Eligibility Rules, Okay

**Predator** · 24/09/2011, 3:43 PM

Originally Posted by boovidge

Despite the IFA taking no interest in him whatsoever until he turned out for us!

We better be on the look out for the men draped in IFA attire, trying to remain inconspicuous as they get their nets ready, at our underage games in future. This is the end of football in Ireland.

**Irwin3** · 25/09/2011, 1:57 PM

Didn't know much about Brendan Rodgers so I've just had a look on his wiki. Retired at 20, no mention of his international appearances. I then clicked on the wiki page for his birthtown and on it, it states unsourced that he was a 'Republic' schoolboy! So I googled "Brendan Rodgers Republic schoolboy" and there are several articles that describe him as such.

However I'll take the man's word as the most authoritative source:

"I was brought up playing for Northern Ireland schoolboys and youth international games. We would play against the likes of France and Spain and Germany and always on the defensive. It was all about stopping them, not what we could do. I wanted to be in control. That was when the seed for my ideas was planted."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...uaranteed.html

However, the BT has an article from two weeks ago on the passing of Brendan's father and they describe him as:

"Losing both of his parents within a year of each other will come as a heavy blow to the former Republic of Ireland schoolboy international."
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ne...-16048414.html

I presume they're getting confused because he went to Catholic school and his son has played for an Ireland youth team. It's easy to see why they can't get their head around eligibility rules when they're so confused about what teams players have represented!

**cestlavie** · 25/09/2011, 4:35 PM

Young 15 year old Letterkenny native Dale Gorman has declared for the Northern Irish under 16 team.

His father Anthony Gorman played for the Republic of Ireland Youth team for a couple of years and played most of his football in the Irish League.

Dale Gorman was born in Derry but has lived in Letterkenny all his life. He has played for Donegal Schoolboys at the Kennedy Cup, Galway Cup & Foyle cup at different age groups.

I wish him the best. At the end of he day its a great opportunity/experience for the young lad. I see on the IFA website that he played in the 2 games for the Northern Irish under 16's in Finland last week.

It appears that the Republic coaches thought he was abit on the small side. I would certainly have question marks over the emerging talent programmes. Are we just looking to bring through 6 foot plus lads. Strange.

http://www.irishfa.com/news/item/677...ph-in-finland/

**Ol� Ol�** · 25/09/2011, 4:39 PM

The BT describe Armstrong's mandate as being to "stop their young players following in the footsteps of Darron Gibson, James McClean and Shane Duffy by linking up with the Republic", then the opposite to his role would be bringing young Republic players to play with the North (following in the footsteps of Alex Bruce).

Rodgers has unintentionally dropped Armstrong in it, although I would suspect that Rodgers had given Armstrong permission to speak to his son prior to this.

It's also worth considering whether Anton Rodgers has taken a Shane Ferguson-type outlook in relation to this matter. Aside from whatever aspirations of playing for Northern Ireland that Brendan and Anton may hold, it's worth bearing in mind that Anton was only on standby for the Irish U19 squad for the European Championships. Had Anton been in that squad and travelled to a major youth tournament, then maybe his head wouldn't be turned by the opportunity to play for Northern Ireland. Anton found himself behind Jeff Hendrick in the pecking order for this tournament and why wouldn't he expect himself to be behind someone like Hendrick for the forseeable future given Hendrick's recent progression in Championship football?

I'm not implying that Anton feels no ties with Northern Ireland, I'm merely saying that there are plenty more factors attributing to this possible U-turn.

**Predator** · 25/09/2011, 7:49 PM

Is Gorman attending school in Derry? U16 is a schoolboy team and I think it's the NISFA that run it.

**cestlavie** · 25/09/2011, 8:36 PM

He goes to school in Letterkenny, St Eunans College which has a pretty good record with All Ireland success.

Some of that squad would be at school in England and elsewhere so dont think its an issue. Id say you have to have a direct link to Northern Ireland, either be born in the North or have parent/grandparent with northern connections etc.

I think another boy in that squad Sean Mullen also lives in Donegal but attends school in Derry. I wouldnt know the criteria thats its fully based on.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 25/09/2011, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by cestlavie

It appears that the Republic coaches thought he was abit on the small side. I would certainly have question marks over the emerging talent programmes. Are we just looking to bring through 6 foot plus lads. Strange.

Must be something about the name Gorman?

Seriously though, most modern professional soccer players in this part of the world are now over 6 ft, maybe down to 5ft 10, at a pinch, so no great surprise if short-asses get rejected out of hand.

**awec** · 26/09/2011, 7:06 PM

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Must be something about the name Gorman?

Seriously though, most modern professional soccer players in this part of the world are now over 6 ft, maybe down to 5ft 10, at a pinch, so no great surprise if short-asses get rejected out of hand.

The best football player in the world is a short ass.

Essien (United) and David Silva (Real Madrid) are two examples of players rejected by clubs for being too short.

George Best was once rejected by Glentoran for being too small (I kid you not).

Think at that age physical build shouldn't be an issue.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 26/09/2011, 10:51 PM

I'd agree, but just talking about the evidence I see before me even in 'lesser' football, where most shorties get insufficient opportunities, mainly because they're not perceived to be able to compete physically, regularly....

'Short-sighted', I know.

**TrapAPony** · 27/09/2011, 2:52 PM

I see Shane Ferguson still didn't get called up the N.Ireland senior squad for the games against Italy & Estonia

**gspain** · 29/09/2011, 6:21 PM

Interesting article from Thomas P Walsh book twenty years of Irish Soccer published in 1941. The article reproduced in full below was written by JL Brennan former chairman of the FAI and former secretary of the league. Article was produced in a FIFA 1929 publication

**Mr_Parker** · 29/09/2011, 9:28 PM

Any chance you could try another scan of it as I can hardly read it? Thanks.

**gspain** · 30/09/2011, 7:04 AM

Originally Posted by Mr_Parker

Any chance you could try another scan of it as I can hardly read it? Thanks.

Unfortunately my scanner is broken and I took about 20 photos last night and they are the best. Happy to email the photos to you in you pm me your email address.

The print in the book is also quite small so even reading the article from the book isn't easy on the eye.

**Mr_Parker** · 30/09/2011, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by gspain

Unfortunately my scanner is broken and I took about 20 photos last night and they are the best. Happy to email the photos to you in you pm me your email address.

The print in the book is also quite small so even reading the article from the book isn't easy on the eye.

Ta, but don't worry. I managed to blow it up and read.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 01/10/2011, 1:32 AM

Hmm, waffle of 60 years ago isn't much different to the waffle of now...

**SwanVsDalton** · 05/10/2011, 1:37 PM

Ferguson still not answer his phone to NI.

Take the hint there Nige.

**Charlie Darwin** · 05/10/2011, 2:28 PM

Kids these days and their mobile telephones.

**Sullivinho** · 05/10/2011, 7:37 PM

**geysir** · 05/10/2011, 8:46 PM

Very good Sulli.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 05/10/2011, 9:03 PM

Where did you lift it from? OWB?

No way it could have been real though.
Lafferty would never understand a word like 'impending'. Too many syllables...