Saw Gibson play pre season and he was head and shoulders above most of the other players on the pitch. Apparently Fergie rates him hightly.He is a big lad with two good feet and is no doubt one for the future, ours that is not NI.
Northern Ireland boss Nigel Worthington is trying to persuade Manchester United prospect Darron Gibson to switch allegiance from the Republic.
The 19-year-old, who was born in Londonderry, is currently at the centre of a dispute between the two countries.
Gibson represented Northern Ireland at Under-16 level but then opted for the Republic as he has an Irish passport.
"I have spoken to him and emphasised how much I want him to be involved with Northern Ireland," said Worthington.
The Northern Ireland manager told the Sunday Life he felt the teenager should play for the country of his birth.
"I want him involved with Northern Ireland and it is a situation which has to be resolved."
Gibson has not played for the Repubilc of Ireland at senior level although he was a non-playnig substitute for a Euro 2008 qualifier against San Marino.
The Irish FA, which governs football in Northrn Ireland, is awaiting a Fifa ruling on Gibson's eligibility.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ls/6953708.stm
Hands off Nigel!
Saw Gibson play pre season and he was head and shoulders above most of the other players on the pitch. Apparently Fergie rates him hightly.He is a big lad with two good feet and is no doubt one for the future, ours that is not NI.
Worthington has already approached Darron two or three times.
He is in the u21 squad for the game against Germany. He has declared that it is his dream to play for Ireland.
I wonder why would Worthington be so crass as to be publically quoted like this.
It's a bit like a spineless jilted partner making an ass of himself - "please please come back".
SSSSsssshhhhh!!! You'll wake EalingGreen.
He'll probbly go on loan before the end of August. I'd defo like to see more of him.
Stan should select him for the squad to play Denmark.
Worthington is just making an ass of himself. If he really beleived that Darron had any interest in playing for the North, would he go running to the media?
How many times do these idiots need to be told.
As far as i'm aware, there were two, two minute phone conversations that were basically 'thanks, but no thanks'.
It's a well-worn tactic by the IFA, running to the media to try and inflence players decisions. Gibson's family launched a scathing attack on the IFA in January this year. They questioned the motivation of the IFA in going public with the issue when they had made no contact with him for over 2 years.
His uncle said at the time "Darron has a right to play for Ireland, he is an Irish citizen and has the same rights as everyone else on the island. The IFA cannot dictate to us regarding Darron’s right to play for his country .Darron has no interest in lining out for n.i and has always wanted to play for Ireland”
The issue was adressed and sorted by FIFA in October last year.
"On October 20th 2006, Fifa's Heinz Tannler, Director of Legal Division, and Corina Luck, Head of General Legal, wrote a joint letter to the IFA, which was copied to the FAI, In it, they informed the IFA that 'the existing situation in Northern Ireland allows players to choose whether they wish to represent Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland'."
Nigel Worthington said yesterday "He was born in the North so i think its just right he plays for the country he was born in"
Well Nigel, Darron is playing for his country, as are Tony Kane, Michael O'connor, Ruairi Harkin, Marc Wilson etc.. and for many of us football supporters in the North, we are quite content following our country, be it at home games in Dublin or away in Bratislava, Prague or Cardiff.
Get over it.
this lad was born in belfast, but with a name like that, what is his background? Don't care either way but it would certainly be a precedent.Marc Wilson
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
Marc's from Aghagallon outside Lurgan in County Armagh. He signed a new two year deal with Portsmouth in June but is believed to be going out on loan to Bournemouth after he gets over a minor groin strain. He spent part of last season on loan with Bournemouth and manager Kevin Bond had tried to sign him permanently, but he was handed the new two deal by Harry Redknapp.
Worthington is being a complete hypocrite. Another quote of his from that articleOriginally Posted by stiofain
"He's been born in the North so I think it's only right that the place of birth is the country that you play for."
So I wonder when he will be dropping all the NI players not born in the North?
"He's been born in the North"
Makes Stan sound almost erudite.
That article is in the Sunday Life
http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/sport/article2876658.ece
Darron Gibson was scheduled to assemble with the Republic of Ireland Under-21 squad on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s friendly game against Germany in Furth. He has, however, now been drafted into the senior panel.
http://pix.ie/widgets/generate/accou...000-F5F5FF.jpg
"It's time for the FAI to grow up." John O'Donoghue, Minister for Sport, RTE , Sunday 7 Nov 2004
20 quid says he makes an appearance wed night , stan will make sure he is tied into the team.
Was he crazy!! Yeah , in a very special way , an Irishman.
I slept, and dreamed that life was Beauty;
I woke, and found that life was Duty.
And hammer another soft nail into the persecuted wee minds.
Talking of which, Ealing's radar on all things "wee" must be out of focus.
Reading the Sunday Life article, they repeat the reason that Darron plays for Ireland "after switching allegiances because of a fall-out with Northern Ireland under-16 coaches"
Might be simpler if the media recognised that young lads want to play for the team of their country as they see it and as is their right.
savage.Darron Gibson was scheduled to assemble with the Republic of Ireland Under-21 squad on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s friendly game against Germany in Furth. He has, however, now been drafted into the senior panel.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
I have to say it was a pretty shameful outburst by Worthington, stirring up controversy for the sake of it. He was never going to change Gibson's mind and all it does is serve to alienate the guy in the North. Maybe he was sending a message to any other young Irish lads up north with eyes on representimg the ROI.
Wouldn't mind if he did anyway. Have never seen him play but we're short on CM's at the mo and could be well worth having a look at him on Wednesday...
"Well I think they'll be a little disappointed with that" - Matt Holland on TV3 after 5-2 drubbing by Cyprus
On that note whatever happened to Joey O'Brien? It really isn't looking good for him by the sounds of things. I still haven't even heard of him playing reserve team football yet nevermind making a claim for a starting place in the first team. It's very difficult for a young player to get back from such a long period of injury.
Have a look at this. It's interesting how opinions of his elligibility differ:
http://ourweecountry.ipbhost.com/ind...=15485&st=1155
I was under the assumption if he did play for us against Denmark then he couldn't switch back to NI no matter what's said by EalingGreen on that thread.
I couldn't be ársed reading another "wee" thread.
Once he is capped at senior level in an officially recognised intl. game (from a friendly to a world cup final) he is tied to Ireland. FIFA's rules since 2004.
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