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Originally Posted by
TheOneWhoKnocks
"Not trying to pester you". I've given up on that possibility by now.
C'mon, we've been getting along swimmingly, have we not?
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The contradictions I am referring to include saying that a one year break was agreed with Noel King in early Autumn even though King had attempted to call him up for the U-21's and MON attempted to call him up several times after the fact. The fact that MON referred to Grealish being "hard to get a hold of". The fact that his father was posting contradictory things on social media. If a year long break was agreed with King in August or September, then maybe Grealish/s should have had the courtesy to get in touch with the senior team managers and let them know what's going on?
Of what significance is the time-frame specified exactly? He's said to give him 'til September and said that he had spoken to Noel King about a break. If that wasn't true, King could simply have disputed it. I find it hard to believe the senior management team might have been left out of the loop. Sure here's an article from last August, after Grealish met with O'Neill, in which John Fallon states, "It is understood Grealish has asked for space to consider his international future and so won’t be included in the Irish squad announced by O’Neill today": http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-30525041.html
What's your point exactly anyway? Are you saying this all betrays a lack of respect from Grealish? He's met with the management and everyone seems to get along just fine and cordially; they all have had one another's numbers for quite some time and there don't appear to be any issues at present. O'Neill was very clear he didn't feel rebuffed; there is no tension. You're concocting drama. Why are you getting wound up on behalf of people who aren't even getting wound up themselves?
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There is the "straw man argument" cliche rearing its ugly head again. I didn't bandy that jibe around when posters like you were being belligerent about me predicting this saga months before it happened. You were misrepresenting my points then, but I took - and continue to take - the high road.
Why would an accusation of raising a strawman have been appropriate previously exactly? I've never denied the possibility of him switching to England, and especially not belligerently. I've always maintained the situation is ambiguous at worst and have urged caution before jumping to rash conclusions. I've been basing my opinion on the evidence available and on Jack's own words. I have long been taking issue with your moral judgments (like your referring to his conduct as "disgraceful") and your insistence/presumptions that he has just been stringing us along and is intent on switching to England as soon as the situation presents itself. You've not been foretelling the future. You've simply been assuming the worst because that's what you do; you always assume the worst in people. You pretty much are the Irish Daily Mail.
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I don't understand what you say here? I haven't criticised the way anyone is handling this apart from the Grealish's.
My point is that you're demanding a decision of Grealish that not even Martin or Roy - men in the know who've been entrusted with managing our team - are demanding. Maybe you should criticise them if you want a decision from him. Ask questions of them if you have a problem with how the situation is being managed from our side.
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"Nothing has changed". Glad you are so definitive about that. According to different sources, the player and/or father performed a "last minute u-turn" or has no intention of accepting a call up. This "one year" break has only became common knowledge after a couple of platitudes the player made when accepting an award at a ceremony. If he comes back to play for the U-21's, it merely prolongs the saga; it isn't an affirmation of anything.
No, he had stated very clearly that he hoped to be back playing for us in September.
And I wouldn't be supportive of him returning to our under-21s in September. I've been clear about that and agree with you there. If he refuses a senior call-up in September, it's ultimatum time or forget about him.
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I think it's morally wrong that a player would take advantage of the rules to play International football at underage level and take a squad place from someone that bleeds green. It's within the rules, but I find it extremely cynical.
You're morally condemning a 14-year-old and accusing him of cynical exploitation for having accepted international recognition without fully understanding at the time that his dual-national status might pose a rather difficult dilemma for him five years down the line? Seriously?...
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He has said in the past that he was playing for Ireland because they were offering a higher level of competitiveness than he would get within a lower age group with England. Other things he said raised my eyebrows but this is old news. As I said, cynical.
You know well that's not the only reason he's bothered turning up for us. I don't know why you persist with giving the impression he is a mercenary with no sentiment for Ireland.
Not that what you say is accurate either in the sense that there was never an indication that he'd have accepted an England call-up even if it were for an equal or higher level to what he was playing at with Ireland. We had numerous discussions about that before.
