Irish not foreign according to English Premier League

**irishultra** · 27/07/2009, 2:11 PM

This is a list of foreign players in the Premier League, which commenced play in 1992. The following players must meet both of the following two criteria:

Have played at least one Premier League game. Players who were signed by Premier League clubs, but only played in lower league, cup and/or European games, or did not play in any competitive games at all, are not included.
Are considered foreign, i.e., outside Great Britain and Ireland, determined by the following:

A player is considered foreign if he is not eligible to play for the national teams of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland.

Why is this? A Dutch player is considered foreign playing in Belgium, a Danish player is considered foreign playing in Sweden, a English player playing in Ireland is foreign so whats the reason for this?

**sligoman** · 27/07/2009, 2:14 PM

Because it's wikipedia and means nothing?

**irishultra** · 27/07/2009, 2:16 PM

Unless some Irish person wants to feel that the club he supports is not foreign then I doubt anyone would bother.

**passinginterest** · 27/07/2009, 2:17 PM

Shared culture innit mate?

**endabob1** · 27/07/2009, 2:21 PM

Under the old UEFA rules, ROI players were always considered foreign not sure about NI Welsh & Scots though.

**irishultra** · 27/07/2009, 2:26 PM

Originally Posted by passinginterest

Shared culture innit mate?

See sweden and denmark

**Den Perry** · 28/07/2009, 9:58 AM

Originally Posted by passinginterest

Shared culture innit mate?

lol

**awec** · 28/07/2009, 12:15 PM

Maybe it's something to do with the rules regarding declaring for home nations here.

Would scottish people call McGeady a foreigner?

I'm only guessing.

**irishultra** · 28/07/2009, 5:54 PM

They wouldn't because he's not, same as if Eamonn Zayed(plays for sporting fingal now) had decided to play for Libya(his dad is from there) I wouldn't call him a foreigner. I mean McGeady is definetly Scottish like.

Only reason I thought about this is because I seen a piece from Jamie Redknapp on greatest foreign players in premiership and roy keane wasn't included and its not as if keane was in england since he was 15 or anything, he signed from another uefa recongised league club.

**jebus** · 28/07/2009, 6:12 PM

People born in the British Isles are not considered foreign would be my guess

**irishultra** · 28/07/2009, 6:26 PM

you think?

i just don't get it. i like being indipendant

**anto1208** · 28/07/2009, 6:32 PM

Did they included Irish players in the old foreign player rules ? I dont think they did might be just a left over from that.

Dont think they will be considered foreign if the new rule comes in at least i hope not it would have a devestating effect on the national team. But then again it would prob be good for the LOI.

I wouldnt consider myself as a foreigner but i guess i am......now where are all those jobs and women.

**Lionel Ritchie** · 28/07/2009, 6:47 PM

Originally Posted by anto1208

Did they included Irish players in the old foreign player rules ? I dont think they did might be just a left over from that. .

They most certainly did consider ROI players foreign. The irony wasn't lost that at times Liverpool had to leave a certain local boy out to balance the books.

Originally Posted by anto1208

I wouldnt consider myself as a foreigner but i guess i am......now where are all those jobs and women.

I wouldn't consider myself especially foreign anywhere in the UK. Now there's bits of Kerry on the other hand...

**irishultra** · 28/07/2009, 8:09 PM

yeah i suppose but this is not personal feelings

(same with swedish and danish they don't really consider each other 'foreign)

i mean im a brussels boy

so i wouldn't consider myself foreign there but when it comes to football i damn sure would be.

**bennocelt** · 28/07/2009, 9:24 PM

Originally Posted by jebus

People born in the British Isles are not considered foreign would be my guess

yeah the mainland and all that

have to be honest this does annoy me a small bit - i mean, really, many British people think ireland is part of the UK. They cant get the fact we are an independent country at all.
Just like the rugby - many in the Uk call it the British Lions, and whenever i correct them they always take the ****.

**irishultra** · 28/07/2009, 9:50 PM

I wouldn't mind if same applied to other Europeans but just like you bennocelt it annoys me a little. its kinda like wanting to be discriminated against

**jebus** · 30/07/2009, 2:33 PM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

yeah the mainland and all that

have to be honest this does annoy me a small bit - i mean, really, many British people think ireland is part of the UK. They cant get the fact we are an independent country at all.
Just like the rugby - many in the Uk call it the British Lions, and whenever i correct them they always take the ****.

This is the country that made a martyr out of Jade Goody you realise? Pick your battles

**Not Brazil** · 30/07/2009, 5:53 PM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

have to be honest this does annoy me a small bit - i mean, really, many British people think ireland is part of the UK.

To be fair, part of it is part of the UK.

I guess if ROI born players were deemed "foreign", it might have a detrimental effect on your International side in the event of foreign quotas in the English Premiership.

**brianw82** · 30/07/2009, 10:17 PM

I was under the impression that the new CL quotas meant that a player had to have trained at an English club for at least 3 years while under the age of 21 to be classified as "home-grown."

If that was the case, and Kevin Doyle moved to a top 4 club, he wouldn't be classified as home-grown.

**don ramo** · 08/08/2009, 12:42 AM

with our lovely european membership, every individual has the right to earn a living within any member state (granted some refused to allow the polish in when they joined) they have the right to move and seek work within the coallition,

its impossible to implement this foreign player policy as it would over-rule a common law, and common law will always be above sporting law,

FIFA are pumping in millions to pass this moronic law, that will never be passed, as it would infringe on the right given to us through EU membership,

i dont know anything about law, but i would think this argument would hold up well in my hands, what would a solicitor do with it?