Youth Development/ Coaching etc etc..

[Plastic Paddy]

The Ghanaian that played for Germany who I keep forgetting his name

Long time no speak. Hope all is well. Are you around for a beer or two on Thursday?

An excellent and well-reasoned post, btw. The PhD's in the post.

It's Gerald Asamoah you seek. You could also cite Emmanuel Olisadebe, fast-tracked into the Polish side despite only two years' residency. He now plays in Greece, I believe.

I'm not 100% sure about O'Brien but I thought his mother was English.

I think all four grandparents were Irish, so by that reckoning she'd be 2G at least.

To dismiss these players is not only cutting off your nose to spite your face, but also insulting

Absolutely agree.

PP

[eirebhoy]

Aye good post Lopez.
As I've said, I agree with some of what Pablo says but he has to give a lot of players the benefit of the doubt. Pablo just dismisses O'Brien's case out of hand because he played a friendly for England U-21's. The reason I keep bringing McGeady up is because he would openly admit that his first nationality is Scottish but Pablo doesn't seem to have a problem with him because he has the potential to be one of our best ever players.

[livehead1]

well done eirebhoy for the big long list, thats exactly what im talkin about, i won't back down bout what i said, it smells of hypocracy. The manager which took us to the world cup 02 was 2nd generation....hess also now doing a great job breeding some irish youngsters

living in england..... i have NEVER EVER in my entire life heard a word said about michael owen's 'welshness' or the fact that hargreaves is canadian/german etc... there are others as well. if people will play for us that will make us a better side and increase our standing in world football then it can only be good. as long as these players put the effort in a turn up then fair play to them. macken may be shi* but correct me if im wrong, he turned up the last training session in dublin for the craic with the lads knowing tho that he wasnt fit enough to play. he pay have played for england but thats far more dedication than many irish professionals and seasoned internationals have shown over time, and i don't just mean roy keane.

[monutdfc]

It's Gerald Asamoah you seek. You could also cite Emmanuel Olisadebe, fast-tracked into the Polish side despite only two years' residency. He now plays in Greece, I believe.

Olisidabe married a Polish woman which gained him citizenship.

[Plastic Paddy]

Olisidabe married a Polish woman which gained him citizenship.

Ahh. I retract my earlier statement then. I hope they're still very happy together.

Typical though. Poland gained Olisadebe through marriage. We gained Paul Butler.

PP

[Stuttgart88]

Typical though. Poland gained Olisadebe through marriage. We gained Paul Butler.
PP

The FAI should send a consignment of good-looking Irish girls around the world with one mission: marry good footballers.

Richie Partridge has done the reverse. He's hitched up to Michael Owen's sister, a very clever genetic recruitment strategy that Merrion Square deserves more credit for. In 20 years time we may well have a 5 foot 5 lightning fast injury prone goalscoring legend in a green shirt. It might be the Ladies' team though.

[lopez]

Long time no speak. Hope all is well. Are you around for a beer or two on Thursday?

Sadly not as I've got a wedding reception to go to. Hope all is well with you and Mrs P.

The PhD's in the post.

Thankyou, but Bob Jones has sent me a dozen already this year. But at least your one is free.

[Colm]

Do i cheer when Morrisson scores? ask the lads that were next to me on the North Terrace against Cyprus

Yeah quite a large group of Cork City fans refused to cheer for Morrisson's goal that day and rightly so too. I'm a huge Ireland fan and always celebrate when we win etc but it pains me to see mercenary cnuts like Morrisson et al playing for us.
We won't even mention the fact that Morrisson is a waste of space and doesn't deserve to be called a footballer!! Surely Crowe, Doyle or O'Flynn would be better than Morrisson or Macken and they are actually Irish too.

[Pablo]

My defining statement on all of this is "Irish Born or of Genuine Irish Decent"

Genuine Irish decent:
For Example,
David Connolly
Kevin Kilbane
Both English born with english accents but as Irish as i am

Not Irish

Clinton Morrison
Macken

Only played for Ireland when England didnt come knocking and we all know it

I'm inclined to but O'Brien purely because, a kid or not, he played for another country

[jofyisgod]

Doyle or O'Flynn would be better than Morrisson or Macken and they are actually Irish too.

It must surely only be a matter of time before Doyle gets in the frame-i mean the guy is on fire.

I find it hard not to cheer an Ireland goal, and the guy was ecstatic to score. I agree with you on the mercenary front, but i know if i were in his position, i'd be bloody happy to be getting international football, full stop, no matter for who. Look at Jason Euell for Jamaica, the guy probably doesn't give a toss about them, it's just a doorway for him.
Problem here is you can't measure passion for a country on a form...

[lopez]

...I'm a huge Ireland fan and always celebrate when we win etc but it pains me to see mercenary cnuts like Morrisson et al playing for us...

Gurkhas are mercenaries. French Legionaires are mercenaries. That Dub who got himself killed in Iraq was a mercenary. But I think you'll find Clinton could have got an Irish passport even if he wasn't a half-decent footballer. No one is paying him for his (1/4) Irishness. It was always there.

My defining statement on all of this is "Irish Born or of Genuine Irish Decent"

Genuine Irish decent:
For Example,
David Connolly
Kevin Kilbane
Both English born with english accents but as Irish as i am

Not Irish

Clinton Morrison
Macken

Only played for Ireland when England didnt come knocking and we all know it

I'm inclined to but O'Brien purely because, a kid or not, he played for another country

What about the 'half-breeds' (copyright Davros). Can I be Irish, eh? Pleeeeeeease!!!!!!

[Pablo]

What about the 'half-breeds' (copyright Davros). Can I be Irish, eh? Pleeeeeeease!!!!!!

did you grow up thinking you were irish? or on any given day were you English? or maybe Scottish on a thursday? or or wait a minute maybe Jamaican?

[Donal81]

My defining statement on all of this is "Irish Born or of Genuine Irish Decent"

Genuine Irish decent:
For Example,
David Connolly
Kevin Kilbane
Both English born with english accents but as Irish as i am

Not Irish

Clinton Morrison
Macken

Only played for Ireland when England didnt come knocking and we all know it

I'm inclined to but O'Brien purely because, a kid or not, he played for another country

Listen man, I can't stand the thought of mercenaries as I've said plenty of times on this forum but who can say that, during the Charlton years, Andy Townsend, John Aldridge and Ray Houghton didn't give as much to the Irish squad as Packie Bonner and Steve Staunton? They may not have been Oirish and may fit into your column B - which I think is crude - but they gave their all every time they played. They certainly gave a lot more and seemed to give a sh*t a lot more than some of the Irish-born guys who are knocking around today and some during the McCarthy era.

[lopez]

did you grow up thinking you were irish? or on any given day were you English? or maybe Scottish on a thursday? or or wait a minute maybe Jamaican?

Well my mother put me on her passport when I was a nine-month old baby (to go and see my granny) so technically I was Spanish for around 14 years. I'll take that as a no then!

[livehead1]

players in the EL blatently aint good enough to be playing international football when they aint good enough to earn a move to an english club. Ireland has so much to thank english football for as regarding developing young talent so in my opinion as long as these lads give 110% just like morrison then we should back them

[Slash/ED]

Ireland has so much to thank english football for as regarding developing young talent

English football has raped the Irish game for young talent, mistreated them when they got them and this has caused many players who could have made it to not get there due to homesickness and what have you. Look at Andy Reid, who so very very nearly went the way of Keith Foy as a result of this. We need to stop relying on English teams to pick and choose players from here and develop our own proper academys and keep the kids here until they're at least in their late teens.

[Plastic Paddy]

Yeah quite a large group of Cork City fans refused to cheer for Morrisson's goal that day and rightly so too.

How pathetic. As I've been reminded here in the past, any player donning the green shirt deserves our full backing, nothing less. I'm surprised you condone such childish behaviour.

We need to stop relying on English teams to pick and choose players from here and develop our own proper academys and keep the kids here until they're at least in their late teens.

Which requires a vision and drive from the FAI, something they seem completely incapable of delivering. If we all ask Santa nicely, you never know. I feel that's our only chance though.

PP

[holidaysong]

just wondering is clinton second generation?

[Plastic Paddy]

He's third-generation. One of his grandmothers is from Dublin. The other three grandparents are Jamaican, as far as I know.

PP

[tricky_colour]

Clinton Morrison
Macken

Only played for Ireland when England didnt come knocking and we all know it

I'm inclined to but O'Brien purely because, a kid or not, he played for another country

I think thats a bit harsh, you can hardly expect a kid to play for a country
other than the one in which he lives, it's just not practical, but it is
important to get experience at international level.