Who cares if they do or not. What's that got to do with an All Island team? I find it mind boggingly stupid that there are Irish people who have a hang up about it.Originally Posted by youngirish
you said
My response to that is if you want as much distance from the English as possible then does this mean not picking English based players?
Also, what possible reason would we have for distancing ourselves from the English?
They're not at their strongest at the moment but they would still get a lot of players in the squad. I don't know too much about their squad but from my limited knowledge I'd say the following would get into a combined squad.
Maik Taylor,
Roy Carroll
Aaron Hughes,
Damien Johnson,
Steven Davis,
David Healy,
Keith Gillespie.
From the above I could see Hughes at left or centre back, Davis Central Midfield, Gillespie on the Right Wing and Healy possibly up front.
Why pick Northern Ireland? I vote for Brazil. Much better than Northern Ireland.
1) already in the world cup.
2) got Ronaldinho, Romaldo et al
3) Just about as likely as the IFA/Northern Ireland fans to agree to a joint team.
In other words. This is not going to happen unless there is a single political entity which is highly unlikely. The GFA copperfastens NI's union with the rest of the UK for at least the next 50 years.
imagine if the England site starting talking about a joint team from these islands - F.A.I. would take a payoff etc, flag of st. Patrick already in the Union Jack, Duffer would solve problem on the left wing. We'd be up in arms (maybe even literally)
Yes there are All Ireland teams in other sports but that is because they were there BEFORE the Republic of Ireland was formed.
As I said in my post a merging of the two Irish FAs will mean that the Republic team and their players will be fused more closely with the British home nations and ensure that our achievements will be more likely referred to in a British context rather than an Independent Irish one in the wider world (due to the far wider reaching power of their media).
You obviously don't have a reason but a lot of Irish people don't like to be linked too closely with the English. Not wanting to get too political on a football website but many have fought and died in the past so we wouldn't have to be associated with the English (British). Nice to see you appreciate it. You can say what you like about politics and football being mutually exclusive but unfortunately they aren't and merging with Northern Ireland would link the Irish team and nation more closely with the British in the eyes of many people.
You're on a hiding to nothing with this JR and entirely of your own making.
I'm baffled as to where you get your info that we're "progressive" and "richer".
Also how you can just tritely dismiss the relevance of the feelings of around a million people up there stuns me a bit.
I think to be honest it's exactly that "One size fits all" version of Irishness, Ireland and how we are percieved from the outside that puts -not only an All-Ireland team -but an All-Ireland geo-political state further and further away down the tracks.
...what? Like happens with our rugby team?
Sorry YI but that's confused barstool republican garbage.
At least as many on the same side fought and died so we'd have the right to just run our own show as friendly equals rather than "so we wouldn't have to be associated with the English". They're our next door neighbours ffs. We have a shared -even if forced and fractuous -history. Culturally we have WAY more in common with them than too many would like to admit.
As for the last sentence -I'm sure our fellow Irish nationalists from north of the border will be queing up to thank you for that sentiment.
Last edited by Lionel Ritchie; 12/12/2005 at 3:08 PM.
" I wish to God that someone would be able to block out the voices in my head for five minutes, the voices that scream, over and over again: "Why do they come to me to die?"
It's a fact that we'll always be associated with England. Most if not all of our squad became professional footballers in England so we are in fact dependent on England to produce our international team. How is having one all island team going to make this dependence greater? It may in fact have the opposite effect. An All Island league may encourage greater sponsorship and a more vibrant league which could produce home grown internationals.
I can't believe that you came up with this argument. Where is that coming from? We are an independent country. Having an all Island team in soccer is not going to change that?
Isn't it time that we put that behind us? They are our closest neighbour. Millions of Irish people have emigrated there when they had no where else to go. Millions of Irish people support their football clubs, watch their TV. We have an all island rugby, cricket, hockey and olympic teams. Even the GAA have an all island basis.
An all island team/league will be beneficial to the relationship between both parts of this country.
If merging Ireland and Northern Ireland would make us more British in "the eyes of many people," what's all this fuss about a united Ireland? In fact, you make reference to them when you criticise Colster for not appreciating people who died. Like yourself youngirish, I don't fancy getting too political, there just seems to be a bit of a contradiction here.
Well said Lionel. A clear and rational response unlike some of the confused shiite in some of the posts on this thread.
"I'd rather play in front of a full house than an empty crowd" Johnny Giles
lads up north, you can have your own opinion. But Im just calling it the way I see it.
This forum also contains some of the most moronic politically correct bulls**t I've ever seen. Who's going to post next? Mary Whitehouse. Listen my point on this is plain and simple:
Republic of ireland = Independent of Britain, often confused abroad with being part of Britain due to the difficulty for most foreigners to distinguish between Northern and the Republic of Ireland (and I'm pretty sure the joint Rugby, Olympic teams etc don't help matters Lionel Ritchie whatever Utopian fantasy land you inhabit).
Northern Ireland = part of Britain, referred to as British
Merger of the two associations of our most popular (international) sport = more cloudiness as to whether Republic of Ireland players/people are British or otherwise.
PS - Lionel Ritchie, Dancing on the Ceiling is a kickin tune.
Have to disagree with you there, NI isnt linked to the ROI olympics team and a person from NI can either represent GB and NI or Ireland.
So you're point is that we shouldn't have an all island team because some foreigners didn't pay attention in their geography classes, don't understand a map or haven't watched or read the news for the past 30 years.
Very logical!!!
There's still an an island element to it isn't there?
About as much as football currently is, as in order to compete for ROI in olympics you need an irish passport, this is the case with the ROI football team aswell with people born in NI able to play for ROI. pretty similar. I remember a bit of an uproar last year when there was talk of ROI athletics and NI athletics joining together.
Point taken. Since the GFA people from the north can get an ROI passport. We've already got Darron Gibson and some other lad from the north using it. I know the North were complaining about us poaching some of their youth players.
One of us inhabits a fantasy land alright YI but umm...not me. If all these ignoramus Johnny foreigners think we're part of Britain (I think you mean the UK by the way) would it not be at least as much down to half the friggin country going on holidays sporting Glasgow Celtic, Man U and Liverpool jerseys, seeking out English menu's in the tavernas and asking what time Eastenders will be on?
I know sure didn't I write the fcuker.
" I wish to God that someone would be able to block out the voices in my head for five minutes, the voices that scream, over and over again: "Why do they come to me to die?"
yeah its hard enough trying to get talented youngsters coming through without losing them to other nations but seems to be the norm these days with countries in africa and countries like turkey loosing players to richer nations every year. Job for Blatter and the boys to sort out me thinks.
With the exception of your comment on Dancing On The Ceiling, I think what you've written there is fairly half-baked, to be honest. How merging the country would make us appear more British in the eyes of some group of people. Who would they be, by the way? Some British people? Why would you give a toss? British people don't have a monopoly on idiots who don't know their history.
I'd love to see an All-Ireland team, I think it would do a hell of a lot of good for this country and this island. I don't like the rubbish it tends to drag out, though. All the arguments over national anthems and flags and this short-sighted take that the North isn't producing good players at the moment so we don't need them.
I've said it before but when people start bringing up the flag and the anthem, I'm reminded of Jonathan Swift's story about two peoples who went to war over which way to chop an egg.
I know it's a pity but i suppose some of those players may be more inclined to play for the south.
Anyway, I'm happy enough with the 2 teams. It would be nice to have a combined team. I think there would be advantages for both sides.
I remember N.I. against Spain in 82. Back then both sides had some great players. Combined they would have been an excellent side.
and not 1 other poster sees what the hell you are on about.
i think you might want to give it up before you cause serious offence.
for the record i would love to see an all-ireland side, but to expect it to happen in the way JR thinks is bafflingly naive.
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