Caolan Lavery

[CraftyToePoke]

I think we should be maintaining a policy of approaching catholic NI players and giving them our sales pitch.

Please tell me you are joking ? On the Catholic bit, I mean. Please.

[Gather round]

I think people will have to start accepting that less Northern Irish players are going to declare for Ireland. We seem have been scared off approaching them. The North are being very aggressive about retaining any players who would have notions about playing for The South, even though they are completely within their rights to do so (play for us). I think we should be maintaining a policy of approaching catholic NI players and giving them our sales pitch

By the same token, we're within our rights to be aggressive provided no laws are broken

Not sure a 'sales pitch' is necessary. If guys are interested/ emotionally involved, they'll accept the invitation. If they aren't particularly, then 'Wanna be on the fringe at a fourth seed?' is unlikely to change their minds.

PS we'd give you Josh 'Decathlete' Magennis, but he's already maimed some people in a qualifier.

[tetsujin1979]

I think people will have to start accepting that less Northern Irish players are going to declare for Ireland. We seem have been scared off approaching them. The North are being very aggressive about retaining any players who would have notions about playing for The South, even though they are completely within their rights to do so (play for us). I think we should be maintaining a policy of approaching catholic NI players and giving them our sales pitch.

I'm pretty sure the policy is to make any player born in Northern Ireland aware that they can approach the FAI if they wish to change international allegiance, regardless of religion

[Gather round]

The distinction's obviously sectarian, but there is some logic to it. A defector from Rathcoole or Newtownards will probably get even more stick on mainstream and social media than one from Derry or Newry.

You want to sign up those Gort Brazilians

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Please don't try and create an issue where none exists. Please.

I am pretty certain that every NI born player that has declared for ROI going back to the 90's is Catholic. If that's an indictment of anything, it's certainly not me. Players from a Protestant background will overwhelmingly want to play for NI. Some Catholic players (Shane Duffy) have a connection to the Republic and will be receptive to playing for ROI. Some Catholic players will want to play for NI. Power to them.

Maybe I could have worded that a bit better? Maybe someone is going out of their way to be offended? Does it cause you distress when James McClean & Shane Duffy make tweets? Because they have said "worse" than that.

Ask Gibson/Wilson/O'Kane/Crossley/Duffy why they declare for Ireland and why Niall McGinn supports Ireland.

I just want these kind of players to play for Ireland as long as the rules allow it and they are talented/open enough.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

And I would gladly take Kyle Lafferty, regardless of his religion, but I'm just going to go out on a limb here and say that it wasn't a goer.

GR - Yes. "Sales pitch" was a ridiculous way to word it on my part but more silly than offensive.

Tets - Yes. I know that players from every background are more than welcome but I don't think a player of that affiliation has ever been linked with a change of association. I should have just said "players of that inclination" so as to not cause anyone any distress. My bad.

Boy I really have a way of walking into things like this, don't I?

[DannyInvincible]

Please don't try and create an issue where none exists. Please.

...

Maybe someone is going out of their way to be offended?

Blaming others for being oversensitive and going out of their way to be offended (when what you said was nakedly sectarian)? Typical carry-on and cringeworthy.

We should be open to all Irishmen interested and talented enough to play for us rather than perpetuating sectarian division. Thankfully, the FAI are open to the idea of all sorts of Irishmen playing for us, be they Catholic, Protestant or whatever. You should have called Gerry Kelly a month ago; he might have had a job for you in North Belfast.

Alan Kernaghan, of Ulster Protestant heritage, grew up in Bangor (Co. Down) from the age of four yet went on to play for us. He was subjected to absolute dog's abuse in Windsor Park in '93. Alex Bruce and Adam Barton were of Ulster Protestant heritage too.

I know it'd be a massive change in approach and all, but why don't you have a think for even just a minute or two before you post in future?

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Adam Barton & Alex Bruce didn't grow up in Northern Ireland. Alan Kernaghan declared for Republic of Ireland due to IFA policy that prohibited players who weren't born in Northern Ireland nor had Northern Irish parents from declaring for their chosen country. He has been quite forthright about his reasons for declaring for Ireland. I was quite clearly referring to Northern Irish youngsters from Protestant backgrounds. The reason I said catholic - and I already backtracked on this before you dredged it up again for some reason - is because I don't think Northern Irish youngsters from a Protestant background would be comfortable playing for the ROI for several reasons. Not for the reasons some people seem to be maliciously implying. Frankly, I don't even think a lot of catholic players would be comfortable playing for the ROI. The players I was suggesting targeting were those who grew up identifying as Irish, supporting the Irish national team and open to communication. Some of those who were that way inclined (Shane Duffy, James McClean, Marc Wilson) have actually specifically brought up their Irishness, religion & clannishness when talking about reasons for declaring for Ireland. Woe betide them! Looks like I am not the only person to slip up. The IFA have, as a response, made concerted efforts - to their credit - to make Windsor Park and their structural organisation even more inclusive for these minded young players.

I am acutely aware that there are dozens of current and former Irish Internationals at every age level who have diverse religious backgrounds and not once have I remarked negatively about this. I haven't even given it a moments thought until this tumult.

It's your prerogative to imply that I am bigoted, imply that I am sectarian, imply that I am homophobic (on the national football team forum) and insult my intelligence, but I have to stand my ground here - I genuinely don't think there is anything wrong with the comments I made other than they could have been worded more cohesively.

I think most people on this forum have enough respect for me to know that there isn't a malicious bone in my body.

Now I know how James McClean, Shane Duffy & Darren Kelly feel! Quite easy to unknowingly cause offense on any kind of forum with sensitive topics.

Frankly, I don't even know why this thread was updated to begin with. Caolan has been quite open about wanting to play for Northern Ireland for some time.

*Have edited relevant comment *Apologies to Crafty, but if you politely brought to my attention how questionably worded my comment was I would not have been so defensive and I would have edited it earlier with no qualms. I don't bite!

[tetsujin1979]

don't make me lock another thread you two

[ArdeeBhoy]

So we can't say anything anymore?