O Neill for N Ireland job.

[leighton]

Got word from a Shamrock Rovers board member that Michael O Neill and Jim Magilton will be more than likely looking at getting the N Ireland job. It seems that the job that both O Neill and Magilton has done at Rovers has got them in the running and its only a matter of time before IFA come looking for them. Both want to go if they are offered the job. With O Neill more than likely taking over as manager and Magilton his assitant boss. They will stay with Rovers until the end of there Europa League games and then move on is the plan if they do get the job.

 

[stockportblue]

Be a shame for rovers if they go.I stood in the curva sud at a Roma v Burini derby with a group of rovers fans two or three years ago-good lads.

 

[clarkie_ni]

i would personally have Ian Dowie,
but whoever it is has one hell of a job

 

[Gazza]

Whomever gets the job has got to do what Big Jack did with the Republic;- find any tenuous link with Northern Irish ancestry and get some half-decent players in.

 

[UlsterCitizen]

Whomever gets the job has got to do what Big Jack did with the Republic;- find any tenuous link with Northern Irish ancestry and get some half-decent players in.

We would have some good players if the FAI didnt poach them

 

[leighton]

Whomever gets the job has got to do what Big Jack did with the Republic;- find any tenuous link with Northern Irish ancestry and get some half-decent players in.

We would have some good players if the FAI didnt poach them

Sadly for NI those players that grew up watching NI and seeing Lennon getting treated like shit has decided to try and play for Ireland instead. It works both ways. As NI has taken Alex Bruce off the ROI.

 

[UlsterCitizen]

Whomever gets the job has got to do what Big Jack did with the Republic;- find any tenuous link with Northern Irish ancestry and get some half-decent players in.

We would have some good players if the FAI didnt poach them

Sadly for NI those players that grew up watching NI and seeing Lennon getting treated like shit has decided to try and play for Ireland instead. It works both ways. As NI has taken Alex Bruce off the ROI.

Rubbish, the Lennon stuff was 10 years ago, has little or nothing to do with the FAI trying to destroy football this side of the border

 

[Vienna_70]

Perhaps the two FAs in Ireland should do what Irish rugby has done and have one Association for the whole island.

 

[Unknown_Genius]

Whomever gets the job has got to do what Big Jack did with the Republic;- find any tenuous link with Northern Irish ancestry and get some half-decent players in.

We would have some good players if the FAI didnt poach them

Sadly for NI those players that grew up watching NI and seeing Lennon getting treated like shit has decided to try and play for Ireland instead. It works both ways. As NI has taken Alex Bruce off the ROI.

Is that supposed to be a loss?

No chance of a unified Ireland team. The difference with rugby is that there has always been a unified Ireland team (correct me if I'm wrong). Putting the two together into one Association will be too problematic, as there has always been Northern Ireland and Republic football associations since seperation. I don't think protestant Northern Ireland supporters in Belfast will be too chuft about it, to say the least.

 

[Vienna_70]

We would have some good players if the FAI didnt poach them

Sadly for NI those players that grew up watching NI and seeing Lennon getting treated like shit has decided to try and play for Ireland instead. It works both ways. As NI has taken Alex Bruce off the ROI.

Is that supposed to be a loss?

No chance of a unified Ireland team. The difference with rugby is that there has always been a unified Ireland team (correct me if I'm wrong). Putting the two together into one Association will be too problematic, as there has always been Northern Ireland and Republic football associations since seperation. I don't think protestant Northern Ireland supporters in Belfast will be too chuft about it, to say the least.

I don't think there is. It has been talked about for years. I'm sure I can remember it being touted as far back as the 70s and nothing has ever happened.

It would mean a stronger team, but neither FA is going to give up its independence.

And I'm sure you're right about the Ireland rugby team.

 

[colourmeblue]

Intransigence in Ireland thwarts progress...who would believe it?

 

[ob]

O'Neill and Magilton would do for me. Don't want Dowie or Sanchez.

Colin Clarke and James Quinn been mentioned this morning along and think they would get players playing as a team, playign with spirit and heart which seemed to be lacking with (knock off) Nigel (Worthless) Worthington

As for joining with Republic for one team - no way would rather be shit

 

[leighton]

Sadly for NI those players that grew up watching NI and seeing Lennon getting treated like shit has decided to try and play for Ireland instead. It works both ways. As NI has taken Alex Bruce off the ROI.

Is that supposed to be a loss?

No chance of a unified Ireland team. The difference with rugby is that there has always been a unified Ireland team (correct me if I'm wrong). Putting the two together into one Association will be too problematic, as there has always been Northern Ireland and Republic football associations since seperation. I don't think protestant Northern Ireland supporters in Belfast will be too chuft about it, to say the least.

I don't think there is. It has been talked about for years. I'm sure I can remember it being touted as far back as the 70s and nothing has ever happened.

It would mean a stronger team, but neither FA is going to give up its independence.

And I'm sure you're right about the Ireland rugby team.

To be honest the way N Ireland are going and complaining about the players declaring for Ireland over N Ireland I could see FIFA getting pissed off with this and giving them the option to unify and it would sort out so much bullshit. Would people be pissed off about it of course they would. Would Ireland be better combined more than likely they would be better. Could it work like other sports I see no reason for it not to work. Will it happen in my life time it could well do they already have a combined cup competition next step is a combined league and then a United Ireland would be a final step.

 

[ob]

Is that supposed to be a loss?

No chance of a unified Ireland team. The difference with rugby is that there has always been a unified Ireland team (correct me if I'm wrong). Putting the two together into one Association will be too problematic, as there has always been Northern Ireland and Republic football associations since seperation. I don't think protestant Northern Ireland supporters in Belfast will be too chuft about it, to say the least.

I don't think there is. It has been talked about for years. I'm sure I can remember it being touted as far back as the 70s and nothing has ever happened.

It would mean a stronger team, but neither FA is going to give up its independence.

And I'm sure you're right about the Ireland rugby team.

To be honest the way N Ireland are going and complaining about the players declaring for Ireland over N Ireland I could see FIFA getting pissed off with this and giving them the option to unify and it would sort out so much bullshit. Would people be pissed off about it of course they would. Would Ireland be better combined more than likely they would be better. Could it work like other sports I see no reason for it not to work. Will it happen in my life time it could well do they already have a combined cup competition next step is a combined league and then a United Ireland would be a final step.

Most of the moaning and complaining is being done because these players are coached by Northern Ireland up until late teens/early 20s then then swap - if they want to go and play for the Republic I don't have a problem if the Republic pay for their coaching/training etc - think this is were the issue arises

 

[leighton]

I don't think there is. It has been talked about for years. I'm sure I can remember it being touted as far back as the 70s and nothing has ever happened.

It would mean a stronger team, but neither FA is going to give up its independence.

And I'm sure you're right about the Ireland rugby team.

To be honest the way N Ireland are going and complaining about the players declaring for Ireland over N Ireland I could see FIFA getting pissed off with this and giving them the option to unify and it would sort out so much bullshit. Would people be pissed off about it of course they would. Would Ireland be better combined more than likely they would be better. Could it work like other sports I see no reason for it not to work. Will it happen in my life time it could well do they already have a combined cup competition next step is a combined league and then a United Ireland would be a final step.

Most of the moaning and complaining is being done because these players are coached by Northern Ireland up until late teens/early 20s then then swap - if they want to go and play for the Republic I don't have a problem if the Republic pay for their coaching/training etc - think this is were the issue arises

Any country could say the same thing. Look at the players that Poland lost to Germany it happens but there is nothing anyone can do. The rules are the rules under the Good Friday agreement any player has the right to a Irish passport if they were born on the island. IF some players are using this they have every right to do it. IF they class themself as Irish best off declaring for Ireland.

 

[UlsterCitizen]

The FAI are going to achieve in the next ten years something that 30 years of troubles couldnt achieve and that is a protestant only NI team, never again will we see a Pat Jennings or a Gerry Armstrong in an NI team and that is something every right minded person should oppose

 

[leighton]

The FAI are going to achieve in the next ten years something that 30 years of troubles couldnt achieve and that is a protestant only NI team, never again will we see a Pat Jennings or a Gerry Armstrong in an NI team and that is something every right minded person should oppose

To be honest you dont help yourselfs by sending death treats to Lennon other Catholic players look at that and say fuck it I dont need that hassle. The players that have or are in the process of changing over have got dogs abuse from fans Shane Ferguson and Barton have all been slated over this. The sad thing is Ferguson is undecided on who to declare for but was taking shit from fans over him not playing.

 

[Unknown_Genius]

To be honest the way N Ireland are going and complaining about the players declaring for Ireland over N Ireland I could see FIFA getting pissed off with this and giving them the option to unify and it would sort out so much bullshit. Would people be pissed off about it of course they would. Would Ireland be better combined more than likely they would be better. Could it work like other sports I see no reason for it not to work. Will it happen in my life time it could well do they already have a combined cup competition next step is a combined league and then a United Ireland would be a final step.

Most of the moaning and complaining is being done because these players are coached by Northern Ireland up until late teens/early 20s then then swap - if they want to go and play for the Republic I don't have a problem if the Republic pay for their coaching/training etc - think this is were the issue arises

Any country could say the same thing. Look at the players that Poland lost to Germany it happens but there is nothing anyone can do. The rules are the rules under the Good Friday agreement any player has the right to a Irish passport if they were born on the island. IF some players are using this they have every right to do it. IF they class themself as Irish best off declaring for Ireland.

Thats much different. If you're talking about Klose and Podolski, neither of them represented Poland at any youth level, or were coached by Poland. Klose's dad is German (Klose is a German surname), and Podolski was born in an area that was old German territory.

 

[mad4city]

The disingenuity of the Norn Iron lot whenever this subject pops up is breathtaking.
It is the democratically approved right of every citizen in the six counties to hold an Irish passport without fear of discrimination. The IFA insist that you can only play for Northern Ireland if you hold a UK passport. They cite a UEFA ruling to support their stance but ignore the fact that UEFA have invited them to appeal the ruling and have intimated that they would be more than willing to make an exception to the one country-one passport rule.
Then they bitch when young Nationalist lads opt to play for the Republic?

This viewpoint is nothing new from the IFA. It is the principle reason why the split came about in the first place. It is the reason why Belfast Celtic were railroaded out of football. It is the reason why Derry City play in the League of Ireland. It is the reason why Neil Lennon never even got a peep of support from the IFA.
And now, they're cutting off their nose to spite their faces, with regard to young Nationalist players - even though it flies in the face of common decency and democratic law.
Boo-hoo. Let's all weep for poor, plucky Norn Iron.
Seriously, what do they expect? That the Good Friday agreement be revoked solely to preserve their bitterness and blatant sectarianism? They are dinosaurs. I sincerely hope that somewhere along the way they have a Damascus moment and see the horrible error of their ways. If they don't, they can only expect to reap what they sow.

 

[ob]

Mad4city as my post says I don't have an issue with any lad who chooses to play for Republic that's up to him, what I don't like is when NI coach the youngsters spending time and money on them and then they get poached or decide to switch to ROI, wether this be by tapping them up or whatever

As regards the Irish League, Derry City had to leave due to as many problems off the pitch and not football related as on it or football related - ie civil unrest and not able to guarantee safety of visiting players and supporters at that time and they had to move games to Coleraine

There has been progress made in this over the last few years and the Irish League now has teams from Catholic areas such as Cliftonville, Newry and Donegal celtic (from Belfast)

Don't want to turn this into a religious agrument just replying to your points about Derry City and Belfast Celtic