Eligibility Rules, Okay

[The Fly]

Well, you're as ignorant as each other then.

Know when to stop.

[Predator]

Lifted from OWC. Paul Rowan is on the wrong track altogether, here.

Goal poachers
Northern Irish football chiefs are crying foul as young stars switch allegiance to the republic. Are the players simply seeking a bigger stage – or is there a deeper issue
Paul Rowan Published: 4 February 2012
Recommend (0) Comment (0)PrintFollow News O’Kane represented Northern Ireland at every age level, but has turned his back on the side
T he name Eunan O’Kane will strike a chord with only the most dedicated Irish football fan. His story, though, is becoming increasingly familiar. He is one of the growing legion of footballers to switch allegiance from Northern Ireland to play for the Republic of Ireland.

Like many of the other northerners to turn their back on the country where they played under-age football, O’Kane, from Feeny in Derry, is a Catholic. His decision, as well as those of other Catholics of his generation, is not only threatening to sour relations between the island’s two football associations and rival fans, it is also likely to turn the Northern Ireland team into a Catholic-free outfit.

Currently plying his trade at Torquay United, following a spell with Everton, O’Kane represented Northern Ireland at every age level, up to under-21 level, but turned his back on the team last July and declared for the republic.

“I was given the option that if I was interested in playing for the republic then there were opportunities to do that,” he said. “People got in touch with me who had been speaking to Noel King, the [Republic of Ireland] under-21 manager, and he had asked questions about me and they then relayed that back to me.

“They made it clear he was interested in speaking to me if I was interested in speaking to him, and it has gone from there. We spoke on the phone and we then met up.”

So who were these intermediaries?

“I don’t want to say that,” says O’Kane. “I don’t want to get people into trouble. They don’t want anything to do with it and if I was them I wouldn’t want anything to do with it either.”

Shadowy intermediaries, secret meetings, agents, political posturing and a paper trail leading to Zurich may sound like a reworking of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. These are the elements, however, that make up the increasingly bitter fight between the two football associations as they wrangle over the best young footballing talent on the island.

The Irish Football Association (IFA) in Belfast is crying foul over the increasingly predatory tendencies of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) towards some of the best players born in the north. At the same time, it is being forced to ask itself awkward questions about why a growing number of Catholics no longer want to play for Northern Ireland.

“We are a small nation and the republic has twice as many people and twice as many resources financially,” said Gerry Armstrong, a former Northern Ireland player who has been hired by the IFA to stop the drain of talent to its more glamorous and successful neighbour. “They are tapping up our players and it is a kick in the teeth for us.”

A quick look at the Premier League in England makes clear the scale of Armstrong’s task. An Everton side that faced Blackburn Rovers at Goodison Park last month featured two players born in the north who have “defected” to the south; Darron Gibson and Shane Duffy. Both would be shoo-ins for Northern Ireland who, as it stands, can claim only four Premier League players of their own.

Gibson’s declaration for the republic in 2006 signalled the start of the tug-of-war between the two associations, one which eventually ended up in the international sports courts and is now being fought with renewed vigour in Ireland.

[BonnieShels]

Right...

I can't take any more of this Catholic being synonymous with Nationalist crap. FFS.

Secondly, we need to eradicate the term "switching allegiance" in this context.
Any player born in Derry, Antrim, Armagh, Tyrone, Down or Fermanagh who wishes to play for the FAI's representative team has that allegiance and that allegiance alone. Otherwise they would play with the IFA's team!

[co. down green]

More of the usual ill-informed nonsense from Ferguson in today's Sunday life.

"FIFA should remember it was their President Sepp Blatter who started the political row by using the Good Friday Agreement to allow players born in Northern Ireland who hold an Irish passport to represent the Republic"

[Not Brazil]

Right...

I can't take any more of this Catholic being synonymous with Nationalist crap any more. FFS.

Secondly, we need to eradicate the term "switching allegiance" in this context.
Any player born in Derry, Antrim, Armagh, Tyrone, Down or Fermanagh who wishes to play for the FAI's representative team has that allegiance and that allegiance alone. Otherwise they would play with the IFA's team!

I agree whoeheartedly with you viz a viz the "Catholic" thing.

I think you need to understand that those players who have represented The IFA before going to the FAI, have, in fact, "switched allegiance". There's nothing sinister in that description.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Ha ha. At the Bl*tter reference!

[ArdeeBhoy]

I think you need to understand that those players who have represented The IFA before going to the FAI, have, in fact, "switched allegiance". There's nothing sinister in that description.

But the point is, no matter how 'unreasonable' it might seem to the IFA or any other national association (or their fans) for that matter, FIFA have deemed it otherwise.

As in has been repeated umpteen times before, they remain eligible until they've played in a full competitive game.

Personally I feel the system has been abused far more blatantly by various African and Arabian associations far more than anything the FAI could ever do...
Simply because there's far more ambiguity about who players are eligible for, clouded by residency qualification and past colonial ties.

And not intended as having a go at anyone in particular, merely using this quote to reiterate the point.

[BonnieShels]

I agree whoeheartedly with you viz a viz the "Catholic" thing.

I think you need to understand that those players who have represented The IFA before going to the FAI, have, in fact, "switched allegiance". There's nothing sinister in that description.

I know where you are coming from NB.

And I do understand that these lads have played for the IFA's team before; and I have pointed out in the past that I always felt that that was a matter of the convenience for them to do so than say for them to travel to Dublin etc to represent their actual national team.
A solution to this is easily sorted but clearly would not be accepted by the OWC heads.

But there seems to be this idea that the conniving FAI are forcing these poor wee boys to change their minds and therefore "allegiances" (in my interpretation of the word) to play for a pot of gold at the end of Trap's rainbow. It's wearing thin. Very thin.
The emotive terms of tug-of-war, poaching etc. don't allow you to assume that they are using allegiance in any other way than a trite statement of the fickleness of these wee boys and their desperate attitude to their "mother" country.

[Not Brazil]

I always felt that that was a matter of the convenience for them to do so than say for them to travel to Dublin etc to represent their actual national team.
A solution to this is easily sorted but clearly would not be accepted by the OWC heads.

It will not surprise you that I am firmly in the "you won't be playing for Northern Ireland, solely as a matter of convenience" camp.

I want such players weeded out of our system, as far as possible.

What is the "easy" solution to which you refer?

[Not Brazil]

But the point is, no matter how 'unreasonable' it might seem to the IFA or any other national association (or their fans) for that matter, FIFA have deemed it otherwise.

As in has been repeated umpteen times before, they remain eligible until they've played in a full competitive game.

Yes...we know all of that.

[awec]

Is there any point in me reading back to catch up, or is it just page after page of the usual?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Yes...we know all of that.

So why do people continually gurn on about it? They'd be better off lobbying the gnomes of Zurich than wasting time moaning to people who aren't especially interested. Especially given our own experience of that same organization...

[BonnieShels]

Is there any point in me reading back to catch up, or is it just page after page of the usual?

There's been some good schtick of late. Depends on where you left us. Where the hell did ya disappear to?

It will not surprise you that I am firmly in the "you won't be playing for Northern Ireland, solely as a matter of convenience" camp.

I want such players weeded out of our system, as far as possible.

What is the "easy" solution to which you refer?

I probably should qualify my usage of the word "easily" and substitute it with a meaning of "obviously". I once advocated the idea designated FAI training camps in say Derry, Newry and Belfast. This would have the desired effect of "weeding" out the wee traitors much earlier on in the process. Would the OWB approve?

WE could reciprocate with IFA camps in Bandon, Greystones and Rossnowlagh?

I'm not surprised by your stance at all. Especially as I knew that already. Also I would be of the same persuasion in that regard. However how the hell do you "weed" out a 8-9-10-11-12 year old?
A person's politics is not formed (generally) at such a young age. I take it for granted that the poor souls growing up on Sandy Row and Falls never had a chance. But seriously, That will only further ingrain the ridiculous sense of "us" and "them" that pervades society on this island.

[gastric]

It will not surprise you that I am firmly in the "you won't be playing for Northern Ireland, solely as a matter of convenience" camp.

I want such players weeded out of our system, as far as possible.

What is the "easy" solution to which you refer?

You lot tried that before - the plantation system I believe it was called. Basically squatters came over and took our land. It didn't work then and won't work now. Individual choice at any age is allowable and understandable.

[Not Brazil]

I probably should qualify my usage of the word "easily" and substitute it with a meaning of "obviously". I once advocated the idea designated FAI training camps in say Derry, Newry and Belfast..

Just have them in places like Donegal and Dundalk.

Or, does the "dream" not extend a few miles?

[Not Brazil]

However how the hell do you "weed" out a 8-9-10-11-12 year old.

Aged 18 and above will do me for weeding out.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Is there any point in me reading back to catch up, or is it just page after page of the usual?

Yes. We've decided to set up a joint diplomatic mission to locate 'Ealing Green...

[Not Brazil]

But seriously, That will only further ingrain the ridiculous sense of "us" and "them" that pervades society on this island.

You obviously do irony very well.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Aged 18 and above will do me for weeding out.

Except some organization called FIFA (& The CAS et al) disagree. Take it you've not heard of them...

[Not Brazil]

You lot tried that before - the plantation system I believe it was called. Basically squatters came over and took our land. It didn't work then and won't work now.

Dear God.

Sad lad.