FAI...New Manager Hunt continues

[spuds]

Giving Rice the award shows just how out of touch the FAI are. PR disaster and shows just how low the organisation is right now.

Has Irish football been lower in recent memory? Have to call right now it's lowest ebb in my lifetime > 30 years (just about!)

We have established it has nothing to do with the FAI

Football writers voted for it, but it's an award of the association thus, what was the point of even humiliating themselves further, after the Birthday tweet fiasco.

How could the FAI have avoided it?

They could simply have said the football writers voted for Declan on the basis of his performances last year, however as an association we do not feel it is appropriate to give the award to someone who has declared for another country. As such the award will not have a recipient this year.

Exactly this.

Absolutely, covers all angles. Bit of cop on goes a long way.

[LooseCannon]

FAI - Laughing Stock

Would you blame croke park for a ludicrous all star award?

You would if they gave it to someone who didn't play GAA

I remember Brian Whelahan winning Hurler of the year and not getting an All Star in 1994! How could that happen?

He played full forward in the final that year 

I don't see the issue. The Journalists felt he was their young player of the year for 2018.
Why should that change now that he's decided to align himself with England.
Give the lad the award, he'll probably be more embarrassed than the FAI anyway and there's nothing the FAI can do or should do about it.

He didn't. He played wing back all the way through in 1994. You're thinking of 1998, when he started wing back, but had the flu and got destroyed in the first half. He moved up full forward and won the game.

'Twas a secret ballot at the time, with his vote being roughly split 50:50 between being picked at 5 and 7. He received the most votes, but was a victim of the system of selection at the time, hence the change in how the teams are picked.

[angermanagement]

The English media turning on Rice already. Supposedly tweeed up the Ra a few years ago.

[Itchy]

The English media turning on Rice already. Supposedly tweeed up the Ra a few years ago.

He deserves everything he gets. Bursting with pride, little p***k.

[BennyCake]

Michael Keane quotes. A bit of a contradiction from him...

"You've got to go with where you feel like you belong," said Keane.

"I always thought I belonged with England and that's why I have always dreamed of playing for England.

"When I was at Ireland, I wasn't good enough to play for England at that time. I was only young and small and still developing. I had in the back of my head that hopefully one day I could play for England.

***********

Obviously it's not about whether you feel Irish or English, it's all about furthering your footballing career.

[Aaron Boone]

Rice might need a 3rd choice country to get that competitive cap.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

I hope he gets a warm reception from the no surrender crowd.

[imtommygunn]

It won't do wonders for his club career either. Can't see it going down well with west ham supporters.

[seafoid]

I hope he gets a warm reception from the no surrender crowd.

The irony of it is that he probably only said "up the ra" to fit in.
Social media can be lethal for public figures. 

[lurganblue]

Ah now that's the side to the English media we all love. Getting clean stuck into their own players.

[johnnycool]

I hope he gets a warm reception from the no surrender crowd.

The irony of it is that he probably only said "up the ra" to fit in.
Social media can be lethal for public figures.

Probably right. A lad 17 or 18 at the time of the quote, born in London with little interaction with Ireland other than through football probably hadn't much of a clue about "the Ra".

When in the public eye people will trawl to the ends of the earth on social media to get something on you.

[seafoid]

I hope he gets a warm reception from the no surrender crowd.

The irony of it is that he probably only said "up the ra" to fit in.
Social media can be lethal for public figures.

Probably right. A lad 17 or 18 at the time of the quote, born in London with little interaction with Ireland other than through football probably hadn't much of a clue about "the Ra".

When in the public eye people will trawl to the ends of the earth on social media to get something on you.

"Up the RA" is a real jewel as well for a new English player given the history
I suppose expecting the switch to be smooth was very optimistic.

According to the Daily Telegraph he is exactly the sort of midfielder England need -"A screening player who can pass constructively, tackle well and see the whole pitch"

[general]

The Official FAI Thread

Lads im seriously pi**Ed off - Delcan Rice - nothing to Ireland - quit talking about him

May aswell talk about demba ba - its just as relevant.

ANYWAY....

From the short interviews ive seen/read about - Josh Cullen looks to be proud as punch of his call up! Good luck to the lad - hopefully he can push on.

Josh Cullen
Michael Obafemi
Troy Parrot
Lee O'connor
Gavin Bazunu
ryan cassidy
jack byrne
adam idah

a group of youthful players we can hopefully push through to regular senior internationals in the coming years

[lurganblue]

What way do we fit Doherty and Coleman into the team?

[general]

Doherty on the Right, Coleman on the Left - I think he could play here comfortably - enough quality to play on his bad side

Enda Stephens isnt good enough IMO