Potentially eligible players thread

Originally Posted by SunderlandBohs

Kieron Richardson is another player in with a chance of a call-up. No wait, he's a Born Again Christain forget that!

Richardson is tied to England. He has caps in competitive games

i personally think that whatever improves our situation is a good thing. however, if u watch the sky sports ad for u21 champs, there is a clip of mark noble crying when England got knocked out, also Anton missing the crucial penalty.

I think a player should know by u21 level where he wants to be. But i am also in favour of a player without a distinguished u21 career being able to declare at older age.

Kevin Nolan, no way is he needed. O Hara, maybe. Ferdinand, no addition. But Barry Maguire is interesting, dutch born and bred of irish parents. He was included at u21 level, and opted out.

USA have had players lately that could declare for us, so maybe we'll see some of these in u19-u21's and then graduate to seniors?

When Clinton Morrison started, didnt he played b team/u21 matches first? Before getting into squad?

Any dual international loyalties amongst us here?
Iceland ladies would always get my loyal support and first preference

Originally Posted by geysir

Any dual international loyalties amongst us here?

I'm a dual citizen (Irish and Canadian).

I love both countries and would be proud to represent either. If I was a world-class player I'd hold out for Ireland, but if I was just an average player that would get 1 or 2 caps with Ireland, I would play with Canada as I could do more for them.

Unfortunately I'm totally sh1t at football.

Interesting change. Personally I think it should go on how Irish the player "feels". Subjective to be sure but look at it this way, as good as a player might be a non-Irish player (in thought and mind) could be very disruptive to a squad. As such, any benefits he brings could be off-set by the mercenary baggage that follows. That could have a knock-on effect on other players.

Someone like Nolan clearly doesn't want to play for Ireland. Therefore, why risk the potential team poison for a rather questionable benefit?

Originally Posted by irishfan86

I'm a dual citizen (Irish and Canadian).

I love both countries and would be proud to represent either. If I was a world-class player I'd hold out for Ireland, but if I was just an average player that would get 1 or 2 caps with Ireland, I would play with Canada as I could do more for them.

Unfortunately I'm totally sh1t at football.

my unborn son will be able to play for Ireland, Canada or Croatia. He will play for Ireland though or i will chop his legs off.

Originally Posted by Fizzer

Would be a strange situation if Anton Ferdinand declared for us and played against England and Rio. Anyone ever heard of two brothers playing against each other for two different countries? (not sure if Anton's good enough to get in our squad anyway at the moment but he's young)

Jonathan de Guzmán and his brother Christian declared for 2 different countries. Jonathan plays for Canada and his brother who has been with Feyenoord since he was a kid got his Dutch passport and has since played for the U21s.

Nolan is a clown. I remember he was even talking about trying and declaring for the Dutch team. Ill try and find the link.

here it is... http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....to_nolan_.html

"It's funny because I was at a soccer school in the summer in Spain and while we were having a question and answer session with the kids, my little cousin asked me why I hadn't been asked to play for Holland, obviously he's got a bit of Dutch in him, and why everyone's asking whether I can play for Holland. It just made me laugh."

The most likely outcome is that Nolan will try his luck with the Irish.

He added: "Not being in Europe with Bolton this year it could be one of those things where I could step into the international scene with Ireland. That's if Steve Staunton wants to pick me.

The lad is a joke, plain and simple as well as being a ****e footballer.

Originally Posted by geysir

Any dual international loyalties amongst us here?
Iceland ladies would always get my loyal support and first preference

Well I could have, grandparents on my mums side were Ukrainian Jews. So I could play for Israel.

Originally Posted by Den Perry

What has Noble done to irk you? by the way, did you support Ray Houghton?

Noble has done nothing at all to irk me! In fact, I can safely say that I hold no strong feelings towards Mark Noble, be they positive or negative. Why would I, ffs?

As for the rest of your post...

You have well and truly missed my point...read all my posts on this issue and then maybe come back to me.

And I love Ray Houghton...and he wanted to play for us! Always read his interviews with great interest.

Lads,

One more thing:

Lets maybe look at this from a players point of view, and not just that of a supporter:

Take for example:

You are an Irish lad, love your country and love the game, it has always been your ambition to play for your country....you are doing well in your club career and finally it looks like you may get the chance of a lifetime and break into the senior squad...

Until...

An English lad, ala Morrison (I won't hear any defence of him, especially after how long it took him to declare for us) decides he wants to use his dubious connections (in previous cases such a connection has often been a dead grandparent that the player in question never even met) and throw his lot in with the Irish...

Hardly fair is it?

There are lads out there that really, really want to play for the country...and for the right reasons.

Hiring players who's hearts are not in the right place is not fair on the Irish lads who want to play for Ireland.

"decides he wants to use his dubious connections (in previous cases such a connection has often been a dead grandparent that the player in question never even met) and throw his lot in with the Irish..."

Jamie McCarthy?

Originally Posted by joema

And I love Ray Houghton...and he wanted to play for us!

I always got the feeling he was a little bitter about not being picked by Scotland. More than most to be honest.


Agree with your general point though. No problem with the Kilbanes, Carsleys, Kellys of this world, I simply can't identify with the Townsends, Aldridges and Morrisons of this world.

Originally Posted by joema

(in previous cases such a connection has often been a dead grandparent that the player in question never even met)

Can we please stop talking about dead grannies!

Originally Posted by joema

Lads,

One more thing:

Lets maybe look at this from a players point of view, and not just that of a supporter:

Take for example:

You are an Irish lad, love your country and love the game, it has always been your ambition to play for your country....you are doing well in your club career and finally it looks like you may get the chance of a lifetime and break into the senior squad...

Until...

An English lad, ala Morrison (I won't hear any defence of him, especially after how long it took him to declare for us) decides he wants to use his dubious connections (in previous cases such a connection has often been a dead grandparent that the player in question never even met) and throw his lot in with the Irish...

Hardly fair is it?

There are lads out there that really, really want to play for the country...and for the right reasons.

.

I'm Irish and I'm really keen to play foor Ireland, for all the right reasons, unfortunately though I'm not good enough and I accept that there are better players as eligible for Ireland as I am who are going to be picked ahead of me.

Your argument is stupid, if these English born lads qualify for a passport than they have as much right to play as anyone born in Ireland...thats just a fact

You look at almost any national side out there and you will see players like these involved.

England has Hargreaves, Italy has Camoranesi, Germany has a couple of Polish forwards, and half of the rest of the world have naturalized Brazilians in their squads.

It's one thing sticking to your principles, but in my view we must use FIFA eligibility rules to make our team the best it can be.

I'd rather a team with 9 out of the starting players "truly Irish" (by whatever bizarre definition you want to choose) play in a major tournament, than see an all "purebred" Irish side just miss out because of some twisted sense of morality.

I don't see any real difference between being smart with the rules off the pitch and being smart with the rules on the pitch.

Originally Posted by dodgycanadian

Nolan is a clown. I remember he was even talking about trying and declaring for the Dutch team. Ill try and find the link.

here it is... http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....to_nolan_.html

"It's funny because I was at a soccer school in the summer in Spain and while we were having a question and answer session with the kids, my little cousin asked me why I hadn't been asked to play for Holland, obviously he's got a bit of Dutch in him, and why everyone's asking whether I can play for Holland. It just made me laugh."

The most likely outcome is that Nolan will try his luck with the Irish.

He added: "Not being in Europe with Bolton this year it could be one of those things where I could step into the international scene with Ireland. That's if Steve Staunton wants to pick me.

The lad is a joke, plain and simple as well as being a ****e footballer.

Number of direct quotes from Nolan saying he was interested in pursuing the Dutch option in the article = 0

Originally Posted by joema

An English lad, ala Morrison (I won't hear any defence of him, especially after how long it took him to declare for us) decides he wants to use his dubious connections (in previous cases such a connection has often been a dead grandparent that the player in question never even met) and throw his lot in with the Irish...

I quite like Clinton, and I'd have him back in the squad (not necessarily the starting XI, just the squad) in a minute. Always gave his all for the jersey when he played.
And IIRC his grandmother was present at a press conference he had in Dublin.

I've backed up Morrison and I'll do it again. He always worked his socks off for us, and I remember in our away draw with France 0-0 during the Kerr era when he got injured, and looked absolutely heartbroken coming off the field.

In addition, I've heard of him attending 'B' and underage internationals to support his potential international teammates while he was involved with the senior side, which I thought was really cool, and after that I knew I'd never doubt his commitment.