James McClean M Wrexham b.1989

[Olé Olé]

Yes, indeed. Some would have you believe that it's all James' problem for not warming to the union jacks, god save the queen and the like. He should be proud to play for the country he was born in! The IFA and IFA fans have no responsibility to bear.

Yeah, but did you not see Gerry Armstrong's travelling around to schools in Derry? Cross-community progress is nigh!

[DannyInvincible]

Can we take it that Gerry Armstrong's opinion in a regional paper constitutes the official IFA line? I'm not sure.

I don't have the article at hand but I remember him saying the IFA discussed it (after he'd conducted discussions with players from nationalist backgrounds) and that was the conclusion they reached, so I assumed it was the official line.

It is absolutely a deflection of their responsibility to the people of the north, for whom they govern football with FIFA's permission. If the IFA truly wanted to be "cross-community", they'd catch themselves on and become as neutral as possible.

To be fair, I think their primary responsibility should be to their own fans. I also think it's important to acknowledge the 'Football for All' programme and the strides they've made in battling sectarianism. It would be grossly unfair to cast them as anti-Catholic or sectarian. They can also play whatever they want as their anthem. In saying all that, I also acknowledge that purporting to be a "cross-community" entity might be somewhat disingenuous, especially whilst continuing to use 'GSTQ' as their anthem. I don't know if NI could ever truly be a cross-community entity in the sense that it is a British unionist entity by its very existence.

Ostensibly, however, they are more concerned about the identity issues of hardcore union-jack-waving, god-save-the-queen-singing unionists.

My insinuation was that perhaps such identity issues reside not just within the fan base, but within the IFA itself. Passing responsibility on to these apparent fans with issues ensures the IFA don't have to risk being explicitly recalcitrant or appearing overly hardcore themselves. If they had a will to change the anthem, they'd do it and tell their fans with issues to get with the programme. Compromise is kind of what being cross-community is all about, after all.

[Predator]

To be fair, I think their primary responsibility should be to their own fans. I also think it's important to acknowledge the 'Football for All' programme and the strides they've made in battling sectarianism. It would be grossly unfair to cast them as anti-Catholic or sectarian.

I wouldn't cast them as anti-Catholic either. I'm certain that the IFA and their fans are happy to have players of any and all backgrounds, including those who don't even come from the north.Just so long as they recognise whose team it is. As regards their responsibility, you're probably right, but I think it should go without saying that as the governing body they have a moral duty to all football fans in the north. Especially if they are so intent on this idea of being "cross-community". (You raise an interesting point about the capacity of an explicitly unionist entity ever being cross-community, by the way!)

My insinuation was that perhaps such identity issues reside not just within the fan base, but within the IFA itself. Passing responsibility on to these apparent fans with issues ensures the IFA don't have to risk being explicitly recalcitrant or appearing overly hardcore themselves. If they had a will to change the anthem, they'd do it and tell their fans with issues to get with the programme. Compromise is kind of what being cross-community is all about, after all.

Exactly - how it is that fans who cling zealously to the unionist colouring of the Northern Ireland team can hold the governing body of football in the north to ransom puzzles me a little.

[Stuttgart88]

He took some whack from Phil Jones in the first half. For a sec I thought he could be absolutely crocked but he just shrugged it off and walked away. Phew...

[Newryrep]

Why should these players have to contact the FAI? I think they should be treated with normal practice for any other player and be offered a call-up by an association for which they are eligible, namely the FAI.

Obviously, there are caveats in this proposal. But it offers players that are of sufficient quality the opportunity to play with the FAI, because the offer should be made on the football association's part, not on the players part. The FAI's net can be cast on the 32 counties and so selection process should reflect this.

Although this approach would create tension as another "poaching our players" racket would be inevitable and, of course, clearly ignorant of facts.

Because at 18 you should be mature enough to know what your nationality is - its deemed an adult age in most cases /. Personally i dont have a problem with a declaration at 18 though it will never happen

[DannyInvincible]

On the Anthem issue, I am unaware that the IFA have sought the opinion of Northern Ireland fans.

Apparently, Gerry did research, although he doesn't go into much detail. Not sure whether or not it was on behalf of the IFA either. He does mention having a brief, so presumably it was.

[horton]

Only, he wasn't giving "as good as he got". He wasn't dishing out death threats and the like.

Hate to drag up an old comment but where the hell did I say he was dishing out death threats?! McClean had been receiving abusive messages on twitter since he made the switch, instead of ignoring them he responded and was having a bit of banter at the neanderthals comments winding them up, naive to do so yes but hardly justifying getting threats made against him. Nowhere did I say he deserved this/brought this on himself or any other such BS Predator.

[Predator]

Hate to drag up an old comment but where the hell did I say he was dishing out death threats?! McClean had been receiving abusive messages on twitter since he made the switch, instead of ignoring them he responded and was having a bit of banter at the neanderthals comments winding them up, naive to do so yes but hardly justifying getting threats made against him. Nowhere did I say he deserved this/brought this on himself or any other such BS Predator.

Chill out.
I didn't say that you said that. I was pointing out that saying "he gave as good as he got" would imply that his responses were on the same level as those who were attacking him, that there was some kind of parity. We both agree that there is no parity.

[horton]

Chill out.
I didn't say that you said that. I was pointing out that saying "he gave as good as he got" would imply that his responses were on the same level as those who were attacking him, that there was some kind of parity. We both agree that there is no parity.

Don't worry it's all good just seemed like my comment may have been taken out of context so had to call you up on it.

[youngirish]

I am led to believe that the perpetrator is a 16 year old kid who is mortified that his comments have been taken out of context.

Poor lad. I feel for him - I really do. I'm welling up just typing this thinking of how upsetting this whole episode has been for the young man.

[AlaskaFox]

Can't we just drop the sh!te talk and get on with admiring McClean in the euros?

This has been the eligibility thread for the last 3 or 4 pages.

Roy Keane was praising McClean in his Sunday Sun column yesterday, saying how he admires McClean for not just being happy making the 23.

[dahamsta]

No more eligibility discussion in this thread.

Not Brazil, I've asked you several times to stop post count whoring on Foot.ie, and to use Multi-Quote. I've even linked to the instructions, yet rather than have the courtesy to even acknowledge my requests, you continue to post in this style. From now on my policy on this is to bin these posts.

Back on topic please. The clue is in the thread title.

[DannyInvincible]

Liam Brady is backing McClean to play a "huge role" at the Euros: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2012/...ean-and-doyle/

Speaking at the launch of RTÉ’s Euro 2012 coverage, Brady said the 23-year-old could be in line for a surprise start against Croatia in the first game in Poznan on 10 June.

He said: "I think he can play a huge role. Trapattoni places a great deal of his selection on what he sees in training and whether lads are really sharp. If McClean demonstrates that, I think the way he plays is actually something he really admires.

"If he doesn’t start in the first game, I can see him getting games. I think there might be a possibility he starts in the first game."

Is Trap likely to drop McGeady or Duff in order to start McClean? Would be quite a statement of faith in someone so inexperienced at this level.

[Charlie Darwin]

I think there is a 0% chance of Duff or McGeady being dropped for the first game, and a very slim chance for subsequent games. I think he will be ahead of Hunt, but he'll only start if Duffer or McGeady is injured. Those two are still our most important players alongside Dunne and vital to our game plan.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Hmm, in that case, don't mind Duff taking a 'knock' then.

Love to see McClean get on as he has a more direct style.

[Charlie Darwin]

But Duff is our main source of set piece ball, both as winner and taker. Plus we need him and McGeady to help us hold up the ball in advanced positions and, in rare instances, bring other players into the game. If we had McClean in the team, we would literally be passing him the ball and asking him to run at the full back and put in a cross... to no one... every time. That would work well when the game is broken up but in the early stages I think it would be a real disadvantage.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Maybe, but just reckon Duff doesn't have the energy anymore and this is the McClean thread and place to 'big' him up.

The likes of him are the future for the WCQ's.

[Charlie Darwin]

Why don't you think Duff has the energy anymore? He played 90 minutes in just about every game as Fulham wrapped up the season in great form.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Just looked tired and predictable when he plays for Ireland.

Like I say, I just prefer McClean's style.

[Charlie Darwin]

Does he look more tired and predictable than the rest of the team?