Sheringham calls Townsend a "fake Irishman"!

**Murfinator** · 10/09/2009, 12:26 PM

I know it's a controversial topic on here so I'll just throw out that I don't think people who would play for other countries as first priority should be or should have been anywhere near the international team and that includes Townsend.

And I'll leave it at that.

**irishfan86** · 10/09/2009, 12:29 PM

I just don't think people understand the immigrant experience sometimes.

Ireland would be my first choice (born there to Irish parents), but I would be proud to represent Canada where I was raised if asked.

I don't think this attitude makes me any less Irish or Canadian.

**Murfinator** · 10/09/2009, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by irishfan86

I just don't think people understand the immigrant experience sometimes.

I don't understand it, to me if you leave a country you're choosing country B over country A as your preferred home which surely translates to it being your country of choice. But then I'm from a different generation so it's hard for me to relate to the situation people in the past were in.

**Scram** · 10/09/2009, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by seanfhear

I thought Andy handled it okay and it was a bit juvenile from Sheringham to be honest.

Andy had just given Sheringham and McManaman a little dig about giving Erickson the run around when he was the English manager.
It was along the lines that they just took it for granted that they would be in the squad. It obviously hit a sore spot with Teddy.

To be expected from these Muppets. Most unlikebale team and "fans" in the World!

**Shelsman** · 10/09/2009, 1:03 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

He doesn't travel on that Irish passport though.

Tony Blair's kids and Mel Gibson also have Irish Passports. The Blairs qualified because Tony's mother was from Donegal. Mel qualified because he made a film here (I sh!t you not).

By the way, the last referendum ye passed (can't remember it but will try to dig it out) entitles ANY person born in ANY part of the UK to gain Irish Citizenship

. Obviously whatever money the voters were promised if they voted 'Yes' was more important, though I suspect that people were oblivious to this (Matt Cooper kept ignoring my texts on The Last Word!).

**Wolfie** · 10/09/2009, 1:07 PM

Originally Posted by Shelsman

Tony Blair's kids and Mel Gibson also have Irish Passports. The Blairs qualified because Tony's mother was from Donegal. Mel qualified because he made a film here (I sh!t you not).

By the way, the last referendum ye passed (can't remember it but will try to dig it out) entitles ANY person born in ANY part of the UK to gain Irish Citizenship

. Obviously whatever money the voters were promised if they voted 'Yes' was more important, though I suspect that people were oblivious to this (Matt Cooper kept ignoring my texts on The Last Word!).

Hey Man - CHILL!! We're all children of the Universe with a Passport of Love!!!! Grooooovy.

..................wha the .....Jaysus, sorry about that, Shels Man.

I was undergoing hypnosis there. Regression therapy into one of my past lives. Its 1967!!!!!

**Drumcondra 69er** · 10/09/2009, 1:12 PM

Originally Posted by Ozymandias

Lawrenson always says we when talking about Ireland.....to understate his contribution to Irish soccer is amazing...he declared for us when we used to qualify for nothing....townsend declared when we had had success with Jack

Where did I underestimate his contribution to Irish soccer? He also always refers to England as 'we'. And he got called up when he was nowhere near an England call up or his Liverpool move.

He was a magnificent player but he's also a dreadful pundit and generally comes across as a smug smart arse who believes he's funnier then he actually is.

**Duggie** · 10/09/2009, 1:14 PM

well all i know is im 100 per cent born and bred irish and proud ta be. best country on earth.

**Drumcondra 69er** · 10/09/2009, 1:17 PM

Originally Posted by Shelsman

Tony Blair's kids and Mel Gibson also have Irish Passports. The Blairs qualified because Tony's mother was from Donegal. Mel qualified because he made a film here (I sh!t you not).

By the way, the last referendum ye passed (can't remember it but will try to dig it out) entitles ANY person born in ANY part of the UK to gain Irish Citizenship . Obviously whatever money the voters were promised if they voted 'Yes' was more important, though I suspect that people were oblivious to this (Matt Cooper kept ignoring my texts on The Last Word!).

This is of course, nonsense. Any person born on the island of Ireland yes, the UK doesn't come into it.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/ca...rth_or_descent

**Wangball** · 10/09/2009, 1:17 PM

Originally Posted by Drumcondra 69er

..........and generally comes across as a smug smart arse who believes he's funnier then he actually is.

You've just described 99.9% of all the posters on this forum

**Wolfie** · 10/09/2009, 1:18 PM

Originally Posted by Drumcondra 69er

......... he's also a dreadful pundit and generally comes across as a smug smart arse who believes he's funnier then he actually is.

Majority of Foot.ie posting community looks and shoes and whistles tune......................

**Shelsman** · 10/09/2009, 1:20 PM

Originally Posted by Shelsman

Tony Blair's kids and Mel Gibson also have Irish Passports. The Blairs qualified because Tony's mother was from Donegal. Mel qualified because he made a film here (I sh!t you not).

By the way, the last referendum ye passed (can't remember it but will try to dig it out) entitles ANY person born in ANY part of the UK to gain Irish Citizenship

. Obviously whatever money the voters were promised if they voted 'Yes' was more important, though I suspect that people were oblivious to this (Matt Cooper kept ignoring my texts on The Last Word!).

See section 4 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004 on:

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2004/...038/index.html

**Murfinator** · 10/09/2009, 1:28 PM

Originally Posted by Shelsman

By the way, the last referendum ye passed (can't remember it but will try to dig it out) entitles ANY person born in ANY part of the UK to gain Irish Citizenship

.

What on earth, that's not true.

**John83** · 10/09/2009, 1:37 PM

Originally Posted by Shelsman

See section 4 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004 on:

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2004/...038/index.html

That statute means that if you're born here to and English parent, you are entitled to be a citizen. Other nationalities may have to be resident for some period before their children born here are automatically Irish.

Perhaps I've missed something, but you're the one making an incredible claim, so please quote the specific line you think confers citizenship to all British people.

**tricky_colour** · 10/09/2009, 2:05 PM

Andy Townsend's grandmother came from Castleisland in County Kerry.

Old article on nationality here.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...y-1437587.html

**boovidge** · 10/09/2009, 2:47 PM

I'm sure everyone on here is in Townsend's close circle of friends and so can make claims about him and his national loyalties without prejudice and guess work

**paul_oshea** · 10/09/2009, 3:01 PM

Shelsman Mel Gibsons mother is either from longford or has connection.

Edit: not that i usually use wikipedia but still:

"Gibson's first name comes from Saint Mel, fifth-century Irish saint, and founder of Gibson's mother's native diocese, Ardagh, while his second name, Colm-Cille,[6] is shared by an Irish saint[7] and is name of the parish in County Longford where Anne Reilly was born and raised. Because of his mother, Gibson holds dual Irish and American citizenship"

**Longfordian** · 10/09/2009, 3:04 PM

True. My old fella remembers hearing about him being back in Longford at some stage before he was really famous.

**tricky_colour** · 10/09/2009, 3:04 PM

People will be saying Muhammad Ali is a fake Irishman next.

**lopez** · 10/09/2009, 3:27 PM

Been away for a while and just come back to check on the playoffs. Nice to see that on other subjects we still get the same c*jones being spoken

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Das ist gut. You must have Aryan blut zu play for Irlandski. Sieg heil. Only 100% blut vill qualify. Ve don't vant mischlings (i.e. contaminated blut) despite the fact that millions of Irelanskis had to emigrate to feed their families. Only 100%. Hohren Sie mir. No contaminated blut!! Nein nein nein. Niemals. Never, never. A blut test for all who vant to play for uns. Dat's vat I say.

Sieg heil.

I see what you're getting at, although even the Nazis regarded that not being born in Germany did not disqualify you from being German.

Originally Posted by Murfinator

I don't understand it, to me if you leave a country you're choosing country B over country A as your preferred home which surely translates to it being your country of choice. But then I'm from a different generation so it's hard for me to relate to the situation people in the past were in.

Where exactly the f*ck were you when the history class started discussing emigration? Oh I forgot the 'E' word is about as likely to be brought up in Irish schools as the 'N' word being brought up at a Barak Obama barbeque. Get a grip! The vast majority of Irish people - in fact count that as the vast majority of anyone - left their country not because they're choosing one country over another. They left because they couldn't find any work. What: The fact that there has been loads of work in Ireland over the last ten years and that emigration has gone out of fashion is totally coincidental?

Originally Posted by Shelsman

Tony Blair's kids and Mel Gibson also have Irish Passports. The Blairs qualified because Tony's mother was from Donegal. Mel qualified because he made a film here (I sh!t you not).

By the way, the last referendum ye passed (can't remember it but will try to dig it out) entitles ANY person born in ANY part of the UK to gain Irish Citizenship

. Obviously whatever money the voters were promised if they voted 'Yes' was more important, though I suspect that people were oblivious to this (Matt Cooper kept ignoring my texts on The Last Word!).

Where did you get all that rubbish from?

My two cents: Townsend's grandparents are/were three English and one Irish. I think that probably sums up what I see as his real identity.