Get Matt Derbyshire in the Republic Squad

[Size.5.Hallion]

Never knew you could qualify through marriage 

Derbyshire is very underrated in my opinion, but lets get to the real matter of the Irish squad................get Stephen Ireland back across. One of the best players in the prem, it is a real shame not to see him line out for his country.  Would be like England missin Rooney or Torres decidin not to play for Spain

[long sleves]

Never knew you could qualify through marriage 

Derbyshire is very underrated in my opinion, but lets get to the real matter of the Irish squad................get Stephen Ireland back across. One of the best players in the prem, it is a real shame not to see him line out for his country.  Would be like England missin Rooney or Torres decidin not to play for Spain

This is why I don't support the Republic. I think there is a better team sitting at home in the likes of Ireland, Reid etc I know for some of them its by their choiice etc and fair play to the boys that turn out but IMO only I feel that the way ROI are they are a team that should be looking to the future, the appointment of Trap wasn;t really looking forward IMO.

What do people on the board think of players that are eligible but not exactly Irish playing for ROI:

Kevin Nolan
Anton Ferdinand
Matt Derbyshire
Andrew Lonergan
Mark Nobel
Jamie O'Hara

[Capt Pat]

Seems this boy lined out for the States because of his wife too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Regis

Though, I wonder have FIFA since closed this loophole? Surely there's someone here that can answer this definitively, there were certainly a number of experts on FIFA eligibility rules in the Darron Gibson threads.

I think it is about are you eligible for a passport? If you are then you can play for that country as long as you haven't played at senior level for other countries. Hence Brazilians and Nigerians that have palyed for Belgium, Poland and Croatia. Derbyshire is not married to the girl yet, there will have to be a shotgun wedding before the playoffs.

[rosnarun]

Never knew you could qualify through marriage 

Derbyshire is very underrated in my opinion, but lets get to the real matter of the Irish squad................get Stephen Ireland back across. One of the best players in the prem, it is a real shame not to see him line out for his country.  Would be like England missin Rooney or Torres decidin not to play for Spain

This is why I don't support the Republic. I think there is a better team sitting at home in the likes of Ireland, Reid etc I know for some of them its by their choiice etc and fair play to the boys that turn out but IMO only I feel that the way ROI are they are a team that should be looking to the future, the appointment of Trap wasn;t really looking forward IMO.

What do people on the board think of players that are eligible but not exactly Irish playing for ROI:

Kevin Nolan
Anton Ferdinand
Matt Derbyshire
Andrew Lonergan
Mark Nobel
Jamie O'Hara

more irish than a lot of the FAIs heros of italy 1990 and usa 94

[Main Street]

As I wrote, it is a nonsense thread.
Even if he wanted to, he doesn't qualify for another nation until he fulfills FIFA criteria for eligibility after acquiring new nationality.
FIFA does not include marriage to a national in its list of criteria to be eligible to play for that nation.
If he has no blood connections then he would have to be a resident for at least 2 years or so.

There is no argument, case closed.

[mountainboii]

Stopping the naturalized citizen trend

By David Mosse
ESPN
April 24, 2005

The time has come for FIFA to examine an increasing trend that threatens to undermine the integrity of the international game -- the use of naturalized citizens. Unless the eligibility standards are changed, coaches will soon be forced to devote practice time to teaching players the words to their country's national anthem.

While minnows have long effectively borrowed ringers to bolster their squads, sadly, some of soccer's biggest powers are resorting to the same practice. If Portugal and Germany meet in the Final of the 2006 World Cup, two Brazilian-born goalscorers might decide the outcome.

At the behest of Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, former Porto and current Dynamo Moscow striker Derlei, who recently adopted Portuguese citizenship, is reportedly contemplating the same move Deco made two years ago -- representing the Portuguese national team.

Like most in Portugal, Scolari recognizes the country's desperate need for someone to pounce on all the opportunities likely to be created next summer by Cristiano Ronaldo, Ricardo Quaresma and co., and is willing to explore all options, even venturing outside his current pool of players.

Germany will be leaning on Stuttgart striker Kevin Kuranyi to bang home the goals, much like he did in a recent friendly against his native Brazil -- being scored upon by fellow countrymen is nothing new to Brazilians, as Deco capped his Portuguese debut by scoring the winner in a 2-1 victory over Brazil.

If Kuranyi fails to deliver, the Germans will turn to Schalke's Gerald Asamoah, a Ghanaian-born striker who became a German citizen in 2001. The sight of Asamoah sporting German colors might seem downright comical, but it is no stranger than Nigerian-born Emmanuel Olisadebe playing for Poland or Congo-born brothers Emile and Mbo Mpenza representing Belgium.

No laws were broken in any of these cases. The immigration policy in most countries stipulates that once one becomes a citizen he/she is a full-citizen -- equal in all respects to someone born in that country, thus rights are indivisible. Article 18 of the Regulations Governing the Application of FIFA Statutes merely requires players for any national team to be citizens of that country.

Nevertheless, the inclusion of foreign-based players violates the spirit of international competition, and in the process, places fans in an uncomfortable position. Derlei's case has already generated a backlash from a Portuguese public growing weary of the direction its national team is heading towards. A petition has been launched against the selection of the man who helped Porto capture the 2004 Champions' League.

FIFA has intervened in such matters before. In the 1950's when legends Ferenc Puskas (Hungary), Ladislav Kubala (Slovakia) and Alfredo Di Stefano (Argentina) were granted Spanish passports, FIFA promptly banned transfers between national teams, but allowed immigrants and their children to play for their new country, provided they obtained citizenship. What seemed like strict guidelines at the time are in serious need of revision.

While colonial powers such as France and Holland routinely field players of African-descent, at the very least, the players bear some connection to those nations. For example Patrick Vieira of France was born in Senegal but moved to France at the age of eight, and identifies much more readily with the French culture than he does with Senegal.

A distinction must be drawn between cases when a player leaves his country of origin at an early age, spending most of his formative years in his adopted country, and cases when a player is transferred to a foreign club and decides to become a citizen solely for soccer purposes.

Asamoah arrived in Hanover from his hometown of Mampong in Ghana when he was 12, joining his father who had moved to Germany eight years earlier. Fellow Ghanaian Freddy Adu, viewed as the future of American soccer, migrated to the United States with his mother and brother at the age of eight and became an American citizen in 2003.

Certainly, binding a player to the place listed on his birth certificate when, through his life experiences, he truly identifies with a different country is wrong. If a person comes to a decision to take up citizenship in a certain country, independent of his/her ability to play soccer, the person should be entitled to the opportunities that come as a result.

The problem arises when national team coaches look to plug holes in the lineup, by coaxing foreigners to make the switch. While few can quibble with Adu choosing to play for his adopted country, the United States was also involved in perhaps the most egregious example of a country taking advantage of the rules.

Prior the 1998 World Cup, U.S. coach Steve Sampson convinced French defender David Regis, who never lived in the United States and barely spoke a word of English, to obtain American citizenship and help shore up Sampson's back line. Regis was eligible for citizenship in the United States because his wife was American. He agreed only after being told he had no future with the French national team.

Such an example reflects the willingness of coaches to use players who can only be loosely described as nationals. The win-at-all cost mentality not only makes a mockery of the principles of a "national" team, but risks alienating a population that expects to be represented by its own flesh and blood.

A country should not be able to arrange for a good national team; rather it inherits one as a byproduct of fostering a culture where kids incessantly play soccer. Generally, the countries with the best national squads are those who give the most back to the sport. From the perspective of a player, there should be a feeling of pride associated with representing the country that introduced him to the game.

While the quality of a player shouldn't make any difference, someone of Deco's stature has helped shine new light on the issue. The Barcelona midfielder first stepped foot in Portugal at the age of 19, after being sold to Benfica, against his wishes, from Brazilian club Corinthians Alagoano. Deco has since become an elite player and has undoubtedly developed an affinity for the country where he lived for seven years.

Yet, his decision to represent Portugal was based simply on enhancing his chances of playing in the next World Cup. Deco placed multiple calls to Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira to inquire about his prospects of playing for Brazil, and only after not receiving the response he hoped for, did he opt to change his colors. His inclusion in the Portuguese squad for Euro 2004 caused consternation among several others in the team, most notably veteran star Luis Figo who publicly voiced his opposition to Deco's selection.

Has the day arrived when players pick their national teams in the same way they would choose a club - on the basis of playing time? While some argue Brazil missed its chance with Deco, should there really be a statute of limitations for a country to utilize one of its players? No coach should feel the need to call-up a player, strictly to protect against him blossoming into a star and being snatched up by a different country.

It all leads down a dangerous path, unless FIFA exercises some common sense and addresses the situation. At this rate, we could be looking at a very different World Cup some day, one that frighteningly resembles club soccer, with each national team boasting a nucleus of homegrown players, along with a collection of hired guns.

For those misguided souls who do not support Chelsea, Real Madrid or the 10 or so other clubs seemingly determined to buy every single player on the planet, the international arena remains the last bastion of pure, meritocratic soccer. It is FIFA's responsibility to ensure it remains that way.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=331673&root=world&cc=null

Main Street, is your understanding from recent developments? This article seems to disagree with you, though it is from 4 years ago.

[BennyHarp]

Am i missing something here? I was of the long held opinion that Matt Derbyshire was crap - surely someone who can't cut it at Blackburn Rovers is hardly the answer to Irelands striking problems!

[long sleves]

He was actually pretty good at Blackburn but was only a young lad. He got loaned out to Olympiakos where he scored 5 goals in 8 games including a double in the cup final. They were desperate to keep him and signed him over the summer. He is injured at the minute but is their first choice Centre forward for the Greek champions. They are in Arsenals group in the CL this year.

Bennyharp would you consider Leon Best, Noel Hunt, Shane Long, Clinton Morrision, Andy Keogh to be of a higher class than fecking Matt Derbyshire. Taxi for Benny.

[BennyHarp]

At least Andy Keogh has got a few goals in the premiership this season - and is actually irish!

[long sleves]

At least Andy Keogh has got a few goals in the premiership this season - and is actually irish!

Andy Keogh?? What wud ye know!!!





Taxi for Benny.

[Main Street]

Main Street, is your understanding from recent developments? This article seems to disagree with you, though it is from 4 years ago.

That article is crap, it was crap in 2005,  pure crap now.
Where do you find  such nonsense article from nonsense journalists?
It is an example of very poorly researched journalism who has no grasp of the topic.
FIFA have changed the rules of eligibility in 2003 (and again fine tuned some details in 2008)

That article is from 2005, completely ignored the changes  FIFA made in 2003 in order  to use this example
'Prior the 1998 World Cup, U.S. coach Steve Sampson convinced French defender David Regis"

The following statement was also crap at the time of his writing the article  in 2005 and is still crap.
"Article 18 of the Regulations Governing the Application of FIFA Statutes merely requires players for any national team to be citizens of that country".[/i

[boojangles]

Never knew you could qualify through marriage 

Derbyshire is very underrated in my opinion, but lets get to the real matter of the Irish squad................get Stephen Ireland back across. One of the best players in the prem, it is a real shame not to see him line out for his country.  Would be like England missin Rooney or Torres decidin not to play for Spain

This is why I don't support the Republic. I think there is a better team sitting at home in the likes of Ireland, Reid etc I know for some of them its by their choiice etc and fair play to the boys that turn out but IMO only I feel that the way ROI are they are a team that should be looking to the future, the appointment of Trap wasn;t really looking forward IMO.

So thats the reason you don't support the Republic?

[mountainboii]

Main Street, is your understanding from recent developments? This article seems to disagree with you, though it is from 4 years ago.

That article is crap, it was crap in 2005,  pure crap now.
Where do you find  such nonsense article from nonsense journalists?
It is an example of very poorly researched journalism who has no grasp of the topic.
FIFA have changed the rules of eligibility in 2003 (and again fine tuned some details in 2008)

That article is from 2005, completely ignored the changes  FIFA made in 2003 in order  to use this example
'Prior the 1998 World Cup, U.S. coach Steve Sampson convinced French defender David Regis"

The following statement was also crap at the time of his writing the article  in 2005 and is still crap.
"Article 18 of the Regulations Governing the Application of FIFA Statutes merely requires players for any national team to be citizens of that country".[/i

The article was one of only a couple of things I could find on this issue from a google search of 'FIFA eligibility marriage'. I'm sorry it was 'crap', I was only asking a question. Thank you for answering, but perhaps you could be less agressive with your responses in the future. Not everyone is out to get you.

[Main Street]

Did you write the article?
If not, what's your problem?

Do I have to behave myself in a different way, towards a specially crap article by a specially crap journalist, just because it is brought to my attention by you?