Northern players declaring for the Republic

**tetsujin1979** · 25/10/2006, 1:42 PM

Saw this in the feeds folder, and thought it deserved a thread of it's own - even though it will probably degenerate into anarchy.
The IFA are upset with the FAI calling up players born in the North, under FIFA rules they have to be living in the Republic for 2 year, or have a parent of grandparent born in the Republic. Under the Good Friday agreement (or at least my understanding of it) everyone born in the North is eligible for a passport from the Republic - qualifying them to play for the Republic, and the FAI have documentation from FIFA to back this up.
Article here on bbc's website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ls/6083842.stm

PS - again just noting my loathing of the terms North and Republic, but here it is necessary to distinguish between Ireland and, err, Ireland
Mods if you feel this is in anyway inappropriate then feel free to remove

**Paulie** · 25/10/2006, 2:14 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Under the Good Friday agreement (or at least my understanding of it) everyone born in the North is eligible for a passport from the Republic - qualifying them to play for the Republic

This is my understanding of it as well. Anybody born on this island is entitled to an Irish passport if they want one. In turn, if you have an Irish passport you can play for the national football team. While some of Northern Ireland's youth players are probably swayed by the FAI to play for us there also appears to be a sizeable number who choose to play for us over Northern Ireland simply because they feel that the North's team does not represent them and ours does. I'd say the most annoying thing for their supporters is that a number of these lads play for them up until maybe U19 or U21 level and then change over to ourselves. While I am glad to take the players I would not be at all happy were this the other way around.

**antrimgreen** · 25/10/2006, 2:24 PM

[QUOTE=Paulie;562558] Republic of Ireland passport QUOTE]

No such thing as the above, its an Irish passport, and for anyone who lives on the Island of Ireland are entitled to Irish passport.

However they should declare at an earlier age which team they are going to play for.

**DotTV** · 25/10/2006, 2:38 PM

I suppose a lot of them want to keep both options open.

Darren Gibson is on record as saying that he always dreamt of playing for the Republic but when the opportunity came to play for NI he took his chance but when the ROI called he jumped ship.

**shakermaker1982** · 25/10/2006, 2:41 PM

If you were born in Derry or Tyrone or Armagh, have an Irish passport then you are entitled to play for Ireland! This might be reversed with the plight of our team at the moment though.....!!!

**holidaysong** · 25/10/2006, 4:13 PM

Originally Posted by shakermaker1982

If you were born in Derry or Tyrone or Armagh, have an Irish passport then you are entitled to play for Ireland! This might be reversed with the plight of our team at the moment though.....!!!

And if you were born in Antrim, Down or Fermanagh?

**Jamjar** · 25/10/2006, 5:12 PM

After what happened to Neil Lennon who in their right mind would be the next catholic/nationalist (I use these terms loosely) to play for n.i. full international team.

**holidaysong** · 25/10/2006, 5:17 PM

Originally Posted by Jamjar

After what happened to Neil Lennon who in their right mind would be the next catholic/nationalist (I use these terms loosely) to play for n.i. full international team.

Personally, I'd have no problem playing for Northern Ireland. I'd have to get called up first though!

**Jamjar** · 25/10/2006, 5:34 PM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

Personally, I'd have no problem playing for Northern Ireland. I'd have to get called up first though!

So death threats to yourself and family wouldn't bother you ?

**holidaysong** · 25/10/2006, 5:46 PM

Originally Posted by Jamjar

So death threats to yourself and family wouldn't bother you ?

I think the fact that he played for Celtic had a lot to do with it. I don't think a Catholic / Nationalist player today would get the same level of abuse / threats. And just because I'm from Dundalk, it doesn't automatically make me a Catholic or a Nationalist...

**holidaysong** · 25/10/2006, 5:51 PM

From BBC today (co-incidence or what?):

"When I look at Windsor Park now it seems a real fun place with a brilliant atmosphere," Lennon told BBC NI Sport.

"The IFA has worked really hard at taking the sectarianism out completely.

"I still think where Windsor Park is situated it can be an intimidating place for Catholics to go. But the IFA have made huge strides.

"I was back in Belfast in June for the first time in two or three years and I was wary of the sort of reception I would get.

"But I had a great time, it was amazing, and I just felt I had wasted a couple of years in not going back really and seeing people there and how warm they are with me."

---------------------------------------------------------

Lennon himself admits that there has been changes.

**Jamjar** · 25/10/2006, 5:59 PM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

Lennon himself admits that there has been changes.

Yeh, but he's a thick fúckin' taig from Armagh, so what does he know

**co. down green** · 25/10/2006, 6:20 PM

The FAI & technical director Packie Bonner should be looking at expanding its national training programmes and training camps into the main urban centres of Belfast & Derry.

Darron Gibson and Marc Wilson grew up supporting Ireland, so what could be more natural than wanting to play for your national team.

Why do the IFA have a problem with young Belfast or Derry lads playing for Ireland now, when they have been playing for years ?

**holidaysong** · 25/10/2006, 6:35 PM

Originally Posted by co. down green

The FAI & technical director Packie Bonner should be looking at expanding its national training programmes and training camps into the main urban centres of Belfast & Derry.

Surely the FAI wouldn't be allowed to set up training camps in IFA jurisdiction?

**co. down green** · 25/10/2006, 7:43 PM

I doubt if the IFA would have any say in what goes on within the Brandywell, for example.

**Royal rover** · 25/10/2006, 8:13 PM

Good thread, i think since the Lennon situation a number of years back , attitudes have changed within the IFA and the true supporters of th northern irish team, the press made there supporters out to be fascists, although Lennon(pre Celtic) like others , Magilton possibly, were around at a time when they would of had difficulties getting into the Irish squad, but it would make any young lad from "the bog" or West Belfast think twice about playing for the north after what happened to lennon, hence the IFA are rebranding themselves and fair play to them, i think it's a far cry from the Billy Bingham days....

**Merc67** · 25/10/2006, 10:01 PM

yeah, they're great aint they.

they have changed the 'national anthem' (which wales and scotland dont play) they have changed the flag to be an inclusive and representative flag and there are no banners around the ground that would be offensive to nationalists or ordinary non unionist folk.

well done to them.

**crc** · 25/10/2006, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by Merc67

yeah, they're great aint they.

they have changed the 'national anthem' (which wales and scotland dont play) they have changed the flag to be an inclusive and representative flag and there are no banners around the ground that would be offensive to nationalists or ordinary non unionist folk.

well done to them.

GSTQ and the flag are still issues that need to be resolved, but if you genuinely do not realise that things have changed for the better, then I think that you have the problem.
Take the fact that sectarian songs are no longer sung at WP (maybe by individual idiots, but not by the crowd).
Take the fact that the majority of the crowd go there wearing green replica NI tops (rather than Linfield, Rangers, or other 'provocative' tops).

Do you remember November '93? And have you seen any of the recent games? There's simply no comparison.
======

On the issue of northern players declaring for the Republic, I don't think they should be restricted at all, but I can see the IFA's point. They are a small association (unlike the English FA, another place the Republic 'pinches'* from) and they should rightly expect to get the international players from their meagre resources.

Perhaps we should let the IFA pick players from the south. They used to do it up until the 50s, so why not? I doubt many payers would actually want to, but if we all agree that we're all Irish of one shade or another (and that is exactly what the Republic is doing when it exercises a right to pick players from the occupied six counties), then why shouldn't other Irish players be available for selction for the other Irish team?

[*for want of a better word.]

**shakermaker1982** · 26/10/2006, 7:41 AM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

And if you were born in Antrim, Down or Fermanagh?

sorry I just ran out of time to type the other Counties - my boss was lurking! I wasn't excluding the other northern Counties.

**RogerMilla** · 26/10/2006, 9:09 AM

I can understand the IFA's frustration at losing players but at the end of the day the peace process is about recognising peoples aspirations and if the young lads aspire to play for the republic then they should be allowed to do so.

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