A worrying trend

[Kevin77]

Two of the major stories surrounding the national team of late seem to be Andy Reid's continued exclusion by Trappatoni and also the recent comments by Joey O'Brien about his exclusion under Trappatoni. There are a couple of common threads but essentially it is two players that are struggling to get their game at their club sides who either feel personally or the media feel they should be more involved at international level.

In Andy Reid's case I understand that we are short of options in the middle of the park and the injury to Stephen Reid, Stephen Ireland's infuriating ongoing self imposed exile and the omission of Lee Carsley only serve to accentuate the problem. However think about this? He is still not good enough to get a regular start at Sunderland. Roy Keane does not rate him enough to get his spot, particularly in the middle of the park.

The same is the case with Joey O'Brien at Bolton. He is yet to fully cement his position in a relatively average Bolton side.

Yet both of these players seem to feel they are entitled to start for Ireland.

I am not saying that they should necessarily be overlooked for Ireland however their individual statements and some of the reports in the media would have you believe that they are not only the best option in their own club side but that they are constantly grabbing the headlines.

I just pray that Stephen Ireland comes to his senses and makes a comeback otherwise the centre of midfield is an area that will cost us any chance we may have of qualification

[Tir Oilean]

Short of options in the centre of the park and we field Gibson.......tut tut I'd be aggrieved if I were Andy Reid! As for O'Brien he aint that good anyway.....and the less said about the bald one the better.

[Greenforever]

You'd never see this kind of carry on from South Americans, Eastern Europeans, Africans, Asians etc. I guess our lads just aren't made feel the same sense of pride playing for us, which is a shame but given the state of our national league, our football comittee, our tempremental supporters and that our manager, assitant manager and half our actual players are foreign it's entirely understandable.

Ciaran you sprout such crap at times I wonder are you still in primary school?

Our away support is probably the best of any nation, and they do not heckle and boo players and get 100% behind the team at all times, a fact often referred to by players.

As regards SI and posibly JOB walking away from the squad they are both born and bred Irish, so your comment that half our actual players are foreign is entirely bull****

As to why these 2 may or may not want to play for our country God only knows.

When you get into second level and study geography you may understand that most of our players are Irish or first generation Irish.

Our last starting X1 V Cyprus

Given Donegal, Ireland
McShane Wicklow, Ireland
Dunne Dublin, Ireland
O Shea Waterford, Ireland
Kilbane Preston, England
McGeady Glasgow, Scotland
Whelan Dublin, Ireland
Duff Dublin, Ireland
Gibson Derry, N. Ireland
Doyle Waterford, Ireland
Keane Dublin, Ireland

McGeady has an Irish grandmother, Scotland would not consider McGeady for thier underage schools team as he was playing for Celtic and not for his school, he gladly took up Packie Bonners invitation to play for Ireland, his grandmother is from Gweedore in Donegal.

Gibson - As you are aware the majority of people from Derry consider themselves Irish.

Kilbane - 91 caps, 51 consecutive cpmpetitive caps for Ireland, only Billy Wright and Theo Zagorakis of Greece have achieved longer unbroken runs in competitive matches, how could even you question his committment.

Given that both McGeady and Gibson suffer abuse from time to time for playing for Ireland your comments are sad and pathetic. 8 out our starting 11 in our last competitive match were born and bred in te 26 counties, 9 of the 11 in the 32 counties.

[Greenforever]

oh grow up, How many of our team grew up in Ireland,

You obviously need it spelt out for you - 8 or 9 of the starting line up avgainst Cyprus grew up in Ireland, and if it is now a requirement to return to Ireland to live after your playing days are over, we'll need to get a crystal ball out to guess who's eligible to play

[co. down green]

how many of them will return to Ireland when their playing career is finished?.

What a bizarre comment Ciarán

[SwanVsDalton]

I think it's sad but I'd be happy to say cheerio to those who arn't committed. If O'Brien or Ireland or anyone else wants to walk then it's unfortunate but there's plenty of others chomping at the bit - regardless if their quality is untested. I'd rather have players less talented but more dedicated in the green.

[SilkCut]

Spot on Swan. What is the point of sending out a team of uncommited players?? Joey O'Brien will never be world class anyway so perhaps he is just speeding up the inevitable, no real loss. As for players returning to Ireland, why should they? They will have spent almost 20 years living abroad, most likely will have had families abroad so their lives will be based in their adopted countries. The fact that they played for Ireland will ensure their kids will feel Irish. Cian Hughton is a good example of this.

[EastTerracer]

To compare with the Irish team, the vast majority of them live in Ireland, play week in week out for their local county in front of their local fans. They're entrenched in the community, they hear the media's spin on them or speculation or what the man down in the bar has to say. Geordan Murphy aside they can't simply get the next plane to London and escape from all that like every single one of the Irish soccer players can.

What "Irish team" are you referring to? Obviously some minority sport where the opportunities don't exist for young talented lads to make a good living by going abroad? If that's what your interest is then go away and join the ruggerbugger.ie forum instead of wasting our time.

There are many of the Irish football team who, although born in England or Scotland, represent Irishness to me far more than the private-school educated elitists who represent Ireland at egg-chasing.

[Stuttgart88]

I just like sport and couldn't give a toss about class or educational backround myself.

[paul_oshea]

Don't worry stutts, he excluded you in the last post

[Junior]

Its this 'born and bred' $hit that annoys me though. You only have to look at the Irish Diaspora and how their adoption of Irish culture and Identity as part of their physche should in my view disprove the notion that 11 Irish born players would in some way represent Ireland better than say 11 2G Irish players.

I really believe that the majority of Irish born fans, even those that openly accept 2nd and 3rd Generation Irish players as one of their own, would probably prefer, all things being equal, to have 11 Irish born players.

Its just my view and maybe its wrong but years of supporting Ireland as someone of 2G and the numerous conversations and comments, its a gut feel.

[hula4]

where you are born doesnt have much to do with it, steve heighway afaik has no irish blood in him whatsoever and the only thing that made him eligible was the fact he happened to be born here.

what about all the poles,nigerians,lithuanians,brazilians,italians etc that are living in ireland now, are their children irish because they have been or will be born here?

nationality is about where you are born or reared, its about what you feel