FAI...New Manager Hunt continues

[ballinaman]

  Sound Hardstation!

[AQMP]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0511/1224315908715.html

Some interesting comments from McClean on the NI/Rep issue

At least it makes a change from the usual bland shite we get from soccer players!  The boy will be disappointed he didn't do better with his comments there.  Mind you, some of them were "Triffic"

[ballinaman]

Sound Hardstation!

Bastid.

Ah ya know me....

[Nally Stand]

McClean should stop digging holes for himself.
I respect honesty, but it's something he should save for the end of his career. Right now, he should keep quiet and build that career.

Fcek that, he has every right to say what he feels when the topic arises. For nationalists, there are serious issues surrounding sectarianism and identity attached to the six county team so more power to him for having the balls to say what others might be too afraid to say.

On a side note, if Ballyholland kept producing players up to under 21 level, who then transferred to Burren, i'd be somewhere between annoyed and heartbroken. While the Twitter mouthpieces don't help the situation by playing up the political angle, I generally understand the frustration. If McClean was still at Derry City he would have happily stood for GSTQ, just to play international football.

Not exactly a like for like comparison. His local allegiance might be questioned but hardly his very national identity.

If McClean was still at Derry City he would have happily stood for GSTQ, just to play international football.

Happily stood for GSTQ? In his own words..."You don't really feel at home. I think any Catholic would be lying if they said they did feel at home, seeing all those flags and hearing the songs and chants. For me, personally, I didn't feel part of it."

[Applesisapples]

McClean should stop digging holes for himself.

I respect honesty, but it's something he should save for the end of his career. Right now, he should keep quiet and build that career.


On a side note, if Ballyholland kept producing players up to under 21 level, who then transferred to Burren, i'd be somewhere between annoyed and heartbroken. While the Twitter mouthpieces don't help the situation by playing up the political angle, I generally understand the frustration. If McClean was still at Derry City he would have happily stood for GSTQ, just to play international football.

You are wrong there McClean made the decision and announced it well before he burst into the first team in Sunderland. It's actually refreshing to see players like McClean, Marc Wilson etc actually calling it as it is.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Happily stood for GSTQ? In his own words..."You don't really feel at home. I think any Catholic would be lying if they said they did feel at home, seeing all those flags and hearing the songs and chants. For me, personally, I didn't feel part of it."

I wonder when he heard all these songs and chants, or saw these flags?

In an interview last week he spoke of being uncomfortable playing in Windsor Park.  Did he play there for Derry City? Because he never played for Northern Ireland there.   Leaving aside Windsor, I think it does Northern Ireland U21 soccer too much credit to suggest that these games are that well attended to be bedecked in flags and hordes of fans chanting.....

There's no doubt that having a neutral official anthem and flag would be appropriate so he has a point on that.

As for his comment that "it doesn't feel right for Catholic players", that does a disservice to those Catholics that choose to represent Northern Ireland.  (I understand a good few currently, including the manager...).  I suspect that your comment about nationalists is even a disservice.  A more accurate one would be that it doesn't feel right for republicans.

For nationalists, there are serious issues surrounding sectarianism and identity attached to the six county team so more power to him for having the balls to say what others might be too afraid to say.

What he is saying seems to be more fitting in with the crowd that taking some kind of stand.

/Jim.

[trileacman]

McClean should stop digging holes for himself.
I respect honesty, but it's something he should save for the end of his career. Right now, he should keep quiet and build that career.

Fcek that, he has every right to say what he feels when the topic arises. For nationalists, there are serious issues surrounding sectarianism and identity attached to the six county team so more power to him for having the balls to say what others might be too afraid to say.

On a side note, if Ballyholland kept producing players up to under 21 level, who then transferred to Burren, i'd be somewhere between annoyed and heartbroken. While the Twitter mouthpieces don't help the situation by playing up the political angle, I generally understand the frustration. If McClean was still at Derry City he would have happily stood for GSTQ, just to play international football.

Not exactly a like for like comparison. His local allegiance might be questioned but hardly his very national identity.

If McClean was still at Derry City he would have happily stood for GSTQ, just to play international football.

Happily stood for GSTQ? In his own words..."You don't really feel at home. I think any Catholic would be lying if they said they did feel at home, seeing all those flags and hearing the songs and chants. For me, personally, I didn't feel part of it."

He would have stood for GSTQ like the rest of them, McGinn, etc. He got lucky in that the FAI showed an interest at the same time as the north, if he was playing with Derry and needed a NI cap to boost his rep and increase his chances of getting a big wage with an English side he'd have lined up for GSTQ like the rest of 'em.

[Nally Stand]

So you're saying he put up with it for the sake of his career until he got his chance with the FAI? (You called it luck, i'd say he earned it). Well didn't he say as much himself, that he did it "as a stepping stone in my career"? The issue is whether he felt happy/comfortable doing so. He stated quite clearly that he wasn't. Likewise for men like Darron Gibson, Marc Wilson and Shane Duffy.

[Applesisapples]

Jim, most nationalists support the ROI at soccer. Even Niall Maginn who plays for NI admitted that he was an ROI fan, much to the displeasure of his "fans". There is no doubt that many catholics choose to play for NI some undoubtedly will be nationalist and republican and some will not have any political allegiance. Those that do very often do so for career reasons and have grown accustomed to putting up with the baggage, as many of us have had to in other walks of life. I disagree with Martin McGuiness who states that he would support any man wearing a green shirt, I don't see NI representing anything other than a partitionist unionist state. Unionist politicians are even trying to claim the Ulster Rugby team as their own little international team (Gregory Campbell on Nolan earlier this week). I don't particularly wish NI any ill but at the same time don't really care what their results are.

[trileacman]

So you're saying he put up with it for the sake of his career until he got his chance with the FAI? (You called it luck, i'd say he earned it). Well didn't he say as much himself, that he did it "as a stepping stone in my career"? The issue is whether he felt happy/comfortable doing so. He stated quite clearly that he wasn't. Likewise for men like Darron Gibson, Marc Wilson and Shane Duffy.

Yeah exactly, I wouldn't call Mc Clean, Gibson or Wilson better nationalists/Catholics than McGinn or McCourt just because he pick the south. The south picked him and i'd say if McGinn or McCourt would have done exactly the same as him if they were in his shoes and McClean would have done exactly the same as McGinn if playing for the North gave him a shot at playing British soccer. So the whole idea that McClean is now the poster boy for nationalist derision of the IFA is pretty incredulous to me because, in all probability if the IFA would have given him a cap when he was still with Derry City he probably would have took it to further his career (and fair enough, if that's what he wants).

I find it a bit hollow now for him to be spouting his great love for the republic side and his unease with the IFA setup. As someone else was saying if he had such reservations about it why did he play all the way up through their youth ranks and at U-21 level? How come he was willing to ignore the Unionist trappings for the benefit of his career back then but now he isn't? He can say what he likes about the IFA, and most of it is true, but its sounds very hypocritical to me given he wore the green and white for so often and without complaint.

[spuds]

So you're saying he put up with it for the sake of his career until he got his chance with the FAI? (You called it luck, i'd say he earned it). Well didn't he say as much himself, that he did it "as a stepping stone in my career"? The issue is whether he felt happy/comfortable doing so. He stated quite clearly that he wasn't. Likewise for men like Darron Gibson, Marc Wilson and Shane Duffy.

Yeah exactly, I wouldn't call Mc Clean, Gibson or Wilson better nationalists/Catholics than McGinn or McCourt just because he pick the south. The south picked him and i'd say if McGinn or McCourt would have done exactly the same as him if they were in his shoes and McClean would have done exactly the same as McGinn if playing for the North gave him a shot at playing British soccer. So the whole idea that McClean is now the poster boy for nationalist derision of the IFA is pretty incredulous to me because, in all probability if the IFA would have given him a cap when he was still with Derry City he probably would have took it to further his career (and fair enough, if that's what he wants).

I find it a bit hollow now for him to be spouting his great love for the republic side and his unease with the IFA setup. As someone else was saying if he had such reservations about it why did he play all the way up through their youth ranks and at U-21 level? How come he was willing to ignore the Unionist trappings for the benefit of his career back then but now he isn't? He can say what he likes about the IFA, and most of it is true, but its sounds very hypocritical to me given he wore the green and white for so often and without complaint.

Can't understand what you are getting so excited about, he said he never felt easy with the anthem and the singing at IFA games. Fairly easy to understand, I'm sure McGinn and McCourt don't feel great about it either but just get on with it. The fact that McClean has had threats made against him on Twitter etc. would hardly help the situation. If someone does not want to play for your team then just move on and get over it, like we have had to do with Stephen Ireland.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Can't understand what you are getting so excited about, he said he never felt easy with the anthem and the singing at IFA games. Fairly easy to understand, I'm sure McGinn and McCourt don't feel great about it either but just get on with it. The fact that McClean has had threats made against him on Twitter etc. would hardly help the situation. If someone does not want to play for your team then just move on and get over it, like we have had to do with Stephen Ireland.

Wilson seems to have been consistent from the start.

Duffy and McClean were not.  Duffy first said that he was upset at being left on the bench for a Northern Ireland game.  Then he said it was ambition to play for the Republic because his father was from there.  McClean retrospectively went on about feeling uncomfortable about playing in Windsor Park (although it has since materialised he never actually played there).

If I was a Northern Ireland fan I would be take your advice to an extent but I would be pissed with Duffy for f**king around by accepting a squad call-up and afterwards saying he always wanted to play for the republic and I would be pissed at McClean for over-playing his discomfort card after the fact.

/Jim.

[fitzroyalty]

 

I find it a bit hollow now for him to be spouting his great love for the republic side and his unease with the IFA setup. As someone else was saying if he had such reservations about it why did he play all the way up through their youth ranks and at U-21 level? How come he was willing to ignore the Unionist trappings for the benefit of his career back then but now he isn't? He can say what he likes about the IFA, and most of it is true, but its sounds very hypocritical to me given he wore the green and white for so often and without complaint.

Calling him hollow is far out IMO.

I'm not sure the same opportunities exist for someone growing up in Derry compared to say Dublin as far as schoolboy football opportunities go. When you're at that age you have to be selfish and you take anything that comes your way. So from underage I can understand why he did play for NI.

I don't frequent many youth games outside of GAA but I can't imagine NI underage matches having the full trimmings as far as Unionist trappings are concerned - so maybe he was more worried about what lay in store at Windsor had he opted to declare for the NI senior squad. I personally would have loved NI to have qualified for the Euros but I'd never in a million years go to Windsor for the exact same reasons I suspect McClean doesn't want to play for them.

[trileacman]

So you're saying he put up with it for the sake of his career until he got his chance with the FAI? (You called it luck, i'd say he earned it). Well didn't he say as much himself, that he did it "as a stepping stone in my career"? The issue is whether he felt happy/comfortable doing so. He stated quite clearly that he wasn't. Likewise for men like Darron Gibson, Marc Wilson and Shane Duffy.

Yeah exactly, I wouldn't call Mc Clean, Gibson or Wilson better nationalists/Catholics than McGinn or McCourt just because he pick the south. The south picked him and i'd say if McGinn or McCourt would have done exactly the same as him if they were in his shoes and McClean would have done exactly the same as McGinn if playing for the North gave him a shot at playing British soccer. So the whole idea that McClean is now the poster boy for nationalist derision of the IFA is pretty incredulous to me because, in all probability if the IFA would have given him a cap when he was still with Derry City he probably would have took it to further his career (and fair enough, if that's what he wants).

I find it a bit hollow now for him to be spouting his great love for the republic side and his unease with the IFA setup. As someone else was saying if he had such reservations about it why did he play all the way up through their youth ranks and at U-21 level? How come he was willing to ignore the Unionist trappings for the benefit of his career back then but now he isn't? He can say what he likes about the IFA, and most of it is true, but its sounds very hypocritical to me given he wore the green and white for so often and without complaint.

Can't understand what you are getting so excited about, he said he never felt easy with the anthem and the singing at IFA games. Fairly easy to understand, I'm sure McGinn and McCourt don't feel great about it either but just get on with it. The fact that McClean has had threats made against him on Twitter etc. would hardly help the situation. If someone does not want to play for your team then just move on and get over it, like we have had to do with Stephen Ireland.

True, you don't understand what I'm saying at all.

[trileacman]

I find it a bit hollow now for him to be spouting his great love for the republic side and his unease with the IFA setup. As someone else was saying if he had such reservations about it why did he play all the way up through their youth ranks and at U-21 level? How come he was willing to ignore the Unionist trappings for the benefit of his career back then but now he isn't? He can say what he likes about the IFA, and most of it is true, but its sounds very hypocritical to me given he wore the green and white for so often and without complaint.

Calling him hollow is far out IMO.

I'm not sure the same opportunities exist for someone growing up in Derry compared to say Dublin as far as schoolboy football opportunities go. When you're at that age you have to be selfish and you take anything that comes your way. So from underage I can understand why he did play for NI.

I don't frequent many youth games outside of GAA but I can't imagine NI underage matches having the full trimmings as far as Unionist trappings are concerned - so maybe he was more worried about what lay in store at Windsor had he opted to declare for the NI senior squad. I personally would have loved NI to have qualified for the Euros but I'd never in a million years go to Windsor for the exact same reasons I suspect McClean doesn't want to play for them.

Maybe calling him hollow is a bit extreme but I'm just saying that he isn't the beacon of nationalist disobedience towards the IFA that some people are making him out to be. I understand his problems with the NI team but turning round now and saying that he only ever wanted to play for the republic is hypocritical to me given that he donned the IFA jersey without complaint for several years. If he done it to further his career then grand but don't turn around and say that you only ever wanted to play for the South. He may have wanted to play for the South growing up but when he was willing to dispense his ideals to further his career not that long ago.

I don't know Wislon's case but if what I read is true then he is one of the few players able to come out and rant about this because he has backed his principles from the start.