QuoteCome on Paul, you know the answer to that. Lazy git!
Geysir, tell the man. And stick the eligibilty rules up as a sticky?
tickets for what?
Actually if duffy played in that game because its not a competitive game would he still be tied?!
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
Come on Paul, you know the answer to that. Lazy git!
Geysir, tell the man. And stick the eligibilty rules up as a sticky?
Yeh, I musta told ya he would get there about 5 years ago! When I spoke to him 4 weeks ago he said that he had not even had a word from Trappatoni or anyone else in the Ireland camp!Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Granted we have a small squad at the best of times, but circumstances are dictating that hardly any of our senior or back-up players are available this time round.
Basically this game was arranged late, and at the behest of the Italians. But because a number of our players are involved in Play-Offs etc until the end of May, and all players need to report back to their clubs by July, nearly everyone had arranged their Summer holiday for early June, or were otherwise unavailable. (Chris Brunt, for example, is getting married that day, Grant McCann was on a Coaching course and a few more are injured).
As it happens, there are a number of decent enough players (Capaldi, Sproule, Duff, Carroll etc) who might have been called up to the squad, but for whatever reason, Worthington doesn't seem too keen on them, and since they are not part of his long-term plans, then he clearly prefers to look past them to the youngsters.
Consequently, this "senior" team is actually just an extension of recent "B" selections, which themselves were just an extension of the U-21 team etc.
I guess Worthy's reasoning is that if we only unearth one "nugget" from the kids, or "fast-track" another one 12 months sooner than otherwise, or persuade even one waverer to stick with us, rather than "defect" to you-know-who, then maybe it will be worthwhile enough.
Then again, if we get humped 6 or 8 goals (a possibility), then it could set us back further. No doubt Worthy is well aware of that, and if I had to guess, I'd say he'd have wanted to cancel it.
However, he can't do that, since the IFA needs the appearance fee, the game comes with a promise from Italy of a return in Belfast, plus the proceeds are now going to the Italian Earthquake fund, so if we pulled out now it would be a public relations disaster.
But you're right, our squad is very thin...
Risky strategy though I suspect Italy will do something similar.
We fielded some very strange players in the US under Stan. Not sure we learnt anything from it. I suppose any chance to look at your players & work with them up close gives you a good idea of their ability and character, and pitching them against better players to see how they perform can be useful.
Certainly is. Not sure what way Italy will play it. On the one hand, maybe they'll use it to try out some of their fringe players, maybe even a few locally-based ones (to boost the crowd etc).
Then again, they presumably wanted NI because they're drawn with you in the WCQ's, plus straight after our game in Pisa, they're heading out to S.Africa for a mini-tournament, which is obviously arranged on the basis that they'll qualify for 2010(!).
In which case, this friendly might be an integral, if minor, part of their overall plan?
Curiously enough, Sanchez "inherited" a two match US Tour he hadn't wanted in the Summer of 2006. We had a really makeshift squad out for that one, which meant two (current regular) players made their full debut earlier than they would otherwise have done: Sammy Clingan and (ahem) Kyle Lafferty.
For "fast-tracking" those two alone, the Tour was probably worth it.
As against that, we only lost 1-0 against (weakened) Romania and Colombia. A 6 or 7 goal drubbing by Italy "B" next month in Pisa could just as easily knock the present youngsters back the other way.
i bought a northern ireland jersey last week :O) i will support both now
Wonder why McCourt didn't get a callup. He's in a different league to McGinn for one.
Must be something to do with injury or unavailability*, since NW seems to rate him quite highly and he'd certainly be worth a place.
* - Unless, of course, McCourt himself couldn't be arsed (not that I've any reason for suspecting so)
In the long term McGinn will be better than McCourt, plus as EG said, McCourt speculated McCourt is always unfit/injured
Back on topic, as much as I'd like to see Duffy chose us, I'm not all that upset that he's in the NI squad...they could probably use him more and from the player's perspective of he had declared for us he would of been nowhere near our squad to play Italy in Bari nor the return leg and now he looks like he's in line for a senior cap against Italy with t'other lot!
You show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser - Vince Lombardi
Well if he really wanted to play for us he would have rejected the call up, so fair play to him if he wants to play for NI and let that be the end of the matter.
If you look at it from the player's perspective, he's a 17 year old lad who has only been professional since his 17th birthday (the start of this year according to the Everton website) and he has been performing very well according to match reports from various sources, making massive strides with Everton and N.Ireland. If I was 17 and offered this chance to play against the world champions (whether it's a B team or not), and I hadn't received any word from the FAI regarding a call up to a youth squad - which appears to be the case - I'd be extremely excited and I'd see it as a massive opportunity to better my football career.
I'm a Derry man and I have never and will never consider N.Ireland 'my team', but if Nigel Worthington was willing to reward my hard work with a senior cap against one of the top teams in the world, I'd probably be over the moon. I mean seriously, if you had to choose between senior international football with N.Ireland or u17 or u19 with R.o.I. what would you do?
I don't know but id like to think ROI. However I dont think at that age you are as patriotic as when you get older. Its more about the here and now unfortunately, but thats where strong guidance comes in from those closest and around i.e. his father. Paternal parents are always more influential in the patriotic stakes or at least should be.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
Yeah it is about the here and now unfortunately. I think that Duffy is taking his chance while it is being offered because a career in football is a precarious one, such is its nature.
According to an Everton fan forum, a guy claiming to be Duffy's cousin has stated that:
Link: http://www.toffeetalk.com/forums/ind...pic=8715&st=40...Shane is eligible in every way to play for the Republic, holding an Irish passport and especially since his father is from Donegal...Some posters are claiming that Shane's Northern Irish, even though he has an Irish passport and would, like myself consider himself to be Irish. Given the opportunity, he'd preferably want to represent Ireland at international level, but if that opportunity did not arise, then certainly he'd like to be playing some form of international football.
Like you said, I can't imagine that Duffy is concerned with patriotism and all that. He seems to be more concerned with furthering his career. With regard to guidance from his father - I'm sure he would rather his kid played for the Republic, being from Donegal. Maybe the Republic snubbed him? It's times like these when I get annoyed with the FAI. If the guy is good enough for the North's senior team (regardless of the match circumstances) then surely he would be deemed good enough to represent Ireland at under-age level. The FAI should really have made more of an effort to get him into the set up.
Last edited by Predator; 21/05/2009 at 10:16 AM. Reason: adding source
Yes, exactly predator, thats what ****es me off to be honest. I wonder what half of these people do in these organisations, and get paid great money, I reckon they work about 10 hours a week, actual work, the rest is just taking it handy. They should be using any medium to find out about players and chasing them up etc.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
Lot of sense there (imo).
P.S. This call-up will also be an opportunity to play for one of the top teams in the world, not just against one...
An earlier comment from "Noddy" (Duffy's cousin) from Jan08:
"Shane is actually also eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland, but he is keen on staying with the Northern Ireland team, because they have supported him all the way and also because the current group of players have a strong bond with one and other"
Breaking into the professional game is so bloody competitive that players need to remain absolutely single-minded on their career i.e. no time for drink, parties and girls etc, never mind politics etc.
Apparently his Da has also posted on that site (as "Finn Harp"?), stating clearly that he would prefer his son to represent ROI.
It has been reported that Duffy was invited, and trained with, with one of the FAI under-age squads a while back, but for whatever reason, nothing seems to have come of it.
I have to disagree about the FAI's scouting set-up. Not only has it unearthed loads of 1st or 2nd generation players from GB down the years, but recently it has been very active in NI.
For example, an NI under-age team (U-16), made up of local NI-based players only, played their Australian counterparts, who were touring Europe at the time. Despite this game being very low-key (played in Fermanagh, late change of venue, early afternoon, midweek etc), two FAI Scouts were spotted in attendance.
By contrast, the IFA youth set-up was for years a total and utter joke - the responsibility of the U-21 manager, a jerk named Roy Millar, who made Don Givens look like Arsene Wenger (trust me, it's no exaggeration)
Anyhow, when Worthy took over, he insisted Millar be pushed upstairs, replacing him with an English mate called Steve Beaglehole(!). SB has already been an outstanding success, completely revamping the whole scouting and coaching set-up at all levels up to and including U-21. Already, this has led to us attracting a number of very promising 1st and 2nd generation youngsters from under the nose of the English FA etc.
Also, he and Worthington are attending to the (former) gaps in the network at home in NI, most notably Derry and the North West. And if the likes of Duffy and Eunan O'Kane are anything to go by, this may have turned the tide somewhat of players from that area opting for the ROI.
Anyhow, as far as Duffy is concerned, there are at least 6 specialist CB's (Hughes, Evans, Craigan, Duff, McAuley and Cathcart) who play regularly at Championship level or above, who would normally be ahead of him. Plus there are another 3 or 4 who play lower League football, or frequently deputise at CB, who should also be ahead of Duffy. Indeed, CB is normally our strongest position.
Therefore Duffy's elevation is both a reflection of just how many withdrawals we have had, but also how highly NW and SB seem to rate Duffy's potential.
I'm guessing (as others have said above) that he wants to keep his options open. Which is fair enough- as a teenage footballer his priority is probably to get a long-term contract in professional football. Playing representative football at any level from NI schoolboys up to full international must help with that.
As EG says above, Worthy is using the game in Italy as effectively an U-21. It's risky, but we need the dough. Of course that's a bigger issue and well off-topic
Personally I think playing for a youth or U-21 international side after 18th birthday should prevent any player later turning out for another country. But while the rules are more flexible I've no problem with him keeping contact with FAI as well as IFA.
Its a similar situation to Neil Lennon, international football offer when you are an unknown quantity.
If he becomes a success in his career,he would probably also wish that he had bided his time, and waiting for the call he wanted.
Don't wish to be controversial, but it's nothing like Lennon. NL was never offered the opportunity to represent ROI, nor was such a possibility on the table for any NI-born youngsters when he was starting out.
Whereas, Duffy has come into football at a time when that avenue has been opened by the FAI. And as a Derry lad, he has the example of Darron Gibson to emulate (should he choose). Plus his Dad (and Mum?) are from Donegal and he has already been invited to train with one of the FAI under-age squads.
Which is not to say that NL would not have opted for ROI had he been born 20 years later. Then again, the whole atmosphere around playing for NI is markedly different from that which obtained when NL was in the team, which may be one of the reasons why youngsters like Duffy appear increasingly to be sticking with NI (or even returning, like Michael O'Connor and Tony Kane)?
That remains to be seen. Partly, of course, it may depend on how the two international teams fare over the next few years, as well as on the personality and experiences of the individual himself.
However, it is not always "clear-cut". I daresay if you had asked eg Gerry Armstrong in 1977 when he was winning his first NI cap, he might have preferred it was for the ROI?
But by the time he won his last cap in 1986, there will have been no doubt whatever where his allegiances lay, allegiances which are now stronger than ever, 23 years later.
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