[trogg]

(Original post by toddman10)
Yes as 20 years down the line it will basically be just a Northern Ireland unionist team with half of the populations players playing for the Republic of Ireland

This is the Republic of Ireland FAI's fault for tapping up Roman Catholics from Northern Ireland, a cynical, sectarian exercise if ever there was one. And as you prove, it allows people with political motives to claim the NI team is a 'unionist' team. Not sport at all.

In fact, the NI team is the most diverse on the island, drawing from both nationalist and unionist, protestant and catholic alike. Compare that to the team of nationalists playing for the Republic of Ireland.

The Northern Irish football team will always be competing and representing EVERYONE in NI, as is their right to do so as a member of FIFA.

Those who can't acknowledge this on both sides simply need to wise up and move on with their lives.

[Kevmeister]

(Original post by trogg)
This is the Republic of Ireland FAI's fault for tapping up Roman Catholics from Northern Ireland, a cynical, sectarian exercise if ever there was one. And as you prove, it allows people with political motives to claim the NI team is a 'unionist' team. Not sport at all.

In fact, the NI team is the most diverse on the island, drawing from both nationalist and unionist, protestant and catholic alike. Compare that to the team of nationalists playing for the Republic of Ireland.

The Northern Irish football team will always be competing and representing EVERYONE in NI, as is their right to do so as a member of FIFA.

Those who can't acknowledge this on both sides simply need to wise up and move on with their lives.

McClean, Dan Devine, Darron Gibson, Shane Duffy, Marc Wilson, Daniel Kearns and Paul George are players to choose ROI over the North.

Now, how many of those have you actually heard of?

Tapping up.

[AverageExcellence]

Every kingdom in the UK has a team (plus wales) , Northern ireland is its own kingdom. They should have the right to have a NI football team if they choose.

[AspiringGenius]

Well I personally would like to see a UK team, so I would go for that rather than having an Eire team as such.

[tekno]

There should be only one team tbh. It makes sense to have the biggest pool of potential players possible. Unfortunately the IFA is extremely bigoted and their fans would go nuts if they tried to join the FAI. It would also make the domestic league more interesting.

[toddman10]

(Original post by trogg)
This is the Republic of Ireland FAI's fault for tapping up Roman Catholics from Northern Ireland, a cynical, sectarian exercise if ever there was one. And as you prove, it allows people with political motives to claim the NI team is a 'unionist' team. Not sport at all.

In fact, the NI team is the most diverse on the island, drawing from both nationalist and unionist, protestant and catholic alike. Compare that to the team of nationalists playing for the Republic of Ireland.

The Northern Irish football team will always be competing and representing EVERYONE in NI, as is their right to do so as a member of FIFA.

Those who can't acknowledge this on both sides simply need to wise up and move on with their lives.

I see what you are saying put the English players in the Republic of Ireland squad may not be nationalists even though they are 2nd or 3rd generation Irish.

[trogg]

(Original post by tekno)
It makes sense to have the biggest pool of potential players possible.

I'd be in favour of combining with Brazil. Having seen the RoI in action in Poland/Ukraine, I do not believe any of your players would add to our team, with the exception of our Northern Irish Roman Catholic players you poached from the U-21s.

(Original post by tekno)
Unfortunately the IFA is extremely bigoted and their fans would go nuts if they tried to join the FAI.

Ah yes, bigoted because we're proud of being Northern Irish. But of course, what else could you call that...

[nmccann]

(Original post by trogg)
I'd be in favour of combining with Brazil. Having seen the RoI in action in Poland/Ukraine, I do not believe any of your players would add to our team, with the exception of our Northern Irish Roman Catholic players you poached from the U-21s.


Ah yes, bigoted because we're proud of being Northern Irish. But of course, what else could you call that...

Lol and Northern Ireland's qualification campaign was abysmal. Whatever happened to "were not Brazil were NI" hahaha. Truth of the matter is the Northern Ireland team does not represent all residents. God Save The Queen for starters. Unionist Flags, Union Jacks which actually have nothing to do with football are a frequent presence in Windsor Park. And along with sectarian chanting as seen in Dublin, Loyalist death threats you can hardly say it is welcoming for Catholic wanting to play on an international stage.

[trogg]

(Original post by nmccann)
Lol and Northern Ireland's qualification campaign was abysmal.

If we got to Poland & Ukraine we would have brought our football team not the men's choir...

Truth of the matter is the Northern Ireland team does not represent all residents. God Save The Queen for starters. Unionist Flags, Union Jacks which actually have nothing to do with football are a frequent presence in Windsor Park. And along with sectarian chanting as seen in Dublin, Loyalist death threats you can hardly say it is welcoming for Catholic wanting to play on an international stage.

Our team is of mixed religion and always will be. Not everyone is a raving bigot such as yourself.

Our team play with 4 shamrocks and a Celtic cross on the shirt. No one complains about that. Why would they? Neither should people have an issue with our British anthem. We draw support, players & symbols from both Irish & British backgrounds and long may it continue.

The sectarian singing in Dublin was a one-off, no way they'd get away with that in Belfast. At the end of the day all sides have bad elements, just look at the IRA and 'orange bastard' chants Republic of Ireland fans were caught on camera singing in Poland.

[barnetlad]

One factor of those opting for the Republic instead of NI may be the recent record of the two countries, and in one or two cases may be down to personalities or friends playing for one of the two teams.

[wilko1991]

Talking about getting rid of the N.I. football team I think they should just get rid of N.I. altogether. It's pretty much a failed state ffs.

Also the UK should not be a football team. For the first thing Scotland will be leaving the UK soon and do you want to just alienate everyone from Scotland and Wales. **** off and leave my country alone.

[wilko1991]

Also meant to ask about the ROI sectarian singing. Is this catholics from the north or do folk from the south of ireland care about all this *******s as well?

[toddman10]

(Original post by wilko1991)
Also meant to ask about the ROI sectarian singing. Is this catholics from the north or do folk from the south of ireland care about all this *******s as well?

From my experience the people in the republic don't seem to care as much because I suppose they didn't have to grow up with union jacks flying from posts but they don't seem to have built much of a friendship with the British since the partition as the visit of the queen in Dublin wasn't taken too well by some people.

[TOSCS]

It truly baffles me why any nationalist or Catholic player chooses to play for NI. Like McClean said there is no way you can feel at home as an Irishman playing for fans who wave Union flags and sing God Save The Queen, not to mention the more sectarian songs.

It's a bit of a tough one though...
Play for Northern Ireland, get death threats (Neil Lennon)
Don't play for Northern Ireland, get death threats (James McClean)

[Poudlardaise]

(Original post by hayles101)
Some the comments in this thread are shocking and actually offensive to me having grown up in Northern Ireland my whole life.

I'm curious to know, those making comments on the subject, like 'the Island being joined'..do you live in Northern Ireland/ROI then and happen to have a strong link to have these views? What are you reasons for these opinions?

I am British and as much a part of the United Kingdom as Scotland, England or Wales. My Dad was a young police officer at the time of the troubles and after the horror stories I have grown up knowing, I hope my country never has to go through that again.

I think all of us here, no matter what our views on the Britain/Ireland issue might be, agree that the troubles were an appalling thing to have happened and hope they'll never be repeated, and I don't think expressing the view that an all Ireland team might actually be a more inclusive one in any way suggests a desire to return to violence.

[trogg]

(Original post by Poudlardaise)
I don't think expressing the view that an all Ireland team might actually be a more inclusive one in any way suggests a desire to return to violence.

The FAI team have set themselves up as a de facto 'all' Ireland team and have proven it to be less inclusive; it's a team made up entirely of Irish nationalists (+ their English B reps)

Contrast that with the mixed NI team.

[trogg]

(Original post by wilko1991)
Also meant to ask about the ROI sectarian singing. Is this catholics from the north or do folk from the south of ireland care about all this *******s as well?

The clips I've seen on youtube from Poland have both Northern and Southern accents singing sectarian add-ons etc.

[trogg]

(Original post by TOSCS)
Like McClean said there is no way you can feel at home as an Irishman

McClean is obviously pretty baffled, seeing as he had no problem representing us up to U-21 level. And evidently the majority of players from a nationalist background have no problem either.

sing God Save The Queen, not to mention the more sectarian songs.

As I said, we also play with the celtic cross and 4 shamrocks on our badge - is that sectarian too?

And I have to ask, which sectarian songs are you on about? I've heard this argument before and when asked the trolls respond by claiming shouting Northern Ireland etc at a football match is sectarian!

It's a bit of a tough one though...
Play for Northern Ireland, get death threats (Neil Lennon)
Don't play for Northern Ireland, get death threats (James McClean)

Aye, because those 'threats' were completely credible. No doubt about it, no siree.

[trogg]

(Original post by wilko1991)
Talking about getting rid of the N.I. football team I think they should just get rid of N.I. altogether. It's pretty much a failed state ffs.

Yeah, the imploding of the Republic had a big effect on us but we're over it now...

[toddman10]

(Original post by trogg)
The FAI team have set themselves up as a de facto 'all' Ireland team and have proven it to be less inclusive; it's a team made up entirely of Irish nationalists (+ their English B reps)

Contrast that with the mixed NI team.

Have you asked the players born in the Republic of Ireland if they are nationalists? Some people couldn't care less who Ireland was ruled by.