QuoteAbsolutely fine with that. Should O'Kane chose the North then good luck him. Personally I'd rather have a 2nd generation English-born player who wanted to play for us than an Irish-born player that didn't.
-Liam
According to todays Indo, Worthington is gonna call Blackburns ROI U21 international Tony O'Kane into NI's full squad.
Bring it on.....
Absolutely fine with that. Should O'Kane chose the North then good luck him. Personally I'd rather have a 2nd generation English-born player who wanted to play for us than an Irish-born player that didn't.
-Liam
This is just being petty, they failed in their attempt to get Gibson so now they go for O'Kane. My cynical mind thinks that this is just because Gibson got capped against Denmark. Wortington is doing himself no favours here and is making himself look a bit desperate. Let the lad make up his own mind instead of forcing him into this situation
His loss as far as I'm concerned. What the FAI need to do is make it very clear that players from all 32 counties are eligible for Ireland and will be considered for selection. Therefore those that wish to can play for Ireland, if that is the country of their choosing and those who would prefer to play for the North can also do so. And good luck to all players in the choice that they make.
The important principle is that players who are born in the North should have the choice to represent whichever of the two international. sides they feel best represents their national identity. For some that will be NI, for other Ireland. Personally being from the North, I feel best represented by the southern side, others feel better represented by NI. Good luck to them but my choice is as equally deserving of respect as theirs.
"NI Boss targets Republics O'Kane"
Wow! How many errors can you fit into one five word headline?
The NI boss did not "target" anyone. He had already been called up to NI's U-21 squad by Roy Millar and following injury scares to NI's first choice senior left backs (Evans and McCartney), Worthy "upgraded" him to the senior squad - common practice by managers.
And as for the player being the "Republics", he was born and brought up in NI and is a product of NI under-age football, having represented us first. However, he became p issed off when a stupid administrative error meant the IFA failed to register him for an U-21 tournament, so that he couldn't play in it.
He was then "targeted" by Don Givens and agreed to play for the ROI. However, following Given's apparently deciding that he was no longer "good enough" for the ROI's U-21 side, it looks as though the player is now happy to revert to his first choice, NI, with the happy bonus that he may be involved with the senior squad earlier than he might have expected.
And his name is "Kane".
Your "cynical mind" is off the mark. If Worthy is "desperate", it is only because of an injury doubt regarding his first and second choice left backs (Evans and McCartney). Assuming he has called Kane (not O'Kane) up from the U-21 squad, it will be as back up to third choice left back (Capaldi), in the event of the other two not making it.Originally Posted by carloz
As for your last sentence, assuming Kane does actually accept the offer to return to the NI fold, it will be precisely because he has "made his own mind up"; otherwise, how else was Worthington going to "force" him into anything? Abduction at gunpoint?
People can choose to support whoever they like, but they can't always choose who they may play for - there are eligibility criteria laid down by FIFA. And whether Kane is eligible for the ROI's senior team or not, there is no doubt that he is eligible for the Northern Ireland senior team.
I am pleased Kane appears finally to have chosen NI after having considered the ROI for a period, the latter perhaps only from pique by being messed around by the IFA over an administrative matter.
My point is that FIFA should clear up the confusion which some people seem to have and confirm that anybody born of the island of Ireland can represent the Republic if they wish to do so. The FAI should then make clear that they will welcome into the fold players from all 32 counties who see themselves better represented by the ROI team than the NI side. It will then be up to the individual player which of the 2 international sides they feel better represents their nationality and I would think that many will choose the southern side, just like many of us who make the trip to Dublin from the north regularly to support our national side.People can choose to support whoever they like, but they can't always choose who they may play for - there are eligibility criteria laid down by FIFA.
People who choose the ROI are not "traitors" or "defectors" no matter how posters on certain websites might try to depict them, rather they are proud Irish people representing their country.
I certainly agree that FIFA should clear this up for once and for all (even if I hope that they decide differently to you!)
And I wouldn't argue with too much of the rest of your post. And if FIFA should decide in your favour, my chief concern would be one of players making their choice not because a team "better represents their nationality", but because they choose the team which best suits their own interests
i.e. if they're good enough for both, they choose the one which is playing best, or if they're not good enough for both, they end up playing for what would otherwise have been their second "choice".
Anyhow, on this subject of supporting the team which "better represents your nationality", HM, do you not find it somewhat strange to follow a team which, until Gibson at least, never had any representatives from your own neck of the woods?
I ask this, since as an Irish rugby fan, I always felt especially proud when the Ireland team had more than its "share" of Ulstermen, and found I had to work a little harder to summon up the same enthusiasm recently when Ulster only had one or two (or even no) representatives.
And if FIFA did finally close off all hope of the FAI selecting NI-born players who did not have the necessary parental/grandparental/residential eligibility, would that present a "challenge" to your enthusiasm?
P.S. I would never use the term "traitor" for someone who has chosen as Gibson did. But considering he formerly represented NI as an under-age player, I have no problem in using the term "defector"!
I see myself as Irish, I see my national flag as the tricolour, my national anthem as Amhrán na bhFiann and my national capital as Dublin. I have no affinity with the Stormont flag or God Save the Queen, therefore I choose to support the ROI as my national side as it is a team which better represents my nationality. While "political" factors may seem to come into it, it is more a choice of identity rather than politics although of course the two intertwine.Anyhow, on this subject of supporting the team which "better represents your nationality", HM, do you not find it somewhat strange to follow a team which, until Gibson at least, never had any representatives from your own neck of the woods?
LOL!How embarassing can one get. Watch out Holylands, he'll be asking you to come along for a bible study next.
Yeah, I'm having a problem with the Ireland team not including enough 2G players from hertfordshire these days. Might have to start following the tans instead.
This is the cooooooooooooolest footy forum I've ever seen!
'Anyhow, on this subject of supporting the team which "better represents your nationality", HM, do you not find it somewhat strange to follow a team which, until Gibson at least, never had any representatives from your own neck of the woods?'
eg
Irish lads from the North have been representing Ireland for the last ten years, Its hardly Holylandsman's fault that none of them have reached the Level of Darron Gibson, Apart form Bangor's Alan Kernaghan of course.
Interesting comments from Don Given's today stating that it was Kane who approached the FAI asking to play for Ireland and confirming his request in a letter. Given said that all the paperwork had been completed and verified with FIFA regarding his change of association, including Kane's formal written request to represent Ireland.
I thought you could only switch once, is he even eligible to play for the North ?
Dispels the myth of tapping up etc..regarding Kane.
It also seems the offer of an u21 call up did not sway Kane's decision initially and Worthington was forced to offer him a squad place in the senior team to try and sway the lads decision.
Whatever his decision, i wish him well in the future and ultimately i only want to see Irish players representing Ireland who can give 100% commitment to the team
AFAIU he only played in 2 u21 friendlies. Apparantly underage friendlies don't count but senior friendlies and underage competition caps do count.I thought you could only switch once, is he even eligible to play for the North ?
Your opening comment (bible studyLOL!
Yeah, I'm having a problem with the Ireland team not including enough 2G players from hertfordshire these days. Might have to start following the tans instead. EG, your problem with the Irish rugby team is that there are not enough unionists (more than a couple of years ago, though?) left in the team, not due to their geographical birthplace. If you were that petty, you'd be having kittens because no one from your street was playing rugger for Ireland. And don't insult our intelligence it isn't, cos you wouldn't be bringing up the the SS and tricolour being flown at Irish rugby games as an issue with you, if it weren't. My advice is bring along your O6C flag next time and chill out. No one cares at rugby.) is baffling and your main paragraph (rugby) is cobblers. Not only do you have no idea why I support the Irish rugby team, but the motive which you ascribe to me - wanting to see
more "Unionists" in the team - is not even logical, since no Ulsterman who allowed his Unionism to colour his thoughts about sport in such a way, would follow an all-Ireland team in the first place, never mind attend matches at Lansdowne where the Tricolour flies and the Soldiers Song is played.
Anyhow, perhaps I'll ask advice on the matter from the Ulster and Ireland rugby player who lives nearest to my neck of the woods in Ulster: Monaghan's Tommy Bowe...
P.S. Who the fcuk are the "tans"?
Maybe i'm wrong but i thought a change is possible only once, up to the age of 21 as long as it has been approved by the FIFA Players Status Committee.
If Givens has said that it had been approved & ratified, then surely the move of association has already been made, irrespective of his competitive appearances.
I get accused of repeating myself on this forum, but it seems you can't make some points frequently enough. ALAN KERNAGHAN WAS NOT BORN IN NORTHERN IRELAND. If he had been, he would have played for our senior team, which he had always wanted.
He was born in England, as were both his parents, though they moved the family to NI when AK was very young, which is why e.g. he represented NI Schools. His grandparents were from NI, which would have made him eligible for us according to FIFA. However, at that time, the IFA only recognised a player having been born in NI, or having an NI-born parent, as sufficient to qualify someone.
The FAI had no such qualms, however, and arranged a Passport for him on the basis of his grandparents (who may have been born pre-partition?).
As for Givens, do you have the source where he made such comments? If he has (avoidably?) missed out on a promising young player, perhaps there's a degree of "ass-covering" going on? As it happens, the IFA having screwed Kane around previously, it's most likely Kane approached the FAI first, rather than the other way round. However, the existence of said paperwork doesn't actually prove anything, since any such application to switch Associations would have to be recorded formally in writing and in cases where the FAI made the first approach, I doubt they'd be stupid enough to let the paperwork reflect that.
Finally, what is your source for stating that an U-21 call was inadequate to sway Kane? His invitation by Roy Millar to join the U-21 squad, and apparent acceptance, was before NW's invitation to join the senior squad, which itself only followed injury doubts about some of NW's defenders.
Last edited by EalingGreen; 02/09/2007 at 5:50 PM.
Haven't quite got your head around the whole sarcasm thing, have ye!!...."NI Boss targets Republics O'Kane"
Wow! How many errors can you fit into one five word headline?
The NI boss did not "target" anyone. He had already been called up to NI's U-21 squad by Roy Millar and following injury scares to NI's first choice senior left backs (Evans and McCartney), Worthy "upgraded" him to the senior squad - common practice by managers.
And as for the player being the "Republics", he was born and brought up in NI and is a product of NI under-age football, having represented us first. However, he became p issed off when a stupid administrative error meant the IFA failed to register him for an U-21 tournament, so that he couldn't play in it.
He was then "targeted" by Don Givens and agreed to play for the ROI. However, following Given's apparently deciding that he was no longer "good enough" for the ROI's U-21 side, it looks as though the player is now happy to revert to his first choice, NI, with the happy bonus that he may be involved with the senior squad earlier than he might have expected.
And his name is "Kane".
It's pretty clear that a player may exercise the option only once.
My guess (only a guess) is that the new country has to bless the transfer by capping the player, if the player is uncapped at senior level then the transfer may be revoked, just a guess.
Otherwise we could be looking at a situation where if NI cap Kane then they risk the wrath of FIFA by fielding an ineligible player
I hope the IFA financially compensated the FAI for nurturing Kane.
I see there is poster on the thread acting the troll, now I am thinking that he is best ignored.
Perhaps not. You see, I had thought it was the convention to give people a clue by using the rolleyes smilie when being sarcastic, not when subsequently giving your explanation. Oh well.Haven't quite got your head around the whole sarcasm thing, have ye!!....
And what was with getting his name wrong? Surely "Kane" isn't too difficult a name, unless you were trying to emphasise his "Irishness" with the extra "O"
(See, I used the rolleyes thingie there. You know, to denote sarcasm...)
Your support of the Irish rugby team is conditioned by your unionism. Why bring up the point of anthem and flag not representing your 'tradition.' I'd support Ireland in rugby no matter where the players are from. You seem to have a bit of a problem with that.Your opening comment (bible study
more "Unionists" in the team - is not even logical, since no Ulsterman who allowed his Unionism to colour his thoughts about sport in such a way, would follow an all-Ireland team in the first place, never mind attend matches at Lansdowne where the Tricolour flies and the Soldiers Song is played.
Anyhow, perhaps I'll ask advice on the matter from the Ulster and Ireland rugby player who lives nearest to my neck of the woods in Ulster: Monaghan's Tommy Bowe...
P.S. Who the fcuk are the "tans"?
As for that twaddle about unionist players playing for Ireland, two points. Their choice is to play for England, Scotland or Wales if they don't like it or lobby for either a NI team or better still a British team. Secondly, the IRFU accomodates the unionist 'tradition' far more than the IFA's and its 'Football for All' does for Northern Nationalists. Still, some people aren't happy, to which I'd suggest 'have you heard of Murryfield'?
This is the cooooooooooooolest footy forum I've ever seen!
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks