The last several posts have been pathetic. Names & religion - grow up.
What do you mean "deny that as well"? I haven't denied anything. I'm saying the name Gareth is not a reliable indicator of religious background. It's been shown many time on here that you can't identify a player's religion based solely on his name, otherwise Darron Gibson and Marc Wilson would be representing the IFA team.
The last several posts have been pathetic. Names & religion - grow up.
It doesn't mean it doesn't happen though, eg. very widespread in the North of Ireland and the West of Scotland!!
Agree this is getting pretty shocking. It's depressing that the whole IFA v FAI allegiance is now increasingly resembling an international version of Celtic v Rangers. I am increasingly sympathetic to the view that we (ROI) should not pick Northern-born players, or alternatively we should have one neutral association without national flags, anthems etc.
PS If you are still tuned in GR, best of luck against Fulham next week
Why deny an Irishman his right to play for his country? Why dissolve two teams with proud histories and great support bases? Don't really see the point in either tbh.
As for the, ahem, quality of posting - I wouldn't take it that serious. Shocked or not, NI people occasionally discuss names and birthplaces in terms of allegiances. It doesn't make us raging sectarians, and the discussions, in my experience, are carried out with no vitriol or prejudice. Just realistic curiosity. I can understand why people might find it distasteful as it has sketchy connotations, but I don't believe there's any malice in the discussion.
In the context of this thread, no one (I believe) ultimately cares about where McAuley, McGinn or anyone other NI player emerge from - it's just interesting to know the community mix in the NI team now and going forward.
Ou-est le Centre George Pompidou?
The only thing worse than this talk about religion and names is people pretending those things doesn't matter.
Thank you TP. Should be fun even if we get well beaten. Did you see the Cliftonville fans in Liverpool en route to Oswestry? They seemed to enjoy the anti-Government strike march
I love the idea mentioned by third policeman that the island should have one team without national flags or anthems...for INTERNATIONAL football. Says it all really.
Aye, but tell me this; is he a Catholic Hindu or a Protestant Hindu?
I'm not sure I understand why the FAI should refuse to select certain Irish nationals who wish to play for Ireland solely due to their place of birth. I'd consider that to be grossly unfair on the players concerned.
What sparked the sympathy, by the way, or has it always been there? The apparent "Old Firmisation" of football on the island? I don't know if that's anything new, to be honest. Ireland fans have long booed Rangers players in Lansdowne and we're all well aware of the sectarian bile that was spewed that (in)famous night up in Windsor in 1993. Are they the sort of things that would fall into that bracket? Is it any worse nowadays? I wouldn't have thought so. I'm afraid it's business as usual.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, I don't think anyone has actually agreed that a person's name will provide some sort of indication as to their religious background.
And go against the GFA/CAS Ruling?
Why would Cliftonville fans have gone 4 days early for an anti-Brit Govt. march?
But hardly likely.
It shouldn't matter, but even if we have complete peace and tranquility for the rest of the century (which is unlikely) in the areas I mentioned, it's going to be a while till it is insignificant to many....
Last edited by ArdeeBhoy; 11/07/2011 at 10:33 PM.
Yeah, I know compexity mightn't be your strong suite, but I think I did try to make it simple. I have what might be termed "mixed heritage" and therefore find it posible to wish both teams well. My first international games were watching NI, but I have over the years established a stronger affinity and support for ROI, not (I hasten to add) for any political reasons, its just kind of worked out that way.
It was the morning of the match. Even got shown on Channel 4 news that night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJNUoqUyftU
Has he switched to the North? According to Wikipedia he has
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Br...ller_born_1984)
Folding my way into the big money!!!
Worthington said he was intending to make the switch three weeks ago: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/13996856.stm
Presumably just a matter of sorting the relevant documents since.
Northern Ireland boss Nigel Worthington told BBC Sport on Friday that Leeds player Bruce, who has two Republic caps, had opted to make the switch.
Both of Bruce's caps were in friendly games in 2007 and 2008 so he remains eligible for Northern Ireland.
"Subject to getting Fifa clearance, Alex wants to play for Northern Ireland," said Worthington.
"We're delighted that he has made the decision."
Excellent news, he was absolute pants anyway. At least now we dont have to worry about him lining out for us.
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