just out of interest, how and to whom else would you give a say? Count random callers to Nolan or Wendy? Make it an election issue? Force a constitutional amendment?Quote:
Originally Posted by Predator
"No, I write articulately, with great gusto and grammar being delivered at a rapid rate of words per minute, intertwined with a focus on using facts which only seem to make those inferior fear my retorts and resort to insults. It is their insecurity and weak positions I expose time and time again, until they insult me, or run away. It is hard to find someone on my intellectual level, I admit, but maybe one day I will find someone with a bit of grey matter to spar with."Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
I do hope he descended from his throne of empty red bull cans and took a bow after posting that one because it was an absolute belter.
That argument kind of presupposes that the majority of the nationalist community wish to be represented by the Northern Ireland side, which obviously isn't the case.Quote:
Originally Posted by Predator
Secondly, a change of anthem would have greater import if it came from within as opposed to having it imposed in some way or other.
So the issue is solved. Bring Gerry the Catholic onboard and change the anthem and every little Nationalist child in NI will feel part of the community. It's so easy why didn't someone think of this before!
Perhaps they'll use the profound 'democratic process' used to create the 'North' in the first place. At the usual cost to the indigenous population.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gather round
You're right on both points and I don't deny that it's the IFA who must make the decision.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Fly
I'm almost sure the IFA can be proactive and take into consideration the views of the general NI public (those they reach out to for support) before making a decision on the anthem? How one might do that, I don't know.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gather round
I say 'almost', because I don't invest too much faith in the kind of association that would bring young Daniel Kearns, the FAI and FIFA before the CAS thinking that they were going to be vindicated.
Ivan Sproule blasts Paul McVeigh claim Northern Irish stars switch allegiances due to national anthemQuote:
Originally Posted by Newryrep
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Fly
How many players who've chosen to play for us over the IFA's teams has Sproule actually encountered? There are plenty of players, even in the current senior team, who bow their heads during the anthem. I believe it's especially prevalent at under-age games where about 60 to 70 per cent of NIs teams are made up of players from nationalist backgrounds. They obviously have some sort of issue with it if they feel the need to make such a visual statement. I have no issue with it because I don't see it as any of my business, but it's obvious some players from nationalist backgrounds who are prepared to play for the IFA do. Even significant numbers of NI fans themselves take issue with the anthem. It's been a running debate on OWC for years.Quote:
Sproule said: "I never encountered a player who chose the North or the Republic based on the national anthem or the stadium. I shared a dressing room with Protestant and Catholic players and they had no problems with Windsor Park or the anthem.
And not so special memories for some others such as Neil Lennon, Liam Coyle, Anton Rogan or Donegal Celtic fans...Quote:
"Windsor Park is the home of Northern Irish football. It might not be modern but it holds a lot of special memories for me and the supporters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ks-ZWJ8rSA
The reality is that it will long be associated with having once been a stronghold of loyalism. Whether such an association is justified given political progress in recent years and the IFA's 'Football For All' campaign, I'm not so sure, but that's the reality of the situation. I've been to Windsor Park once for a Setanta Cup game and the tunnel/cage surrounded by barbed wire through which the away fans had to walk was like an entrance to a concentration camp. It just looked like something straight out of the darkest days of the Troubles.
It's not as if we're qualifying year in and year out. Besides, I would argue that northern-born players who opt to play for us face as much of a personal challenge in reaching a finals as they would have had they opted for the IFA in the sense that competition for places is greater with the FAI. You can't field more than 11 players, after all. Many of the players who've switched don't even get into our senior squad, or are peripheral members if lucky, but would no doubt be featuring in NI squads, if not starting line-ups, had they opted to stay with the IFA.Quote:
"Some players have chosen to turn out for the Republic simply because they believe they will have a better chance of being at the finals of the World Cup or European Championship.
"I am not disrespecting Paul and it's maybe just a gripe he has with the IFA but his back-page newspaper comments will be wrapping fish suppers soon enough.
"National anthems and venues were never an issue when I played and I seriously doubt it is the case now."
I don't think they have threads of their own and I don't think it's worth starting two more so here seems as appropriate as anywhere. Anyway, I just read on another forum that Sean McGinty and Michael Keane may be switching from us to England. Anyone aware if there's any truth to the rumours?
I think Keane was reported in the Star a couple of months back as having switched. McGinty was rumoured too but nothing concrete.
Maybe if we Change our national anthem to GSTQ, they will stay with us!Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
Are they even any good?
As for the uber-sorts from Castlederg, do these people not realise how their kind live unbothered, just a few miles away?
And before anyone suggests this is 'out of touch' my ancestors had to endure......
I know McGinty's quite highly-rated anyway and the FA have tried to convince him to declare for them before.
Keane is only 18 but made his senior debut for Manchester United in the League Cup against Aldershot Town at the end of last October.
Ivan is good at mind reading, therefore he can speak on their behalf and state categorically that the GSTQ anthem is a non issue for nationalist players, including those glory hunters who align themselves with the fai.Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
McGinty has been treated quite badly by doolin he was playing for the under 19s 2 years ago and cant get in the under 19 squad this season. Hopefully he still sees the bigger picture of an irish career.
McGinty has been in recent U19 squads. He was left out of the Euros in the summer because he missed the qualifiers. No bad treatment there. He's not entitled to a squad place just because he plays for Manchester United's youth team.
Not true sir Im afraid. Last season he played the first round qualifiers and scored 2 goals as did Brady another player who was later left out and has been the star for the 21s this season. McGinty was not considered for the 2nd round of qualifiers cause the Fa youth cup final was played at the same time as the qualifiers which was an obvious planning mistake from Doolin to allow the qualifiers be on in Fa youth cup week. It is resonable to assume irish players might be involved as for instance the previous season Clifford, Williams, Carruthers and Devine were involved for chelsea and villa. McGinty was then left out of the squad for the finals as a punishment even though he had done nothing wrong and was first choice for the 19s the previous season (in the side with Clifford) and the first half of last season.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
This season as a continuation of the hostility McGinty was placed on standby for the first round of under 19 qualifiers even though only Williams from lasts years defence was still eligible yet somehow McGinty had droped from been on standby for the european championships to been behind 4 other defenders who were not deemed good enough to be on standby for theprevious championships. Playing for Utd has nothing to do with it even though he is named in theirchampions league squad and is a regular in their reserves . At least be fair and look at what the lad has done since he started to play for ireland 3 years ago while still at charlton before you throw out 2 statements that are just not true
Since when does the manager decide the dates for the games? All four countries have to agree. You're extrapolating this entire scenario from him being left out of one squad.
You have to love this line:Quote:
Originally Posted by The Fly
That's right. All them there nationalists are only supporting Ireland because they have qualified for the Euros. The breathtaking ignorance is unbelievable. This entire issue is ridiculous anyway and it's just this months issue. Come February there'll be a new angle to digest.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sky News
Christ on a bike.
Countries have to agree. My point is the one week u dont want is Fa youth cup final week as u have high chance of irish player involvement. Do you think it is accidental that the brits dont play qualifiers in the fa youth cup week? This is surely Doolins responsibility you cant expect some official in the fai to know when an fa youth cup final is. He was not left out of one squad he was left out of the squad for the finals and then again this season the squad for the qualifiers. I think Doolin is makin it clear McGinty wont play again under him. Hopefully the kid does not let that kind of bitterness put him off.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin