Came across a few interesting bits and pieces over on OWC...
The first relates to a case taken to CAS by the Namibian football association against the CAF and their Burkinabé counterparts over their selection of Herve Zengue, a Cameroon-born player who attained Burkinabé citizenship via marriage and was then selected to represent Burkina Faso in a game versus Namibia.
'Cas has heard Namibia's case against Caf over Zengue': http://www.kochhars.com/sport2/hi/football/16397537.stm
'Namibia's Muinjo happy with Cas hearing' (contains audio clip): http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16447209.stm
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The Namibia FA's (NFA) case against the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has been heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.
The NFA does not expect a decision on Friday in the case over Herve Zengue's eligibilty to play for Burkina Faso.
Caf has twice rejected Namibia's claims that Cameroon-born Zengue was ineligible to play against them in two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Namibia want to replace Burkina Faso at the finals that begin on 21 January.
Defender Zengue was born in Cameroon and has a Burkina Faso passport after marrying a Burkinabe.
The Namibians claim that under Fifa regulations this does not entitle him to play for the Stallions.
Fifa's statutes say you must have a parent or grandparent from the country you wish to represent or have lived there for at least five years.
The BBC still trotting out that line then and not just in relation to eligibility in the Irish context. I bet they're going baloney over on Foot.bf tonight!
I've not heard of Zengue before, but this might be an interesting one to keep track of as it may compel a greater clarification by CAF/CAS on which article ought apply in this case and why. Seemingly, this involves a player acquiring a new nationality but if Zengue is ruled eligible, it'll be for satisfying article 5's "nationality not dependent on residence" clause because there is no way he satisfies one of the "geographical" criteria in article 7. Maybe we'll benefit from a greater explanation as to what article 5 encompasses exactly. Whether nationality conferred by marriage to a citizen will satisfy the criterion remains to be seen. If he fails to satisfy that regulation, presumably the court will go into detail as to why not.
Naturally, it won't have any implications for the issue here because the nationality of Daniel Kearns - an Irish citizen by birthright - clearly does satisfy that criterion, in spite of what some ignoramuses may think on OWC; "Why is this going to CAS surely the Kearns case sets the precedent, as highly unlikely as it is if they rule this guy ineligible then the IFA need to get all over this!"
I also see my post mentioning what I'd read on ILS made it on to OWC, so the obsession is obviously mutual. Hi, Jack! :)
There doesn't appear to be any sign of it being taken seriously, however...
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Given the source I would take it with a bigger pinch of salt than the Carrickfergus salt mine could provide, but in the slim chance it is true the IFA really need to catch themselves on and let these wee scrotes rot.
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A post from Foot.er calling on Mr Cliftonville to confirm a rumour? As sources go, they don't come much more reliable......
Although I reckon its reposting alone is a revealing enough insight into fears over its potential veracity and the seriousness with which it is taken at heart. ;)
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Its not a bad plan if you think you are dealing with reasonable people with perhaps a semblance of loyalty or even just the basis of good manners, you give them a chance when no one else seems to care, decent honest people are more than likely to reciprocate that loyalty and stay with you. However where the IFA went wrong is not realising they were dealing with bigoted wee kunts.
If he twisted that any further, he'd have broken the internet.
Of course, this issue being a real "political hot potato", Mark Devenport (BBC NI's political editor) has gotten right on it in his latest weekly blog entry: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-16431539
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Michael O'Neill did refer on Good Morning Ulster to the "one-sided" FIFA rule which enables the Republic to poach players from Northern Ireland, but does not work vice versa. Perhaps the IFA should revisit this matter.
How did Johnny Gorman and Ryan Brobbel end up in the IFA's ranks then? FIFA's rules are universal in application and allow the FAI to call up Irish nationals only; not NI internationals, NI footballers, players born in NI or whatever twisted specification someone wants to put on certain individuals.
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It is not just the FAI which can exploit technicalities. Northern Ireland's veteran goalkeeper, Maik Taylor, has a German mother and English father, but - having been born on a British base in Germany - he was entitled to play for any of the UK nations.
"Exploiting technicalities"?! We're talking about the bloody general principal of FIFA's universal regulations governing player eligibility here, Jesus!
The solution he offers is one the IFA refused to entertain back in 2007. Would they entertain it given current circumstances?:
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Back in November 2007, the FAI accepted a FIFA proposal that the rule should work both ways, but the IFA rejected the suggestion. The IFA's logic was that there would not be a queue of, say, Cork or Dublin born players eager to play for Northern Ireland, so the idea was not worth pursuing.
However, given that the Court for Arbitration in Sport dismissed the IFA's complaint against the FAI and shows no sign of shifting its ground, maybe making the rule work both ways is better than nothing.
It would at least increase the potential gene pool for future Northern Ireland squads, in as much as it would apply not just to Cork and Dublin youngsters, but also to players with Cork or Dublin grannies.
Better a late contribution than never though, I guess...
