Norn Iron rubbish part 23452346526

[The Bunk]

In my last post I stated that you;
"joined OWC on the 2nd of April, 2005. In this time you have posted 298 times. You joined foot.ie in April 2006, in this time you have posted 589 times - almost twice as much in considerably less time! OWC contains many more threads on the NI v ROI theme than foot.ie does, yet you are not compelled to post with the anyhere near the regularity with which you do here. This tells it's own story!"
You claimed, in an earlier post, that..."the pressure of answering the same witless wind-up 60 times on this thread hasn't dimmed my faculties."
As you mentioned wind-ups, I posted the above. I felt it necessary to remind you, and to point out to others, that since the inception of your current membership on each respective site, you have posted nearly twice as much on foot.ie than you have on your own supporters website (with the player eligibility row being within this time). Again, this tells it's own story, and is in the very least - suggestive.

Suggestive of what I wonder?.........hmmm.........

.......a WUM!

[Not Brazil]

Just as well they are (bearing in mind what happened to Neil Lennon when he said he would like to play for a UI team).

Any young cub born in Northern Ireland is quite free to declare for the All Ireland team that represents the FAI nowadays.

[Wolfie]

Any young cub born in Northern Ireland is quite free to declare for the All Ireland team that represents the FAI nowadays.

That's not Tiger Woods is it? Never knew he was born in Wee Iron.

[EalingGreen]

I stated that rugby was played to a high level by about 9 countries,not dominated by nine countries. Realistically each of those 9 have a chance of beating one another. The gap to the other nations is huge. In football, far more countries play it to a high level. It may be dominated by those mentioned above, but there are far more countries competitive in soccer than Rugby

Getting way off the subject, I know, but this thread appears (finally!) to have just about run its course with, in typical Irish fashion, both sides probably claiming "victory"!

Anyhow, your post reminded me of a conversation I once has with a drunken and charmless (Boer) South African who was spouting off in a pub to all who would listen (plus those who wouldn't) about how much "better" rugby was than football.

The wind was somewhat taken out of his sails when I asked him to tell me in how many of the countries of the world is rugby the "national" (i.e. No.1) sport, in terms of participation and popularity etc.

He tried the obvious one - Wales. I pointed out that football has many more teams and registered players than rugby, covers the whole of the country rather than just a few valleys in South Wales and that even when playing in the lower tiers of their respective code, the football clubs in the three largest cities (Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham) invariably attract larger crowds than their rugby counterparts, who play in the top level of their code.

Next he tried France; when I pointed out that rugby wasn't even 2nd (i.e. behind football and cycling, for instance) and then only a niche/regional sport, he had to concur.

He had no better luck with his own country, though it hurt him sorely to admit that rugby there is still primarily the sport of choice of a small minority of South Africans, whose skin colour invariably more resembles that of FW Du Klerk than that of Nelson Mandela!

He then made a desultory case for Australia, even England, before conceding that rugby union is only the No.1 sport in New Zealand - a country of 4 million people and 10 million sheep - and a few scenic, but nonetheless isolated and sparsely populated specks in the South Pacific.

P.S. When you say that the top nine countries have a realistic even chance of beating each other etc, that is not actually true. For if you look at the playing records of the Test Nations, there are far fewer upsets in rugby than in football.
Taking Ireland, for example, how many times have they beaten New Zealand in the last 100-odd years? Or how do you explain one Grand Slam in the last 60 years, when that achievement entails winning four/five games in succession, with at least two of them always being against no-hopers (presently Italy and Scotland), and every other year two of the toughest three games (England and France) being at home?
As against that, "minor" countries like Uruguay or Sweden have won/reached the finals of the World Cup of football, or Denmark and Greece have been European Champions, from over 200 (50) countries who play the game, most of them as their "national sport".

[Scram]

We can no longer compete with the giants of European football. There is no way with the size of the ROI we can be putting our hopes of competing in major tournaments down to playoffs with the likes of France. We dont have the players. When O'Shea went off injured yesterday my first reaction was "**** Me, are we really that bad". Being able to draw on the likes of Johnny Evans, George McCartney, Chris Baird.. etc. We just arent deep enough. Smaller European nations have caught up in their development of players over the past 15 years. There are no easy ties in International football anymore. If we want to have better chances to compete in World Cups and European Championships Id say this is really our only option. I look at our current squad and I would say that after our next campaign we are fooked. We have no Robbie Keanes, Duffs, Givens, or even players of Dunne's caliber coming through.

I imagine this will get some reaction and would be very complicated but I would be for it except I couldnt have that blue nose pr1ck Kyle Lafferty in the squad!!!

What do you think.

I agree re. Kyle Lafferty!!

What’s the anthem, Ireland’s Call ??

[Gather round]

Democratic societies don't regard it as trivia. That is why there is a list of basic human rights, that countries/states sign up to

I know why there's a list of basic human rights and what they are. They don't include or mention eligibility for football teams.

As a matter of interest, why do you think the Parades Commission in NI was set up in the first place

As a compromise to letting the Police and other local authorities monitor parades?

I take it you were never a boy scout then

No, although I was in the Boys' Brigade while at primary school. Thanks for the tips and other detail, but they don't really answer the point- that it's not really credible that the Luftwaffe bombed Dublin accidentally because they mistook it for Belfast, Liverpool or anywhere else in Britain.

Just as well they are

They are, everyone knows they are. Stop stirring.

.......a WUM!

Thanks for that, great analysis. Read the thread and you'll see I (like the other NI fans on it) have replied to the same old rubbish posted by others.

[dantheman]

Do you really want loyalist knuckledraggers following your team. I don't!

Any young cub born in Northern Ireland is quite free to declare for the All Ireland team that represents the FAI nowadays.

Indeed, and once the IFA drop their silly opposition to this we can all move on, and leave the NI team to be supported by fans of the Unionist persuasion who don't like hard questions asked of them.

NI nationalists are free to play for, and support, the ROI in a fantastic new UEFA 5-star stadium in a sectarian-free environment. Unlike that pitch, surrounded by 5 sheds, 100 miles up the road.

Landsdowne Road - 5 stars (and an upcoming UEFA final)
Windsor Park - 5 sheds (and a burger van)

[gustavo]

Do you really want loyalist knuckledraggers following your team. I don't!


Indeed, and once the IFA drop their silly opposition to this we can all move on, and leave the NI team to be supported by fans of the Unionist persuasion who don't like hard questions asked of them.

NI nationalists are free to play for, and support, the ROI in a fantastic new UEFA 5-star stadium in a sectarian-free environment. Unlike that pitch, surrounded by 5 sheds, 100 miles up the road.

Landsdowne Road - 5 stars (and an upcoming UEFA final)
Windsor Park - 5 sheds (and a burger van)

Well done on totally missing the point

[Riddickcule]

why is it an embarrasment?

Because no-one knows the words, it's a joke.

[EalingGreen]

Do you really want loyalist knuckledraggers following your team. I don't!


Indeed, and once the IFA drop their silly opposition to this we can all move on, and leave the NI team to be supported by fans of the Unionist persuasion who don't like hard questions asked of them.

Ah, I see you're still here and (presumably) following the thread. In which case, I have a question for you which ought not to be too "hard".

Namely, when you first entered this debate with a lengthy post, you seemed to be inspired by having been reading OWC, where you particularly noted a post by me which was taking the p iss out of the Thierry Henry situation etc.

You then went on to accuse me of being a hypocrite, on the basis of my complaining that this Board/its members were not "objective".

Yet when I pointed out that I had claimed no such thing (I had expressed reservations about the objectivity of some recent moderation), you have consistently ignored it, even at the third (fourth?) time of asking.

So are you going to retract* your entirely baseless allegation? Or are you going to continue to "drag your feet" [sic], even though it demonstrates that when it comes to it, you lack the basic integrity normally demanded by Message Boards like this, to maintain a civilised and tolerant standard of debate?


* - I've long since given up hope of an apology...

[Gather round]

Do you really want loyalist knuckledraggers following your team. I don't!

You don't have any now, you've no realistic likelihood of attracting any in the future, so what's the problem (apart from the minority of cartoon provo knuckledraggers who already support you, obviously)?

Indeed, and once the IFA drop their silly opposition to this we can all move on, and leave the NI team to be supported by fans of the Unionist persuasion who don't like hard questions asked of them

We have moved on, but there's still a need for some sort of local agreement between the IFA and FAI. I notice you don't answer the suggestion of a deal where neither selects adult players who've already appeared for the other.

All the questions you've asked on this thread (actually, the same question over and over again) have been answered. They haven't been particularly difficult.

the ROI in a fantastic new UEFA 5-star stadium in a sectarian-free environment. Unlike that pitch, surrounded by 5 sheds, 100 miles up the road. Landsdowne Road - 5 stars (and an upcoming UEFA final) Windsor Park - 5 sheds (and a burger van)

We're quite happy with the non-sectarian environment at Windsor, whose facilities will be perfectly adequate after refurb (although fair point about the burgers). Congratulations on your new stadium, although here's a tip- it doesn't guarantee qualification, or even that you'll necessarily beat any of the top teams in it.

[Den Perry]

Because no-one knows the words, it's a joke.

what are you talking about? no - one knows the words? You are being very disrespectful

[osarusan]

Do you really want loyalist knuckledraggers following your team. I don't!


Indeed, and once the IFA drop their silly opposition to this we can all move on, and leave the NI team to be supported by fans of the Unionist persuasion who don't like hard questions asked of them.

NI nationalists are free to play for, and support, the ROI in a fantastic new UEFA 5-star stadium in a sectarian-free environment. Unlike that pitch, surrounded by 5 sheds, 100 miles up the road.

Landsdowne Road - 5 stars (and an upcoming UEFA final)
Windsor Park - 5 sheds (and a burger van)

It didn't take you long to move from posts which were reasonable and civil to stupid insults.

EDIT : Any chance the thread might be locked? Whatever debate was had is long gone, and has been replaced by garbage.

[dantheman]

It didn't take you long to move from posts which were reasonable and civil to stupid insults.

EDIT : Any chance the thread might be locked? Whatever debate was had is long gone, and has been replaced by garbage.

Ah dear I was only having a joke ffs. I thought the 5 sheds was a good one! Considering the lack of humour on this thread, I was only trying to build bridges.

EG by the way I'm sorry.
Sorry you can't see past the end of your nose. If you could you'd see I, like you (and your "NI fans"), am not in favour of an AI team. So rest easy and get back to your poetry!!

[Predator]

I'll be sad to see this thread go.

The standards obviously took a massive nosedive when one of the mods changed the name (who was it!? ).

I'll no doubt have the opportunity to rejoice when it is resurrected in future though.

[The Fly]

That's kind of you, but not particularly helpful I'm afraid. They still don't make sense.

.....only to you!

I'm neither stupid nor needing to retract anything.

You are entitled to believe in whatever takes your fancy, I have never stated anything to the contrary. From reading your exchanges with myself and others, I have no expectation that you would retract anything you have stated - no matter how obtuse!
On the stupidity.........that has already been displayed for all to see.

Have one now. The electorate can express their identity as they see fit; if 90% of the turnout in every election is for single issue unionist or nationalist parties, then I assume, quite reasonably, that those are the parties they feel comfortable with. Plenty of other parties exist, including those from Britain and the Republic.

You have a response, not an answer.
You inferred that those voters who vote for either SDLP or SF, display their opposition to the 'existance of Northern Ireland' by doing so.
Once again you have failed to answer the question posed -
""clarify how you would expect the nationalist population of NI, and indeed the entire electorate of NI, to demonstrate their 'Northern Irish' identity."
Which party's 'main political program', as you put it, is 'Northern Irish' nationalism. You cite parties from Britain and the Republic - do they present this platform to the electorate.

The SDLP's main political program is for a united Ireland. It has no unionist support, no real claim to be cross-community. Hume made no attempt to hide his intentions. That's not to denigrate his long-term efforts at reconciliation and the peace process; the same can be said of many single-issue unionist politicians.

The SDLP's 'main political program' throughout the last 40 years has been peace and reconciliation.

Apologies if I failed to answer every single question in your previous posts. They were rather repetitive.

Where you are concerned one has two options; to ignore, or to copy and paste.

Don't be so precious, nobody had to endure anything. Reading this forum is voluntary, like. I selectively quote the relevant parts that I want to answer..

If people choose option one: to ignore, then you are right - they haven't had to endure anything. With option number two, considerable endurance is required.

Some fact, some irrelevance, some cod-psychology, some opinion unsupported by evidence.

All fact.

Infer what you like. I've grasped everything you've said, however garbled much of it is.

You, and you alone, have grasped very little indeed.

Sure, I knew it; I asked you to stick to the point; neither suggests desperation.

It suggests a denseness on your part.

Suggestive that when there's a thread on foot.ie saying 'let's abolish the NI team', I come on it and suggest 'let's not'? I mean, it's quite straightforward.

It's suggestive of being a WUM.
Issues concerning football in Northern Ireland, and indeed the NI international side itself, are dealt with comprehensively on OWC. They don't occupy alot of your time, relative to the amount spent on foot.ie.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Another top post by The Fly;Generally, him & yer man Dan are the only people who're talking any recent sense in this thread.
Oh and a certain other gent, occasionally when he loses the fascination with the citizenship issue which is rather tedious!

[EalingGreen]

EG by the way I'm sorry.
Sorry you can't see past the end of your nose. If you could you'd see I, like you (and your "NI fans"), am not in favour of an AI team. So rest easy and get back to your poetry!!

It was nothing to do with whether you are in favour of a single Irish team or not.
Rather, my issue with you is that you falsely accused me of being a "hypocrite", on the basis of your misreading of one of my posts.
Yet when I point this out to you, you refuse even to acknowledge your error, never mind retract and/or apologise, resorting instead to sarcasm and deflection.
You know, you can get all the "Thanks" you like from your new chum Ardee Bhoy (as if that is any testimonial!), but your lack of integrity remains on the record for all to see.

Pathetic.

[EalingGreen]

I'll be sad to see this thread go.

The standards obviously took a massive nosedive when one of the mods changed the name (who was it!? ).

I'll no doubt have the opportunity to rejoice when it is resurrected in future though.

Don't worry, Predator. The Mods can keep it in abeyance until the next poor sap thinks: "Wouldn't it be grand if we all got together in one team - sure we'd bate the whole world and all..."

And so ad infinitum, adding 50 pages here, 50 pages there, until the only people left to contribute are Ardee Oul Bhoy, DanTheOulMan, and maybe even the World's Longest-Living Fly, as they mutually congratulate themselves on their cleverness and debating skills.

Meanwhile, if we are spared, GR, NB and myself and others will just get on with watching our team, with an open invitation to yourself, Gspain, Osarusan and all the rest to come and join us, any time you feel like it.

[ArdeeBhoy]

You know, you can get all the "Thanks" you like from your new chum Ardee Bhoy (as if that is any testimonial!), but your lack of integrity remains on the record for all to see.

You feeling left out EG?

To be fair you were talking relative sense elsewhere, until you reverted to a past self, in a thread you said you weren't even going to contribute to!!


And as you see, one of

your 'countrymen', inevitably took up the baton....