A UK national football team

[MR.X]

Absolutely no way. 100% NO! I am ENGLISH, I live in ENGLAND, and I support ENGLAND. If the english national team was scrapped and a uk team took its place then I just wouldnt watch international football full stop. The scottish dont want it, the welsh dont want it. And I certainly dont want it

 

[leighton]

Back on a United Ireland football team I honestly feel if it was offered to all of the players a chance to play for a All Ireland team they would jump at it. Lets be honest its been a while since any team from the Island of Ireland got to a World Cup or a European Championships. I expect every single player from here would love to play at a big championships together we would have a better chance than being separate.
It can work and has worked in the past in sport in general look at Rugby no problems with that being combined even the sports at the Olympics. I look at the boxers from the North who has represented Ireland over the years Paddy Barnes is off to the Commonwealth games but also represents Ireland as well. Carl Frampton was in many a Irish team down the years and he got on and represented Ireland no bother to him he is fighting in the Ulster hall next weekend and there will be a number of fight fans from down South going up to watch the lad fight in sport you should leave religion and the shit at home and get on with it. Football should be all about football nothing else yes there would be problems but once the game starts it should be like anyother football supporting the team.

I think Evans , Hughes , Brunt , Davis , Paterson and Lafferty would all get into a All Ireland squad. I feel 4 of the 6 would be pushing for a start aswell.

 

[blue_paul]

@ Leighton,

It's an absolute non-starter and should remain that way. There's no way in hell working class Protestants would support a united football team (why should they?). I was in Windsor when we beat them 4-0 in the mid nineties and believe you me, they don't think too highly of us! Windsor is a more welcoming place now but they're Northern Ireland fans and wouldn't translate their support to an all-Ireland team.
The other problem is the Republics' support. We've a significant, albeit small, minority of 'Celtic fans' who continue to boo current and ex Rangers players which is embarrassinjg nonsense. How would they take to a load of loyalists in Jurys before an international sining the sash and waving Red Hand flags?
The cultural differences of both sets of fans is to big to fix, couple this with the current trend of Catholic kids coming down to play for us which has fed only more resentment from our Northern counterparts ( which I can understand somewhat).
You do make a strong case in terms of players but any prospective case for uniting the two football associations would be nipped in the bud way before the realisation that we'd be a lot stronger together would come to the fore!

Where'd we play?
Anthem?
Flag?
Etc
Tis' not going to happen!

 

[leighton]

@ Leighton,

It's an absolute non-starter and should remain that way. There's no way in hell working class Protestants would support a united football team (why should they?). I was in Windsor when we beat them 4-0 in the mid nineties and believe you me, they don't think too highly of us! Windsor is a more welcoming place now but they're Northern Ireland fans and wouldn't translate their support to an all-Ireland team.
The other problem is the Republics' support. We've a significant, albeit small, minority of 'Celtic fans' who continue to boo current and ex Rangers players which is embarrassinjg nonsense. How would they take to a load of loyalists in Jurys before an international sining the sash and waving Red Hand flags?
The cultural differences of both sets of fans is to big to fix, couple this with the current trend of Catholic kids coming down to play for us which has fed only more resentment from our Northern counterparts ( which I can understand somewhat).
You do make a strong case in terms of players but any prospective case for uniting the two football associations would be nipped in the bud way before the realisation that we'd be a lot stronger together would come to the fore!

Where'd we play?
Anthem?
Flag?
Etc
Tis' not going to happen!

I understand were you are coming from Paul. The Anthem Irelands Call the one the rugby use for games. In away matches they only use that Anthem so that would be the anthem. Were they play at the moment it would be Dublin until Belfast has a stadium were it could house the bigger number of fans then rotate between the 2. The only stumbling block would be a flag. The protestants and catholics get along fine during the rugby games why not at football. Its 2010 all that hate should not be a issue now. Celtic and Rangers fans are as bad as themselfs and thats were you would get any sort of issues from both sides of there fans. I do offen wonder what would happen IF all the players wanted to play for a United Ireland how people would react. Put it this way if we still keep taking there players FIFA may well step in and say why dont you just be 1 team it will happen in years to come. Football fans are all the same they only go to the game to support the team. There would be more than enough people willing to go to the games both North and South if it happens.

 

[UlsterCitizen]

@ Leighton,

It's an absolute non-starter and should remain that way. There's no way in hell working class Protestants would support a united football team (why should they?). I was in Windsor when we beat them 4-0 in the mid nineties and believe you me, they don't think too highly of us! Windsor is a more welcoming place now but they're Northern Ireland fans and wouldn't translate their support to an all-Ireland team.
The other problem is the Republics' support. We've a significant, albeit small, minority of 'Celtic fans' who continue to boo current and ex Rangers players which is embarrassinjg nonsense. How would they take to a load of loyalists in Jurys before an international sining the sash and waving Red Hand flags?
The cultural differences of both sets of fans is to big to fix, couple this with the current trend of Catholic kids coming down to play for us which has fed only more resentment from our Northern counterparts ( which I can understand somewhat).
You do make a strong case in terms of players but any prospective case for uniting the two football associations would be nipped in the bud way before the realisation that we'd be a lot stronger together would come to the fore!

Where'd we play?
Anthem?
Flag?
Etc
Tis' not going to happen!

I understand were you are coming from Paul. The Anthem Irelands Call the one the rugby use for games. In away matches they only use that Anthem so that would be the anthem. Were they play at the moment it would be Dublin until Belfast has a stadium were it could house the bigger number of fans then rotate between the 2. The only stumbling block would be a flag. The protestants and catholics get along fine during the rugby games why not at football. Its 2010 all that hate should not be a issue now. Celtic and Rangers fans are as bad as themselfs and thats were you would get any sort of issues from both sides of there fans. I do offen wonder what would happen IF all the players wanted to play for a United Ireland how people would react. Put it this way if we still keep taking there players FIFA may well step in and say why dont you just be 1 team it will happen in years to come. Football fans are all the same they only go to the game to support the team. There would be more than enough people willing to go to the games both North and South if it happens.

To me it would be a bit like the FA stepping in and saying One Manchester team or One Mersyside team, could you imagine the reaction that would get.

 

[McGregor1874]

You might rather have an All-Ireland team Leighton, as would I, but I doubt the majority of Northern Irish football fans feel the same.

-- Mon Sep 06, 2010 11:02 pm --



Is this the Platinum One proposal you are talking about? Weren't they offering a huge increase in prize money? That coupled with more lucrative sponsorship deals and higher attendances (at least in the beginning) would have made it a no brainer for the clubs, I would have thought? I thought it was the FAs rather than the clubs that had stopped it from happening?

Yip the very one, the clubs could have forced it through but no Euro Spot was on offer to the new league, that coupled with transportation costs, higher wages etc made it difficult but not unachievable. it certainly was given alot of detailed examination before the plug was pulled

-- Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:09 am --

While it's different in a sense, and a different set of supporters..etc. Rugby does it. we've Ireland, and Irish team, with players from Ulster, and it's fine.

I can't see many NI supporters wanting it, but it's not out of the question.

I dont know of one NI supporter who would even consider the idea

George Best was all for it. Martin O'Neill, Derek Dougan and Peter McParland, too. I'm sure the majority of people in the nine counties of Ulster would be for it as well. Indeed, before partition, the Irish played football as one nation so of course it can work. If it worked in the past then it can work in the future: the only thing that could stop such a logical step would be the will of bigots from both sides of the Irish border.

People who are against the idea (from North and South) need to get rid of their prejudices and small-minded thinking. A whole-island Irish team works in rugby, boxing, cricket, golf and many other sports. To say it doesn't and to not want it smacks of cutting one's nose to spite one's face. Absolutely crazy.

 

[Txiki Vimto]

Good point-okay,just Bale then...;-)

Darren Fletcher? Craig Bellamy? Jonny Evans?

Seriously??

 

[bluealf]

no

The thread should have ended after just 1 reply lol

 

[PrestwichPeteMcfc]

Wouldn't mind a British team if it was a one off for the Olympics.

I'd love to see one team for Ireland.
Anthem could be Ireland's Call.
Games could alternate between Lansdowne Road and Windsor Park.

Would that flag be acceptable?

Unfortunately I can't see it happening due to fans in the North (mostly) not wanting it.

 

[Deleted member 14625]

Seriously-with the possible exception of Bale and maybe Given-Who would realistically get in it from Wales,Scotland and Ireland?

Total non starter.

Er, Given wouldn't be eligible anyway. ;)

Why not? Irish players are eligible for the Lions teams in both rugby league and rugby union