Player eligibility row

**Charlie Darwin** · 27/04/2010, 3:17 PM

FIFA still has to approve his switch of allegiance. Making sure he is eligible and that he hasn't done anything to make himself ineligible, I guess.

**The Fly** · 05/05/2010, 12:52 PM

DERRY CITY duo, Patrick McEleney and Thomas McBride have been named in the Republic of Ireland Under-18 squad for next week's double header friendlies away to Macedonia.

The talented pairing will be hoping to make a significant impression during the friendlies, to be played on Tuesday, May 11th and Thursday, May 13th in the Ohrid City Stadium.

Thomas McBride had recently been included in the NI under-18 Schools side that played against our ROI equivalent, at Tullamore on March 17.

http://www.derryjournal.com/derry/De...-to.6269321.jp

**tetsujin1979** · 05/05/2010, 1:07 PM

Just because he played for the schools side doesn't mean his allegiance was to the North, you play for the country where you go to school. McGeady has schoolboy caps for Scotland, Ryan Giggs played schoolboy football for England.

**Predator** · 05/05/2010, 2:36 PM

Originally Posted by The Fly

DERRY CITY duo, Patrick McEleney and Thomas McBride have been named in the Republic of Ireland Under-18 squad for next week's double header friendlies away to Macedonia.

The talented pairing will be hoping to make a significant impression during the friendlies, to be played on Tuesday, May 11th and Thursday, May 13th in the Ohrid City Stadium.

Thomas McBride had recently been included in the NI under-18 Schools side that played against our ROI equivalent, at Tullamore on March 17.

http://www.derryjournal.com/derry/De...-to.6269321.jp

McBride had been included in our U19 squad prior to the schoolboy friendlies I believe.
Patrick McEleney should be staking a strong claim for a place in the squad. He's been having a good season with Derry so far.

**seanfhear** · 05/05/2010, 4:11 PM

Originally Posted by The Fly

DERRY CITY duo, Patrick McEleney and Thomas McBride have been named in the Republic of Ireland Under-18 squad for next week's double header friendlies away to Macedonia.

The talented pairing will be hoping to make a significant impression during the friendlies, to be played on Tuesday, May 11th and Thursday, May 13th in the Ohrid City Stadium.

Thomas McBride had recently been included in the NI under-18 Schools side that played against our ROI equivalent, at Tullamore on March 17.

http://www.derryjournal.com/derry/De...-to.6269321.jp

Welcome aboard lads. Hope you have a great time playing for Ireland and get to grace the new Lansdowne Road on great occasions.

**bwagner** · 06/05/2010, 11:59 PM

Liam Boyce from Cliftonville has been playing very well this year. Barca are suppose to be interested.
Played for the North U19s
I think we should take him and any nationlist player that wants to play for us.
They are more Irish the most Southerns.

**Charlie Darwin** · 07/05/2010, 12:03 AM

Is he aware that he's a nationalist and wants to play for us or have you decided on his behalf?

**bwagner** · 07/05/2010, 5:11 AM

Die Darvin

**Predator** · 07/05/2010, 3:30 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Is he aware that he's a nationalist and wants to play for us or have you decided on his behalf?

Nothing official, but I've heard from a few accounts that he could switch. I've also heard that Conor Devlin, Man United's U18 and sometimes reserve 'keeper may be declaring. Again, it's still just speculation at this point.

**SkStu** · 07/05/2010, 5:02 PM

so, what did we decide?

No?

**TrapAPony** · 07/05/2010, 5:58 PM

Barcelona looking at Liam Boyce?..so say the Belfast Telegraph

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sp...08#postcomment

Here's a goal of the month he scored : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLRA_Kka2uQ

**outspoken** · 07/05/2010, 6:31 PM

If they want to play for the ROI then I have no problem and im sure the rest of you dont.

**SkStu** · 07/05/2010, 6:38 PM

Originally Posted by Kieran Burke

If they want to play for the ROI then I have no problem and im sure the rest of you dont.

Kieran Burke, meet Ealing Green. Ealing Green, this is Kieran Burke.

**Paddy Garcia** · 07/05/2010, 9:21 PM

Originally Posted by The Fly

DERRY CITY duo, Patrick McEleney and Thomas McBride have been named in the Republic of Ireland Under-18 squad for next week's double header friendlies away to Macedonia.

The talented pairing will be hoping to make a significant impression during the friendlies, to be played on Tuesday, May 11th and Thursday, May 13th in the Ohrid City Stadium.

Thomas McBride had recently been included in the NI under-18 Schools side that played against our ROI equivalent, at Tullamore on March 17.

http://www.derryjournal.com/derry/De...-to.6269321.jp

Both withdraw from squad.

**Predator** · 07/05/2010, 9:57 PM

Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia

Both withdraw from squad.

Doubt it's anything other than club responsibilities or something like that. Robbie Benson (Athlone), Eoghan Osbourne (Drogheda) and Ryan Connolly (Derby) have also been withdrawn.
http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=c...r-18&Itemid=15

**Charlie Darwin** · 07/05/2010, 11:23 PM

Originally Posted by TrapAPony

Barcelona looking at Liam Boyce?..so say the Belfast Telegraph

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sp...08#postcomment

Here's a goal of the month he scored : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLRA_Kka2uQ

We'll take him.

**outspoken** · 08/05/2010, 7:23 PM

Originally Posted by SkStu

Kieran Burke, meet Ealing Green. Ealing Green, this is Kieran Burke.

what are you on about mate?

**DannyInvincible** · 08/05/2010, 9:01 PM

Originally Posted by Kieran Burke

what are you on about mate?

Some posters here take issue with northern-born players playing for us. Ealing Green happens to be one of the most vocal of them. Which is fair enough and a bit of debate is welcome. He's entitled to voice his opinions here and we're more than happy to correct them for him. :P

Those who object are, by and large, exclusively Northern Ireland fans though. I don't think there are too many otherwise on here who seriously object, if any, bar maybe the guy who started the topic.

**Irish_Praha** · 08/05/2010, 9:35 PM

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Some posters here take issue with northern-born players playing for us. Ealing Green happens to be one of the most vocal of them. Which is fair enough and a bit of debate is welcome. He's entitled to voice his opinions here and we're more than happy to correct them for him. :P

Those who object are, by and large, exclusively Northern Ireland fans though. I don't think there are too many otherwise on here who seriously object, if any, bar maybe the guy who started the topic.

Well explained Danny!

**Irish_Praha** · 09/05/2010, 1:59 PM

I've just been thinking, between the players mentioned in this and a few others threads there about 10 players at underage that have or are considering switching to us mostly from N.I. and a few from Scotland or England. I can understand to a certain extent that their FAs are annoyed but the odds are that only 1 or 2 of them will end up being decent at international level and the majority will end up playing in the lower leagues in England or for a non-Old Firm team in the SPL. They might all have potential but as soon as they get some games at a higher level it will become obvious that most of them are not up to international standard. Also, if they were happy playing for N.I. then they would stay there; if I was a N.I. fan I would rather not have a player playing for my national team if his heart lay somewhere else. Anyway, at the moment the only one that looks like he will be top class in McCarthy; he's not from NI and was with us from the start of his international careere. Time will tell I suppose.