Are there many Catholics in North squad these days?
More than you would think and always has been which makes the IFA look even worse
Those Catholic players in the squad don’t look particularly good either, declaring for NI.
If you are a bigot yourself, maybe. For the likes of Niall McGinn, Shane Ferguson & Liam Boyce it is has given them the opportunity to play at the highest level and has likely had a positive impact on their club careers.
Given the treatment of Neil Lennon and the sectarian songs sung openly at Windsor over the years, it would be perfectly understandable for a northern born catholic to declare for Ireland or not play international football at all. McGinn and co play for NI, that’s fine. I don’t criticise them for it. I just can’t understand why they would.
While there have been many catholics who played for NI, the affiliation to a NI team for catholics/nationalists has vastly diminished over the years. While it’s more than just sectarianism that’s the problem, it certainly doesn’t help and the IFA waited too long to try and create a team and an atmosphere for both communities. Yes, things have improved at Windsor, but the horse had long bolted.
You did criticise them - See your earlier post. I would imagine that there is not much that the IFA could do to make you change your views. I would say equally as significant factors in the diminished affiliation that you refer to have been the improvement in the ROIs on field results in recent decades and the ability of Northern catholics / Nationalists such as Gibson, McClean etc being able to now declare for the ROI.
That was merely an observation, and a response to the previous post.
Yes, the Big Jack era did have an affect too. But I think by the time Gibson/McClean etc declared for Ireland, the interest for the NI team for catholics/nationalists was already very low.
And yes, you’re right, there’s not a lot the IFA could do to change my views. The fact that NI exists is reason enough for me not to support them. Having said that, I don’t detest them either. I’m just not that interested. A bit like being a Liverpool fan and not being interested in how Grimsby are getting on.
But there was a time when NI was successful, and that was the time to get more nationalists on board. Looking at the Union flags, sectarian chanting, national anthem, flag etc years ago might have made a difference. As of now, most of those issues still haven’t been looked at.
To be fair, there are next to no Union Jacks and there is no sectarian chanting at the ground. Out of interest, if they got rid of GSTQ, would that make a trip to Windsor Park anymore palatable for catholics / nationalists? I wouldn't expect you to become a super fan, but does the opportunity to go and watch Ronaldo etc on your doorstep for 30 odd quid have zero appeal?
I probably sound like a broken record on this but having been involved in local and youth football for over 10 years I accept the IFA have done a lot to be more inclusive but their position on Irish men playing for Ireland is reprehensible as is their willingness to take those same men to court. Until that position changes and the agreement with the FAI on youth players is torn up I doubt I’ll Ever be in Windsor for an international match.
Is that not a done deal now? Also, given the arrangements that were in place for many years previous, can you not understand the IFA's initial reluctance to allow the changes that have come in in recent times after Gibson and McClean etc declared for the ROI? Not on the wind-up here, but I think ROI fans have also seen with the Declan Rice situation how annoying it is when an association helps to develop a player only for them to then represent a different senior team.
Read my lips😂😂
For many of us it wouldn’t matter if you changed the anthem, flags and moved out of Windsor into my own back garden , and Ronaldo was playing , I have absolutely no interest or affinity to NI and why would I?
My affinity is Irish. I respect anyone’s affinity as NI or British , please please please accept that there is a large proportion of the population of the six counties whose affinity is Irish . Is that so hard to understand and respect? Sadly too many unionists just don’t get the fact that year’s of lack of respect for those with an Irish identity has come home to roost. Unionists had their chance to run a state properly pre 1969 and failed. Incredibly they were given a reprieve by the GFA and most nationalists were prepared to work for the common good . Sadly the party that unionists either supported or at very least put in power just don’t do equality, respect , empathy or even pragmatism. In fact for many within the DUP, if they could go back to pre 1969 levels of bigotry, they would.
“NI” scores very badly on most social parameters and despite heavy subsidies from Britain is an economic basket case.
Most recently in Brexit, having ridden off the back of NI majority for years, the DUP ignored the majority NI mandate to remain . And though I know several reasonable unionists who only vote DUP to maintain this precious “union” , they are culpable for allowing this party from the dark ages, to retain the upper hand.
It’s time for decent sensible unionists/loyalists to say enough is enough before this manufactured statelet becomes any more of an economic and social wasteland.
If unionists/loyalists who respect Irishness get together with nationalists/republicans who respect Britishness, and debate future constitutional and socioeconomic arrangements based on equality & respect, this island north and south will thrive, and no doubt enjoy a healthier and potentially stronger relationship with Britain.
You seem sensible michaelg, Can sensible decent unionists continue to be disenfranchised by slavery to a dysfunctional union and thereby tacit support of a party who quite frankly have behaved disgracefully for many years and totally abused their power and privileged position. Time to step up michaelg, time to step up before it’s too late.