**** me, this thread has turned into sarcasm central. Last night's game was perfect for Southgate to rest most of the first choice players with Belgium coming up on Sunday.
Serious question Col. What is the Belgium game - Nations Cup, qualifier for the 2020 Euros to be played in 2021, or friendly?
Are you taking the piss mate? You know England have qualified for the Euros surely? It's Nations League, as if you didn't know.
I assumed it was a friendly. Don’t see the need to risk players travelling all over the world for pointless fixtures at a time like this.
Honestly Col, I did not know, but equally I made zero effort to find out. So now we are playing the second Nations League while some teams are still qualifying for the European Championship?
Out of interest - and excuse the ignorance - but is there much of a footballing rivalry between NI and ROI? Or generally supportive of the other side if they are in a competition still and your lot are out?
Gosh, that's a hard one to answer but I'll do my best. First of all I would say that there are possibly a mixture of opinions on both sides of the border. Politics and religion are definitely at play when it come to football as there are two separate associations, although that wouldn't be the case for rugby for example which is an all-island sport with a United Irish team playing together. I would also suggest that a majority of (not all) Nationalists in N.I. would support the Republic rather than the North as players from Nationalist areas like Shane Duffy and James McClean have chosen to represent the Republic after they played underage football for the North. Under the terms of the Good Friday agreement, they have the right to consider themselves either Irish or British and choose a passport from either country. These type of defections have certainly created resentment from some North of the Border. On the other hand, players like Neil Lennon who is also from a strong Nationalist background chose to play for the North relatively successfully when he played for Leicester. As soon as he joined Celtic, he became public enemy number one and they even had caricatures of him hanging from lamp posts. I realise he can be very gobby so he is partially to blame for the attention he brought onto himself in a small way. On the Republic side, there would also be an element of people who wouldn't support the North in any shape or form. I would like to think the percentage of people like that is smaller the the same kind of people in the Unionist parts of N.I. Back in the 70's and 80's, I remember there being major trouble when Glasgow Rangers and Linfield came to play matches in Dublin. A lot of lads came from the North to support them and they were met by a very hostile crowd from down here. So, there is/was a small element here who are just as bad as their counterparts from the North. As there has been relative peace for the last 26 years or so, I would like to think things are a bit different now. Back in 2016 both sides of the island qualified for Euro 2016 in France. I flew out of Dublin Airport to head over and there were huge crowds of lads from both sides drinking in the airport bars. No flags visible but there was a bit of banter between both sets of fans and no hint of any trouble. Northern Ireland are now playing Slovakia in the play off final in a few weeks. I am sure there will be an element who will be cheering Slovakia but I would like to think, the majority would prefer to see Northern Ireland win. Remember, the winner gets to play Poland and Sweden in two games in Dublin and Spain in Bilbao. The hospitality industry in this city would make far more money if N.I. qualify instead of Slovakia. I hope that gives you an idea of my own sentiment. It is not straight forward lol.
To summarize - Catholics support Ireland and Protestants NI. This (the religious dogma) always has annoyed me, but, as you stated. "things are a bit different now" because of the peace. Hopefully the younger generations (one after the other) will abolish this idiocy.
People on both sides are indoctrinated Totally and brought up to hate certain things. Stuff like flags and National anthems come into play in terms of what people consider to be their identity. Rather than a religious divide, I would call it a national identity divide. Most on either side have never been in a church in their lives. Will the younger generations change things? I hope so but I have my doubts. I'd say in 100 years, things will be similar to what they are today.
I am not to sure about your underplay on the affect of religion, As far as things improving, I am an optimist who thinks that the reduction of the importance of "God" will radicate/solve the idiocy.
I think there is sectarianism and hatred on both sides and that comes to the fore during the marching season each year.. The difference between the two religions has always been minimal. The importance of God is not something the vast majority on both sides consider and I definitely don't think that will make a blind bit of difference to young people in terms of things improving in the future. The divide is really based on what nationality and culture each side consider themselves to be. How important god is, will have no bearing on things improving unfortunately. I hope you're right but I doubt it very much.
We can disagree while sort of agreeing. Surely sectarianism is diminishing, though? Whatever be the reason or reasoning.
Feel free to come visit the west of Scotland and carry out your research - I would suggest packing a neutral colour of clothing so as to distinguish yourself from the common neanderthal
Child abuse in my books, what hope does the poor kid have? It's arseholes like this which is why sectarisnism won't just die away quietly
Very true, lived in Waterford for a time back in the 70s and although I find the Irish lovely hospitable people it was an eye-opener when talk of the 'troubles' was brought up. I briefly worked for an Ulsterman and he'd had death threats and various incidents around his business over the years yet he was the loveliest bloke you could meet. The divide will never totally heal which is such a shame...
That's what I mean by indoctrination. He is teaching the kid to be sectarian based on a battle from 1690 for gods sake. 330 years ago. In that battle, King William defeated the King of England. How loyal is that?
