Eligibility Rules, Okay

[geysir]

I dont see how he can as his Irish nationailty does not entitle him to play for NI as has been confirmed here however I will not dictate to other people their nationality

Because an Irish national choses to play for NI doesn't mean he choses to be identified as a British national at any time in his life and not even when he lines out for NI.

[geysir]

Having a selection policy primarily focused on the development of players who ultimately aspire to playing senior international football for the IFA is rational and fair.

I wasn't referring to the rationality or fairness of the idea, I was referring to the idea in the hands of the IFA and considering their recent farcical approach over their recent decision to shy away from changing the anthem.
I suspect with some, the spirit of the Ulster covenant would be revived.

[Not Brazil]

Because an Irish national choses to play for NI doesn't mean he choses to be identified as a British national at any time in his life and not even when he lines out for NI.

Quite an irony that it is his British Citizenship, and British Citizenship alone, that entitles said Irish Nationals to play for Northern Ireland.

[geysir]

Quite an irony that it is his British Citizenship, and British Citizenship alone, that entitles said Irish Nationals to play for Northern Ireland.

That would be quite an irony if the British citizenship held any meaning, maybe the real irony is that the player can produce his Irish passport to the match official, to prove he is qualified to play for a British team.

[Not Brazil]

That would be quite an irony if the British citizenship held any meaning

It's meaning is that it means he can play for Northern Ireland - quite a meaning, in context, don't you think?

A Republic Of Ireland Passport does not in itself confirm as players eligibility to play for Northern Ireland.

A player can travel on whatever Passport he likes - akin to one of your UK born players traveling on as British Passport.

[geysir]

That's a mere .... 'technicality', the FIFA match official accepts an Irish passport as sole sufficient proof of identity and eligibility. There is absolutely no other check done by FIFA. There is no other demand by FIFA on the player. There's no need for the player to be aware in the slightest that he's a british citizen, just an Irish national lining out for an obviously British team.

[Charlie Darwin]

Do match officials have the authority to request proof of eligibility? An Irish passport is sufficient for identity but to establish proof of eligibility you would at least need to demonstrate an entitlement to British citizenship.

[Not Brazil]

Do match officials have the authority to request proof of eligibility? An Irish passport is sufficient for identity but to establish proof of eligibility you would at least need to demonstrate an entitlement to British citizenship.

geysir is, not for the first time, confused on the issue.

A Republic Of Ireland Passport does not confirm eligibility to play for Northern Ireland - a Republic of Ireland Passport confirms that you are a Citizen of the Republic Of Ireland. In order to play for Northern Ireland it is a prerequisite that you are a British Citizen.

Whilst a player does not have to hold a British Passport, and can travel on a Republic Of Ireland Passport, the IFA must prove that the player is eligible (ie. a British Citizen) by other means - a birth certificate, for example, would suffice.

[geysir]

Do match officials have the authority to request proof of eligibility? An Irish passport is sufficient for identity but to establish proof of eligibility you would at least need to demonstrate an entitlement to British citizenship.

FIFA "require players to hold the passport of the national association they are seeking to represent in order to allow the match commissioner to verify their eligibility"
So the match official require players to present their passports for inspection to show that at least the player is in the ballpark of eligibility. The passport details are certainly recorded.
A UK passport does not mean a player is eligible for NI, just as an Irish passport does not mean a player is eligible for NI.

[geysir]

geysir is, not for the first time, confused on the issue.

A Republic Of Ireland Passport does not confirm eligibility to play for Northern Ireland - a Republic of Ireland Passport confirms that you are a Citizen of the Republic Of Ireland. In order to play for Northern Ireland it is a prerequisite that you are a British Citizen.

Whilst a player does not have to hold a British Passport, and can travel on a Republic Of Ireland Passport, the IFA must prove that the player is eligible (ie. a British Citizen) by other means - a birth certificate, for example, would suffice.

Not in the least confused.
Where on earth did you got the birth cert idea from?
The IFA do not have to present any proof of a players eligibility. Only the player has to present his passport for the match official to inspect.

[Not Brazil]

Not in the least confused.

Oh, I think you are.

"It is true that the IFA, as permitted by FIFA, allow players who possess just an Irish passport to represent them, but when these players represent Northern Ireland, they are officially doing so in light of their right to British nationality. In this instance, their passport fulfils such purposes as identification and travel, but it does not necessarily prove possession of the only nationality under which one can qualify to play for Northern Ireland; that being British nationality. Officially, Northern Ireland, as a British entity, represents only the British nationality on the international stage. The eligibility of Northern Ireland players to play for the IFA who possess solely an Irish passport must still otherwise be ascertained and certified for FIFA by the IFA. Irish nationality does not qualify a player to play for the IFA’s teams for the simple reason that Irish nationality is administered by the law of Ireland; it is not a nationality governed or provided by the law of the United Kingdom, or Northern Ireland"

Source:

FIFA Player Eligibility in the Context of Ireland: The Actual Rules, the Real Facts and Dispelling the Prevailing Myths. Daniel Collins.

[geysir]

FIFA leave it to the individual associations to ascertain and certify a player's eligibility, i.e a player who is born on their territory.
The IFA do not have to present birth certs of the players who only hold an Irish passport.

And even if the player did have to present a birth cert to the IFA to prove that he was born in NI, does not endow that player with an iota of a sense of British identity.

[Not Brazil]

And even if the player did have present a birth cert to the IFA to prove that he was born in NI, does not endow that player with an iota of a sense of British identity.

It confirms his British Citizenship - essential to play for Northern Ireland.

No British Citizenship = not eligible to play for Northern Ireland.

[geysir]

It confirms his British Citizenship - essential to play for Northern Ireland.

No British Citizenship = not eligible to play for Northern Ireland.

And where on earth did I claim anything to the contrary?
The British citizenship means diddly squat, if a player wants it to mean diddly squat.
"There's no need for the player to be aware in the slightest that he's a british citizen, just an Irish national lining out for an obviously British team."

[Newryrep]

That's a mere .... 'technicality', the FIFA match official accepts an Irish passport as sole sufficient proof of identity and eligibility. There is absolutely no other check done by FIFA. There is no other demand by FIFA on the player. There's no need for the player to be aware in the slightest that he's a british citizen, just an Irish national lining out for an obviously British team.

''I did not have sexual relations with that woman''

[Closed Account]

But according the GFA..............

(Backs slowly out of thread)

[geysir]

''I did not have sexual relations with that woman''

Have you debritted yourself yet, Newryrep?

[Not Brazil]

And where on earth did I claim anything to the contrary?
The British citizenship means diddly squat, if a player wants it to mean diddly squat.
"There's no need for the player to be aware in the slightest that he's a british citizen, just an Irish national lining out for an obviously British team."

By playing for Northern Ireland, a player is confirming/exercising his British Citizenship.

That he additionally holds Citizenship of the Republic Of Ireland is neither here nor there in the context of eligibility for Northern Ireland, and playing for Northern Ireland.

[Olé Olé]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...?newsfeed=true

Rory Donnelly, Daniel Lafferty and Shane Ferguson are included in the latest NI squad by Michael O'Neill.

[geysir]

By playing for Northern Ireland, a player is confirming/exercising his British Citizenship.

That he additionally holds Citizenship of the Republic Of Ireland is neither here nor there in the context of eligibility for Northern Ireland, and playing for Northern Ireland.

Jesus wept.

Looks like I was spot on about that Ulster covenant thing