FIFA give Sunderland sensation McClean the nod to represent Republic of Ireland

FIFA give Sunderland sensation McClean the nod to represent Republic of Ireland
By COLIN YOUNG
Last updated at 11:09 PM on 9th February 2012
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James McClean got the green light from FIFA to represent the Republic of Ireland - on the day the cross-border talent surge became a political hot potato.
Nigel Dodds, deputy leader of the DUP, reopened the debate over Northern Ireland losing footballers to the Republic by calling for a 'higher discussion' on the matter between the British and Irish governments.
Despite the fact he is effectively challenging one of the tenets of the Good Friday Agreement – the freedom to choose one's nationality that applies to any person born north of the border – Dodds believes 'action needs to be taken to stop the haemorrhaging of talent from Northern Ireland'.

Green light: McClean (left) can play for the Republic of Ireland
The Member of Parliament for North Belfast was speaking at Westminster as MPs debated the issue of governance in football and cried foul about an 'injustice' unique to Northern Ireland that needed to be addressed in the name of fair play.
The exciting Sunderland winger, whose new FIFA registration allows Giovanni Trapattoni to pick him for the February 29 friendly with the Czech Republic, has become the latest hot property to take his allegiances south after playing underage football for Northern Ireland, following in the footsteps of the likes of Darron Gibson, Marc Wilson and Shane Duffy.

Czech challenge? McClean could feature for Giovanni Trapattoni's side
Sinn Fein's Pat Sheehan hit back at Dodds by saying that players had 'a fundamental right' to choose to play for either team at international level.
'Nigel Dodds cannot force people to play for one team or another just as he cannot force people to choose whether they choose to identify themselves as Irish or British,' he said.
'He would be better calling for talks between the two governing soccer bodies on the island in the hope of having one team represent Ireland.' 'He would be better calling for talks between the two governing soccer bodies on the island in the hope of having one team represent Ireland.'


So everyone wondering why he wasn't selected now know

 

Got to agree about one team.

 

They do it with the rugby.

 

I think all Irishmen should be equal. If "players had a fundamental right to choose to play for either team at international level", as Sheehan claims, then players born in the Republic should have the same "fundamental right", shouldn't they? I can see one or two of them - like, say for example, Westwood - deciding that he'll never get a full cap while Given's there, and opting to play for the North instead. But that's not equal in Sinn Fein's book. Oh no, they want it all their own way.

Either all Irishmen are treated equally or this grossly unfair ruling should be scrapped.

 

Totally different thing mate as there is only one body governing rugby over there. No north or south stuff.

SAFC Derry cleared this up last night mate. Anyone born in Northern Ireland has dual nationality. British & Irish. NI is part of the UK whether certain people want it to be or not.

Everybody in NI have their own loyalties, what difference does it make to us who he chooses to play his international football for? Those that were born in the Republic are just Irish, Derry confirmed that. So unless a lad had parents from the north then he'd only have one choice.

Hope this helps.

 

It can't work the other way around because the only reason the rule exists is due to the Good Friday agreement, allowing people from Northern Ireland choose to be Irish or British.
The fact is that most Catholics born in Northern Ireland will want to play for the Republic of Ireland. This is largely due to the history of how Northern Ireland came about, but I'll not go into that here.

Another big factor in this is the sectarian chanting at Windsor Park during Northern Ireland games. Look at how Neil Lennon, who was captain of Northern Ireland, was forced to quit playing for them after receiving a death threat because he suggested a united Ireland team. And more recently how Paddy McCourt and Niall McGinn were sent bullets in the post probably just because they play for Celtic.
Obviously a small minority of Northern Ireland fans don't want Catholics in the team. So its easier to avoid this hassle and play at a better standard at the same time.

But I'm glad McClean has been cleared to play for the Republic and hope Trappatoni uses him, because he suggested a while back that he was going to use the players that helped the team qualify.

 

Religion is always at the heart of everything evil in this world...If people want to believe in the existence of a God, why do they feel the need to belong to a sect to do so...

 

Bigotry Reg is the fear of difference. Once you have lived among these people you begin to understand their feelings.

West of Scotland is just the same mate.

 

I know what you mean, but I don't even think it even comes down to Religion in this case. I think Religion is just a way of identifying the two cultures, where most Catholics are descendants of native Irish, and Protestants are descendants of British settlers. I'd bet that there's a large proportion of sectarians in NI who don't even believe in God.

Reminds me of this joke:

A journalist, researching for an article on the complex political situation in Northern Ireland, was in a pub in a war-torn area of Belfast. One of his potential informants leaned over his pint of Guinness and suspiciously cross-examined the journalist: "Are you a Catholic or a Protestant?" the Irishman asked.
"Neither," replied the journalist; "I'm an atheist."
The Irishman, not content with this answer, put a further question: "Ah, but are you a Catholic atheist or a Protestant atheist?"

 

Very true mate, but if you look back through history, religion plays a massive part as to how this current chaotic state got to where it is...
On a wider scale, we now are seeing Islamic fundamentalism as the major concern for global security...Bloody organised relgion...