Scotland V Republic of Ireland - Friday, 14th November 2014 - Euro 2016 Qualifier

[ArdeeBhoy]

Alliteration beats rhyming in this case.... Gastric Guts it is!!

Dunno, there should be a Gastric band in force...

[DannyInvincible]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...euro-qualifier

Paul Doyle saying both McGeady and McCarthy represented Scotland at youth level before declaring. Is that true? Schoolboy maybe, but not proper national section to the best of my knowledge.

Some info (all referenced) on McGeady's initial decision to play for Ireland: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aiden_M...ational_career

McGeady played for Scotland Schools while at Queen's Park. He played in an under-13 World Cup tournament in Paris. After Queen's Park he joined Celtic, who had a policy of not permitting their youths to play for their school teams due to conflicting kick off times. Scotland had a rule which would not permit a player who did not play for their school team to be considered for a call-up to Scotland Schools selects.

The Republic of Ireland had no such rule preventing a player from being selected and instructed former Celtic player Packie Bonner, who knew of McGeady's Irish heritage, to invite McGeady to play for the Republic of Ireland Under-15 Schoolboys team. McGeady qualifies for Ireland through his paternal grandparents, who hail from the Gaeltacht area of Gweedore, County Donegal. McGeady accepted the offer and joined the Irish youth setup. McGeady was later named in a Scotland under-16 squad, but declined, citing his experience of the Irish set up, despite attempts to persuade him to do so by Scotland head coach Berti Vogts.

[Olé Olé]

I keep coming back the whole McGeady/McCarthy situation on Friday night but I was having a think to myself the other day as to whether there was any Irish parallel that could be drawn.

I distinctly remembered my early days in life watching the old 5 Nations and my father cursing Kyran Bracken. I then remembered some form of documentary I saw when an Irish rugby player referred to the fact that the crowd in Landsdowne Road were so intent on making life difficult for Bracken when he came to Ireland with England.

Kyran Bracken was born in Ireland to Irish parents and moved to England aged 4. He came up through the English rugby system to ultimately represent his new home. And over the 90's here received a touch of flak when he went to play Ireland (his birth country):
http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugb...-26238992.html

Like the one about Kyran Bracken, England's Dublin-born scrum half, and the roasting he received in 1994, when he marched out at Twickenham to face the land of his birth. The game was fifteen minutes old when Bracken was caught and turned by Neil Francis (former Ireland rugby player, now an analyst with a few media outlets) and given a céad mile fáilte by a frenzied Irish pack.

Ten minutes later, still reeling from the welcome, Bracken was caught and pummelled again at the bottom of another ruck. You can just imagine his fear, in the darkness of that place, when these two crazed eyes were thrust in his face. You can just imagine his terror when he realised it was the Claw (Peter Clohessy, former Ireland and Munster prop). Thick accent. Bad vibes. "You're never going to get out of here alive."

An interesting, if not slightly skewed, parallel. Shows the reception that Bracken received when he faced an Ireland side for a different country having been born in Ireland.

[Wangball]

The big difference is that a lot of the guff McGeady & McCarthy will have to suffer will be sectarian in nature and wildly vitriolic. I hope there's a UEFA observer there because Scotland could well end up on the wrong end of a ban.

McGeady, a Scottish born Catholic of Irish descent declares for Ireland - gets dogs abuse

Paul Paton, a Scottish born person (religion not known although his father is from Larne so most likely protestant - I'm open to correction on this though!) of Northern Irish descent declares for Norther Ireland - not a single boo

I went to Uni in Glasgow, was there 4 years in total and moved from there to Belfast for work and I can honestly hand on hear say that as well as being the most fun city I've ever lived in Glasgow is by far and away the most sectarian.

[Olé Olé]

The big difference is that a lot of the guff McGeady & McCarthy will have to suffer will be sectarian in nature and wildly vitriolic. I hope there's a UEFA observer there because Scotland could well end up on the wrong end of a ban.

McGeady, a Scottish born Catholic of Irish descent declares for Ireland - gets dogs abuse

Paul Paton, a Scottish born person (religion not known although his father is from Larne so most likely protestant - I'm open to correction on this though!) of Northern Irish descent declares for Norther Ireland - not a single boo

I went to Uni in Glasgow, was there 4 years in total and moved from there to Belfast for work and I can honestly hand on hear say that as well as being the most fun city I've ever lived in Glasgow is by far and away the most sectarian.

Yeah, that's something that I haven't much experience on, tbh. It's interesting because in the Albania national team, there's often a distinction placed upon "ethnic" Kosovans. Had a quick Google on the term "ethnic" which provided this:

An ethnicity, or ethnic group, is a socially-defined category of people who identify with each other based on common ancestral, social, cultural or national experience.

That actually relates very much to the two lads, doesn't it?

I'm probably clumsily dealing with the intricacies of human migration.

[paul_oshea]

It sounds like from O'Neill that if McCarthy is fit he plays, at the expense of Whelan - not in direct place - but because he doesnt want to risk two subsitutions and two players not being fully fit, 1 is ok but not both.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

The big difference is that a lot of the guff McGeady & McCarthy will have to suffer will be sectarian in nature and wildly vitriolic. I hope there's a UEFA observer there because Scotland could well end up on the wrong end of a ban.

McGeady, a Scottish born Catholic of Irish descent declares for Ireland - gets dogs abuse

Paul Paton, a Scottish born person (religion not known although his father is from Larne so most likely protestant - I'm open to correction on this though!) of Northern Irish descent declares for Norther Ireland - not a single boo

I went to Uni in Glasgow, was there 4 years in total and moved from there to Belfast for work and I can honestly hand on hear say that as well as being the most fun city I've ever lived in Glasgow is by far and away the most sectarian.

Paul Paton also retweeted a sectarian comment shortly after he was called up.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

The Grauniad's Paul Doyle reckons the doc's best mate Ciaran Clark is in line to replace Wilson. Makes sense as he's left footed and Delaney isn't in the squad: http://www.theguardian.com/football/...ier?CMP=twt_gu

• O’Neill set to start with Robbie Keane in lone striker role

The definition of insanity... repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting different results every time. Either start him in a 4-4-2 or leave him on the bench FFS.

85% sure Keogh will still start but I was thinking they would be reluctant to start with two right footed centre backs. All the more strange that Delaney is perpetually ignored.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

"If we don’t get beaten there"

Good to see this attitude has been retained. Served us well in the past.

[Stuttgart88]

It's just a soundbite. It doesn't mean the gameplan isn't to go for the win. But, yes, I noticed that too and thought it's the tired old cliche again. Aim higher Shane (with your words, not your shooting).

[Stuttgart88]

I was speaking with my mate in Wexford this morning and he says the only media focus is about the potential booing. As always it's the sideshow rather than the main show. No wonder the FAI doesn't sell tickets or sponsorship.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...r-fire-4614797

Irish fans on the defensive after tweet shows 15 of 27 players in Irish squad were born in Ireland.

[Olé Olé]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...r-fire-4614797

Irish fans on the defensive after tweet shows 15 of 27 players in Irish squad were born in Ireland.

*17 of 27.

[DeLorean]

"If we don’t get beaten there"

Good to see this attitude has been retained. Served us well in the past.

To be fair, MON said he feels it's a game they can win (unlike the Germany one?). I think he's just being realistic, and realistically a draw wouldn't be a bad result away from home. The problem is, conventional wisdom would have you believe that an away draw should be followed up with a home win, and that's been our Achilles heel. If MON can bring some positive results to Lansdowne then these away draws will be a lot more valuable. For now though, not losing Friday night would be massive but hopefully we'll be trying to win it, not just nick it.

[Stuttgart88]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...r-fire-4614797

Irish fans on the defensive after tweet shows 15 of 27 players in Irish squad were born in Ireland.

probably at Jim Lets Laugh About The Potato Famine White's behest.

[SwanVsDalton]

Stephen Doyle (aka the scruffy journalist O'Neill ribbed at a previous presser) asked MON directly about Delaney's omission, but no real response from the manager.

Has to be a simple case or combination of not fancying the player/he's considered too old and they'd rather develop slightly younger options. He should still be in the squad.

[DeLorean]

Well that clears that up.

And great to know Keogh thinks he might be ready, nothing like learning on the job. The guy who asked him if it would be the biggest game he's played for Ireland should have got lynched there and then.

[geysir]

Stephen Doyle (aka the scruffy journalist O'Neill ribbed at a previous presser) asked MON directly about Delaney's omission, but no real response from the manager.

Has to be a simple case or combination of not fancying the player/he's considered too old and they'd rather develop slightly younger options. He should still be in the squad.

Sounds like there's an issue to me, "we had a conversation" "a private conversation", didn't sound like a happy conversation. But O'Neill is true to the adage, imprinted in his dna, 'whatever you say, say nothing'.

[BonnieShels]

been to the toilet and the guts are in good working order. The guts say ireland to win, long to come off the bench and score, strachan's head to nearly explode and roy to give him ongoing condescending looks. Mccarthy will play as i think his determination to play is evident in that he hasn't returned to england. I feel a lot of you are showing too much respect to these kilt loving, english loving skinflint cowards who are inferior in every way to your independent of spirit, generous and lovable irish person. You can close the thread now tets, the guts have spoken!

monorail!!!

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

*17 of 27.

I agree with your sentiments and I actually had an argument about whether it's okay to call Belfast an Irish city the other day after commenting on an article erroneously referring to "Belfast, Ireland" in the headline.