FFS! I meant switching from one international football team to another - but you knew that, didn't you...
Indeed, and since the "Maik Taylor loophole" was closed, every single one of them has had at least one parent or grandparent who was born within the territory of the IFA.
I have seen no evidence that George has a parent/g'parent who was born within the territory of the FAI.
I see. You don't like or agree with someones opinion and it is inconvenient for your own argument, so it's not "worth" anything, then?
Does that mean I am not allowed an opinion on this topic, either? Or is "freedom of choice" (NI-born Celtic footballers) somehow different from "freedom of opinion" (NI-born ex-Celtic footballers)?
Nowhere have I argued that George must follow Rogan's example. Rather, I pointed to Rogan to rebut the argument which is gaining currency that it is in some way "natural" for NI-born youngsters from a Nationalist background to play for ROI.
In every other part of the world, the natural choice is to represent the country of ones birth, unless choosing to represent some other country. Fair enough, George is permitted by FIFA to make such a choice, even though the basis for that choice has no parallel anywhere else in world football, so it must be accepted.
Nonetheless when someone like him claims that it feels "natural", that claim is unsustainable (imo). Rather, I would argue that he is making a conscious choice, on essentially politically motivated grounds, which I feel to be contrary to the spirit of sport, since politics should be excluded wherever possible.
Moreover, it is unhelpful in practice to the overall situation in NI, where we should be trying to bring people together, not segregating them (imo).
No-one should be denied the right to play international football if good enough, but in George's case, the IFA is according him that opportunity.
I just believe that everyone should have the right to play on the same basis, namely, if not born within the territory of the international Association one wishes to represent, one should be able to point to a parent or grandparent who was (or at least have resided within that territory for a qualifying period).
NI is the only part of the world where that principle does not apply, the FAI is the only Association which may exploit this exception and the IFA is the only Association which suffers by it.
It is you who is introducing such arguments (bold) to this thread not I, so it is your Straw Man, not mine.
Preventing someone from playing for one team is not the same as forcing them to play for another. The IFA attempted to do the former, in protection of its own interests, as every other Association will do when it feels its interests are being unfairly infringed.
And in any case, the latter is impossible - or haven't you heard eg of Stephen Ireland?
(Btw, you refer to "Irish fans". I would remind you that I am every bit as Irish as you, seeing as how I was born in Ireland - a fortuitous matter of "nature", rather than choice. Moreover, having grandparents from Tipperary and Leitrim, I should be in principle more entitled to represent the ROI than George, or maybe even you...)
I accept that FIFA accords George et al that choice, just as I accept eg that it rains a lot in Ireland. That doesn't mean I have to like it, or wouldn't change it, had I some way of doing so.
P.S. I like your closing line; when someone from "your" side (eg Rogan) argues something inconvenient, it must be worthless and when someone from "your" side (eg Aidinho) argues something highly embarrassing, they mustn't really be from "your" side at all. You know, such debating tactics really don't do your credibility any good...
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