IFA begging Ireland players to play for them

[T Fearon]

A great and wonderful victory for Ireland! So much for SammyG and other OWC twats. Once again the IFA couldn't win a raffle never mind an intellectually based legal debate

Did you catch me and Barry Mc Ilduff and others putting Howard Smells and Stephen Beacom in their place on the Nolan show this morning?

Also the arrogance of the English bastard Wells grunting every time Mc Ilduff spoke is typical of the brit/unionist mentality here...British as Finchley and all that crap.

The decision is a victory for individual rights. I suspect FIFA have learned the lesson from Bosman, that any individual can challenge any decision affecting their individual and civil rights in the European Court of Justice.

Still it is a decision that I have waited years for

[Jim_Murphy_74]

I'd say OWC must be near a state of meltdown at the moment.

Undoubtedly!

Many here have identified a category of player:  Nationalist, uncomfortable with NI. Flag/GSTQ etc.. who wants to play for the Republic as they feel more allegiance.  An allegiance reflected in their citizenship.

In OWC land there are two categories: 

• Naieve young lads poached by bigots
• Bigots that won't play with prods

Personally I see a 4th category:  The player who just wants international football to boost his club salary and will play for either of the half-arsed teams on this island.

/Jim.

[deiseach]

In OWC land there are two categories: 

• Naieve young lads poached by bigots
• Bigots that won't play with prods

A curious mindset can be observed in the whole debate over at OWC. It seems nationality is tied to the land - or the veldt, if you prefer. When are born in a particular land, you immediately become infused with the spirit of that land. Nationality is not passed in your upbringing, it's inherent in your place of birth. Thus, if you choose another nationality, you are consciously rejecting the land of your birth and are engaging in sectarianism, nationalism (to be a unionist is to reject nationalism) and downright bigotry. Yep, curious.

[armaghniac]

When are born in a particular land, you immediately become infused with the spirit of that land. Nationality is not passed in your upbringing, it's inherent in your place of birth..

Why then would a person not born in Britain be thought of as British? Or perhaps OWC don't agree with this concept.

[nifan]

nifan, anyone in the north is legally entitled to irish/british citizenship, those who opt for irish are thus entitled to the same rights as ANY other irish citizen which means they can represent the roi at anything. people in the roi are not entitled to british citizenship..

Playing for an international team is not a right, and it is not protected by law as far as I am aware.
What law entitles a citizen to play for the football team?

[MW]

Which Irish team didn't need a fix at Wembley to qualify for its last World Cup Finals appearance?

Next time you claim to praise Pat Jennings, as you have in the past, you better be ready to have this thrown back in your face.

According to you this wasn't a fine display of goalkeeping from the Spurs legend, who at the age of 40 was keeping his career going, and indeed had gone back to Spurs, in order to get Northern Ireland to Mexico 86. Those brilliant saves he pulled off, one in particular which I would rate as one of the finest save of all time - they were all play-acting. The great man deserves no credit for them, or for one of the best performances of his career. Pat Jennings was in fact, according to you, just taking part in a match-fixing conspiracy.

Come to think of it, Gary Lineker, Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle - Spurs legends all - were playing for England that night. According to you, they weren't trying to win the match for England, weren't trying to score. According to you, Lineker, Hoddle and Waddle were corrupt, match-fixing cheats.

Call yourself a Spurs fan?

FFS, call yourself a football fan, even?

Bitter, twisted fool.

[Lecale2]

I caught a bit of the Nolan radio show earlier. Is the spokesman for the IFA really called Hard Wells?
I take it that is a nickname?

While this isn't the final decision from FIFA it's clear that Wells knows the IFA have been well and truly f*cked. He sounded genuinely shocked by the suggestion outlined in the letter from FIFA.

[MW]

I caught a bit of the Nolan radio show earlier. Is the spokesman for the IFA really called Hard Wells?
I take it that is a nickname?

The Chief Executive of the IFA is called Howard Wells.

While this isn't the final decision from FIFA it's clear that Wells knows the IFA have been well and truly f*cked. He sounded genuinely shocked by the suggestion outlined in the letter from FIFA.

He shouldn't have been - it was trailed weeks ago in the Sunday Times. While may I add the Belfast Telegraph and the Sunday Life were idiotically barking up the wrong tree.

My tuppence worth - the IFA should tell FIFA to shove their 'suggestion' and make a ruling. Two de facto all-Ireland teams? Daft. (Worth remembering too it was the FAI that ran to FIFA in the first place to put an end to two 'Ireland' teams.)

[MW]

When are born in a particular land, you immediately become infused with the spirit of that land. Nationality is not passed in your upbringing, it's inherent in your place of birth..

Why then would a person not born in Britain be thought of as British?

The adjective describing the nationality of the United Kingdom as a whole, not just Great Britain, is British.

Oh and you might like to note that the official title for the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man is the British Islands.

[nifan]

A curious mindset can be observed in the whole debate over at OWC. It seems nationality is tied to the land - or the veldt, if you prefer. When are born in a particular land, you immediately become infused with the spirit of that land. Nationality is not passed in your upbringing, it's inherent in your place of birth. Thus, if you choose another nationality, you are consciously rejecting the land of your birth and are engaging in sectarianism, nationalism (to be a unionist is to reject nationalism) and downright bigotry. Yep, curious.

Well if you guys can take in hushed tones of "gaels" - eg "hes a true gael" or "he is a disgrace to all gaels" you have to give us something

[MW]

As I cant be bothered to read through the last few pages of Fearons ramblings, can I take it that FIFA have come down on the side of common sense/FAI ?

No.

They've written to the IFA and FAI making a suggestion that players born anywhere on the island be deemed eligibile to play for either Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland, regardless of whether they are from NI or the RoI, or whether they hold UK or RoI nationality.

[MW]

Nope. The British Isles is a geographic term refering to the UK, RoI and the Isle of Man, and depending on definition, the Channel Islands. (I should add of course it's a term the RoI government has expressed its disapproval of).

The British Islands is an official term referring to a political entity - the UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands.

[T Fearon]

Yes that mindset evident in the postings on OWC are reflective of the British as Finchley mindset, that for decades ignored if not abused the Irish Dimension in the six counties and needed the GFA to finally establish. Many would contend that this was the root cause of the troubles and helped to give birth and indeed sustain the IRA.You will note of course that many unionists, probably a majority, do not accept the GFA.

What they don't get is the reason why players (who are only following in the footsteps of nationalist football supporters, who made the decision long ago ) are actually opting to play for the FAI side. They don't see that playing the English National Anthem, flying the bastardised Ulster Flag that unionists unilaterally adopted as the flag of the North of Ireland is actually the root cause of this. Then again if you believe that the six counties is as Britsih as Finchley I suppose you wouldn't see this.

I actually feel sorry for them. This FIFA ruling and gubbings by Spain and Denmark to come ... all in the space of two weeks

[Donagh]

Looks like the IFA chickens have come home to roost on this one. Can't say I don't think they deserve it being put "up them" after the disgraceful way they and their supporters have been insulting and demeaning our nationality with all this bullshit comparisons with Portugal and Spain, beggars, tarmackers, while over on OWC they yawn when someone brings up the flags and anthems issue. Newsflash lads, no one gives a flying f**k about you and you've only yerseves to blame. If you are all so British and object to FIFA making exceptions in order to accommodate sensible compromise then drop the Ireland pretence feck off over to Wembley to follow your British/UK/Whatever team.

[nifan]

their supporters have been insulting and demeaning our nationality

I suppose we could learn a lot for the good people heres understanding of our nationality