Celtic Cup thread

**ArdeeBhoy** · 18/05/2011, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Is there any reason why Kyle Lafferty was excluded?

He now has an aversion to the colour green??

**ArdeeBhoy** · 18/05/2011, 12:51 AM

Who to blame? The following all to blame on some parts:

1. The FAI - for nicking them and as usual begging all you can get until they end up with a team not reflective in any way of their culture and society of their 26 county Republic. In the last 20 years how many times have they fielded an all ROI born and bred 11?? Not many.
2. FIFA - Rules allowing these players to defect for reasons of nationality, yet with no family links to the ROI, never have lived there etc.
3. The NI manager - not going to meet the players at their clubs to explain the set up here, highlight the advantages of the NI team, their team
4. Peer pressure - maybe their mates are sectarian and will try and convince them to defect
5. The IFA - not doing enough to keep the players, not lobbying FIFA/UEFA, refusing to pull out of Nations Cup, not organising things well, no glamour friendlies, bad PR, still talking to the FAI etc...
6. The Players themselves - maybe they dont want to play for us anyway, but in that case they should defect aged 12, not aged 17 - 21.

Laughable really, especially 4.

And clearly in denial of all the FIFA edicts/CAS ruling. Not to mention factually wrong. And without a wider appreciation of Irish society and culture.
Or the hypocrisy of their own squads not being 'home-born' etc.

If they're really that annoyed, maybe they should just disband or something.

I wonder how typical a view this is though? I suspect it's not uncommon.

DELANEY HANDS OFF NI PLAYERS

HENRY'S HAND SLAPPED YOU FOR STEALING OUR PLAYERS

ROI CEASE AGGRESSION ON NI FOOTBALL

F@*K OFF DELANEY AGGRESSOR

IFA GROW A SET OF BALLS

DELANEY TAKES POTSHOTS AT NI SHARED FOOTBALL FOR ALL

GIVE ROI SECTARIAN RECRUITMENT STRATEGY THE RED CARD

Comic-book stuff. Maybe somebody could do a cartoon strip.....

And the thought of Delaney being aggressive in any shape or form, except when it comes to his own salary negotiations.

Otherwise, doubt he could even punch through the proverbial wet paper bag!

**Charlie Darwin** · 18/05/2011, 1:12 AM

I wonder if IFA teams fans dislike John Delaney more than FAI team fans.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 18/05/2011, 1:19 AM

I suspect if recent posts are anything to go by they dislike the IFA far more than John Delaney....

**Not Brazil** · 18/05/2011, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Who was the keeper who played against Scotland? He was a disaster.

Tuffey - he'd a shocker.

**awec** · 18/05/2011, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I wonder if IFA teams fans dislike John Delaney more than FAI team fans.

Don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility.

**cornflakes** · 18/05/2011, 10:52 AM

Delaney's hated both sides of the border than?

**ArdeeBhoy** · 18/05/2011, 12:12 PM

'Hated' seems a bit strong. 'Very annoying' at worst, but having met the man twice, he's a very slick operator, a consummate politician. In some ways wasted at the FAI.

**Charlie Darwin** · 18/05/2011, 12:19 PM

I think people forget that his main job at the FAI is to increase revenues, which he has done fairly spectacularly during his tenure. The ticket-pricing fiasco has been a blip but one that other more highly-thought-of associations have also been caught out by.

**Stuttgart88** · 18/05/2011, 12:25 PM

Delaney was hardly the only person in Ireland not to see the recession coming.

The FAI was advised by an offshoot of IMG wrt stadium related fundraising and advance ticket sales.

**tetsujin1979** · 18/05/2011, 12:59 PM

I've been thinking for a little while that, at some point in the future, Delaney could very well run for president of FIFA

**ArdeeBhoy** · 18/05/2011, 1:04 PM

Well, he wouldn't be any worse than Blatter.

But he must be at least 20 years too young for that post.

**DannyInvincible** · 20/05/2011, 7:37 PM

Article in the Newletter about the boycott: http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/loc...atch_1_2699760

A grand total of 210 fans will be in the NI section on Tuesday night, while the IFA have sold only 38 tickets for their game against Wales.

The Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters’ Clubs (AONISC) criticised the move and said it would not be offering its services for the matches.

However, last night fans’ spokesman Gary McAllister said as well as fury over the travel arrangements, many supporters were taking a stand over the ongoing player eligibility dispute.

...

Last year the IFA failed to overturn a ruling that a Northern Ireland-born player holding an Irish passport is eligible to represent the Republic.

Commenting on the boycott, Mr McAllister said: “We are pleased that the vast majority of block-bookers have stood together. Given that there are around 11,000 block-bookers this is a huge rejection of these games by the regular Northern Ireland fanbase and I think it is very significant.”

“We highlighted the issue over the travel arrangements, with which we were unhappy, but there is a significant number of Northern Ireland fans who have taken a personal decision not to attend because of the player eligibility issue.”

He added: “Given that it would appear there will be further defections by players who have been capped at underage level by Northern Ireland, what we now need to do is focus on the matter as it is the biggest issue facing Northern Ireland football today.”

FA spokesman Geoff Wilson said the football authority was “disappointed” with the small number of travelling fans.

“We thought we would have had several thousand going to the game and obviously that has not materialised,” he said.

Asked if the ticketing policy had a detrimental effect on numbers, Mr Wilson said: “The ticketing policy had an effect but I do think the main reason why people are boycotting [the game] is over the player eligibility issue.

“People understand the reason why we implemented the strict ticketing policy was because of the interests and security of our fans. However, the fans that are speaking to us and writing on the forums are stating the player eligibility issue (as their main reason for not attending).”

The effort to attempt to manipulate the reasoning behind the boycott appears to be paying off somewhat with both the AoNISC and IFA spokesmen trying to tie supporter unrest over player eligibility into the matter. In saying that, it would be in the interests of the IFA to divert attention away from their travelling and security arrangements.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 20/05/2011, 7:53 PM

Which contradicts the 6k figure in the other thread. It seems a rather convenient 'excuse'.

Despite what others have said, don't see what there is to stop individuals or very small groups travelling when and how they want and taking up home tickets, though they may well give themselves away by a variety of reasons....

**awec** · 20/05/2011, 8:35 PM

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Article in the Newletter about the boycott: http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/loc...atch_1_2699760

A grand total of 210 fans will be in the NI section on Tuesday night, while the IFA have sold only 38 tickets for their game against Wales.

The effort to attempt to manipulate the reasoning behind the boycott appears to be paying off somewhat with both the AoNISC and IFA spokesmen trying to tie supporter unrest over player eligibility into the matter. In saying that, it would be in the interests of the IFA to divert attention away from their travelling and security arrangements.

I doubt the AoNISC's position was changed by an internet forum, for what it's worth. Nor would it be changed or influenced by the IFA.

As far as I am aware the AONISC position has not changed.

**SolitudeRed** · 20/05/2011, 9:50 PM

Was a story on the back of the Belfast Telegraph today claiming that a Shankill Road based NI supporters club is wanting to take the IFA to court for infringement of there Human Rights! I don't really understand that one at all it will be costly and could end up harming the IFA. Also there was talk of a boycott of the next home game at Windsor against Norway IIRC.

**awec** · 21/05/2011, 12:44 AM

Originally Posted by SolitudeRed

Was a story on the back of the Belfast Telegraph today claiming that a Shankill Road based NI supporters club is wanting to take the IFA to court for infringement of there Human Rights! I don't really understand that one at all it will be costly and could end up harming the IFA. Also there was talk of a boycott of the next home game at Windsor against Norway IIRC.

What club?

**geysir** · 21/05/2011, 9:21 AM

These days, every time the Belfast Tele opens its mouth, yet another quote climbs into the top 100 list, in the 'you could not make it up' catagory. This one takes the biscuit for irony.

The BT reports a statement from The First Shankill Northern Ireland Supporters Club -

“We have several issues with the IFA. They relate to freedom of travel, freedom of association and freedom of choice."

**French Toasht** · 21/05/2011, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by awec

What club?

Not sure of the club but Winston "Winkie" Rea is the spokesman for the campaign. The former Red Hand Commmando and son in law of UVF leader Gusty Spence. He's claiming a breach of human rights. You really couldn't make this stuff up.

**co. down green** · 21/05/2011, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by SolitudeRed

Was a story on the back of the Belfast Telegraph today claiming that a Shankill Road based NI supporters club is wanting to take the IFA to court for infringement of there Human Rights! I don't really understand that one at all it will be costly and could end up harming the IFA. Also there was talk of a boycott of the next home game at Windsor against Norway IIRC.

It does seem strange that someone convicted of the murder of two Catholics and who is a senior loyalist paramilitary, is the sort of guy ni supporters would be keen to have as their spokesman.

Maybe 'Winkie' will be offered a position within the IFA's Community Relations Dept.