I'm sure James knows well where his home is.Originally Posted by SolitudeRed
unionist sports journalist in sports headline shocker!!!!!
Of course he doesn't he has been brainwashed by the SF/FAI/Pope Benedict XVI/IRA axis of evil into turning his back on the tolerant utopian nation that is Norn Iron, there can be no other rational explanation for such a defection
For once we'll have to disagree. How dare you call it only 'prestigious'....
Well if you go way back up the thread, at least one other poster had drawn that somewhat paranoid conclusion, that JMcC had been adversely 'influenced' by at least two of the above...
Limited as my knowledge is regarding the nuances (if they can be termed as such) of the North's geography, would the fact that Michael O'Neill is a catholic from Portadown, Co. Armagh be somewhat different to McClean's background from Creggan in Derry? Hence, O'Neill trying to relate to James is more difficult than would appear on first glance?
Given the fact that McClean expressly stated his desire to play for the Republic prior to O'Neill getting the job and that Hunt and Duff have approached the wrong side of 30, I'm not quite sure what it would take to change his mind. Big enough a step as it was changing over, what could O'Neill say to make him change back? "Come with us mate, I promise you'll be be left wing in all our qualifiers if you're the top form left winger I have..." Should be the case anyway.
McClean's not going to reconsider. He only switched 6 months ago and I suspect in his head he knows he'll be an Ireland international within the next year. Wilson would be more of a worry, but I don't think his head will be turned either. It's the likes of the McEleneys and Daniel Lafferty who could possibly make the switch to the Northern Irish team.
I would agree that there is no way McCLean will switch back to NI, However, O'Neill has at least to be seen to be trying to do something about it in order to keep the fans happy. What does intrigue me about all of this, is this new positive discrimination in favour of Catholics. These players who have joined us have achieved more in terms of trying to remove politics and sectarianism from NI football than anybody else, even though the IFA are doing it for ulterior motives.
Yes I noticed you wrote ' a wee bit' about it, unfortunately it was rather too much for me to comprehendThere was a rule-change in 2009 whereby the age limit (formerly the age of 21) by which a player could switch association was lifted. I assume that's what you're referring to? The general rule in place regarding eligibility, however, has always allowed for those possessing the nationality of the association for whom they sought to play to declare for that association. As far back as 1946, article 21 of the Regulations of FIFA contained the following:
"The players (NB. of International Matches) must be selected by the National Associations concerned and be subjects of the country they represent."
As O'Neill would have been entitled to Irish citizenship since the age of 3 or 4 by virtue of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, he would also have been eligible to play for the FAI by the time he picked up his first senior cap for the IFA in 1971. Check out the link in my signature; I wrote a wee bit about it once...
I'm sure (Michael) O'Neill and McClean have shared different upbringings by virtue of geography whilst also having shared some similar experiences, but it's not really as simple as that. There's also quite an age-gap to consider. Both are products of different environments and different generations. Guys like Liam Coyle and Liam O'Kane from pretty much the same place as McClean have represented NI in the past. Liam O'Kane's nephew is a good friend of mine, was next to me at the Estonia game and is as avid an Ireland supporter as myself with no interest in the NI team to my knowledge despite his uncle's former connection. Furthermore, it's not only northern-born players from Derry who've opted to declare for the FAI. Marc Wilson is from just north of Lurgan and Paul George is from near Downpatrick. Sure, then there's Shane Ferguson from near Eglinton just outside Derry and he's decided to stick with the IFA. And what about Gerry Armstrong who grew up on the Falls Road? I have it on good authority that he wears 'Ulster Banner' boxers nowadays!
Here's the opening clip from a fascinating and insightful address Martin O'Neill made in Áras an Uachtaráin in December of 2008 on what it meant to him to be Irish:
He speaks of the anomalies, ironies, paradoxes and downright contradictions. Obviously his Irishness is something of which he's very proud, yet he was still the first Irish Catholic, as he puts it, to captain NI in football internationally. He speaks about it in the second part of the five clips. Whether that was a further expression of his complex and multifaceted version of Irishness or in spite of it remains open to debate, I suppose. Strangely though, Martin doesn't appear to mention having beaten my father in the hotly-contested end-of-year GAA handball final back in his St. Columb's days. Hmm, my da had assured me that finally beating him was Martin's defining moment!
Has Lafferty declared for us?
Last edited by DannyInvincible; 05/01/2012 at 5:30 AM.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2012/0104/oneillm.html
And the North's double standards on the "poaching" issue continue. But, alas, as Armstrong and the lads have specified before, these are "their" players; you can't poach what you already own, only if it escapes, then you can return it."James McClean is eligible for Northern Ireland so of course he's on my radar," he said.
"Whilst respecting the wishes of the players, I'll be doing everything in my power and my remit to emphasise to them that their long-term futures lie with the Northern Ireland national team."
That's a shockingly paternalistic tone. As if he just won't contemplate the idea McClean's future lies with, you know, following his heart and playing for the country he identifies with.
I think O'Neill will have more success than Worthington in convincing players to choose NI over ROI, but his quotes so far show he doesn't really understand the issue much better than his predecessor.
Hmm, looks like he hasn't. I'm not sure why I thought he had.
Last edited by Charlie Darwin; 05/01/2012 at 11:47 AM.
No we dont, we shouldnt have to cap somebody to tie him to us
Rubbish and speculation see Danny' s excellent blog for clarification
Does anyone know if McEleney is llikely to switch? Doolin messed him around but hopefully he will not let that effect him. Really surprised if patrick mceleney does not move to england this month
Yes I have seen his blog, but regarding capping him, firstly he wants to play for the Republic and capping him would get rid of all the speculation and perhaps pressure being put on him to switch.
Plus he is a good player so I think we would all like to see him get a chance sooner rather than later based on ability alone. So not so much to tie him in but because we need as many decent players as possible!!
On the other bit, yes that is speculation, he is from the North and at the time the North 'was' the Irishteam as far as international football was concerned, I think it was kind of like an all Ireland team in a way?
So I would say I was wrong on that point, there were 'both types' of players in the team and they were singing 'both kinds' of songs on the team bus in a friendly manner according to the MON interview.
It's not the first time i have posted 'rubbish' here by the way!!!
Last edited by tricky_colour; 06/01/2012 at 3:30 AM.
I'd say NI fans have come to terms with that fact that McClean won't be backtracking. It's likely the IFA have also accepted it behind the scenes but they need a steady supply of oxygen to maintain their running media campaign attempting to highlight the supposed injustice. Mentioning whenever possible the name of a "defector" who has just burst onto the Premier League scene serves that agenda well.
I don't think Martin O'Neill was strictly saying the the NI team was "the Irish team" back then, nor was it an all-island team either by any means. It was made up of players from nationalist backgrounds like himself who might well have self-defined as Irish and players from unionist backgrounds who might well have self-defined as British, but it wasn't made up of Irish players from south of the border. Admittedly, it would have been the stronger of the two teams on the island at the time. In that sense, possibly southerners lent their support north of the border. I wasn't even one year old in 1986, mind, so I'm sure someone else would be better equipped with years than I to know for sure.On the other bit, yes that is speculation, he is from the North and at the time the North 'was' the Irishteam as far as international football was concerned, I think it was kind of like an all Ireland team in a way?
So I would say I was wrong on that point, there were 'both types' of players in the team and they were singing 'both kinds' of songs on the team bus in a friendly manner according to the MON interview.
It's not the first time i have posted 'rubbish' here by the way!!!
McClean (centre) scored his first Black Cats goal against Wigan on Tuesday Sunderland's James McClean appears to have ruled out reversing his decision to declare for the Republic of Ireland.
McClean played for Northern Ireland at youth and under-21 level but opted for the Republic last year after turning down a Northern Ireland senior call-up.
New Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill said earlier this week that McClean was on his "radar" but those hopes appear to have been dashed.
"I have declared myself for the Republic," McClean told the Irish News.
"That's where I see my (international) future.
"If I don't get called up, then I'll live with that but I have confidence in my own ability that I will get a call-up at some stage with the Republic of Ireland.
"Hopefully this now puts this matter to bed."
McClean, who moved to Sunderland from Derry City last August, revealed that he had been contacted by the new Northern Ireland manager in recent days.
"He rang me just to congratulate me about how the last two (Sunderland) games have gone and to see how I'm getting on.
"He said he would keep in touch with me and he'll call up and see me, which I appreciate, but I just want to put the Northern Ireland thing to bed now."
After a number of outings as substitute, the Derry-born player made his first Sunderland start in the New Year's Day win over Manchester City and he scored in the 4-1 win over Wigan on Tuesday
I'm with Newry Rep on this one, no need to rush him ahead of the queue in order to cap him.
If the IFA wants to talk (IFA talk whereas FAI poach) and try to persuade a player to reverse his declared intent to play for the FAI, then fine.
We already have thrown in the towel on that one.
There really is no hope that the IFA and their merry band of mopes, will ever see the slightest hypocrisy or irony in such an approach.
Last edited by geysir; 06/01/2012 at 10:34 AM.
I'm amazed how insecure some people are about this. The lad declared for us, he's Irish. I don't see why he needs to re-iterate this.
Because of the press coverage perhaps?
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