Eligibility Rules, Okay

[Olé Olé]

I wonder do French people sit at home and say 'Oh, you do know that Wayne Rooney is of Irish origin' in the way that we are referring to Nasri, Zidane and Benzema's roots?

[DannyInvincible]

Wayne Rooney? He's much too obvious a candidate for the good folk of LeFoot.fr. You'll find them discussing the Irish eligibility of the likes of Kieran Richardson and Kevin Gallen.

[Charlie Darwin]

Wayne Rooney? He's much too obvious a candidate for the good folk of LeFoot.fr. You'll find them discussing the Irish eligibility of the likes of Kieran Richardson and Kevin Gallen.

I hear Tony Cascarino is a particular bone of contention over there.

[BonnieShels]

And let's not even get into the whole obsession for Giannelli Imbula that "La Personne Qui Frappe" has, and the apparent, "will he, won't he" for DR Congo or Belgium" saga.

[gastric]

Any mention of Franck Queudrue from the Claremorris Queudrues, le peasant farmers?

[BonnieShels]

*can open, worms everywhere*

You've done it now Ozboy.

[gastric]

No problem Canuck boy, always happy to stir the possum!

[Irwin3]

Hehe, they did; I mentioned it just a few posts up. The allowance to switch once up until the age of 21 was introduced in 2004. The age cap of 21 was later lifted completely in 2009, permitting dual nationals to make one switch at any age.

There was no age limit when the rule was changed in 2004. Tim Cahill, Nigel Quashie etc. Kevin Gallen was also supposedly pushing for a call-up around that time as well.

I think you mean that you could play at up to U'21 level before changing and then when the rules were changed again in 2009 that you were allowed to switch after playing senior friendlies?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Sounds about right, though unlikely DI would make a slip?

[DannyInvincible]

There was no age limit when the rule was changed in 2004. Tim Cahill, Nigel Quashie etc. Kevin Gallen was also supposedly pushing for a call-up around that time as well.

I think you mean that you could play at up to U'21 level before changing and then when the rules were changed again in 2009 that you were allowed to switch after playing senior friendlies?

Article 18.1 in 2008 stated:

"If a Player has more than one nationality, or if a Player acquires a new nationality, or if a Player is eligible to play for several representative teams due to nationality, he may, up to his 21st birthday, and only once, request to change the Association for which he is eligible to play international matches to the Association of another country of which he holds nationality..."

That was the same rule in substance introduced into the statutes in 2004. It goes on to implicitly indicate that the relevant player might even have played in a non-competitive senior game for his original association, yet he'd still have been eligible to switch to another association so long as the game in which he played for the original association wasn't a competitive 'A' international.

It does raise the question though, how did Cahill switch to Australia in 2004 considering he'd have been at least 24, or Quashie to Scotland as he'd have been even older? Was there not a window of clemency opened for a certain period of time where the eventual post-2009 rules temporarily applied and within which dual national players over the age of 21 were permitted to switch to a second association?

Edit: The form and lay-out of the eligibility regulations was slightly different in the 2004 version of the statutes, but the age cap of 21 was still explicitly mentioned. See Article 15.3(a) on page 60: http://www.safa.net/pics/safa/Statutes_09_2005_EN.pdf

[Irwin3]

Article 18.1 in 2008 stated:

"If a Player has more than one nationality, or if a Player acquires a new nationality, or if a Player is eligible to play for several representative teams due to nationality, he may, up to his 21st birthday, and only once, request to change the Association for which he is eligible to play international matches to the Association of another country of which he holds nationality..."

That was the same rule in substance introduced into the statutes in 2004. It goes on to implicitly indicate that the relevant player might even have played in a non-competitive senior game for his original association, yet he'd still have been eligible to switch to another association so long as the game in which he played for the original association wasn't a competitive 'A' international.

It does raise the question though, how did Cahill switch to Australia in 2004 considering he'd have been at least 24, or Quashie to Scotland as he'd have been even older? Was there not a window of clemency opened for a certain period of time where the eventual post-2009 rules temporarily applied and within which dual national players over the age of 21 were permitted to switch to a second association?

Edit: The form and lay-out of the eligibility regulations was slightly different in the 2004 version of the statutes, but the age cap of 21 was still explicitly mentioned. See Article 15.3(a) on page 60: http://www.safa.net/pics/safa/Statutes_09_2005_EN.pdf

It appears you're correct. The players who had already turned 21 had twelve months to change associations.

15.5:

Any Players who have already had their 21st birthday at the time of
implementation of these provisions and who fulfil the requirements
in par. 3 (a) are also entitled to submit such a request to change
Associations. This entitlement will expire definitively twelve months
after implementation of this provision.

[DannyInvincible]

It appears you're correct. The players who had already turned 21 had twelve months to change associations.

15.5:

Any Players who have already had their 21st birthday at the time of
implementation of these provisions and who fulfil the requirements
in par. 3 (a) are also entitled to submit such a request to change
Associations. This entitlement will expire definitively twelve months
after implementation of this provision.

Ah, yes. There it was hiding on me; five centimetres across on page 61.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Knew he wouldn't let that one lie...

[gastric]

Like a dog with a bone!

[DannyInvincible]

Was just watching Paddy Barnes win gold in boxing at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games a while ago there. The Welsh bronze-winner to his left-hand-side on the podium must have asked him why his head was bowed or something just as the 'Danny Boy' melody began during the awards ceremony. Not even an amateur lip-reader was required to tell what he uttered back whilst shaking his head: "That's not my anthem." Both competitors looked suitably awkward for the remainder of the ceremony, haha. Pretty funny.

[DannyInvincible]

Vine of it here: https://vine.co/v/M9u1jPjjTjt

It's impossible not to like Paddy Barnes, ha.

Edit: An embedded video:

[ArdeeBhoy]

Tbf, he's Irish...

[paul_oshea]

It's not funny.he knew competing for nI what the story is. He should have had the decency and respect to show respect for that anthem. imagine if the rugby lads started saying that during amhrain na bhfian?

i thought it was very disrespectful and not at all funny.

[Gather round]

It's impossible not to like Paddy Barnes, ha

Ginger Spide in no-class non-shock, yet again. The only surprise is that anyone's surprised. You couldn't really love it if ye reared it

This is the same guy who got worked up on T*watter when McIlroy supposedly couldn;t make up his mind which team to support. He's a knob.

Of course there are pros and cons for both sides. Poison Dwarf wins a regional competition but has to endure the agonies of Danny Boy while the fans put up with his cartoon Provo gibberish in return for a medal.

You're welcome to him, bye.

[Eminence Grise]

What did they play when he won Commonwealth gold in 2010? I'm inclined to think that he should have kept his head down and mouth shut for 30 seconds. I was watching a re-run of Have I Got News For You last night, when they showed a clip of Obama talking over GSTQ, with herself and Philip standing beside him, looking for all the world like they were going to burst into giggles. There's a time and a place for getting precious...

Course, we could solve the whole problem by rejoining the Commonwealth.(...and ducks for cover)