Eligibility Rules, Okay

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Yeah, but for once I agree with NB. This hypothetical situation may well play out one day but is a long way off, whilst international football representation rights are going to be at the bottom of its list of priorities, FFS.

Whilst true. It is the pretinence to the football representaion rights that is interesting for us here.

It was NB's odd stance which I tried to tease out and seemingly made him more entrenched in this odd scenario.

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

It was NB's odd stance which I tried to tease out and seemingly made him more entrenched in this odd scenario.

I don't think my stance in such an odd scenario is odd at all.

I think that in such an odd scenario, a British Citizen from this island should have a right to represent one of the British Associations.

Originally Posted by Not Brazil

I don't think my stance in such an odd scenario is odd at all.

I think that in such an odd scenario, a British Citizen from this island should have a right to represent one of the British Associations.

Assuming that the 3 British associations pick a player that is eligible is fine and no different than what already exists in essence for anyone holding dual citizenship.

It seems though that you were taking a bizarre and righteous stance on what was already a right and that the FA/FAW/SFA should "rescue" British citizens who don't feel Irish enough but feel Welsh/Scottish/English enough to play for those respective asscoiations.

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

Assuming that the 3 British associations pick a player that is eligible is fine and no different than what already exists in essence for anyone holding dual citizenship.

It seems though that you were taking a bizarre and righteous stance on what was already a right and that the FA/FAW/SFA should "rescue" British citizens who don't feel Irish enough but feel Welsh/Scottish/English enough to play for those respective asscoiations.

A player born in Northern Ireland has no absolute right to play for England, Scotland or Wales as things stand.

In the hypothetical situation whereby a player from here cannot play for a British Association, as he can do at present ie. Northern Ireland, I simply feel the absolute right to represent another British Association should be afforded to him.

For example, if a great talent emerged from this island who idenified solely as British (and had British Citizenship) he may feel more at home playing for England than for an Ireland team which he may feel represents him less. I guess that would depend on symbolism etc.

Anyway, it's all very hypothetical.

Originally Posted by Not Brazil

Hypothetically, if there was a single Irish team, I would want players from this island with British Citizenship (and who identify as solely British) to have the choice to play for either Ireland or any one of the British Associations. That would seem fair to me.

Who you reckon you'd play for?

Originally Posted by Not Brazil

I think "ignored" is not the right terminology Dodge.

The salient Statute deals with players born in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland & Wales - there have been anomolies, such as Channel Islanders.

What criterion did this Trevor Wood chap satisfy?

Article 6 (2) states in relation to the criterion demanding a player must satisfy two years of residence, if failing to satify any of the other criteria:

"Regardless of par. 1 above, Associations sharing a common nationality may make an agreement under which item (d) of par. 1 of this article is deleted completely or amended to specify a longer time limit. Such agreements shall be lodged with and approved by the Executive Committee."

Whilst it provides the four British associations with a certain level of discretion, it doesn't appear to offer Wood any leeway, for the time limit cannot be shortened. If the article was deleted, he would have to satisfy one of the others, presumably, whilst lengthening the time limit wouldn't be of much use to him either.

Edit: Just realising Wood played for NI in 1995. Isn't he in a similar boat to Maik Taylor then, and hasn't that option been closed for British citizens in similar circumstances, Channel Islanders, et cetera?

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Who you reckon you'd play for?

Edit: Just realising Wood played for NI in 1995. Isn't he in a similar boat to Maik Taylor then, and hasn't that option been closed for British citizens in similar circumstances?

I don't know DI - I guess it would depend a lot on the metabolism of the set-up. My playing days are long over anyway.

I asked my son on this question a while back - he would likely opt to represent Scotland in the event of there only being one "Ireland" team - the birthplace of his late grandfather.

You're right - rules have changed since Wood, Taylor etc.

Originally Posted by Not Brazil

I don't know DI - I guess it would depend a lot on the metabolism of the set-up. My playing days are long over anyway.

I asked my son on this question a while back - he would likely opt to represent Scotland in the event of there only being one "Ireland" team - the birthplace of his late grandfather.

You're right - rules have changed since Wood, Taylor etc.

...and if Scotland were to secede...?

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

...and if Scotland were to secede...?

Perish the thought - His Granda would turn in his grave.

For someone who's apparently half-Scottish, you seem more fixated on the idea of the current antiquated set-up than most Scots I've met...
of whom quite a few don't see themselves as 'British', even if they're not especially pro-independence.

And here I was thinking you two had fallen in love!

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

For someone who's apparently half-Scottish,

Is it not a game of 2 halves, a 50/50 chance of being half-Scottish.

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

For someone who's apparently half-Scottish

I'm not "half-Scottish".

"Full-Scottish"??

Wow, NB you place such great weight in the British identity. Can I just ask what makes you feel such a strong affinity with same, especially in light of the fact that such an identity may well be conceded in Scotland?

Originally Posted by Olé Olé

Wow, NB you place such great weight in the British identity. Can I just ask what makes you feel such a strong affinity with same, especially in light of the fact that such an identity may well be conceded in Scotland?

NB has his identity and that's entirely valid and fair enough. He's as protective/defensive about his heritage as we who identify with the Irish national identity would get if there was talk of Ireland re-joining the UK. I don't think there's anything odd or undue about it given he naturally feels that talk of a united Ireland under current circumstances would put his national identity under threat. If a united Ireland is ever to be realised, it's people like NB who we need to convince that their identity will be a welcome and enriching one in an undeniably pluralist state. For the record, I think Ireland is a pluralist state as it is, but, broadly-speaking, unionists either don't seem convinced or want little to do with it.

Just because there's talk of Scotland seceding from the UK, doesn't mean there aren't those in Scotland who also strongly cherish their British identity. Isn't the for/against split about 50-50 in Scotland at the minute? It's not a certainty that Scotland will secede, and if it is to do so, there'll be a lot of unhappy British-identifying Scots, I would imagine.

Originally Posted by Olé Olé

Wow, NB you place such great weight in the British identity. Can I just ask what makes you feel such a strong affinity with same, especially in light of the fact that such an identity may well be conceded in Scotland?

I guess for the same reasons that you feel a "strong affinity" with the Irish identity.

What Scotland does in 2014 - and I am confident that Scotland will remain in the United Kingdom - it will not make my identity any different. In the event that Scotland does secede, there will be a large proportion of the population there who will continue to have a strong affinity with the British identity.

A positive and reasonable upbeat article about NI and it includes some references to the IFA's attempts to work witht the GAA to build bridges, worth reading, though the reporter's reference to calling it the North won't please Ardee! Can I just commend the contributors who have been involved in some great debate of late, there seems to be some very constructive and positive comments being made.

NB, Would love to read about how you think O 'Neill has gone as a manager so far?

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...326696332.html

Well Gastric, there's more to come because Danny reawakened a latent issue re the northern "British" identity that I have. It's one that I Can never reconcile with my own Dublin Nationalist Protestant identity... it continues...

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

Well Gastric, there's more to come because Danny reawakened a latent issue re the northern "British" identity that I have. It's one that I Can never reconcile with my own Dublin Nationalist Protestant identity... it continues...

You Protestants; up to no good as usual.

You northerners up to no good as... oh... wait...