Eligibility Rules, Okay

[Not Brazil]

How do you then reconcile your opinion with the FIFA rules that players can change then? Isn't this the reason FIFA lets players change associations even if they have played friendlies?

Perhaps you are seeing this issue too closely through a NI point of view rather than seeing the global picture?

I have clearly stated that under my proposal on selection policy to represent the IFA at Under 19 and above, any player choosing the FAI route initially is entitled to switch to the IFA at a later date, if they are so minded, in line with the existing Eligibility rules laid down by FIFA.

Of course I look at the issue from a Northern Ireland point of view - I make no apology for trying to find a progressive solution for the IFA going forward, which fully complies with existing FIFA Statutes.

[Not Brazil]

What the law means is that a player can only change once and a change is defined by getting a senior cap.

Except that is not what the rule says.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Begs the question why the FAI bucked the trend in Irish sport.

Although, in fairness to you, the likelihood of an "All United Kingdom" team is more likely than a, singular, All Ireland team. Both will be robustly resisted by Northern Ireland fans.

Possibly. But most of those sports teams weren't around before the formation of the FAI.

As for 'robustly resisted', well FIFA will be quaking in their boots. Ultimately it'll depend on what England & Scotland decide to do, if they're not 'forced' to do so.

One of the fundamental differences is that the FAI don't have a big problem with players entering their international system harbouring childhood dreams of representing another Association.

The logical way of addressing it is by encouraging/facilitating those players with dreams of representing the FAI to do that at Under 19 level, and having a selection policy centred on players whose ambition is to represent the IFA at senior International level.

Except that anyone with that sort of fixation on 'childhood dreams' is liable to be reported to their local constabulary !
Who cares what they think of as a child:Ireland, England, Brazil, South Korea.
They should be free to choose at any age. When it really matters.

So the age cap 'issue' remains as farcical as ever...

You need to change the record, FFS.

[Not Brazil]

Possibly. But most of those sports teams weren't around before the formation of the FAI.

Really?

Let's look at the sports you mentioned up thread.

IRFU - 1879
Hockey - late 19th century
GUI - 1891
Boxing - 1911

When was the FAI formed?

PS. I'll give you Rugby League.

[Not Brazil]

Who cares what they think of as a child:Ireland, England, Brazil, South Korea.
They should be free to choose at any age. When it really matters.

So the age cap 'issue' remains as farcical as ever...

I care about who they would prefer to pursue their International career with, when they turn 18.

Nothing I have propsed has involved the imposing an "age cap".

Nothing I have proposed infringes on a player's rights to switch Association at a later date.

Nothing I have proposed is in breach of any existing FIFA eligibility rules.

[geysir]

Except that is not what the rule says.

The rule does not exactly define what effects the change. That's why we already discussed this for 5 or so pages, a week or so ago. Did you not follow the discussion? Why do you think Joe D was so inspired to write to FIFA directly?
Sometimes we discuss highly relevant germane eligibility topics here

He may only once 'request to change the Association for which he is eligible toplay international matches to the Association of another country of which he holds nationality,'

He may only request once to change to play for another association.
So, he has to play for the other association in order to effect the change and FIFA man states that it has to be a senior game (of some description).

[Not Brazil]

So, he has to play for the other association in order to effect the change and FIFA man states that it has to be a senior game (of some description).

Why, then, would a player have to request a change of Association at all, if he hasn't played a senior International for any Association - providing they are eligible to play for the Association they now wish to represent?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Let's look at the sports you mentioned up thread.

IRFU - 1879
Hockey - late 19th century
GUI - 1891
Boxing - 1911

When was the FAI formed?

PS. I'll give you Rugby League.

Notice you didn't mention cricket and one or two others. Anyway, when they were formed is irrelevant, given there was no cause for separate teams, if at all, until 1923 or so.

I care about who they would prefer to pursue their International career with, when they turn 18.

Nothing I have propsed has involved the imposing an "age cap".

Nothing I have proposed infringes on a player's rights to switch Association at a later date.

Nothing I have proposed is in breach of any existing FIFA eligibility rules.

So why keep banging on about the age of 18 then, why have any age to submit to what you now refer to as a 'preference', when instead you mean something else?
If you're so resolute on this nonsense just start a campaign to get the IFA to cap people in their team when they get to 18 in competitive games.

I'm sure Michael O'Neill and his successors will take to that kindly...
And will alienate some of the players even more.

[Not Brazil]

Notice you didn't mention cricket and one or two others.

Apologies - Cricket was 1890.

Now, what were those one or two others?

[ArdeeBhoy]

And the relevance before 1923 is?

Do yer research...

[Not Brazil]

If you're so resolute on this nonsense just start a campaign to get the IFA to cap people in their team when they get to 18 in competitive games.

Why would I want to do that?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Read your own posts...

[Not Brazil]

And the relevance before 1923 is?

Do yer research...

I'd refer you to post numbers 3000, 3001, 3002 and 3043.

You will then concede that your assertion that "most of those sports teams weren't around before the formation of the FAI", was, in fact, inaccurate.

[Not Brazil]

Read your own posts...

Whilst I believe that fast tracking a player into a senior squad for a competitive match, in appropriate circumstances, has much merit, it's a different issue to having a chat with players at Under 19 to ascertain their International career preferences and helping to facilitate those preferences.

[gastric]

NB, what is your opinion of James McClean? My view is that this is a player, who as a person from NI felt that he should represent his own association. Then, having played for NI, realised that maybe this wasn't really for him. He then decided to change association, which under FIFA rules is totally acceptable. How does such an individual fit into your view of things? Often in life, we think we would like to do something, only to find that when we do, it really isn't for us. Stephen Ireland is an obvious example as is McClean. Shouldn't they be given this opportunity to at least try and then decide after?

[ArdeeBhoy]

You will then concede that your assertion that "most of those sports teams weren't around before the formation of the FAI", was, in fact, inaccurate.

And you will concede your assertion that circa 1923 is of no significance at all, then?

Whilst I believe that fast tracking a player into a senior squad for a competitive match, in appropriate circumstances, has much merit, it's a different issue to having a chat with players at Under 19 to ascertain their International career preferences and helping to facilitate those preferences.

Aren't you contradicting yourself then?

Cue another 100+ mainly tedious posts from NB repeating the same point, then?

[osarusan]

NB, what is your opinion of James McClean? My view is that this is a player, who as a person from NI felt that he should represent his own association. Then, having played for NI, realised that maybe this wasn't really for him. He then decided to change association, which under FIFA rules is totally acceptable. How does such an individual fit into your view of things? Often in life, we think we would like to do something, only to find that when we do, it really isn't for us. Stephen Ireland is an obvious example as is McClean. Shouldn't they be given this opportunity to at least try and then decide after?

Somewhere down the line, McClean is going to be capped competitively* for Ireland, ending the issue of his being eligible for both NI and ROI once and for all. How would you feel if, having been capped, he then decided that he had a closer affinity with NI after all? Do you think he should be "given this opportunity to at least try and decide after"?

*Seeing as how he has requested a switch in representative teams, does he need to capped in a competitive game, or will any senior cap do?

[gastric]

Somewhere down the line, McClean is going to be capped competitively* for Ireland, ending the issue of his being eligible for both NI and ROI once and for all. How would you feel if, having been capped, he then decided that he had a closer affinity with NI after all? Do you think he should be "given this opportunity to at least try and decide after"?

*Seeing as how he has requested a switch in representative teams, does he need to capped in a competitive game, or will any senior cap do?

Yes and it has happened before as in the cases I mentioned above - Lowry and Bruce. I don't belief that there has been any outcry over their decisions nor in the cases of McGinty and Keane. There seems to be an acceptance that this can occur in international football. In regards to McClean and other NI born players, it is not always as simple as just picking one association and that's it. For example, the dressing room atmosphere, the relationship between players, the attitude of the fans could all play a role in a player's decision.

S Ireland is one who comes to mind who tried and decided later.

[seanfhear]

The FAI should admit the error of their ways and ask to get back together with the IFA.

If this is not accepted then lets just carry on from where we are now.

I can't wait for 2012 to start when hopefully this tread will go into hibernation.

I know I should'nt enter the Mad House (this thread) I am attracted to it like a demented Moth to the light bulb.

Also because I have OCD and just have to clear my Thread page of unopened threads.

[Not Brazil]

And you will concede your assertion that circa 1923 is of no significance at all,

No, I won't.

I did not make such an assertion. I believe "circa 1923" is very significant in the context of why there isn't a singular All Ireland team, unlike most other sports.