Eligibility proposal

[geysir]

It seems a bit bizarre to me that a guy born in England, with English parent, three English grandparents and one grandparent born in Cork say may now qualify to play for Northern Ireland.

As far as I understand the proposal. The agreement is only for footballers born on the Island.
"Anybody born on the 32 County Island of Ireland can play for either Northern Ireland or the Republic Of Ireland"

Anybody who acquires Irish citizenship due to ancestory or residency can only play for the Republic.

[lopez]

It's all very quiet from Ealing Green and co. Maybe the news caught them too late on leaving the office.

Very promising! So much for the b*ll*x in the 6C rags.

I can never see FIFA disallowing Northerners playing for Ireland when the team is met by a President at nearly every home game, who comes from the O6C. The IFA obviously need something to save face. This is about as good as it gets.

If true, it gives the right to decide to the player. That's fine with me. It also for the very few of the minority of residents of the 26C who consider themselves British and are not of recent migrant stock, the right to represent a British team. Surely the boys on ourweeminds should be delighted with this?

Once cleared with the briefs, the FAI should agree to this move. The IFA can complain, but they could end up with Jack Sh*te from this if they do. Happy daze!!!!

[geysir]

According to wee mind revision of history we have decimated the British stock in the Republic and forced the remaining survivors into a Stepford state of constitutional submission.
But there may be a few NI fans left in Donegal.

[NeilMcD]

The reason they are a B team is because they have been consistently performing below ROI since 1987, recent times excluded, and that was with us at our lowest ebb, and NI flying

And who are these top class players?? Of the NI side the only player i would start in an all ireland 11 is George McCartney, and Healy would make the bench. (although the way Robbie is playing)

All this at out lowest ebb

They are a no mark team, who have achieved little or nothing of note since Pat Jennings picked the 3rd out on his 41st birthday. It was only a few years ago i heard Alan Greene, who is from Belfast (even if he is an arse), include them with Andorra, Malta and San Marino as countries he didn't think should even be allowed to play qualifiers for major tournaments.

If the FAI market this decision right NI can be marginalized and middle class unionists can be enticed to Croke Park to see Ireland play Brazil. They already flock down to the 6 nations

If the FAI want to play this right, The should always now refer to themselves as Ireland, adopt Irelands call as the anthem, announce plans to play in Belfast at some point, and appoint a northerner as new manager.

To quote a movie...



And for the record i'm not really worried about offending the IFA or their fans. They have attempted to deny me my birth right. I don't see what could be considered offensive though. It is only a mater of time before a talented Protestant Irishman from the north declares for the FAI because he gets a greater chance to play on the greatest stage of all. And once one does dozens more will follow.

the biggest obstacle to this is the hangers on who don't want the gravy being split more ways

They don't have any top class players at the moment but if There are people out there that believe in Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland team and they should be respected until democratically that changes.

I want the best manager for the Republic of Ireland not a protestant manager who will convince the middle class unionist to come down and support a so called united Ireland team. Your post is clearly delusional. Remember also that Northern Ireland are having a better campaign than us and have beaten England and Spain recently, who have we beaten.

[lopez]

According to wee mind revision of history we have decimated the British stock in the Republic and forced the remaining survivors into a Stepford state of constitutional submission.
But there may be a few NI fans left in Donegal.

It's an argument ourweeminds will be insisting is sent to Zurich in the coming months no doubt. I'm sure that Donegal flag at NI matches is about their ancestral homelands, so cruely robbed by the forces of the antichrist in 1922. Like if you saw a Cypriot flag a couple of weeks ago with Famagusta on it.

[shaneker]

I have, have to say i think its a great step forward

1 - It will make the dynamics of an all-ireland side a lot easier

2 - It make NI an Ireland B side for lower league players who couldn't make it for the 1st team. The likes of Lee Trundle and Paul Heffernan might find their way into NI squads, and no great loss

3 - It means we are effectively no longer ROI, but "Ireland"

4 - It opens the way to the FAI playing some home games in Belfast

5 - As there will be a choice for every underage player on his 21st birthday, there is little point in having 2 U16, U18 or U21 setups. The finances will mean they could well be merged.

I have to say I really disagree with what you are saying. This was about allowing Irish players to choose to play for the country of their birth and they identify with, not about trying to completely destroy the northerners team.

I'm 100% in favour of an all-Ireland side but until that day comes we have to respect their right to their own team and to administer it in their own way - it is not our place to suggest playing games in the territory of their association or to start labelling them as a 'B' team. We cannot ask them to respect our rights, then turn around and disrespect theirs. The fact is that a large number of people do identify with their team, just as a large number do with ours. As is stands, as long as our players and fans in the north have the right to choose, I believe their players and fans should have that right too. Hopefully one day things will be different.

[kingdomkerry]

A great day for the rights of our friends in the north and for irish soccer. I also believe this is a massive step towards an all ireland team!!!

[geysir]

http://www.irishfa.com/the-ifa/news/...r-eligibility/


PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
06/11/2007
The Irish FA can confirm that they have received a response from FIFA regarding the matter of player eligibility.

The contents of the letter appear to be at variance with the advice given to Irish FA Officials at a recent meeting in Zurich and further clarification will be sought within FIFA at the appropriate level.

It's tragic

They do not reveal the contents of the letter, I suppose it's something that they actually acknowledge receiving a letter this time

[Postman]

Sorry Geysir. Thought Harry Clarke sounded odd.

Just grabbed the name from the previous poster which at least shows I'm no worse at copying and pasting freely accessable info than this particular professional correspondent.

It might open a door for eircom league players who are overlooked at international level. If I was a top eircom league player I'd definitely consider lining out for NI, primarily to play against the world's best players but if it got me in the headlines and a subsequent big money move to England I wouldn't complain.

[tricky_colour]

Guess whose middle name is "Northern"?

(Hope thats not too cryptic).

[Sligo Hornet]

They don't have any top class players at the moment but if There are people out there that believe in Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland team and they should be respected until democratically that changes.

I want the best manager for the Republic of Ireland not a protestant manager who will convince the middle class unionist to come down and support a so called united Ireland team. Your post is clearly delusional. Remember also that Northern Ireland are having a better campaign than us and have beaten England and Spain recently, who have we beaten.

Surely you cannot have forgotten that famous night in San Marino when against all odds we overcame their mighty side in the closing seconds!

[gspain]

Oh I didn't mean you eelmonster! I meant Henry or Harry or Horace or whatever your man from the paper is called. He had his basic facts wrong about the Kernaghan case and it read like he was trying to construct, by omission of fact, a picture wherein Kernaghan walked out on or turned his back on Northern Ireland for us. Couldn't be further from the truth.

The IFA turned Kernaghan away because he was born in England to England/Britain/ non-NI born parents of Ulster folk. His parents then brought him to live in NI when he was only four or five and there he remained until he became a professional footballer and actually played for NI schoolboys.

Then he found out the IFA weren't going to pick him because they were party to a daft, stupid, hair-brained "home countries" deal which was concocted entirely to maximise Englands available player pool to the detriment of NI, Scotland and Wales.

I have a degree of sympathy for the IFA when it comes to lads like Darron Gibson effectively "cuckooing" in their system but in Kernaghans case I have not so much as a morsel.

Alan Kernaghan's 4 grandparents were from NI. He moved back to Bangor when he was 4. They still decided not to pick him so he chose us. He is unfairly remembered for the Spain game in 1993 when he was poor but so were many others. he was a decent no-nonsense centre half who always gave 100%. In particular he ha d agreat game in Copenhagen in 1992 when we drew with the European champions.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Alan Kernaghan's 4 grandparents were from NI. He moved back to Bangor when he was 4. They still decided not to pick him so he chose us. He is unfairly remembered for the Spain game in 1993 when he was poor but so were many others. he was a decent no-nonsense centre half who always gave 100%. In particular he ha d agreat game in Copenhagen in 1992 when we drew with the European champions.

Agreed. Also scored an important goal for us to kill off Lithuania in Dublin which scarcely gets a mention.

[Not Brazil]

A great day for the rights of our friends in the north and for irish soccer. I also believe this is a massive step towards an all ireland team!!!

I believe it has cemented the polarisation of football on this island for many years.

It is potentially a "massive step" to creating an Irish Nationalist team.

I would say, this morning, that Northern Ireland fans, in the main, feel further away from being "united" with the rest of Ireland than ever.

Isolation will not "unite" anything.

However, congratulations on getting one over on the people you wish to be "united" with.

[RogerMilla]

Surely you cannot have forgotten that famous night in San Marino when against all odds we overcame their mighty side in the closing seconds!

ah feck , ya beat me to it !!

[RogerMilla]

However, congratulations on getting one over on the people you wish to be "united" with.

Surely a blow has been struck for those who wish to be united with us ? Those who dont still have their team to support and play for. This is about Irish citizens living in NI who could not countenance playing for the NI team and who can now represent their country.

[Paddy Garcia]

It is potentially a "massive step" to creating an Irish Nationalist team.

I would say, this morning, that Northern Ireland fans, in the main, feel further away from being "united" with the rest of Ireland than ever.

Isolation will not "unite" anything.

However, congratulations on getting one over on the people you wish to be "united" with.

I really don't believe it was ever about getting one over anyone. The arguements have been well rehersed, and we believe Gibson and his ilk are entitled to play for their country.

If there was an intervention seeking to "get one over their neighbour" it was was Worthington & Cos attempt to prevent Gibson continuing to play for us.

Understand your disappointment, but, if there is a feeling of resentment, I'd suggest this is in part related to the early celebrations last week, in some cases rammed down the throats of your neighbours.

[Not Brazil]

Simple (genuine) questions:

Are the FAI and IFA closer, or further apart, as a result of this decision?

How does that bode for good relations between the respective Associations?

[Paddy Garcia]

Fair enough.

But would it be any different if the outcome was the opposite!

[Drumcondra 69er]

I believe it has cemented the polarisation of football on this island for many years.

It is potentially a "massive step" to creating an Irish Nationalist team.

I would say, this morning, that Northern Ireland fans, in the main, feel further away from being "united" with the rest of Ireland than ever.

Isolation will not "unite" anything.

However, congratulations on getting one over on the people you wish to be "united" with.

Very bitter. This wasn't about getting 'one over' on anyone. Anyone who wants to play for NI is still able to. I'd suggest your association focusses on those players rather then trying to force players who don't into a corner.

I would suggest that Northern Ireland fans have never felt 'united' with the rest of Ireland hence their alligeience to GSTQ for example.

Common sense prevailed, the NI media really shouldn't have jumped the gun.