Jack Grealish

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I don't think Ireland's interests are selfish. Grealish was given his first International cap by Ireland, was capped at several underage levels by Ireland and was glad to accept the benefits of a higher profile by being an Ireland International player. I don't think it's selfish to expect or want him to accept a senior call up or simply transmit a bit of clarity.

I think it's pretty obvious at this stage that Fallon either doesn't know as much as any other journalist on the matter and/or is getting strung along.

And I don't think O'Neill and Keane were frustrated after his first call up snub. I think the frustration started setting in two or three months afterwards, after further confusion.

[DannyInvincible]

This man also professed to be an Irishman:


"I was born in the island of Ireland. I have Irish traits in me - we don't all have the traits of what came from Scotland, there is the celtic factor... and I am an Irishman because you cannot be an Ulsterman without being an Irishman."

She didn't compete due to injury, but was Sonia O'Sullivan less Irish when she was selected for the Australian Commonwealth Games team in 2006?

Is Michael Fassbender less Irish when he speaks German?

Are these players any less Irish?:

[DannyInvincible]

I don't think Ireland's interests are selfish. Grealish was given his first International cap by Ireland, was capped at several underage levels by Ireland and was glad to accept the benefits of a higher profile by being an Ireland International player. I don't think it's selfish to expect or want him to accept a senior call up or simply transmit a bit of clarity.

He's shown up for us in the past when called upon (excepting more recently, of course), so it's not as if he hasn't been answering the call, since the age of 14. The FAI benefit too when he accepts a call-up and offers his services, so I don't think it's an accurate portrayal to suggest we're being selflessly altruistic here or that the benefit is flowing only one way in the relationship. We select him for a reason; not just for the craic.

Clarity from him at this moment is an expectation the FAI/Martin do not have, whether we like it or not. I think it's fair enough we give him the time he's expressly agreed himself - the only expectation I would have upon him would be to hold him to his own spoken word - although I civilly appreciate you differ in your opinion. If we want clarity, we should be imploring the FAI to issue him an ultimatum. I would say our/Ireland's interest is inherently selfish (in the most literal sense of the word rather than the sense with negative, greedy, self-obsessed connotations) seeing as we stand to gain and we're playing the game we hope will bloom the most favourable result for us. Otherwise, we'd already have issued him an ultimatum or forgotten about him. We're very much interested in him and want to see him play in the green for our own benefit; I would say that's self-interested, or selfish, in other words.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Richard Look At Me Sadlier thinks Jack should declare for England.

http://www.joe.ie/sport/richard-sadl...england/493530

"When you remove Ireland's self-interest and look objectively at the options he has, the obvious conclusion is to pick England if they want him to play," Sadlier writes.

"England is where he was born and where he grew up.

"It's where both his parents were born, too. He has lived there all his life and was due to play for them at under 15 level, but got sick prior to the match and left the squad.

"He has since played for Ireland all the way up to under 21, but there's a real doubt as to whether he will do so again. And it's not hard to see why he is hedging his bets as long as he can."

Sadlier uses the example of his former Millwall team-mate Tim Cahill, who lined out for Western Samoa as a youngster without thinking he could ever play for Australia. Happily for Cahill, in 2004 FIFA relaxed the rules that dictated a player stick with a country he chose to play for as an adolescent.

That same rule could now see Grealish play for England.

"Ireland aren't Western Samoa, obviously, and Australia aren't England. Grealish may never get near to the level Cahill reached either," adds Sadlier.

"But like Cahill did back then, Grealish might be regretting a decision he made when he was in his mid-teens. Some players have a desire to do more than just play.

"They want to play on the biggest stage they can. A burning ambition to be at every major tournament possible shouldn't need any explanation. Grealish won't fulfil that if he chooses Ireland and that's why he shouldn't."

[DannyInvincible]

Richie Sadlier suggests he should declare for England: http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-31171799.html

The greatest argument against [him selecting England], and perhaps the only one, is that it will be easier to be selected for Ireland. That it would be his best chance to win caps. Looking objectively, though, if one team's best sales pitch is that they're worse than the other one, then maybe Grealish is right to take his chances elsewhere.

[DannyInvincible]

I like Sadlier. Whatever his opinion, he's informed and forthright. People call him Dunphy-lite, but I think Sadlier is far more on-the-pulse.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Richard Sadlier.

The same chap that wore a Glasgow Rangers kit as a teenager to get attention from people and has carried that same provocative attitude into his media career.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Kenny "Rocky Balboa" Cunningham v Chris "Apollo Creed" Sutton

Kenny Cunningham has called on Ireland not to beg Jack to put back on the green jersey.

The former Ireland international gave his two cents on the Jack Grealish international saga in a recent appearance on Setanta.

Cunningham discussed the Aston Villa starlet's international future with Chris Sutton, who implied that the better Grealish gets, the more likely he is to play for England.

However, Cunningham opposed this sentiment, claiming that the decision will be a strictly personal one.

"It doesn't matter if England want him (or) how good he gets, the decision's got to come down to the player."

"In football, we're constantly saying 'don't let your emotions come into it'. In this particular situation when your'e choosing which international side to play for, emotion means absolutely everything."

"He's been in the underage group since he was 14 years of age. I don't understand it."

The former Irish defender then argued that Grealish should be left to make his own mind over his future for himself and Ireland shouldn't beg him to return to wearing the green jersey. He feels that if Grealish wishes to play at senior level for Ireland, he should personally contact Martin O'Neill to show his loyalty.

"I want to see Jack Grealish pick up the phone to Martin O'Neill, not his agent, not his Dad, him himself and convince Martin O'Neill of his commitment."

At this point, Sutton interjected, "we know that's not going to happen. Ireland need to snap him up quickly."

Cunningham was adamant though that the Irish squad do not need Grealish unless he wishes to play for them. He reiterated his stance that it should be up to Grealish to request to play for Ireland, and not the other way around.

"No, we don't. I don't want us to go cap in hand on bended knee to any player and implore them to put on the green jersey. He's got to want to do it."

"This is the reality of the situation in international football in Ireland. You've got to be prepared to walk over broken glass to put that jersey on. He's got to prove it."

http://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/jac...nningham/22512

[tricky_colour]

They want to be humiliated on the biggest stage they can.

[Olé Olé]

With all this talk of Jack playing with England and playing in more major tournaments than ourselves, I'm trying to calculate the odds of all of the following occurring at once: 1. Jack actually becomes good enough to be in an England tournament squad. 2. Jack is fit to play in a tournament when it comes around. 3. Ireland don't make it to any major tournaments.

[tetsujin1979]

Richard Sadlier.

The same chap that wore a Glasgow Rangers kit as a teenager to get attention from people and has carried that same provocative attitude into his media career.

Or, he wore their jersey because he was a Rangers fan: http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-26726387.html

[seanfhear]

http://www.thestar.ie/star/wp-conten...2TEDFEST-7.jpgI think all the controversy is beginning to have an effect on Jack ! ! !

[IsMiseSean]

If anyone wants a good laugh on the issue, watch the Sunday supplement on Sky Sports. Apparently Jack will have to apologise for choosing Ireland at underage level if he decides to represent England.

[tetsujin1979]

Presumably they've already gotten their apology from Michael Keane

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-31171834.html

"Grealish has promised to return to the Irish football family in September and resume his career with the Ireland under 21s. This would be welcomed by O'Neill, but it wouldn't mean he was now committed to Ireland.

Grealish is unlikely to accept any invitation to play for England under 21s as that would commit him to the country of his birth as a player is only allowed one change of association".

"Inclusion of Jack Grealish in friendly games would have avoided tug of war".

Were the Oman and USA games not friendly games?

[TrapAPony]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-31171834.html

"Grealish has promised to return to the Irish football family in September and resume his career with the Ireland under 21s. This would be welcomed by O'Neill, but it wouldn't mean he was now committed to Ireland.''

If Grealish is willing to come back to the U21's in September then he should be willing to accept a Senior call up. The only reason he wants to go back to our u21's is that it still would leave the door open for an English call up. Find it all ridiculous tbh. If Jack 100% wanted to play for us it would have been well cleared up by now.

[DannyInvincible]

Fanning describes O'Neill's tenure so far as "strangely uninspiring". I think that's slightly unfair. We're only half way through the campaign, but Germany was inspiring, and the second-half performance against Poland too. Glasgow has been the only thing you could term a real slip-up to date.

The USA game was a friendly, but I get the impression you're asking that rhetorically, TOWK, because you're trying to make the point that Grealish rejected a call-up for that squad? Did he? His father was telling the media Jack would be included (presumably available) and then there was no sign of him. I took it to mean that Martin just ignored him, but am open to correction.

[tetsujin1979]

Ciaran O'Raghallaigh posted this on twitter: https://twitter.com/Ciaran_O/statuse...73030749401088

Former team mate of Jack Grealish says he enjoyed "down to earth" Irish dressing room more.

Doesn't say what paper it's from

<EDIT>

The full text of the article is here - http://www.4-traders.com/NEXTGEN-INC...ding-20259267/ - but I don't think it's the original publisher!

[Charlie Darwin]

From the Sunday Mirror I assume, which isn't online but tends to show up on some of the archive sources.

[the doc]

"No, we don't. I don't want us to go cap in hand on bended knee to any player and implore them to put on the green jersey. He's got to want to do it."


"This is the reality of the situation in international football in Ireland. You've got to be prepared to walk over broken glass to put that jersey on. He's got to prove it."


Well said, it's an honour to wear the Green shirt and play in front of our wonderful fans.

If your not 100% committed then we don't want you!