Eligibility Rules, Okay

Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke

What I would now like to see happen is McClean reject the call up. But I suppose if that were on the cards, he wouldnt have been called up at all

You'd think that, but, then again, he called Shane Duffy into a squad for a game against Albania in February of 2010 three weeks after being aware that Duffy had initiated official moves to make his switch to the FAI. In saying that, he was fully aware that essentially forcing Duffy to pull out would stir some publicity for the eligibility debate off the back of which the IFA could launch their appeal over Daniel Kearns with CAS. Pretty snide.

Alan Mannus' comments are unbelievable. How does Worthington justify called up Irish League players?

Unbelievable or incredible? Fair dues to Mannus for being willing to turn up. I don't think I could do it to be honest.

Yeah, incredible.

Fair play to Mannus for speaking out, but it really shows Worthington's set-up and personal attitudes in a very poor light. I've always thought it conspiracy-theory-type stuff to actually believe that Worthington might have something against players playing in the League of Ireland. Ignoring Paddy McCourt whilst at Derry and the like had always puzzled me and obviously you had hot heads claiming Worthington was anti-Derry City or anti-League of Ireland, but this shows it mightn't be so ridiculous after all.

Worthington might be right. St Johnstone would have taken Copenhagen tonight. So would have Glens, Port and Linfield...

"Healy, 31, was dropped for the Carling Nations Cup games against the Republic of Ireland and Wales in May due to Worthington's concerns over his lack of game time at club level"

Mother of God. One player he definitely could have done with. Worthington is a calamity

I'm a fan. He's brilliant.

Originally Posted by Sullivinho

I'm a fan. He's brilliant.

I will admit to being a bit smitten myself of late, a man guaranteed to send players our way, while providing quite surreal moments of truly wonderful entertainment every time he opens his mouth as manager of the North of Ireland these days. A man who will, for his next trick, wheel out Alex Bruce, which should be really marvellous to watch.

Go on Sir Nigel, go on son.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sp...-16028954.html

Ha. Beaglehole not ahppy about losing his balls.....I mean players.
It gets better and betts.

"Northern Ireland is a small country" he says
Why do they keep saying that? No it's not. It is however, a small artificially created statelet.

You have to love the IFA delusion.

Impossible to take anything Beaglehole says seriously.

Not with that name.

Well, just maybe another sort of "hole", springs to mind....

Originally Posted by Beaglehole

I’m not having a go at the people wanting those players to play for their country. They’re not poaching, that’s not the right term, they’re getting as many good players as they can and doing their job.

I haven’t got a problem with that.

Kewl guy!

The problem is there is nothing to compensation [sic] an association who has put the hours into a player, taken them to tournaments, helped to develop them and then lose the player.

But there is. What does he think he is owed? International football is a voluntary endeavour. Players don't owe associations anything (see Gearge McCartney and Stephen Ireland, for example) and "repay" the IFA with their immediate services in a particular squad anyway. Are they supposed to owe the IFA a career of service after that or something?

I suppose they'll be volunteering to offer us compensation for Bruce, such is their level of sanctimony...

Northern Ireland is a small country and we have quality players at all age groups and I’m in a good position to say that

Kiribati is a small country. NI; not so much. So what? Are FIFA to dish out favours to smaller associations to make up for what are natural population imbalances?

When players play their football for Northern Ireland they have the opportunity to progress quickly if they are good enough.

Is a strict diet of carrots good for a young lad?

To be honest that is why I find it strange when players opt out, because they know they will get their chance and know that the senior manager is involved in weeks like this with the Milk Cup and seeing players at first hand in training and matches.”

So, from a purely football situation — I’m not getting into the politics of it all — they have got a great opportunity to play international football, to test themselves against old lads when they are still in underage teams and we have seen that with so many players of late.

He finds it strange? If he wasn't so terrified of "getting into the politics of it all", the penny might drop for our Steve.

Oh dear. Poor Nigel. It just doesn't get any better for him.

I just want to play international football with that sort of ringing endorsement I really do begin to worry about the motives of playing for your country

Did he ever think about turning down NI phoning the FAI and telling them hes available

Originally Posted by Newryrep

I just want to play international football with that sort of ringing endorsement I really do begin to worry about the motives of playing for your country

Did he ever think about turning down NI phoning the FAI and telling them hes available

In fairness, he does say that specifically in relation to the possibility of playing for NI: "The north called me up and I just want to play international football."

Not how I would approach things personally if I was ever in such a situation, but that's pretty much how Niall McGinn would have approached his IFA call-up. McClean might view the idea of playing for Ireland slightly differently, just as McGinn (an open Ireland supporter) would have had he believed he had the ability to play for us. Still, if McClean wants to play for Ireland, he should be on the phone to the FAI.

Out of interest, what is the crest on the sweater McClean is wearing in the photo? Is it an FAI crest or an Airtricity League XI training top?

@thegawa linked to this...



Padraig won 3 on his own didn't he?

Anyway it would be a better graphic if they had Ireland and showed 6!

Nice vague "I want to play intl football"... I reckon he has a better chance of getting into the squad for the IFA's team.

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Out of interest, what is the crest on the sweater McClean is wearing in the photo? Is it an FAI crest or an Airtricity League XI training top?

Airtricity League XI logo.

Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

Impossible to take anything Beaglehole says seriously.

Not with that name.

Sounds like something one might encounter and be obliged to inspect during a brisk sunday morning hunt.

Originally Posted by Fixer82

Ha. Beaglehole not happy about losing his balls.....I mean players.
It gets better and better.

"Northern Ireland is a small country" he says
Why do they keep saying that? No it's not. It is however, a small artificially created statelet.

To be fair, that gets picked up on the comments on the BT page.