Agree or disagree? I have to admit I have always wanted a united Ireland side. And I believe it will happen in the not too distant future.
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Agree or disagree? I have to admit I have always wanted a united Ireland side. And I believe it will happen in the not too distant future.
TOATALLY for the idea!! it works in rugby, we have one of the top sides in the world, so surely it can work in soccer!! the past is behind us. let's look towards the future
It'll be a pointless exercise if Irish people don't start supporting domestic teams.
I think there's a lot of merit in patching up 80 odd years of division and needless duplicity in two organisations with common purpose that would be far stronger united.
So how about it Demot? ...Why don't Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael merge?
As the article says most sporting bodies are already joined together why not the fai and the ifa. they will have more funding i presume from Irish Government and Uk Government. We could have 18 team 1st division and 2nd division. then a regional 3rd division split into the 4 provences where the winners would play two semis and the winner of the final going up into the 2nd division. We cold bulid a second state of the art stadium in belfast therefore spliting the home games. I think Ireland would be stronger for it.
Football is still pretty sectarian in the North, look what happened to Lennon fairly recently. The peolpe who play rugby and attend rugby games in the North are not the same type of people by and large who attend NI games. It will happen eventually in it's own good time. Give it another 10 years.
As long as the IFA take over and not the FAI, I'm all for it.
But there's too many suits in cushy jobs on both sides who prefer the current status quo.
They should have every right to also, seeing as they are the original organisation and the FAI are the 'splitters'Quote:
Originally Posted by brine3
Disband both the FAI and the IFA. Appoint people like Jennings, Moran, Whiteside, David Kelly(yes David Kelly) with a mix of what makes up both orgo's. Why not? Where is the vision of Giles, Dougan, Best etc. I believe it is still very much alive amongst those who don't pretend to represent either teams 'fans'!
jennings?why do you think he'd even be interested?? Why any of them? I've not heard a single soundbite to sugges they wouldQuote:
Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
afaik jennings snr passes his time with healthy amounts of scotch and golf.
I agree with qwerty give it 10 years- too many of the boo boys up north who would have major problems with it (not to mntion the blazers fown here)
in fact the fans down south probably deserve the admin up north
I heard an interview with the president of the IFA after the comments. What a pr!ck. Typical "Ulster says No" rubbish. I dunno what his motivations were but they weren't footballing. A man in his position should obviously be a bit diplomatic but should also be a football fan first and foremost. Leaving aside the obvious baggage, any 'fan' from either side of the border should at least be a little curious as to the potential of a united pool of Irish players. Not this guy.
I think it'll start to happen over the next ten years with a gradual progression from then. Start with a united schoolboy team, through to youth u18s 21s and the n finally the senior team so it's not so much of a culture shock and those with chips on their shoulders with paranoia over selctions and omisions will be minimised.
I for one would like to get hold of the likes of Steve Davis, Jonny Evans Tony Capaldi....
You reckon? This is what the voice of NI fans think.Quote:
Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
http://ourweecountry.ipbhost.com/ind...howtopic=16620
Far better is for the FAI to say 'Anyone with an Irish passport, Catholic or Protestant, Nationalist or Unionist, is welcome to play for us.' We can have that great and united Irish side. They can have a team that one day might qualify for the Viva World Cup. :D
Not particularly surprising....Quite enjoyed the repeated comments along the lines of "sure of course they want to merge with us given that we're the better team"...the only lads I'd consider taking from the north would be McCartney and Davis....wouldn't mind their manager though! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by lopez
As said earlier Rugby is a different kettle of fish.There would be so much hassle over flags/anthems etc.NI supporters like to take Union Jacks to games, we would have our tricolours there.The infamous Windsor park qualifier
is'nt that long ago.Yes things have moved on thank God but is it realistic?
I always get the impression that Ulster is not treated a full member of the IRFU. Only recently have they added some token Ulster fellas to the team & you rarely see players swop between the Republic provinces/teams.Quote:
Originally Posted by cheifo
This same argument drummed up again and again. I'm all for keeping our own team and let the North have theirs. Rugby is a different ball game altogether. There was never the split in the first place and you don't have all the secterian bulls*it that you have with football (particularly in the North though also to a less degree in the South).
I also wonder whether the majority of the Unionists in NI are happy with their representation within the united Rugby team. I tend to not mind the united Rugby team for a number of reasons:
1. I know no better as we have never had the split.
2. The rugby team in recent years has leaned more towards the South and Southern based players which I feel more represent myself and my country.
3. All home games are played in the south.
However it still grates me when we can't sing our national anthem at away games though I understand why this is not acceptable. Anyway I'm not a big rugby fan to be honest so I tend not to have any strong feelings on it either way in the first place.
If all I have to gain from a united Ireland team is Steven Davis and Jonny Evans (2 games at Sunderland and he's a legend. Are people for real?) then I'll stick with what we have thanks very much.
We could throw in our lot with an insular, clannish organisation, who view all connected with the ireland team with suspicion -
Hang on - is that the GAA or the IFA? :confused:
Don't agree, if they're good enough they'll get in. None of their backs would make the Leinster team and only Neil Best would have a chance of making the Munster pack IMO.Quote:
Originally Posted by pete
Previous Irish rugby teams have been dominated by ulstermen, its one of those cyclical things. If any province has a right to claim its being ignored by the IRFU its connaught
Maybe there's some latent Nationalism in me... I dunno... But I rolled my eyes at nearly every post on that board.. "Player Grabbing"... Yeah! And Iain Dowie and Lawrie Snachez :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by lopez
The more I think about it... Leave them to it... Anyone who wants to play for us will anyway. Let them have their Respectable 3rd place in the qualifiers. I don't think they'll benifit from the service of the like of Neill Lennon again if that's still their attitude. Like I said, a fan would at least be curious, whatever your politics.
Amen to that. And they won't get anywhere near 3rd by the time the group is wound up in the latter half of the year. Of this I'm 100% certain.Quote:
Originally Posted by dr_peepee
Call me overly nationalistic (which I'm not) but the day I see a union jack waving at Lansdowne Road to support my beloved football team is the day I'll crawl into a ditch and tear my own heart out.
All this let's join the North rubbish is embarrassing. Why strive to unite with a place where:
1. The majority of the people in it want nothing to do with you.
2. Has sh*t footballers in the first place.
3. Is part of Britain.
4. All the Northern Irish people who wish to can play for our team anyway.
Lads show some respect for yourselves. And Dermot Ahern is a mongo anyway.
Is that our same Ealing Green, as our own, on that site posting somewhat less than positive comments about the "ROI football team" ?
Without stirring, it's not now a part of Britain and never has been - The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This fact does not, of course, prevent Northern Unionists from feeling British and calling themselves British.Quote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
As for Ahern's blatant electioneering, it's actually a good debate to open up and an All Ireland league is obviously the way forward. as for one national team, I honestly couldn't care less.
KOH
To be fair to that NI thread they have managed some 8 pages without getting drawn into a debate about EL V Championship, EL Vs SPL ,etc;)
Some of the paranoia on that NI site is laughable.Quote:
Originally Posted by lopez
Leave them to it.
Of course. Sure he does the same thing on here anyway so why would that surprise anyone? He also claims David Healy is better than Kevin Doyle or Robbie Keane though so a phrase containing 'words' and 'pinch of salt' springs to mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia
It's the sort of sh*te that makes you want to shake their heads to see if there are two brain cells that could get together and reproduce. The other classic is 'poaching'. You poach eggs you daft tw*ts. Even the thicker players can at least make the decision of what their nationality is.Quote:
Originally Posted by dr_peepee
There is the odd decent contribution, like this one from 'Carrickally'. '...Anyway, as those who frequent the irish league section know, I'm in favour of an all-island league but not an all-island international team. Ahern's ill-judged comments only serve to push my goal further away, which is perhaps a good thing if this is the attitude of political sports fans from the ROI. I do not want a serious sporting consideration that may benefit progressive Irish League clubs being used as a vehicle to promote redundant (from a Southern perspective) political ideals.'
I think this is the problem with Ahern. He's a bit clueless on the 'Realpolitik' of Irish football. Namely, even if we had a 32 county republic tomorrow, there still would not be any certainty of a 32 county team. If Ahern wants to play politics with football then he should get FIFA to recognise one country - one team, and get the UK to field one side, rather than rattling the cages of not only the neanderthals but rational Irish League fans that want to see some form of raising of standards to local football. If Ahern was successful, then he'd have his (de facto) all-Ireland team in a second.
I just thought life was a bit short for joining a forum of a team you don't like -in fact, at times, even for one you do support.Quote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
It's a bit sad if you are coming over and trying to be chummy. Another thing is going all guns blazing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia
One poster on here, who shall remain nameless, went on the Follow Follow forum and said 'For Sale: One sun bed. One vast collection of ray bans. One bag of cheap Ratners gold jewlery. Contact Mrs. Jim 'Doris Day' Gray.' It went, in his words, 'thermo-nuclear.' :D
Nice One. :D :DQuote:
Originally Posted by lopez
:D :D F*cking hysterical.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolfie
Meanwhile, remember 'O'Connor And Kane Go To The Darkside, when are IFA going to get a set of balls'? That's up to an incredible page 56 (that's right 56!!!)
http://ourweecountry.ipbhost.com/ind...c=15485&st=825
And they are still debating the legality of it all. :rolleyes:
Bloody Hell!! - Petitions to FIFA, The small print on Irish Citizenship, The Good Friday Agreement - it's all in there.Quote:
Originally Posted by lopez
What's the perception - Is it that these young, impressionable, mislead pups have been lured to the Dark Side. Darth Staunton anyone?
What's wrong with freedom of choice?
The last post from 'Big Rab' is revealing 'The thing is, their talent development at a domestic level is already very good. I'm doing a bit of research now, which I'm going to post up soon, about how many Irish born players have appeared in the Premiership in recent seasons, when compared with ourselves and balanced against population size. Essentially, they don't need to poach under 21's from us and the Jocks. But they keep doing it.'Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolfie
Woods and trees. Woods and trees.
Thanks, but no thanks, Mr Ahern to an "All Ireland" international team.
Hope the northern born players issue is sorted speedily, and then we can all get on with supporting our respective teams.
As for the person who said they would like Capaldi - :eek:
I think you'll find it already is.Quote:
Originally Posted by Not Brazil
Great - now we can get on with supporting our respective teams.:cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by lopez
That was me... Never seen him play but by all acounts the second best left full outside the premiership (after Gareth Bale)... I apologies for my impetiuousness, what with our embarrasment of riches at left full and all.Quote:
Originally Posted by Not Brazil
Surly Lewis Emanuel is the second best full back in the championship?? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by dr_peepee
He isn't even the first choice left back for Northern Ireland.:eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by dr_peepee
That thread is priceless alright. A few things. Firstly, I would be dead set against merging with NI in international football. We are too seperate entities. Merged leagues for the island would most definitely be of benifit to clubs North and South but international football is different.Quote:
Originally Posted by lopez
Dont get me wrong, I would actually love to meet them in qualificiation. Aside from the fact that I would love to stuff them again and see a 75% empty stadium like the last time we played them up there, I personally would always respect their fans when I visit belfast and when they travel down here. They have every right to sing their anthem and fly their flags and display their traditions.
We should just leave them to their own devices at the moment. The remind me of the bitters (everton) after a derby day win. Their tails are up at the moment. As others have said, when the qualification is finished they will be 2nd from bottom and will have slipped back down the rankings and all will be back to normal. Granted we will probably have finished 3rd or 4th and missed out on qualification again :(
Also, didnt that youtube clip from germany make you wanna puke, we really do have some class A1 idiots supporting us. I dream of the day when the minority of our fans lose that stupid mindset!