NI boss targets Republic's Gibson

[Not Brazil]

Lets wait on this one untill the next time a Celtic player pulls on a N.I jersey, I wouldn't be 100%, although I do believe major progress has been made.

A Celtic player has played for Northern Ireland Under 21's this year, without any problems whatsoever.

[EalingGreen]

Where exactly is the source for this bit of news [i.e. that FIFA currently require more information from the FAI on Gibson's case].

On 19 August 2007, the Sunday Life published an article on Gibson's eligibility, which included the following quotation from Howard Wells (IFA Chief Exec):

Wells says: "I've written as recently as last week to FIFA again, asking them to clarify the situation regarding the player's eligibility.

"They haven't responded but I know that the ball is in the court of the FAI.

"FIFA have written to the FA of Ireland and they haven't had a response.

"When I wrote to FIFA, I obviously made it clear that we need clarification on the whole principle of the situation."

When contacted by Sunday Life for their response to the IFA claims, an FAI spokesman e-mailed us back the reply: "As this matter is the subject of ongoing correspondence the Football Association of Ireland will not be making any public comment at this time."

http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/sport/article2876658.ece

I guess it is just possible that Wells is making it all up...

[paul_oshea]

As for FIFA and Gibson, are you saying that FIFA can never misinterpret or misapply their own Rules and Regulations, or make an incorrect interpretation or application on the basis of incorrect or inadequate information?

eg

FIFA endorsed Alex Bruce's right to represent Ireland in Jan 06, the IFA queried the decision and were told 'the existing situation in Northern Ireland allows players to choose whether they wish to represent Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland'.". The IFA then queried the rights of Gibson, Kane etc.. and were told in an official response in October of that year 'the existing situation in Northern Ireland allows players to choose whether they wish to represent Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland'."

FIFA did not misinterpret or misapply their own Rules and Regulations or make an incorrect interpretation. They gave the same answer in both cases.

Jees, can ye imagine the poor SDLP, SF, Downing Street, Westminster, and the Irish government had in getting things through up there, especially for the GFA. Ah well im sure sainthood will be bestowed upon them in time

[greendeiseboy]

I see Tony Kane has had a "re-think" after his brief spell with the Republic Under 21's.

Back in the fold.

Where did you get this from?

[youngirish]

Ha ha just finished reading our sister thread on the ourweecountry.com board. Hands up lads who really is kingdomkerry? I reckon its bwagner. He's cracking me up with his ill-informed, thinly veiled, bigoted posts.

OWC get kingdomkerry an unintentional comedic genius, we get EalingGreen. Not fair is it?

P.S. Some members want to ban him because he doesn't agree with them. What's that all about? Aren't forums about opinions, no matter how different or bizarre (anyway I thought most regulars on OWC should be used to reading bizarre, ill-informed muck anyway)?

[shaneker]

Ahem - being a new member, you'll not be familiar with the events that day being discussed on - err - here!

Ooohhh...embaressing!

What did I miss? Can't see anything relating to that on the previous few pages.

[Not Brazil]

Where did you get this from?

Today's Belfast Telegraph.

Welcome home Tony.

[Not Brazil]

Ooohhh...embaressing!

What did I miss? Can't see anything relating to that on the previous few pages.

I believe the thread was entitled something like "Today, I'm ashamed to be Irish".

It was started in the immediate aftermath of the Republic Of Ireland v Israel game in Dublin.

[Not Brazil]

P.S. Many want to ban him because he doesn't agree with them.

"Many"?

Two posters = "many"?

Because "he doesn't agree with them"?

[youngirish]

"Many"?

Two posters = "many"?

Because "he doesn't agree with them"?

Yeah because two people wanting to ban you after a handful of posts is ok? Why are you confused? He doesn't have the same views as the majority so they want to ban him. Pretty simple really.

[Not Brazil]

Yeah because two people wanting to ban you after a handful of posts is ok? Why are you confused he doesn't have the same views as the majority so they want to ban him. Pretty simple really.

Maybe the two posters (not "many", as you claimed) wanted him/her banned because of lies and advocating division along religiously sectarian lines?

Just a thought like.

[Barna Bee]

Today's Belfast Telegraph.

Welcome home Tony.

Funny how this is news today in the Belfast Telegraph ....just after he was excluded from the Ireland squad .....must not be good enough ....you can have him back

[shaneker]

I believe the thread was entitled something like "Today, I'm ashamed to be Irish".

It was started in the immediate aftermath of the Republic Of Ireland v Israel game in Dublin.

You're joking!! Thats a ****ing disgrace, living in England I didn't hear a word about it.

Sorry I brought it up now. Think I'll delete that post.

[livehead1]

A Celtic player has played for Northern Ireland Under 21's this year, without any problems whatsoever.

thats good but far fewer people watch u21..maybe 200? and he wouldnt be known to anyone as a celtic player...wait till he starts scoring goals against rangers!

[livehead1]

I've seen Kane play, he is shi*e, well and truly, he's worse than that Joe O'ceerereraaoul

[EalingGreen]

You could also say that the number of players from the six counties to have opted for/been good enough for Ireland (or ROI for your benefit) has also been overstated. Up until the beginning of half time last wednesday this exclusive club had stood at the grand number of zero since the late fourties.

I thought it was more - someone has also listed two other players here, no? I didn't think it was more than four, but two is still two more players that we've had from the 6C, so it seems to me far more important a pool of players to you, than 6C born players are to us.


Typical, if you don't like the post, claim it has nothing to do with the subject. B*llocks. It has everything to do with it. The IFA are using an exemption to the FIFA rules to grant international caps. The FAI are doing likewise, and as has been shown, both are acceptable. Anyway, what has the split between the FAI and the IFA got to do with Darren Gibson?

The NI team is already a de facto unionist team. This happened the day that the IFA flew the Union rag over Windsor Park, it started the day that the IFA allowed scarfe sellers to walk around the ground selling scarves featuring the Orange Order or 'SAS 3 - IRA 0'; it happened the day that the NI supporters booed players for their religion/political views/Scottish team he played for; it started the day your captain curtailed his international career because of a death threat. Darren Gibson grew up when all of this was happening. The awakening of his football interest happened during this time.

Now I for one know that the atmopsphere at WP has improved. Perhaps you can change the few players born in NI who want to play for their country making the switch from the south to the north within the next twenty years. That will start the day that the IFA recognise that they operate in a unique society where nearly half the country view the whole island as one country unjustly divided. Then we can get back to the situation that Darren Gibson playing for a team representing the 26C is as ridiculous as Darren Gibson playing Gaelic football for Kerry and not Derry. What the IFA are doing at the moment is a total PR disaster for the NI team's plurality, let alone the damage that some of the brats on ourweeminds are doing to this dream.

Your first paragraph is pure cobblers on two counts. First, do you honestly imagine that the likes of Danny Blanchflower, Peter McParland, Jimmy McIlroy, Pat Jennings, George Best, Norman Whiteside etc would not have been "good enough" to play for ROI? Second, there were no NI-born senior internationals representing the ROI from the late 40's until Gibson, because the FAI adhered to the Gentlemens' Agreement brokered by FIFA in 1950 that the FAI would not pick IFA players (and v.v.). When Brian Kerr became ROI manager, the FAI ceased to "behave like Gentlemen". Since then, Gibson was the only one who was good enough, was prepared to switch and who was not already tied in with NI.

Re. your 2nd paragraph, I only know of two players, one of whom (Channel Islander Woods) would have been denied any chance of an International footballing career with anyone, had NI not given him the option. And two is not "two more than" the NI-born players you've been able to pick, it's one more. Is the mathematics too difficult for you, or do you now accept that perhaps Gibson might not be eligible for you?

Your third paragraph is similarly cobblers. The four British Associations are given a clear exemption (separate status) from the Regs governing all other Associations regarding certain issues, including player eligibility. It's there in black and white.
Whereas, there is nowhere any explicit exemption from any of the Regs for ROI players, or the FAI. On the contrary, the FAI are relying on an interpretation of the existing Regs on player eligibility which apply to all other Associations, backed up by FIFA's October Letter. (And the IFA is challenging that interpretation and letter)

As for your fourth paragraph: yet more cobblers. The IFA does not fly the Union Flag over Windsor at internationals. The IFA does not allow such scarves (or anything remotely similar) to be sold at NI internationals. No NI player has been booed for his religion/politics/club for years. The IFA is in no way responsible for an anonymous death threat phoned, without a recognised codeword, to a newspaper. Instead, they publicly deplored it. And earlier this year, the player concerned (Lennon) sent a video of support to the IFA for its Football For All campaign (he was unable to attend the FFA function in question, due to club commitments). And your ludicrous and offensive allegation that the NI team is "de facto Unionist" would come as a great surprise to a number of its players who come from a clearly Nationalist background, not least our newest captain, Chris Baird, a former Rasharkin GAA player (plus his family members who were in the crowd). Of course, I can't say exactly who/how many these number, since no-one is interested enough to keep a record. But I daresay we could get an idea by the number who choose only to carry Irish Passports, following the IFA recently lobbying FIFA successfully for their players to have the right to do so in preference to British ones.

And as for your last paragraph, it started off very promisingly, then reverted to cobblers from the second sentence.

P.S. It has just occurred to me that Irish readers may not be familiar with the term "cobblers", since it is Cockney rhyming slang (cobblers awls = balls). My use of the term must come from my having lived in England all this time...

[geysir]

http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/sport/article2876658.ece

I guess it is just possible that Wells is making it all up...

That's the article, thanks.I remembered it for the low standard public posturing by Wells not to mention the journo, swept away on a tide of Wells hot air,writing that Darron could be available to be called up to the NI squad at the end of August.

[youngirish]

Maybe the two posters (not "many", as you claimed) wanted him/her banned because of lies and advocating division along religiously sectarian lines?

Just a thought like.

Ha ha. The cry of the authoritarian throughout the ages. Why gag him? He's hardly covered himself with much credibility has he? Who's going to take much notice of him and his insane ramblings?

Then again it is NI where Ian Paisley is First Minister so who knows?

[paul_oshea]

EG, are you a politician? Because you have a great way of deflecting a question and disecting someone elses posts with complete irrelevance to what they were talking about. Plus the time it takes you to reply you obviouslly spend so much time preparing and reading over your post that you know you are talking complete Niagara or Davina*.

*oh wait have I got that right, ah it must be to do with having spent time here in England. For those of you unaware Falls and McCalls are ryhme for Balls.

[EalingGreen]

Ha ha just finished reading our sister thread on the ourweecountry.com board. Hands up lads who really is kingdomkerry? I reckon its bwagner. He's cracking me up with his ill-informed, thinly veiled, bigoted posts.

OWC get kingdomkerry an unintentional comedic genius, we get EalingGreen. Not fair is it?

P.S. Some members want to ban him because he doesn't agree with them. What's that all about? Aren't forums about opinions, no matter how different or bizarre (anyway I thought most regulars on OWC should be used to reading bizarre, ill-informed muck anyway)?

Not so. One member suggested banning him, everyone else who responded said he should be retained - for comedy value, if nothing else!

Btw, was it you asked for me to be banned a wee while back? Might have been Eireboy (or somebody else). Sorry to be so vague, but "youssuns is all the same" to me and I can't be arsed to look it up...