Lapira to Consider International Future

[zenokelly]

Absolute ****! Never want to see him hold an Irish jersey again, hope he ****s off back to Notre Dame, never gets to sign a professional contract and in particular I hope this is the last post about Jo Lapira on any Irish football forum site!

Will boo him if he ever wears the Irish shirt again! (first time I will ever boo an Irish international)

Please delete this thread NOW

[RogerMilla]

Three "technical" observations:
1. His playing in a friendly for ROI does not compromise his subsequent eligibility for the USA;...

EG you sure on this one ? any regulations to back it up ?

[Wolfie]

Three "technical" observations:

Anyhow, a more personal observation for the benefit of those ROI fans who are now looking at Lapira and thinking "Tosser" (i.e. for using ROI to achieve a bit of prominence before he suddenly remembers he's really American):
You might just understand a little better how NI fans feel when youngsters represent us in UEFA under-age competitions etc, then elect to represent ROI at senior level...

You'd have a point EG if Lapira had been born and bred in Ireland, represented Ireland at underage level and was now declaring for another country. Lapira was simply in the right place at the right time and made up the numbers.

You'd have to ask yourself would he even be in the running for a place on the Irish bench?

It is what it is, a silly season diversion for the summer until the real business starts up in a few weeks.

When thoughts turn to the Denmark game, never mind the crunch games in September, will anyone really give two flying fecks about some gob****e from Notre Dame or wherever he hails from (ie, not Ireland).

[Supreme feet]

Ah, Lapira. So many precedents - Mickey Evans, Jon Macken, Jon Goodman... He'll never play for Ireland again, we'll have forgotten him in a few months. O'Donovan will probably skip ahead of him now, thanks to his big move.

(as an aside, I met Goodman after his last appearance for Ireland in 1997 - he visited my school in Wexford - really, really nice guy)

[co. down green]

Three "technical" observations:
1. His playing in a friendly for ROI does not compromise his subsequent eligibility for the USA;
2. Whatever Rangers fans may think, I imagine Walter Smith would prefer he elected for ROI than USA, since that would entail much less travelling and "out-of-season" internationals (that's assuming Smith is even interested in signing him, which is moot);
3. Perhaps Lapira has also concluded he's simply not good enough to get a regular place with ROI and/or in European club football, so decided to throw in his lot with USA, since MLS Salary Regulations etc reward teams for employing USA-eligible players over non-USA eligible?

Anyhow, a more personal observation for the benefit of those ROI fans who are now looking at Lapira and thinking "Tosser" (i.e. for using ROI to achieve a bit of prominence before he suddenly remembers he's really American):
You might just understand a little better how NI fans feel when youngsters represent us in UEFA under-age competitions etc, then elect to represent ROI at senior level...

Three "technical" observations:
1. His playing in a friendly for ROI does not compromise his subsequent eligibility for the USA;
2. Whatever Rangers fans may think, I imagine Walter Smith would prefer he elected for ROI than USA, since that would entail much less travelling and "out-of-season" internationals (that's assuming Smith is even interested in signing him, which is moot);
3. Perhaps Lapira has also concluded he's simply not good enough to get a regular place with ROI and/or in European club football, so decided to throw in his lot with USA, since MLS Salary Regulations etc reward teams for employing USA-eligible players over non-USA eligible?

Anyhow, a more personal observation for the benefit of those ROI fans who are now looking at Lapira and thinking "Tosser" (i.e. for using ROI to achieve a bit of prominence before he suddenly remembers he's really American):
You might just understand a little better how NI fans feel when youngsters represent us in UEFA under-age competitions etc, then elect to represent ROI at senior level...

The difference E.G, is that Darron Gibson for example, has always wanted to play for Ireland, which was why he refused to play for your u17's. He had no other vehicle to progress under the present system within the North at underage level,other than the IFA set up, eventhough he had no interest in the team.

This could easily be resolved with the FAI supporting and nurturing players who wish to represent Ireland, within the North from schoolboy level. The FAI already have a major presence at Derry City so it would not be a big step to expand it via schools of excellence etc..

The issue regarding eligibility has been a grey area in the past also, however with the FIFA letter last November clearing the issue up, its pretty clear cut and players like Ruairi Harkin from derry are choosing to represent Ireland from as young an age as possible.

Lapira & Gibson etc..have nothing in common.

[geysir]

EG you sure on this one? any regulations to back it up ?

Ealing Green is mixed up and sensitive over the dual nat issue.

A friendly is an A Level match.

Joey is tied to us forever

(a) Up to his 21st birthday, a player may only once request changing the Association for which he is eligible to play international matches. A Player may exercise this right to change Associations only if he has not played at “A” international level for his current Association and if, at the time of his first full or partial appearance in an international match in an official competition of any other category, he already had such nationalities.

The exception to this rule doesn't apply.

"An exception to this rule is contained in art. 15.3 of the Regulations Governing the Application of the FIFA Statutes. A player whose nationality entitles him to play for more than one association (as is the case with the UK passport) or who is holder of more than one nationality, can apply to change association. This possibility, however, is limited to those players who have not played at “A” international leve

[Lionel Ritchie]

(as an aside, I met Goodman after his last appearance for Ireland in 1997 - he visited my school in Wexford - really, really nice guy)

I think EG might be able to confirm he is now part of the backroom staff in the NI setup -or was under Sanchez at least anyway.

[paul_oshea]

I think EG is still right geysir, up until his 21st bday, he is not 21 yet.

[geysir]

I think EG is still right geysir, up until his 21st bday, he is not 21 yet.

"only if he has not played at “A” international level"

[billydoneit]

I defended Lapira's right to sign for Rangers on the other thread and that I stand over, the sooner politics is removed from all sports the better. On the other hand this pick and mix attitude to International representation disgusts me, I do think a case can be made for guys (Gibson, McGeady etc) who declare early and remain consistent. Looks to me like Lapira thought the cap would trigger european offers and when that hasn't happened he has started to recalculate. To hell with him.........

[paul_oshea]

ya geysir i dont know what i was reading there, i have a habit of looking out for negatives in a sentence rather than reading the whole sentence.

billy, i think you could be right, boy.

[cclinton]

so decided to throw in his lot with USA, since MLS Salary Regulations etc reward teams for employing USA-eligible players over non-USA eligible?

Ealing... There's no salary restriction for individuals in MLS. Yes, there's a salary cap for each MLS team as a whole (and exceptions to that too). Perhaps you are referring to the fixed salary of Development or Project 40players. Despite that, the MLS, which holds the player contract, could decide to pay the individual a lot more if that's what would be needed to have him sign. Eg. Freddie Adud, Eddie Gaven, Danny Szetella.

There's nothing in MLS that rewards a team for employing USA-eligible players. There is a quota about how many furriners can be on a roster. That quota has no connection to salary.

[EalingGreen]

Lapira & Gibson etc..have nothing in common.

I didn't actually have Gibson, or any other individual, in mind when i made my point - you introduced him to this thread. In fact, from what I've seen/heard of Gibson, he's always made his preferences clear and if FIFA (eventually) decide that he's properly eligible for ROI under the Rules, then good luck to him.

However, there are one or two other individuals whose motives are a whole lot less clear i.e. they exploit the Rules to suit themselves. Lapira might be one of those cases (though we probably don't know enough about him, in truth), in which case his attitude is deplorable and serves to p iss off fans of the team which has been exploited.

Which, without opening the whole ROI v NI debate, was merely the point I was making i.e. can't you see why NI fans get annoyed when we offer a player an opportunity, only to see him shove off somewhere else as soon as it suits him (better offer? not good enough? squabble with a selectors?)

I think EG might be able to confirm he [Goodman] is now part of the backroom staff in the NI setup -or was under Sanchez at least anyway.

I think Sanchez might have brought him in on an ad hoc basis once or twice, as he did, eg, with Les Reed - not sure, though. Otherwise, his two main men were Dave Beasant and Terry Gibson (plus Gerry Armstrong).

Sanchez has kept Beasant on at Craven Cottage, where he was goalkeeping coach all along, and brought Gibson and Reed with him.

I've not heard of any involvement by Goodman in the NI set-up at present.

Worthington has brought in Glynn Snodin (Coach at WHU and formerly at Soton, Charlton and Doncaster) as his No.2, with Fred Barber as gk coach.

[QUOTE=cclinton;733390]

so decided to throw in his lot with USA, since MLS Salary Regulations etc reward teams for employing USA-eligible players over non-USA eligible?
QUOTE]

There's nothing in MLS that rewards a team for employing USA-eligible players. There is a quota about how many furriners can be on a roster. That quota has no connection to salary.

I'm sure you are quite correct; I had read about this when I was over in the USA three years ago, so presumably misunderstood or misremembered.

That said, whilst it won't affect Lapira's salary, might it not be the case that his chances of getting a place on an MLS team roster are better if he's USA-qualified than not?

Ealing Green is mixed up and sensitive over the dual nat issue.

A friendly is an A Level match.

Joey is tied to us forever

(a) Up to his 21st birthday, a player may only once request changing the Association for which he is eligible to play international matches. A Player may exercise this right to change Associations only if he has not played at “A” international level for his current Association and if, at the time of his first full or partial appearance in an international match in an official competition of any other category, he already had such nationalities.

The exception to this rule doesn't apply.

"An exception to this rule is contained in art. 15.3 of the Regulations Governing the Application of the FIFA Statutes. A player whose nationality entitles him to play for more than one association (as is the case with the UK passport) or who is holder of more than one nationality, can apply to change association. This possibility, however, is limited to those players who have not played at “A” international leve

Geysir, you are quite correct on this one (not having checked, I confused the U-21/Senior International and Competitive/Friendly distinctions).

In which case, if Lapira retains hope of representing the USA, he's in for a disappointment...

[gspain]

My reading of the rules is that Joe O'Lapira is tied to us for evermore as he has played for us. My understanding is that once you play at senior level now you are tied to a country.

Having said that he may well not be any good.

[GavinZac]

He's tied to Ireland now, the silly git.

You can change your declared nationality if you have played for the Under 21s, not if you are Under 21.

As this was a Senior, A international sanctioned by FIFA - he's stuck in limbo now, as I can't see any manager picking him after this drivel (not that he would have made the grade anyway)

[cclinton]

[QUOTE=EalingGreen;733422]

I'm sure you are quite correct; I had read about this when I was over in the USA three years ago, so presumably misunderstood or misremembered.

That said, whilst it won't affect Lapira's salary, might it not be the case that his chances of getting a place on an MLS team roster are better if he's USA-qualified than not?

In his case as a dual citizen, it should not have any bearing. He can work in the US without impunity.... In his specific case, I don't see that his national team affiliation has any MLS eligibility condition attached.

aside:
I'm quite surprised that a player who is plying his silky skills in a league of perhaps Leinster Senior League standard got the chance to play for us. Fair play to him for pulling it off . To think of it... with the right muppet in charge many moons ago, "I cudda been a contender"

[GavinZac]

his misunderstanding of the rules reminds me of a reporter that asked the US national team's "coach" whether they aimed to win the World Cup now that Beckham had transfered to Team USA

[livehead1]

Once you play full international football for a country, you're tied to that country FOREVER. Lapira cannot play for the USA, ever.

There is however once exception but it won't apply to Lapira. Tim Cahill was allowed to change his 'nationality'. Many will remember the controvosy when Cahill played for Samoa. As a result the rules were relaxed for players who had not played international football ABOVE u-21 level. As Lapira has played for the full Ireland side, in an official match, thats it, game over.


To put it into context, any other conclusion would be ridiculous. For example, Aiden McGeady could have played 15 international friendlies for Ireland whilst under 21 and because it was not a qualifying game, he could still play for Scotland. Simply not viable.

Lapira's Fu*ked!

[Lionel Ritchie]

He's tied to Ireland now, the silly git.

You can change your declared nationality if you have played for the Under 21s, not if you are Under 21.

As this was a Senior, A international sanctioned by FIFA - he's stuck in limbo now, as I can't see any manager picking him after this drivel (not that he would have made the grade anyway)

If he shows that he's got the skills to pay the bills he'll be picked and why not? Any manager would be shooting himself in the foot not to. I think we, as supporters, tend to expect an unrealistic level of patriotism from all our footballers and bizarrely sometimes even more so from those who are 2gen or 3gen.*

Frankly I would consider it a bit weird if the idea of playing for TeamUSA hadn't crossed his mind. That he naively thought he wasn't yet tied to us and that he's a little bit of a dumb bunny is probably consistent with the default mental state of the average professional footballer and should stand to him if he ever finds himself working in the same trade.

*Please don't come back at me about Gary Breen going to Irish dancing lessons. My hernia still isn't right from last time someone brought that up.

[bennocelt]

someone should do some "Joe Lapira - Irish Legend" t shirts...or some Gullitt Euro 88 style Lapira wigs...

i dont often laugh out loud when i read Foot.ie but that thought was so funny, thanks