No. That's just the people you know!
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No. That's just the people you know!
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Just because we call them North Korea doesn't mean they call us South Korea. I believe the correct term for us is "Mexico"
But we'd love to have Mexico's debt levels at this stage...
No such place as South Korea ArdeeBhoy. It's the Republic of Korea. You're no better...
In relation to Predator and ifk101's comments on the previous page about the Derry Journal's article, if you can't see the irony, you quite simply don't understand the meaning of the word. Before I address specific comments, I'd just like to point out that I have no problem with McClean in the squad, and I'm sure he's 100% committed now that there's no turning back.
Fair enough, I can see you're a Derry City supporter would obviously know more about this kind of thing than I could ever claim to know. However, I don't agree that he did give a diplomatic answer.
What he actually said was: "International recognition is very important to most players. I thoroughly enjoyed playing for the Under-21s and, therefore, any call-up to the senior squad would be considered an honour.". He has never played for Ireland's under 21 squad. He mentions "the" senior squad. The only international team he could possibly be referring to here is Northern Ireland's full international squad. It's not a diplomatic answer — he's saying he wants to be in Northern Ireland's squad. Of course, don't take my word for it, James McClean specifically said in the Sunday Times last week that he would have played for Northern Ireland if he was called up while playing for Derry:
As for the irony, he was asked, "Would you be happy to represent Northern Ireland with so many other players from the north-west area opting to represent the Republic?", and he said:"I maybe would have played for the north. I had been playing well with Derry City week in week out and he wasn’t picking me but was picking players from the [Northern] Irish League. I don’t know why. I didn’t hear from them for two years and then I got a call up when I was signed by Sunderland when I hadn’t even kicked a ball for the club."
He is now representing the Republic of Ireland himself. Irony.Yes, I was disappointed that a few of our own players didn’t get called up for recent squads, but I’m not breaking my heart or anything like that. I just felt that with the controversy surrounding other local players who have opted for the Republic, one of us at the Brandywell may have had a squeak of getting in, but that didn’t happen.
James McClean is eligibile to represent two associations; the IFA and the FAI. The opportunity to play international football with the IFA or the FAI is regarded as a honour by McClean. That he enjoyed playing for the NI U21s and considered a call-up to the NI senior team a honour, does not conflict with his preference to play for the FAI.
That Derry Journal article was from June 2011,
the full question and reply recorded was
Would he be happy to represent N. Ireland with so many other players from the North-West area opting to represent the Republic?
“International recognition is very important to most players. I thoroughly enjoyed playing for the Under-21s and, therefore, any call-up to the senior squad would be considered an honour.“Yes, I was disappointed that a few of our own players didn’t get called up for recent squads, but I’m not breaking my heart or anything like that. “I just felt that with the controversy surrounding other local players who have opted for the Republic, one of us at the Brandywell may have had a squeak of getting in, but that didn’t happen."
Yes he said it would be an honour to get called up to the senior NI squad and that it was disappointing that no one from Derry fc got a call-up but is not personally breaking his heart.
Predator regards this reply as diplomatic, maybe it is or isn't, I don't know, but I can imagine that a player with Derry fc would regard it as an honour to get picked for a NI senior squad and even if they would not regard it as an honour, in the event of not being included - would regard it as being snubbed.
Like others, I don't see much irony with this in the light of his subsequent declaration for the FAI and his quoted remarks.
What I appreciated was his account of the contact with O'Neill where O'Neill respected his decision and readily facilitated the paperwork involved with the switch.
IFK and geysir have pretty much answered enough, but I'll add something.
The most important line from the above is the first sentence. It is 'most certainly a diplomatic answer, or a tempered one at the very least. He suggests that he would be happy at receiving international recognition from the IFA for his ability, which is fair enough, but it is not the same happiness that he has expressed when receiving international recognition for his country - as I have shown in a compare and contrast exercise between his statements. You will soon notice the constrained, diplomatic nature of his comment. You will notice it even more so if you watch how he dealt with the question prior to the Dublin Super Cup and then contrast that with the elation evident in his recent interviews. Of course, you are free to believe what you want.
You are bang wrong. He did not specifically say that he would have played for the IFA. He actually said: "I maybe would have played for the north.". He might have played - i.e. the chances that he may not have opted for the FAI might have increased.
End Apartheid Now! One Team in Ireland!
Sorry, belatedly.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/b...-ireland-debut
The ovation given to McClean tonight was reminiscent of the rapturous reception given to Clinton Morrison as he came on in Mick's final game in charge, the loss to Switzerland. How times change.
Did Derry earn any windfall from McClean being capped tonight?
12 minutes not ideal, but in the context of Trapattoni's habits it's reasonably okay - it is in line with what he usually gives to substitute wingers anyway. Will the 23-man squad be finalised before or after the Bosnia / Herz. game? If after, McClean could play a bigger part in that match, provided his club form remains solid.
I think that was just the interviewer getting ahead of himself. I mean even today there were 6-7 players unavailable because of injury. You can't really go into a series of friendlies with 23 players. That's how you end up playing players who aren't fit and pick up more injuries.
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