Delaney interview last night

[RogerMilla]

i wasnt talking about neil lennon , i was saying that if i was IFA eligible and was brought up supporting ROI then the IFA's efforts to stop me playing for the ROI would not be conducive to convincing me to throw in my lot with NI.

[RogerMilla]

Fine.

monaghan would be a great spot for one i reckon...
or Muff....

[jmurphyc]

monaghan would be a great spot for one i reckon...
or Muff....

FAI to set up a Muff Development Centre. Classic!

[EalingGreen]

Utter rubbish EG , everyone knows you exist and most* people respect your right to do so

When certain people can't even bring themselves to get our name right, but persist in typing e.g "the North" or "Six Counties", when a simple NI would suffice, there remains a distinct lack of respect. Or when people persist with e.g. the notion that the present NI team's superior ranking over the ROI is some sort of illusionary or freak aberration, rather than a reflection of the simple fact that we currently have a better team.
Indeed, it is this lack of respect which lies behind the simplistic notion "Why can't there be an all-Ireland team?" which underlies so much of the debate, with the unspoken assumption that it would follow the absorption of the IFA into the FAI, with games played in Dublin, by teams comprising 10 Southerners and "maybe David Healy". People need to appreciate that any united [sic] team which ever comes about will never happen if it is merely the continuation of your team strengthened to a degree, with our team being abolished just to accommodate this.

it's the right of people of nationalist persuasion who wish to declare for ROI that your association wishes to challenge the legitmacy of.
People from NI who wish to declare for ROI are not going to stop wanting to do so while you have the attitude you have towards their aspirations. The IFA need to see that that is what is effectively driving people into the arms of the FAI.

If people of whatever political persuasion, from any part of Ireland, are eligible under FIFA's Rules to opt for the FAI, then I (and the IFA) say "Good Luck" to them, since even if they are also eligible for NI, there is nothing to be gained by our trying to press-gang unwilling recruits to the cause.
However, that is not what our Association is currently challenging. Rather, we are concerned that certain players who are undoubtedly eligible to represent NI are, for whatever reason, opting to represent another Association for whom they may not be eligible under the Rules.
No Association is ever going to stand idly by and see its player pool diminished in this way, especially one with so few players to draw upon in the first place.
The fact that it is the FAI, rather than, say, the English FA or any other, to whom we risk losing players is immaterial. If you were still around in 60 years time, and found that e.g. the Polish or Lithuanian FA was selecting 3rd Generation Irish youngsters with the relevant ancestry, but without the requisite "connection" under FIFA Rules, would you stand idly by? Would you b ollox!

* - Interesting use of the word "most", RM

[EalingGreen]

exactly. look at the whole neil lennon affair for instance

Would that be the same Neil Lennon who earlier this year sent a specially taped message to the IFA commending it for the work it is doing through "Football For All"?

Anyway, why stop at Lennon? Why not Cromwell, or the Plantation of Ulster, or Strongbow? I'm sure they're all to blame in some way or another...

[EalingGreen]

A new low.

Are you having your period today?

Thank you for that constructive and illuminating contribution to the debate, one of your best efforts yet...

[RogerMilla]

When certain people can't even bring themselves to get our name right, but persist in typing e.g "the North" or "Six Counties", when a simple NI would suffice, there remains a distinct lack of respect. Or when people persist with e.g. the notion that the present NI team's superior ranking over the ROI is some sort of illusionary or freak aberration, rather than a reflection of the simple fact that we currently have a better team

lack of respect in footballing terms but not in respect of your right to exist, we should be doing much better than you , hopefully a new manager will revitalise us.

[jmurphyc]

When certain people can't even bring themselves to get our name right, but persist in typing e.g "the North" or "Six Counties", when a simple NI would suffice, there remains a distinct lack of respect.

I can understand your problem with the "Six Counties", but what's your problem with "the North"? It's much the same as us being called "the Republic" or "the South" which are both widely used. It's like saying the UK instead of the United Kingdom. Nitpicking as per usual.

[RogerMilla]

If people of whatever political persuasion, from any part of Ireland, are eligible under FIFA's Rules to opt for the FAI, then I (and the IFA) say "Good Luck" to them, since even if they are also eligible for NI, there is nothing to be gained by our trying to press-gang unwilling recruits to the cause.
However, that is not what our Association is currently challenging. Rather, we are concerned that certain players who are undoubtedly eligible to represent NI are, for whatever reason, opting to represent another Association for whom they may not be eligible under the Rules.
No Association is ever going to stand idly by and see its player pool diminished in this way, especially one with so few players to draw upon in the first place.

Likewise if an association is not hindered by FIFA from picking players from outside its states legal jurisdiction then it would be in dereliction of its duty to create as big a player pool as possible if it did not pick those players.

[RogerMilla]

* - Interesting use of the word "most", RM

I said most because it's most , if i said all or few I would be a liar.

We are going round in circles here, sooner FIFA clear this up the better. Cue a couple of hundred posts from you railing at the injustice of it all and then we will all be able to move on

[Stuttgart88]

It's much the same as us being called "the Republic" or "the South" which are both widely used.

as evidenced by Emmet Malone's recent articles in the Irish Times about the All-Ireland League talks.

The "South" or "Southern" is plain daft whereas "The North" is just a simple harmless abbreviation. Just because one part of the island is "Northern" doesn't by default suggest that the rest is "Southern" or even "southern".

For what it's worth I thought Delaney's comment was needlessly antagonistic.

[RogerMilla]

Would that be the same Neil Lennon who earlier this year sent a specially taped message to the IFA commending it for the work it is doing through "Football For All"?

Anyway, why stop at Lennon? Why not Cromwell, or the Plantation of Ulster, or Strongbow? I'm sure they're all to blame in some way or another...

Diarmuid McMurrough surely!

[jmurphyc]

The "South" or "Southern" is plain daft whereas "The North" is just a simple harmless abbreviation. Just because one part of the island is "Northern" doesn't by default suggest that the rest is "Southern" or even "southern".

I agree, I was just saying what it is sometimes called to counter the argument.

[EalingGreen]

i was saying that if i was IFA eligible and was brought up supporting ROI then the IFA's efforts to stop me playing for the ROI would not be conducive to convincing me to throw in my lot with NI.

Nobody denies that there are people in NI whose affinity lies with the ROI team. And no reasonable person would deny them the right to represent that team, assuming they are eligible. Further, nobody seriously believes that if someone is dead set on representing ROI (perhaps due to their upbringing, as you say), and they are denied the chance as a result of the IFA insisting that FIFA's Rules are adhered to, that they will then somehow be disposed to forgetting their former allegiance and throwing their hand in with NI. That would be just silly.

Rather, the IFA's concern is actually for three other categories of player.
1. Those like e.g Gerry Armstrong or Pat Jennings who, given a free choice, might prefer ROI over NI, but when that choice is not open to them, happily play for NI, with great distinction and total commitment;
2. Those footballers who don't actually have any political leanings whatsoever (they do exist, you know!) Instead, they are just normal teenagers who live to play football all day and all night. Given an entirely free choice, at least some of those will opt for ROI over NI. Which, I repeat, is entirely fair enough if they are eligible under the Rules, but is not a choice open to footballers from other parts of the world if they are not, as well as being particularly unfair on NI, since we don't get a comparable choice from your "non-committals";
3. Those individuals who might choose the ROI for less than honourable motives e.g. they had a "falling-out" with someone in the IFA, or are being urged to do so by outside influences with less ethical motives (e.g. Agents, politicians etc), or see that there might be more money in it, or indeed like Alex Bruce, merely opt for what they see as the "better" team. All of such motives might be understandable for switching clubs, but they should have no place in determining which country one plays for (imo).

[EalingGreen]

I can understand your problem with the "Six Counties", but what's your problem with "the North"? It's much the same as us being called "the Republic" or "the South" which are both widely used. It's like saying the UK instead of the United Kingdom. Nitpicking as per usual.

In political or other situations, I don't care what you call yourselves/us!

But in footballing terms, the names of the two teams are "Northern Ireland" and "Republic of Ireland", with "NI" and "ROI" being by far the quickest form to type that will avoid misunderstanding. Those who consistently avoid such abbreviations by substituting some other wordier construction are actually the ones who are being petty (imo), if not slightly insulting, since it denies us due recognition. If the regulars in your local bar consistently called you by the wrong name, would you not be a bit peeved too?

Anyhow, I imagine that there are people in Donegal etc who might take exception to "the North", never mind us!

[EalingGreen]

Likewise if an association is not hindered by FIFA from picking players from outside its states legal jurisdiction then it would be in dereliction of its duty to create as big a player pool as possible if it did not pick those players.

No argument, there.

[RogerMilla]

Rather, the IFA's concern is actually for three other categories of player.
1. Those like e.g Gerry Armstrong or Pat Jennings who, given a free choice, might prefer ROI over NI, but when that choice is not open to them, happily play for NI, with great distinction and total commitment

yup , they're the fellas we want alright !!

[EalingGreen]

sooner FIFA clear this up the better. Cue a couple of hundred posts from you railing at the injustice of it all and then we will all be able to move on

I will accept whatever FIFA finally decides and (assuming this leaves no room for appeal) will get on with it.

[EalingGreen]

yup , they're the fellas we want alright !!

Can you see better now why we're a tad concerned about this? Just because we dont want or need any of your lot...

[ifk101]

I wonder how people get about with their daily lives in Meath and Westmeath.