Will you be cheering for NI tonight?

[nifan]

Red hander, i wouldnt claim someone who supported the ROI is a bigot - it is their choice.
It is the people who steadfastly refuse to acknowledge the work and successes being done in removing sectarianism from NI games that I have a problem with.

As you say no matter what happens many people will never support NI for their own reasons, which is why a simple argument like fearons notional count of catholics/nationalists at NI games is a crude indicator of the success of FFA (though id wager there are more catholics in attendance than he gives credit for). We cant make people support NI, but the aim is to allow anyone who choses to do so.

[Solomon Kane]

EG does write extremely well, and it would a lesser Board without him. However EG and other OWC fans on here fail to understand that you cannot be a Nationalist and also support the North in soccer. To do other otherwise would be accepting partition. FIFA's ruling now means we have a de facto team for the whole of Ireland, so their argument that supporting the Republic also accepts partition no longer stands up. However when myself and others say this we are lead to believe that we sectarian bigots who fail to appreciate the efforts the IFA are making. I'm not sectarian but I believe there should be one soccer team and one association for our shared island. I really wish the OWCers would accept this and no matter how reasoned their arguments may be, they can never change my cultural and political persuasions.

A few points.

1.The FAI partitioned Irish football - surely to support their team is contrary to your nationalism?
2. FIFA has NOT made any such ruling, but if any ruling did go that way it would not create 1 (in theory anyway) 32 county team but in fact 2. Not only would the FAI have introduced partition to Irish football, they would also have introduced apartheid.

[magickingdom]

EG does write extremely well, and it would a lesser Board without him. However EG and other OWC fans on here fail to understand that you cannot be a Nationalist and also support the North in soccer. To do other otherwise would be accepting partition. FIFA's ruling now means we have a de facto team for the whole of Ireland, so their argument that supporting the Republic also accepts partition no longer stands up. However when myself and others say this we are lead to believe that we sectarian bigots who fail to appreciate the efforts the IFA are making. I'm not sectarian but I believe there should be one soccer team and one association for our shared island. I really wish the OWCers would accept this and no matter how reasoned their arguments may be, they can never change my cultural and political persuasions.

A few points.

1.The FAI partitioned Irish football - surely to support their team is contrary to your nationalism?
2. FIFA has NOT made any such ruling, but if any ruling did go that way it would not create 1 (in theory anyway) 32 county team but in fact 2. Not only would the FAI have introduced partition to Irish football, they would also have introduced apartheid.

just like that? got up one day and for no reason decided to set up a seperate team. and tomorrow if they handed over the keys to everything they own in an effort to get the ifa to have one team on this island they would be told where to go. why do you bother posting that shite?

[Solomon Kane]

EG does write extremely well, and it would a lesser Board without him. However EG and other OWC fans on here fail to understand that you cannot be a Nationalist and also support the North in soccer. To do other otherwise would be accepting partition. FIFA's ruling now means we have a de facto team for the whole of Ireland, so their argument that supporting the Republic also accepts partition no longer stands up. However when myself and others say this we are lead to believe that we sectarian bigots who fail to appreciate the efforts the IFA are making. I'm not sectarian but I believe there should be one soccer team and one association for our shared island. I really wish the OWCers would accept this and no matter how reasoned their arguments may be, they can never change my cultural and political persuasions.

A few points.

1.The FAI partitioned Irish football - surely to support their team is contrary to your nationalism?
2. FIFA has NOT made any such ruling, but if any ruling did go that way it would not create 1 (in theory anyway) 32 county team but in fact 2. Not only would the FAI have introduced partition to Irish football, they would also have introduced apartheid.

just like that? got up one day and for no reason decided to set up a seperate team. and tomorrow if they handed over the keys to everything they own in an effort to get the ifa to have one team on this island they would be told where to go. why do you bother posting that shite?

You may not like it but it's true. FIFA would have eventually forced the issue anyway.

[SammyG]

just like that? got up one day and for no reason decided to set up a seperate team.

What are you on about? SK never mentioned the reasons for the FAI splitting from the orignal (and best) IFA, he simply stated the fact that they were responsible for the split and are the reason that football is partitioned.

[his holiness nb]

Just seen the world cup draw, will be very interested in seeing how NI do.
Time to prove if they really have improved dramatically, if so they are in with a real qualification chance, or if the few good wins were just freak results and they will revert to the usual form.
I reckon they will give this group a right rattle.

[nifan]

hhn - need to get the away form sorted out to have any chance.
One win is simply not enough to qualify.

[saffron sam2]

hhn - need to get the away form sorted out to have any chance.
One win is simply not enough to qualify.

I would contend, as a mathematician, that one win away from home may well be good enough.

NI should target five home wins, four away draws and an away win in San Marino. This would see them dropping 8 points, with the Czechs and Poles already dropping five. Assuming Czech Rep and Poland win their respective home games against each other, that would mean NI top the group. Two draws in the Czech - Poland games would also see NI finish first. One team (Poland or Cz) picking up either 4 or 6 points in the two games would mean NI finish second and qualify for the play-offs - the worst case scenario.  Add in the Cezch and Slovak rivalry and not a bad group for NI.

Simple really.

[Main Street]

Basically it´s a matter of making the play offs.
It´s not a bad group to do that to finish ahead of Poland.
NI are definitly better now that anything Slovakia and Slovenia have to offer.
You should be looking for 8 points there at least.

The Czechs were conservative when they came to Dublin, they were happy enough with a draw.
Slovakia were 3rd seeds in our Euro group, sometimes flattered but either underperformed or were over rated.

[Main Street]

Add in the Cezch and Slovak rivalry and not a bad group for NI.

Rivalry wasn't a factor in the Euro Group. The Czechs easily won both games. Slovakia didn't even sell out their home game. It must have been one of those happy divorces. 

[nifan]

Sam ill be amazed if we dont lose a single game, especially on the road.

[his holiness nb]

The Czechs are as good as they were, still pretty decent though. I can see you and them battling for 2nd spot behind Poland.