Eligibility Rules, Okay

[Joxerbrowne]

Fact is there has been one player from a RC background that would have improved our team in the last 15 years who declared for The North and that is Bradley, everyone else would of struggled to make a squad never mind get mins, so I will believe it when I see it that all these players from a RC background are good enough for us but playing for the North.

Thing is only way it's going to happen is if Michael O'Neill keeps capping young lads at 17 or 18 who haven't even made senior debuts in pro football. Next up is Coran Madden, he has scored a goal already for Cliftonville at 15 and expected to sign for Man City or Arsenal, I reckon O'Neill will have him in a NI squad in the next year or two.

[Eirambler]

What flag do you suggest?

One that fairly and agreeably represents all communities in the north.

So let me ask you this simple question. Were the IFA to change both flag and anthem, would you still be happy at the existence of the NI team, passing no remarks on anyone in NI who chose to play for or support the team, in preference to ROI?

If the team, flag, anthem etc were genuinely inclusive to all communities and the nationalist population in the north were fully behind it, then why should I have an alternative view? That's not even remotely close to the current situation though, as we all know.

Indeed, were eg NI subsequently to qualify for a tournament finals while ROI didn't, would you then support the NI team, on the basis that they, too, are your fellow Irishmen/women?

The team in question would represent the north, and I'm not from the north. I'm an Ireland supporter, not a supporter of any other representative team. So that's a straightforward no. But in this mythical alternative universe you have created where elements of the team, flag, anthem, association etc are fully inclusive of all communities, I would wish them well. Again the reality is far from that of course, no matter how much you might try to suggest otherwise.

[third policeman]

What flag do you suggest? Indeed, were eg NI subsequently to qualify for a tournament finals while ROI didn't, would you then support the NI team, on the basis that they, too, are your fellow Irishmen/women?

Of course and did in 82 and 86 as did the overwhelming majority of ROI fans and the wider population in the Republic. As a matter of interest what percentage of the NI fan base or the Unionist population in NI supported the ROI in competitions when NI didn't quality. A much smaller percentage, I'd wager. I wonder what that tells us.