Eligibility Rules, Okay

**geysir** · 09/10/2011, 7:31 PM

From what I could read, the article by Rogan on WSC is just bland. He doesn't demonstrate that he has actually read/understood the statutes, or have the first notion about Irish identity, yet he doesn't stick his foot in too deep either. He appears to swallow the claptrap scare theory of sectarian divisions being entrenched.
He does incorrectly claim the IFA have taken several unsuccessful cases to the CAS. And we all know, that while it is a believable notion that the IFA would be quite capable of going repeatedly to the CAS against all known wisdom, they could only afford to finance one such folly.

If WSC prints that, it can't be too difficult to get an article on there.
Except for Danny, being restricted to a 1000 words would severely cramp his style.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 09/10/2011, 8:44 PM

'Interesting' assertion by Linfield's 'finest' upthread about Aaron Rogan being 'an ROI supporter'?
Are you sure of that, despite the name? And surely by default he must also then be a 'provo'?

Originally Posted by Predator

The views of the NI fans interviewed are so ignorant: This "play for where you're born" stuff is very insular.

Not to mention the 'blind' hypocrisy.

Originally Posted by Predator

Blind fury is the default response when "your" players opt for the FAI.

But when did their ignorance or paranoia ever stop them exhibiting such archaic views??

**DannyInvincible** · 09/10/2011, 9:06 PM

How do we know this Aaron Rogan is an Ireland fan? To be honest, I wouldn't get that impression from the slant he takes; describing James McClean's "defection" as having been executed in a "particularly galling manner" and failing to understand the nature of Irish nationality amongst other things.

A few points:

The "defections" may be more high-profile in recent times, but it isn't accurate to say the FAI has begun selecting an increasing number of northern-born players.
Armstrong's role clearly is not only to persuade players to remain within the IFA's set-up; the scope of his role also extends to convincing players currently registered with other associations to declare for the IFA, or what many NI fans like to call poaching.
The Carling Nations Cup boycott organised by the AoNISC that eventually became a reality was solely down to disgruntlement over the travel arrangements for NI fans; some bright spark on OWC then suggested after the fact that they try and play it off as if the boycott was also provoked by the player eligibility issue. Certain parties then began pushing this fabrication in the media. If this was "barely publicised", that was probably due to the fact that it wasn't the real issue. The reality was that ideas for an initial boycott over the player eligibility issue had already failed miserably.
I'm not sure I understand what he means by an "opportunistic approach taken by the FAI". Every association is free to take the opportunity to operate within the legal framework set out by FIFA. It's not as if the FAI have struck lucky and are operating shrewdly through some unique loophole applicable only to them.
"FIFA statutes do not inhibit their decision to represent the Republic, even without geographic or familial ties." - Clearly, Rogan has never read the relevant statutes. The general eligibility principle has absolutely nothing to do with "geographic or familial ties".
As geysir points out, I don't know what these "several" cases taken against the FAI to the CAS are.

**Gather round** · 09/10/2011, 9:27 PM

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

How do we know this Aaron Rogan is an Republic of Ireland fan?

Aaron's previous articles for WSC:

March 2011: RoI wary of having a Macedonia

November 2010: Shamrock Rovers win the League of Ireland

October 2009: Decisive Dublin Derby

July 2009: Shamrock Rovers to take on Galacticos

March 2009: Crisis over for League of Ireland

There does sem to be a recurring theme...

**geysir** · 09/10/2011, 9:36 PM

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

How do we know this Aaron Rogan is an Ireland fan? To be honest, I wouldn't get that impression from the slant he takes; describing James McClean's "defection" as having been executed in a "particularly galling manner" and failing to understand the nature of Irish nationality amongst other things.

A few points:

The "defections" may be more high-profile in recent times, but it isn't accurate to say the FAI has begun selecting an increasing number of northern-born players.
Armstrong's role clearly is not only to persuade players to remain within the IFA's set-up; the scope of his role also extends to convincing players currently registered with other associations to declare for the IFA, or what many NI fans like to call poaching.
The Carling Nations Cup boycott organised by the AoNISC that eventually became a reality was solely down to disgruntlement over the travel arrangements for NI fans; some bright spark on OWC then suggested after the fact that they try and play it off as if the boycott was also provoked by the player eligibility issue. Certain parties then began pushing this fabrication in the media. If this was "barely publicised", that was probably due to the fact that it wasn't the real issue. The reality was that ideas for an initial boycott over the player eligibility issue had already failed miserably.
I'm not sure I understand what he means by an "opportunistic approach taken by the FAI". Every association is free to take the opportunity to operate within the legal framework set out by FIFA. It's not as if the FAI have struck lucky and are operating shrewdly through some unique loophole applicable only to them.
"FIFA statutes do not inhibit their decision to represent the Republic, even without geographic or familial ties." - Clearly, Rogan has never read the relevant statutes. The general eligibility principle has absolutely nothing to do with "geographic or familial ties".
As geysir points out, I don't know what these "several" cases taken against the FAI to the CAS are.

But we all know the IFA travel arrangement security plan was a very convenient excuse for the OWC fans to bottle out of witnessing the inevitable drubbing of a weakened NI team

I think it's fair enough for Rogan to write about the boycott (that world famous Fenian act of protest).
Some sort of a boycott plan existed, whilst it was not the reason why the OWC fans did not travel, talk and support of the sentiments involved in the boycott was in many ways representative of how OWC perceived the eligibility issue.
It's a difficult one for the OWC to understand, that nationhood is not partitioned.

**SwanVsDalton** · 09/10/2011, 9:49 PM

Originally Posted by Not Brazil

The article was written by Aaron Rogan - an ROI supporter, from the Republic Of Ireland.

Seems you were wrong.

He's from the South. So I'll withdraw what I said and instead underline he's an even bigger idiot than I realised.

**geysir** · 09/10/2011, 10:39 PM

Just because he is from the South means jack.
He could be from Dublin or worse, Cork.
He could be a member of the average ignorant southern gobs community that look upon anything north of the border, with condescension.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 09/10/2011, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by Gather round

Aaron's previous articles for WSC:

November 2010: Shamrock Rovers win the League of Ireland

October 2009: Decisive Dublin Derby

July 2009: Shamrock Rovers to take on Galacticos

March 2009: Crisis over for League of Ireland

There does seem to be a recurring theme...

He's a Shams fan?

**Sullivinho** · 09/10/2011, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

..or worse, Cork.

He didn't wlk out he wuz sent home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!!!!!!!!!!

/rage

**geysir** · 09/10/2011, 11:47 PM

Typical Corkonian, too lazy to use the appropriate smilie but want to subvert what passes for discussion board norms.

**Mr_Parker** · 10/10/2011, 8:13 AM

Yet more nonsense from Gerry Armstrong on Radio Ulster this morning. They were doing a piece on yesterdays documentary, when the interviewer and another contributer pushed Armstrong on his "immoral approaches" of 14 & 15 year olds, he had to conceed that he didn't have any evidence of such that tied anyone allegedly talking to them of having any connection to the FAI whatsoever!

Oh, and he was still waffling on about the GFA.

**Not Brazil** · 10/10/2011, 9:23 AM

Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

He's from the South. So I'll withdraw what I said and instead underline he's an even bigger idiot than I realised.

Fair play Swan.

**Not Brazil** · 10/10/2011, 9:30 AM

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

[*]The Carling Nations Cup boycott organised by the AoNISC that eventually became a reality was solely down to disgruntlement over the travel arrangements for NI fans; some bright spark on OWC then suggested after the fact that they try and play it off as if the boycott was also provoked by the player eligibility issue. Certain parties then began pushing this fabrication in the media. If this was "barely publicised", that was probably due to the fact that it wasn't the real issue. The reality was that ideas for an initial boycott over the player eligibility issue had already failed miserably.

The Northern Ireland fans who claimed the boycott was in relation to the eligibility issue (which it wasn't, as you correctly state) have been rather quiet about the "poaching" of Alex Bruce by the IFA.

I wonder if/when he is named in a Northern Ireland squad will they boycott the fixture?

**Not Brazil** · 10/10/2011, 9:34 AM

Originally Posted by Mr_Parker

Oh, and he was still waffling on about the GFA.

Dear God.

**Not Brazil** · 10/10/2011, 9:43 AM

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

'Interesting' assertion by Linfield's 'finest' upthread about Aaron Rogan being 'an ROI supporter'?
Are you sure of that, despite the name?

Yes, quite sure.

**ifk101** · 10/10/2011, 9:45 AM

Originally Posted by Not Brazil

The Northern Ireland fans who claimed the boycott was in relation to the eligibility issue (which it wasn't, as you correctly state) have been rather quiet about the "poaching" of Alex Bruce by the IFA.

Who exactly?

Originally Posted by Not Brazil

I wonder if/when he is named in a Northern Ireland squad will they boycott the fixture?

Hopefully. The last boycott worked a treat.

**Not Brazil** · 10/10/2011, 9:52 AM

Originally Posted by ifk101

Who exactly?

The Northern Ireland fans who claimed the raison d'etre of the Carling Cup boycott was because of the eligibility issue.

**ifk101** · 10/10/2011, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by Not Brazil

The Northern Ireland fans who claimed the raison d'etre of the Carling Cup boycott was because of the eligibility issue.

And who are they since they "have been rather quiet about the "poaching" of Alex Bruce by the IFA"? Or were you generalising?

**Not Brazil** · 10/10/2011, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by ifk101

And who are they since they "have been rather quiet about the "poaching" of Alex Bruce by the IFA"? Or were you generalising?

Some of those who post on NI fans' forums.

**ifk101** · 10/10/2011, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Not Brazil

Some of those who post on NI fans' forums.

There's a poll on the OWC's facebook page where 209 votes out of 270 votes in total (77% of all votes) were for the option "I do not agree with the nicking of players by the FAI" to the question "Why are you not attending the Carling Nations Cup?".