Shane Ferguson

[geysir]

Surely knows how the end game will inevitably turn out.

[Predator]

He doesn't 'belong' to anyone. What is this, the slave trade?

I agree and I was going to make the distinction but felt you might have known better.

[SwanVsDalton]

He's only yours when he starts or comes on for the RoI, surely?

Ok GR don't be going all super-literal like EG now...

[theworm2345]

"Our" Shane just gone off injured with a calf injury, didn't seem to be that bad though.

[gastric]

If he is playing premiership football he has to be 'our Shane' and we are not for sharing! Who's our next recruit?

[ArdeeBhoy]

If you read posts from me both here and elsewhere you'll see that I've even defended the players that switch for this reason. I am not a bigot, I'm a northern born protestant who would have no issue attending GAA games, going to croke park etc etc.

My issue is with people like ArdeeBhoy spouting his tripe.

That's fine.

And I merely suggested those of a Catholic/non-Unionist persuasion in the North might feel welcome elsewhere when it comes to choosing an international football side.

But as you know many have chosen to play for the North and quite possibly will continue to do so.
Also NB and others have said they (or anyone) are welcome to make a free choice on who they play for, as long as their own team still exists.

Otherwise find myself in the odd position of agreeing with a certain rotund poster regarding personal circumstances and avenues as regards pursuing a professional career being also important....

[gastric]

Awec,

While you will certainly criticise me for commenting on this, but I find it a bit sad that you feel as someone who comes from NI, that you have to identify yourself as a ' Northern born Protestant'. I feel most people on here could not care less what religion people belong to and would in fact see such statements as being antiquated. I say this as there seems to be a continued link between such views and the NI team which in itself is the problem we in the South find difficult to comprehend.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Er, the border's real not notional. Its effect on, say, a Polish immigrant wanting to get involved in local politics in NI is that they just can't easily join most of the mainstream Dublin or London parties. Because they don't organise locally.

I agree their 'baggage' is likely to be different, ie they won't have grown up with the ingrained attitudes of NI. My point about football eligibilty was simply that since pretty much every footballer from NI is eligible to play for two international sides, people who qualify for a third aren't likely to be stand out- or be any more 'mercenary'- than the rest.

Besides repeating what you'd already said I'm not sure points you are, erm, making here??

Clearly Poland's long-term record in international football is better than NI's
Plenty of other Catholic-background locals are obviously quite happy to play for NI. You're assuming that not only do these notional Polish wunderkinds share your political prejudices, but that they'd put them before their footbal career.

The first part answers your own question, whilst the anti-Catholic attitude of certain Unionists (& of some of the North's fans towards that community at large) is not going to encourage outsiders to necessarily play for their football team.

Which you seem to confirm below....

Paramilitary organisations and football in the community schemes don't tend to overlap.

Apart from all the British-born players in their squads, recent youth caps have gone to Messrs Lanre Oyebanjo and Selcuk Tidim. I'm guessing there's at least some non-Catholic West African/ Turkish ancestry in there, but who cares if they're eligible and good enough? I'm pretty certain if a kid from unionist background in NI was interested, they'd consider him too, even while realising the ill-informed grumbling from NI fans and the Belfast media might be even greater.

The FAI aren't interested in how many Catholics are in our team, any more than they care about the number of Zambians, squaddies or goalkeepers who can double up front.

Well at least you seem to recognise the potential double standards. Don't forget the ever-increasing nos in the North's lesser teams born outside that immediate area.

we should be a) asking ourselves why guys who've already played NI would want to go elsewhere and b) talking to the FAI direct, not wasting time in spurious legal action nor FIFA politicking. But if the FAI continue to exploit us within the rules, we'll have to grin and bear it.

One potential answer is alluded to above. And the C.A.S. ruling hardly legitimised 'exploitation'....

Less of the lazy stereotyping please.

Somewhat ironic you follow this comment with this....

it would be unfair- and naive- to blame the foreigners. They aren't winding you up: you can't blame them for not knowing the subtle nuances between the Irish Republican Army and the er, Irish Republic

Ireland's population now has a somewhat more disparate stance than the more polarised views in the North.

He's only yours when he starts or comes on for the RoI, surely?

In a competitive game....

I had no problems with the RC Church when I lived in Dublin, and I certainly didn't generalise about the whole population based on what the Vatican said.

Hmm.... Personal experience tells me somewhat different, but I'll save you the embarrassment??

[liamoo11]

Josh barton from Villa played for the norths under 17s his old club was Cliftonville maybe a possible recruit

[Crosby87]

Rotund poster?

[Sullivinho]

'Foot.ie': a film by M. Night Shyamalan.



<<<Spoiler>>>



Ardeebhoy is Gather round.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Too much hair, in both cases.

And too well dressed.

[geysir]

But the eyes match?

[awec]

Awec,

While you will certainly criticise me for commenting on this, but I find it a bit sad that you feel as someone who comes from NI, that you have to identify yourself as a ' Northern born Protestant'. I feel most people on here could not care less what religion people belong to and would in fact see such statements as being antiquated. I say this as there seems to be a continued link between such views and the NI team which in itself is the problem we in the South find difficult to comprehend.

I don't identify myself as that at all in reality. I said that as part of my post toward ArdeeBhoy where I was trying to match his nonsense and idiotic views with equally idiotic and nonsensical views from the other side.

[ArdeeBhoy]

But you don't know my views....

[Not Brazil]

By the way Alan Kernaghan was from good Northern Ireland Protestant stock.

He was born in Leeds, to English parents.

[greendeiseboy]

He was born in Leeds, to English parents.

Northern Irish family background

http://eircomsports.eircom.net/News/...Kernaghan.aspx

[The Fly]

Paul Rowan has a short article in The Sunday Times today, entitled 'South calling young stars', which touches upon the Shane Ferguson issue.

*I've just typed out the relevent parts as I can't provide a link.
(it's now a subscription based website)


The rumour mill has it that the Newcastle United left-back Shane ferguson is on the verge of a move to Glasgow and some rather puerile suggestions on a Celtic fans' website had it that with such a surname, the destination was bound to be Rangers.

But it would appear the only switch Ferguson will be making shortly is the one from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland, sometime over the next few months. At the moment it does seem a matter of when and not if Ferguson makes the jump.

.......Ferguson is keeping his head down at Newcastle for the moment. Others coming through Northern Ireland's youth ranks will be doing the same, wondering if and when to make the jump. The players will be watching most closely what other players do. And, at the moment, the trend is for an exodus down South.

[DannyInvincible]

And, at the moment, the trend is for an exodus down South.[/I]

Is it really, though? It's like the rather uncompelling "floodgates opening" argument used by those who oppose the right of northern-born Irish nationals to represent Ireland, but that hasn't really happened nor is it likely to given the fact that, as with every team, there's an upper cap - eleven - on the number of spaces available in our team. Some players who might otherwise have supported us or intended to declare for Ireland will presumably be content to stick it out with Northern Ireland due what they might view as greater competition for places in our team.

[Predator]

I think 'exodus' is definitely the wrong word, but perhaps he's right in the sense that players will be more aware of their ability to make themselves available for the FAI. I don't see an exponential trend developing any time soon.