FAI...New Manager is Heimir Hallgrimsson

[lynchbhoy]

20 years ago , there would be a minority of Celtic fans supporting Scotland. they either supported us or didn't care.
Scotland were supported by all the other scots sides inc the former rangers.
though a lot of the old rangers fans were actually  from the north of Ireland and supported the north of Ireland team.
A few English fans in the rainjers mix too.

Ive seen more and more Celtic fans starting to support Scotland. id def say that support for Ireland is in the minority now. the younger fans are prob more Scotland fans. the older guys more likely to cheer for us.

[Applesisapples]

I don't really understand the outrage around what Mc Queen said. Basically i think he reckons if you feel enough of a part of a nation to play for their underage sides you should be willing to play for the senior side and if you don't feel Scottish/Irish/English/Mexican/Italian etc. you shouldn't play for them underage. Doesn't seem all that ridiculous an opinion to me.

Precisely.  With regards to players choosing between ROI and NI, I think some sort of agreement needs to be reached between the 2 associations.  e.g. Decide after Under 18 level perhaps, and stick to your decision.  The situation now is not only unfair (i.e. NI wasting time and money developing players who later jump ship) but ridiculous too.  e.g. Ryan McLaughlin has been involvd in the last few squads  for NI as an unsused sub  but could still declare for the Republic as he has yet to clock up any competitive minutes.  Alex Bruce is another example, having made the switch from ROI to NI despite having played in friendly matches for th Republic.

Bollocks it isn't currently possible for a player in the north to go through the southern schools system, so they go through the nordie one. Then they get to a level and an age where they and others are aware of their identity, some decide to put up with the onesided nature of the IFA and ignore it whilst some decide to switch to the FAI because they are more at home. Everyone is free to choose under the GFA. That's the way it should be.

[lynchbhoy]

I don't really understand the outrage around what Mc Queen said. Basically i think he reckons if you feel enough of a part of a nation to play for their underage sides you should be willing to play for the senior side and if you don't feel Scottish/Irish/English/Mexican/Italian etc. you shouldn't play for them underage. Doesn't seem all that ridiculous an opinion to me.

Precisely.  With regards to players choosing between ROI and NI, I think some sort of agreement needs to be reached between the 2 associations.  e.g. Decide after Under 18 level perhaps, and stick to your decision.  The situation now is not only unfair (i.e. NI wasting time and money developing players who later jump ship) but ridiculous too.  e.g. Ryan McLaughlin has been involvd in the last few squads  for NI as an unsused sub  but could still declare for the Republic as he has yet to clock up any competitive minutes.  Alex Bruce is another example, having made the switch from ROI to NI despite having played in friendly matches for th Republic.

Bollocks it isn't currently possible for a player in the north to go through the southern schools system, so they go through the nordie one. Then they get to a level and an age where they and others are aware of their identity, some decide to put up with the onesided nature of the IFA and ignore it whilst some decide to switch to the FAI because they are more at home. Everyone is free to choose under the GFA. That's the way it should be.

afaik you are correct - and any such 'agreement' would only favour the north of Ireland team.

the sensible thing would be to have the one team like rugby and have it called 'Ireland'.

[T Fearon]

Match is now sold out

[michaelg]

I don't really understand the outrage around what Mc Queen said. Basically i think he reckons if you feel enough of a part of a nation to play for their underage sides you should be willing to play for the senior side and if you don't feel Scottish/Irish/English/Mexican/Italian etc. you shouldn't play for them underage. Doesn't seem all that ridiculous an opinion to me.

Precisely.  With regards to players choosing between ROI and NI, I think some sort of agreement needs to be reached between the 2 associations.  e.g. Decide after Under 18 level perhaps, and stick to your decision.  The situation now is not only unfair (i.e. NI wasting time and money developing players who later jump ship) but ridiculous too.  e.g. Ryan McLaughlin has been involvd in the last few squads  for NI as an unsused sub  but could still declare for the Republic as he has yet to clock up any competitive minutes.  Alex Bruce is another example, having made the switch from ROI to NI despite having played in friendly matches for th Republic.

Bollocks it isn't currently possible for a player in the north to go through the southern schools system, so they go through the nordie one. Then they get to a level and an age where they and others are aware of their identity, some decide to put up with the onesided nature of the IFA and ignore it whilst some decide to switch to the FAI because they are more at home. Everyone is free to choose under the GFA. That's the way it should be.

Did you not read my post?  That's why I said players should make a decision at 18, or 21 even.  Then you don't have the ridiculous situation where you can play friendly matches, be involved with and travel and train but not play in competitive fixtures, and then play for another country.

[Aaron Boone]

Plenty of Keano fracas rumours from the team hotel tonight.

[beer baron]

Go on.....

[muppet]

Rumours range from 'he is on the rampage' to 'nothing'.

I predict the country will be divided by the weekend.

[rodney trotter]

Gardai called in whatever it was http://t.co/IYFuQ20MIG

Great preparation for Friday

[laoislad]

Rumours range from 'he is on the rampage' to 'nothing'.

I predict the country will be divided by the weekend.

I already know what side I'll be on even before I read the story.

[laoislad]

Plenty of Keano fracas rumours from the team hotel tonight.

That Robbie is some hoor..
There's always rats Nidge.

[stiffler]

Shay given or stokes are 2 likely candidates

[Apparently so]

Obviously I don't want this happening before a big game but it looks like it already so I am hoping someone has burst that Keane **** and he gets to f**k from this Ireland squad. Shouldn't have been allowed near it in the first place, the p***k

Hope it was Stokes that did it. Love Stokesy

[Tony Baloney]

Keane apparently belted a fan at the hotel.

[Itchy]

Obviously I don't want this happening before a big game but it looks like it already so I am hoping someone has burst that Keane **** and he gets to f**k from this Ireland squad. Shouldn't have been allowed near it in the first place, the p***k

Hope it was Stokes that did it. Love Stokesy

Same Stoksey that was once to tired to play for Ireland. Seems he belted a fan who got annoyed that Keane wouldn't sign his book.