More British-born players anyone?(2G discussion

[davey]

And I'm still waiting for this long list of 2G Irish with both parents that are Irish to have opted for England.

Totally agree with you Lopez but I do have one more name to add to this admittedly small list - John Deehan. Deehans dad was good pals with my dad and was absolutely mortified when Deehan chose England ahead of Ireland in the late 70s. He got so much stick from my dad and his pals. The fact that he only got 1 cap added more fuel to their fire. Why John Deehan plumped for England I don't know. He had a very similar background to myself. Both parents Irish, and active members of the Irish community in Birmingham. I honestly think that some 2gs - and this is a small number - are ashamed / embarrased of their background. I know 2 other lads who went to school with myself, again both parents Irish, who are members of the England travel club and follow England home and away. I can't understand it

I've mentioned this before on here, but in my experience the only people who have ever had problems with myself being Irish whilst following the Boys in Green have been Dubliners. I've a feeling it might be to do with dubliners not emigrating to England on the same scale as others - less likely to have cousins with English accents. A big generalisation I know as I've met so many sound Dubs, but just a little theory.

[ThatGuy]

i dont really care where they are from. its their ability that is the most important thing

Is that sarcasm? I would rather have 11 irishmen lose every match rather than have 11 foreigners even if they were the best players in the world.

BUT, I accept Kilbane as an Irishman, he considers himself to be Irish etc, unlike mercenaries like the majority of the Charlton foreigners.

[sylvo]

Can't be arsed reading the whole thread, but can guess where it was going.

Nationality is down to a state of mind. 2G's who are Irish and feel irish shouldn't look down on people that have chosen to fully integrate into the country they live and vica versa. That's their choice.

I've more respect for people that follow their heart rather than some of the mercenaries like Morrison that make a career decision. And that includes the likes of Gallen - if they truely felt irish then it shouldn't have mattered the pressure put on them.

And where now was the thread going. I would have to say that i've integrated here in this country, have many English friends, drive around in a goverment van that doubles up as a taxi, enjoy the cosmopolitan life that is here in Laaandan, have not intergrated to the point were i'm involved in Mancs V cockney arguments, leave that to the natives I do.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Well someone wanted a list of players: Here's some from the past
Joe Corrigan; Martin Keown,Paul Gascoigne, Kevin Keegan were all eligible one way or another of playing for the Republic. Joe Corrigan the goalkeeper for Manchester City had two Irish parents and only won 9 England Caps between the late 1960's and late 1970's. He would have had 59 for the Republic during the same period. He has admitted to Irish fans whom he met that he should have declared for the Republic and not doing so was his greatest regret of his long career. He was an outstanding goalkeeper at a time when the Republic didn't have any decent ones, who knows with him between the posts Eoin Hand's team might have qualified for the 1982 World Cup ? Gazza and Kevin Keegan probably made the right decision as in the end they had decent international careers, although Keegan played in only 1 World Cup in his career and even that was as a substitute in 1982.

Martin Keown also had two Irish parents. However he would not have been an automatic choice, ahead of Paul McGrath, Mick McCarthy, Kevin Moran and even as I say Dave O'Leary ? I don't think so. Fair play to Clinton Morrison for having the intelligence to realise that his only hope of regular international football was in the green of Ireland , his mother's country, unlike Kevin Gallen whose brother played Under 21 for the Republic of Ireland. Incidentally Kevin Gallen had a great England career in the end didn't he?

[Metrostars]

FYI - Heres a list of some players with Irish roots who have capped by the US in the last few years:

Gregg Berhalter(mother is Irish, from Galway I think)
Eddie Gaven
Richard Mulrooney
Kerry Zavagnin(irish citizen)
John O'Brien
Pat Noonan
Brian McBride
Landon Donovan
Conor Casey
Brian Carroll
Leo Cullen
Clint Dempsey
Brian Mullan

uncapped mls players:
Tim Regan
Chad Barrett
Mike Magee
Danny O'Rourke
Michael Bradley
Michael Parkhurst(parents are from Ireland)
Jim Curtin

[lopez]

FYI - Heres a list of some players with Irish roots who have capped by the US in the last few years...

Thanks for the list, but how many of these are actually qualified for Irish citizenship. The Minister for Justice might have been a bit generous in the past but I don't think that he's like the Germans where grossfarter's nazi card and a German name get's you instant citizenship. I mean, the Kennedys over your side of the water are supposed to be as Irish as getting drunk and fighting, but I know none of the present generation would get a passport on the strength of their roots.