QuoteI'll keep track of proceedings on there later. For now, I have to go to the shop for some popcorn and Coke in preparation.
Can't wait til DI or Predator gives us the OWC lowdown later.
I'll keep track of proceedings on there later. For now, I have to go to the shop for some popcorn and Coke in preparation.
Best swing by the pharmacy too, be prepared to dull the pain.
Ou-est le Centre George Pompidou?
After all the time and expense we spent in developing him as a player.... Oh, wait, sorry...
Comical stuff from Worthington on the radio this evening playing down the whole eligibility issue, brilliant entertainmentOriginally Posted by eitoof
After all the time and expense we spent in developing him as a player.... Oh, wait, sorry...
The OWC position is getting more absurd by the day.
Really important question here
Is Alex Bruce a Protestant or a Catholic?
If he is Protestant, why are the IFA making NI a Protestant team??
If he is Catholic, why are the IFA making ROI a Protestant team??
IFA = Irish Football Apartheid.
I see the IFA's PR department is hard at it, but still failing miserably on the self-awareness front.
What happened to the talk of "floodgates" having opened and an "exodus"?
Nigel Worthington 25th May 2001
"born in that country, you play for that country"
So that's Alex Bruce, Johnny Gorman & Ryan Brobbel who have been 'poached' from us now.
A strongly worded letter to FIFA and the CAS is required urgently
There does seem to be strange forces at work.
The RTE version of the story is very mixed up - Bruce never played for the N.Iron U-21s, did he? My understanding was that he was called up but declined the invitation in favour of the RoI.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/0614/brucea.html"Bruce played twice for the Northern Irish Under-21s before opting to play for the Republic and appeared against Ecuador and Poland in friendly games."
"There's man all over for you, blaming on his boots the fault of his feet" - Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot
Never played, no. I think they offered him a call-up, but he declined.
Who receives a beggar's hand-me-downs? Does a specific term exist to describe the recipient in such an exchange or will 'IFA' suffice?
He was capped twice for our senior team; not the NI under-21s, as far as I know.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/0130/bruce.html
It says he was selected for the clash for Israel, but I assume that's referring to the squad and not the starting line-up.Birmingham defender Alex Bruce has opted to make himself declare for the Republic, despite being selected in the Northern Ireland under-21 side.
Manchester-born Bruce qualifies to play for both countries through his grandparents.
Bruce, son of manager Steve, was last week selected by Northern Ireland for an under-21 clash with Israel, however, he looks set to turn them down in the hope of working his way into Steve Staunton's Ireland set-up.
Considering that he played 2 games for us at senior level does this mean that he is not eligible for them as he was over 21 regardless of whether they were friendlies or not?
I have a head only Snow White would love
Having a look around Google, I see original mention of him being selected in the NI under-21 squad for a game against Israel has perpetuated itself through blogs and various hand-me-down news sites in the form of him having actually played, but I see no record of him on the IFA's site or anything.
In fact, here's the line-up from that Israel game:
McGovern, Ward, McArdle, McChrystal, Friars, Gilfillan, Clingan, Clarke, Scullion, Smylie, Stewart subs McVey, Callaghan, Hughes.
FIFA removed the age cap of 21 a few years ago. See details here: http://fourfourtwo.com/news/restofth...5/default.aspx
But was that only for if they hadn't played a senior game? I thought a few on here were saying that once McCarthy turned 21 that he'd be eligible regardless of whether he played a competitive or not.
Last edited by greendeiseboy; 14/06/2011 at 6:36 PM.
I have a head only Snow White would love
If I come across any gems I'll be sure to share.
Just on the IFA PR machine - I noticed a referral by Worthington to "The North of Ireland" when he was standing outside St. Columb's College in Derry in that BBC interview. He's obviously trying to dissuade any future Gibsons from making the switch by visiting his alma mater.
End Apartheid Now! One Team in Ireland!
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