Emelka Onwubiko

[osarusan]

Seems like a lot of people on this thread want us to end up like France
ie No French players in the team...

I fully agree - I dont want any French players on the Irish team.

[Condex]

Condex, trust you to show up when such matters arise. Luckily very few people here share your anachronistic sense of primordial nationialism.

The only regret I have about this young lad is that he seems to be joining the exodus of lads leaving this country too young and never coming into the LOI fold.

All those big words then you go and spell 'nationalism' wrong...

[lopez]

Condex - Why do you think Makelele, Zidane, Thuram, Vieira, etc. decided to play for France? Why do you think Onwubiko wants to play for Ireland? I'm Intrigued.

We've had the days where half our team wasn't Irish. Ireland would not have been their 1st choice. This is different.

Whooooah!!! Hold on. So you think that Onwubiko is playing for Ireland because of what, exactly? National pride. Firstly he wasn't born in the country - and let's get that little bit of insignificance out of the way, because welcome to the modern world of migration, that means Jack sh*te. And even if he was, again what exactly would his cultural connections be with Ireland. If you think Italians are attached to family, clan, tribe (call it what you like) then you haven't met most sub-saharan africans where their cousins are their brothers and their distant relations are their cousins.

So we have someone - not necessarily Onwubiko - who has followed the country of his parents all his life, but decides for convenience, ambition, pressure even, to play for the country of his birth. What exactly do you think of this man's principles? Enzo Scifo did it. I'd add Kevin Gallen aswell, as I know people who knew him as a youth.

Quit this sh*te about why Onwubiko picked Ireland. You don't know. It could be that he feels as Irish as Guinness. It could also be because he's thinks he's got no chance of getting into the Nigerian team. Ever thought of that one?

[eirebhoy]

I want players representing Ireland who regard themselves as Irish. That's pretty much all I want. I don't want to talk just about Onwubiko as I know nothing about him but I'm pretty sure Zidane regards himself as a Frenchman while I seriously doubt Andy Townsend thought twice about his Irish granny. The same way I doubt Wayne Rooney considers himself anything but English.

A lot of 2nd and 3rd generation Irish on here get offended when one of us doesn't treat Townsend, Aldridge, etc. as Irishmen. McCarthy, Kilbane, Breen, Connolly are as Irish as any of us. They regard themselves as Irish. That's all it basically comes down to with me. Obviously they'd have to qualify too.

btw - What side of the fence are you on?

[Dodge]

Quit this sh*te about why Onwubiko picked Ireland. You don't know. It could be that he feels as Irish as Guinness. It could also be because he's thinks he's got no chance of getting into the Nigerian team. Ever thought of that one?

I kinda know him (and his family). For one thing he can't play for Nigeria as his family sought refuge from there, meaning he can't ever go back...

He himself, feels Irish. He speaks with a think Dub accent, he goes to school with all the locals, his dad bought him an ireland jersey years ago and he "supports" the national team.


Cocky little **** mind...

[geysir]

At least the players who played for Ireland in the past born here or not had Irish ancestry...

That's a nonsensical statement.

Whats the point in supporting a team thats not Irish

I don't know, don't care.This an Ireland forum, about the Irish team.

I thought that was the point of a national team

The point of a national team is to gather together a team of the best nationals
available and beat the shíte out of different national teams gathered together from their nationals.

[co. down green]

I kinda know him (and his family). For one thing he can't play for Nigeria as his family sought refuge from there, meaning he can't ever go back...

He himself, feels Irish. He speaks with a think Dub accent, he goes to school with all the locals, his dad bought him an ireland jersey years ago and he "supports" the national team.


Cocky little **** mind...

I wish the young lad all the best with his future and would love him to be running out for Ireland in a few years time.

[lopez]

I want players representing Ireland who regard themselves as Irish.

That isn't the same as being born in Ireland (or the Republic). Not footballers themselves, but have you ever heard of Horatio Herbert Kitchener or Henry Wilson?

while I seriously doubt Andy Townsend thought twice about his Irish granny. ?

I've got a lot of issues about Townsend, but as someone not born in Ireland myself and only one parent from there, I think it's a bit ill befitting of me to look down on him. We all know he supported England against us in Euro '88. We all know that it was him that persuaded the Irish team wear black armbands on the day of Diana Windsor's death. Enough said!

A lot of 2nd and 3rd generation Irish on here get offended when one of us doesn't treat Townsend, Aldridge, etc. as Irishmen....

I get offended by sweeping statements about half the team not being Irish.

btw - What side of the fence are you on?

What do you mean by that?

...He speaks with a think Dub accent...

That seems the qualification for Irishness amongst a few Irish 'fans' I've met over the years.

Dodge, obviously you know the bloke. Without anything else, he is entitled to Irish citizenship. That's all I care about. I'm not going to judge Ireland's players on what they are or aren't. What I'm pr*ckly about is that because one player speaks with some form of Irish accent, he's more Irish than someone whose ancestors arrived with the Celts, but whose parents had to emigrate due to lack of work.

[Dodge]

What I'm pr*ckly about is that because one player speaks with some form of Irish accent, he's more Irish than someone whose ancestors arrived with the Celts, but whose parents had to emigrate due to lack of work.

I agree 100% with you. I've said 100s of times on here I've no problem with 2g Irish or even 3g. I have a problem with some of the mercenaries (Townsend, Houghton, Holland etc) but the majority are proud to be Irish (note this has nothing to do with their pride in the Irish team, which I put down to professional pride more than anything (Townsend being a better pro than say John O'Shea...).

I put the accent in there for some but it wouldn't matter to me

[BohsPartisan]

Don't really post that much here anymore, its a bit too liberal/leftie for my taste.. I've taken to posting on the BNP website instead..

You should read The Atlantean Irish by Bob Quinn. Turns out the Irish are African after all!

Also Lopez should read it too. The Irish are not and never were Celts. In fact it is dubious that there were any "Celts" anywhere.

[BohsPartisan]

The point of a national team is to gather together a team of the best nationals
available and beat the shíte out of different national teams gathered together from their nationals.

Tell that to Jack Charlton

[geysir]

Tell that to Jack Charlton

Tell what to Jack Charlton, that an Irish passport holder is a citizen of Ireland.
That citizenship bestows nationality. That being granted an Irish passport allows the person to be a recognised as an Irish national. And if you're good enough you can play for your country. Don't you think that Charlton already knows all that?

[Lionel Ritchie]

I've got a lot of issues about Townsend, but as someone not born in Ireland myself and only one parent from there, I think it's a bit ill befitting of me to look down on him. We all know he supported England against us in Euro '88. We all know that it was him that persuaded the Irish team wear black armbands on the day of Diana Windsor's death. Enough said!.

I have no issues whatsoever with Townsend or anyone else who's played for us (...not even Butler -his being ****e notwithstanding.)
Frankly I'd be surprised if Townsend didn't follow England. It's not for us to judge him lesser just because his folks didn't send him to céili classes ala Kilbane -or for his considering the death of royal to be something worth a black armband. That's dual nationalism for you. It might seem conflicted or disjointed sometimes but how bad.

I've two cousins (Irish mum English dad) who play hurling and so called gaelic football for their local club and are Clare mad. They were togged out in their white shirts and were in observable, palpable distress yesterday as they watched the England rugby team taken to the cleaners.
That's just how they were raised and fair play. Whatever works for them.

[lopez]

You should read The Atlantean Irish by Bob Quinn. Turns out the Irish are African after all!

You should read the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Turns out a few Jews rule the world through capitalism and communism.

The fact is that, linguistically the Irish and Scottish languages are almost identical, and are closely related to other so - called 'Celtic' languages. If there were no Celts, so be it, but these languages developed differently from other European language families.

So the Irish came from Africa? I think you'll find that we all originally came from there. There's no denying that the Irish are made up of more than Celtic tribes. Normans, Saxons, French, Spanish, and even Blacks. Ireland had a large number of black slaves in the country over two hundred years ago, who on emancipation, mostly intermarried - common law or properly - with the host population. It might be that some of Ireland's fiercest racists might have an African ancestor closer than a Milesian.

Still, if it makes you happy, then IMO someone whose family has been in Ireland for two thousand years since they left Africa, but whose parents emigrated through lack of work, is no less an Irishman than an African that turned up ten years ago.

I have no issues whatsoever with Townsend or anyone else who's played for us (...not even Butler -his being ****e notwithstanding.)
Frankly I'd be surprised if Townsend didn't follow England. It's not for us to judge him lesser just because his folks didn't send him to céili classes ala Kilbane -or for his considering the death of royal to be something worth a black armband...

With three English grandparents, I'd be surprised too. I have no issue with Townsend holding an Irish passport or playing for Ireland. Like Onwubiko, I couldn't care less his reasons, if he can do the job and is qualified. However, if he found the death of FOREIGN ex-royal distressful then he should have cried off sick like half his other country did in what I clearly remember was the largest outpouring of faux grief I'd ever had the misfortune to witness.

[Condex]

That's a nonsensical statement.

I don't know, don't care.This an Ireland forum, about the Irish team.

The point of a national team is to gather together a team of the best nationals
available and beat the shíte out of different national teams gathered together from their nationals.

I think its takes a little bit more than a passport to be Irish...

[Condex]

That isn't the same as being born in Ireland (or the Republic). Not footballers themselves, but have you ever heard of Horatio Herbert Kitchener or Henry Wilson?

I've got a lot of issues about Townsend, but as someone not born in Ireland myself and only one parent from there, I think it's a bit ill befitting of me to look down on him. We all know he supported England against us in Euro '88. We all know that it was him that persuaded the Irish team wear black armbands on the day of Diana Windsor's death. Enough said!

I get offended by sweeping statements about half the team not being Irish.
What do you mean by that?
That seems the qualification for Irishness amongst a few Irish 'fans' I've met over the years.

Dodge, obviously you know the bloke. Without anything else, he is entitled to Irish citizenship. That's all I care about. I'm not going to judge Ireland's players on what they are or aren't. What I'm pr*ckly about is that because one player speaks with some form of Irish accent, he's more Irish than someone whose ancestors arrived with the Celts, but whose parents had to emigrate due to lack of work.

Lopez : Nice piece of Fisking....

[geysir]

I think its takes a little bit more than a passport to be Irish...

Whatever you think to be Irish is your subjective opinion. To be an Irish national a passport is enough evidence of that. To be a national one has to satisfy a number of criteria. This criteria has been well satisfied in Emelka's situation. If you don't agree with that then take it to Off Topic forum.
The Irish football forum is not a place to discuss the value of what you consider it takes to be Irish.

[Condex]

Whatever you think to be Irish is your subjective opinion. To be an Irish national a passport is enough evidence of that. To be a national one has to satisfy a number of criteria. This criteria has been well satisfied in Emelka's situation. If you don't agree with that then take it to Off Topic forum.
The Irish football forum is not a place to discuss the value of what you consider it takes to be Irish.

gaysiron't lecture!!

[Reddladd]

The post from Condex about how the French national team has very few 'French' playing is what brought about my original statement.
When you look at the size of the French population compared to Ireland it is something that could become reality in a relatively short period of time when you consider how much things have changed over the last 10-15 years.

It's no different than having 15 kerrymen playing gaelic football in a Dublin shirt. I'm sure that wouldn't be popular with the Dubs support even if they did win an All Ireland!

Re Billybunter, yeh you can have my tickets..............it'll be a while though!

[geysir]

The post from Condex about how the French national team has very few 'French' playing is what brought about my original statement.

'French' what's that classification then? what difference is there betweeen a 'Frenchman' and a Frenchman? Which one is Henry or Bartez?
Same rules apply for France as with any other country, only passport holding national citizens are eligible to play for the national teams.[/QUOTE]