Eligibility Rules, Okay

**Deckydee** · 13/07/2013, 9:32 AM

Just found this on the web.......

Jim Magilton has been appointed as the elite performance director of the Irish FA on a four year contract, overseeing the organisations’ coaching prgrammes and attempting to arrest the defection of Northern Ireland’s young players to the Republic.

Magilton said: “Eligibility is massive, I think that once we have a structure in place and are working closely with young players and have time with them, it naturally helps to build relationships and with people. I will get to know the boys, get to know the parents and if they decide to switch there isn’t a lot we can do about that. But as long as we can look them in the eye and say we have done everything we can for them then that’s all we can do. This role is important and it’s been a long time coming.”

**DannyInvincible** · 01/08/2013, 4:18 PM

Patrick McEleney claims he requires a British passport in order to finalise his clearance to play for the IFA (see around 1:30 of the video here): http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk...test-1-5344505

"Disaster!"

Is whoever informed him that such is a requirement correct though? Does he imply that Michael O'Neill told him that?

I understood IFA players were not required to possess British passports. In fact, I know certain players have played for IFA under-age teams in competitive fixtures and have been selected for the senior squad whilst being in possession of just an Irish passport.

**Sullivinho** · 01/08/2013, 8:22 PM

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

"Disaster!"

I wonder which weighs heavier on him; his passport predicament or that monstrosity on his wrist?

Not sure I get his sense of surprise tbh. If I were throwing my lot in with a UK-associated team, it'd probably occur to me that a British passport might be a requirement, whether that ultimately turned out to be the case or not.

Fail to prepare and all that.

**geysir** · 01/08/2013, 11:41 PM

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Patrick McEleney claims he requires a British passport in order to finalise his clearance to play for the IFA (see around 1:30 of the video here): http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk...test-1-5344505

"Disaster!"

Is whoever informed him that such is a requirement correct though? Does he imply that Michael O'Neill told him that?

I understood IFA players were not required to possess British passports. In fact, I know certain players have played for IFA under-age teams in competitive fixtures and have been selected for the senior squad whilst being in possession of just an Irish passport.

It is deemed okay by FIFA that IFA players can produce either an Irish or British passport to the match officials.
It is worth noting the obvious that there is no Northern Irish nationality. In any case, a British passport does not even indicate with a remote degree of certainty that a player is eligible to play for Northern Ireland. FIFA has to trust that each of the 4 UK federations follow the eligibility criteria outlined in article 6.
Time for the sdlp/sf politician to throw a hissy fit and demand O'Neill commits harakiri.
At least he should get the moron of the year award. But he has proved beyond doubt that he is a fit and able person to manage the IFA team.

**Charlie Darwin** · 02/08/2013, 11:15 AM

They must be delighted over at AWC that they've managed to recruit a player who considers it a disaster to have to get a British passport. Hands off our boys, etc.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 02/08/2013, 1:14 PM

Originally Posted by Sullivinho

Not sure I get his sense of surprise tbh. If I were throwing my lot in with a UK-associated team, it'd probably occur to me that a British passport might be a requirement, whether that ultimately turned out to be the case or not.

Fail to prepare and all that.

Ha ha.

**co. down green** · 11/08/2013, 11:33 AM

Promising Liverpool right winger Ryan McLaughlin has said he no longer wants to be considered for selection to the IFA team.

Keep up the good work Jim Magilton

**DannyInvincible** · 11/08/2013, 12:49 PM

Any indication he aspires to play for us eventually?

**Olé Olé** · 11/08/2013, 1:16 PM

So, this is the second instance of a player making themselves unavailable for selection by the IFA in recent weeks (following on from Donnelly). Surely these withdrawals are more motivated by a desire to play for Ireland, rather than a lack of desire to play international football at all?

**DannyInvincible** · 11/08/2013, 1:19 PM

Donnelly appears to have made himself available once again: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23618659

**Sullivinho** · 11/08/2013, 1:34 PM

Liverpool's Ryan McLaughlin puts club before Northern Ireland

Darron Gibson and James McClean are among a number of Northern Ireland-born players who have switched allegiance to the Republic of Ireland in recent years but McLaughlin has told O'Neill that he will not be following that path. "The player has assured me that is not in his thinking or an issue," added the Northern Ireland manager. "I would not be surprised if he has been targeted in some way by the Republic of Ireland but when a player sits down and tells me face-to-face that it isn't an eligibility issue, I have to believe him."

**Lionel Ritchie** · 13/08/2013, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by Sullivinho

Liverpool's Ryan McLaughlin puts club before Northern Ireland

Very much doubt this lad will be switching to us. According to the OWC boys he's an NI supporter and has pics on his twitter of trips to WP.

**Predator** · 13/08/2013, 2:34 PM

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

Very much doubt this lad will be switching to us. According to the OWC boys he's an NI supporter and has pics on his twitter of trips to WP.

His brother is a senior NI international, and youth teams have regularly been brought to Windsor Park during international weeks. He was cheering loudly on Twitter for Ireland during the Euros. Perhaps he supports both teams.

Also, let's not forget that the OWC lads are not exactly the most reliable when it comes to facts.

**Charlie Darwin** · 13/08/2013, 2:49 PM

He's changed his twitter description from "play football for Liverpool and Northern Ireland" to "player for Liverpool"

edit: Tardelli has said it is 'possible' he could switch but I don't know whether to read anything into that

http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/...nal-switch-for

**DannyInvincible** · 13/08/2013, 3:01 PM

There's no indication that either McLaughlin has been in touch with the FAI or the FAI have been in touch with McLaughlin, so I wouldn't read a huge deal into that. Tardelli was most likely asked about McLaughlin at a press conference and answered with a stock response in the sense of anything being possible if a player wishes to play for us. Would he even know who McLaughlin is specifically? I doubt it. Tardelli's certainly not suggesting that the process to complete a switch is underway, or that it is even being pondered by either party.

**AlaskaFox** · 15/08/2013, 9:56 AM

Nice balanced piece about McLaughlin's international future:

http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/...l?ICID=HP_PN_7

**Fixer82** · 15/08/2013, 4:14 PM

Well done to NI for a great victory on Wednesday!

**ArdeeBhoy** · 17/08/2013, 12:08 AM

Aye, the rumours are 'the Mafia' were involved.

**DannyInvincible** · 17/08/2013, 5:59 PM

Possible match-fixing? Where'd you hear wind of this?

**Gather round** · 17/08/2013, 7:24 PM

Aye, sounds plausible. The plan involved kidnapping Alexander Kerzhakov and replacing him in the team with one of the UDA Egyptian Shoukhri brothers. False Kerzha embellished his cover by claiming never to have heard of Northern Ireland, and was immediately offered a pundit job on u.tv. Two-meter Petersburg Dzyuba looks (and plays) like a hungover brickie and all.

The same scam applied last time the Russians were in Dublin, unfortunately they only remembered to stop playing at half time.

Alternatively Ardee Troll just blew the story out of his arse. But then you knew that