Perhaps the most curious thing about Republic of Ireland’s 5-0 drubbing of Northern Ireland in the Carling Nation’s Cup last week was the lack of analysis in how well, or poorly, each side played. Instead, all the talk centered on an issue which has caused controversy for some time, of player eligibility between the two countries.
Prior to announcing his squad for the match, Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington was told that young Preston North End defender Daniel Devine had opted to play for the Republic.
Worthington also stated that Newcastle United’s Shane Ferguson was intending to make the same move, following a failure to reply to repeated phone calls.
Under FIFA rules a player can only play for a country if he is born in that particular nation, his parents or grandparents come from that country or if he has lived for five years continuously on the territory of the association.
There is also the provision for a player with dual nationality to switch countries once before they play a senior international. For example, players born in France to African immigrants can play for France at youth level and then their parent’s country of birth at senior level.
But another FIFA ruling allows Northern Ireland born players to play for the Republic based on the 1998 Good Friday agreement which provided NI born people the opportunity to choose British or Irish nationality.
The practical implication of this is that the Republic of Ireland are allowed to select any NI born player who holds an Irish passport, regardless of whether a player has any relation to Ireland at all.
The Irish Football Association (IFA) took their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The Court upheld the status quo.
While I have no affiliation to either nation, on the face of it such a ruling seems fundamentally unfair. It means that one nation in the Republic of Ireland has the opportunity to choose a side with players from two different jurisdictions.
Devine is not the first player to take advantage of the loophole and play for the Republic.
In recent times Manchester United’s Darron Gibson, Stoke City defender Marc Wilson and Everton youngster Shane Duffy are among several players who have switched allegiances after playing for Northern Ireland at youth level. Admittedly, Duffy did have an Irish grandparent, so he had every right to go across, but the others had no affiliation with the Republic of Ireland.
One of the major bugbears that frustrates the IFA and manager Worthington is they have spent many years developing and nurturing these players as they progress through the ranks, only to see the players leave without playing senior internationals for the country.
If Gibson and Wilson stayed with Northern Ireland they would have been first choice players in their lineup. The question needs to be asked whether these players opted to switch across simply because they thought the Republic was a stronger footballing nation with greater future prospects, instead of playing for a team that may struggle.
In the match against the Republic of Ireland, 15 players were unavailable. These included English Premier League stars Chris Brunt, Jonny Evans and Aaron Hughes.
With a small pool of talent to begin with, having such quality players unavailable simply left a gaping hole in the ranks. If every country had ten of their better players unavailable they would struggle to compete, unless you were a world-class team like Brazil, Germany or Netherlands.
It would be easy to blame the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) for taking advantage of the situation and accuse them of poaching like many have suggested. But they are simply taking advantage of the current rules. If the situation were reversed, there’s no doubt that Northern Ireland would do the same.
The problem therein lies with FIFA, who need to put a stop to this player drain. By allowing the Republic to pilfer Northern Ireland’s young playing stocks it could spell absolute disaster, potentially costing them a generation of players.
FIFA needs to close this loophole and instruct the FAI to stop picking Northern Ireland born players who have no connection to the Republic so that Northern Ireland can compete on an even playing field.
Dan
Guest
They are Irish. Period. The 'unfair' situation is that Britain retains control of a part of Ireland. Dwell on that rather than blame individuals who wish to represent the country they believe they are a part of.
Pothale
Guest
Ok but is it your article or someone else's from another blog site?
Bakkies
Guest
Should read no booing and hissing of the anthem and the English.
Ciaran
Guest
Roger It's not really chicken and egg at all. For most people in NI either British or Irish nationality comes first and there is no debate about it. There's nothing exclusionary about it either. I'm extremely proud to be NI born and reared albeit within an overall Irish nationality and identity, Which includes supporting the ROI, of course. ;) And, besides, what you're saying about exclusion isn't even there. There have been dozens of nationalists who have lined up for the NI with pride, including the current likes of Stephen Craigan, Paddy McCourt and Niall McGinn (who unfortunately confessed his support for the ROI after last week's Carling Cup game, oops). However your main point about exclusion - that nationalists somehow go out of their way to avoid being included - is simply perverse. There's no point making comparisons with other nations given the unique status of NI, but nowhere else in the world would a whole community be expected to deny their nationality and then be accused of willful exclusion. If the denial of nationalist is a precursor to an all inclusive NI football team, or NI community, then it's no precursor at all - it will inevitably only lead to more separation. It's Ciaran there by the way. ;)
kevin88
Roar Rookie
It was originally posted on our Ireland supporters blog but due to the number of inaccuracies, misconceptions and mistakes over the eligibility issue in the piece above, i believe it was worth reproducing here to allow readers to gain a more in depth understanding of the Irish eligibility issue.
Bakkies
Guest
They are both rubbish sides. Thankfully Real Sociedad's stadium is available for Rugby and Biarritz and Bayonne have made regular use out of it. Al, you have to understand the history of why the IRA react the way they do. The UK Government didn't waste a decade enquiring about Bloody Sunday for nothing. The movie ''In the Name of the Father'' was based on the Guildford 4 who were wrongfully accused of blowing up a pub. Tony Blair made an apology a long while later about it. This is only recent events the English led oppression of Ireland goes back as far as Cromwell. The Irish have now built their bridges, Rugby has played a big part in it at national level especially the Rugby match at Croke Park between Ireland and England there was booing and hissing of the English (well it's actually the British anthem). Ulster Rugby is based in an affluent Protestant suburb I am not sure if it really has branched in to the catholic community. It's debatable if Football has built it's bridges, if England played ROI in football at Croke Park I say it would be far less peaceful especially after the events at Lansdowne. The stupid thing about the Football situation is that NI people will happily support an Ireland team smash England in Rugby but choose to support English and Scottish Football clubs. I have spent a fair bit of time in Belfast and people I mixed (were Catholics and Protestants) with from the Gen Y generation who were kids when the Troubles were still going on didn't really know what they are in terms of nationality. Applying for a job in NI there is a question about what religion you are and I think there has to be a mix of Catholics and Protestants in the work place. The catholics would support Ireland to the brink in Rugby but wouldn't go to Ulster Rugby matches
Derm
Roar Guru
This link points to a story on a ROI team fan blog. Is it yours as it seems to used as a separate article by yourself on the Roar?
Derm
Roar Guru
"There is a lot of misinformation surrounding the whole eligibility issue and i found this recent article that seems to set the record straight on many of the unthruths out there – http://oneteaminireland.blogspot.com/2011/06/northern-media-fail-to-grasp-basics-of.html" __________________________ That's a story published by a Daniel Collins on a blog entitled "There's only one team in Ireland" a provocative chant regularly used by a small section of ROI fans against NI fans/players. It also seems to have been copied in its entirety without attribution for a separate Roar article by a Kevin88. Is this your article, Kevin?
Derm
Roar Guru
An international incident was more likely between Ireland and England I would say. Burning seats in Lansdowne anyone?
Derm
Roar Guru
Well, not quite Roger. If someone grows up believing and living in a culture that says where he lives is part of a larger island and has an affinity to that larger entity, then it's not just a case of the IFA being more inclusive. However, this assumes player decisions are made on purely political and religious grounds - a simple reality that has to be considered as well is that playing for the Republic is a more attractive option for a player who wants to get himself ahead on the international and domestic stage. Northern Ireland was much better 20-30 years ago, but a lot has changed since then.
Roger Rational
Guest
It's a chicken-and-egg scenario, Kieran. It's difficult for the IFA to show itself as "inclusive" when northern Catholics choose to exclude themselves.
FACTS
Guest
This line imparticular has forced me to post. After rereading what they wrote the author surely realises what a ridiculous statement they have made. If you are an Irish citizen from birth then surely you have a connection to Ireland and the right to play for Ireland. Does the author not understand that Robbie Keane and Darron Gibson have the same citizenship and the same passport. Hopefully they do now.
kevin88
Roar Rookie
"Guys like Joe Dudgeon and Lee Camp have parents that are from Northern Ireland which makes them eligible" Wrong Joe, neither Dudgeon & Camp have parents from the North, they both qualify via the grandparent rule. "But another FIFA ruling allows Northern Ireland born players to play for the Republic based on the 1998 Good Friday agreement which provided NI born people the opportunity to choose British or Irish nationality." Wrong again Joe, the Good Friday Agreement has no bearing on the eligibility issue, players from the north were playing for the FAI prior to the agreement and have always been eligible under FIFA rules As i said earlier read this http://oneteaminireland.blogspot.com/2011/06/northern-media-fail-to-grasp-basics-of.html
Swampy
Guest
Most people here, well in fact everyone here, is missing the obvious. Twenty five years ago, if NI were to play Ireland then there was a realistic chance an international incident could occur. The nations have clearly come a long way when the worst that happens is a bit of heckling from small sections of the crowd. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Ciaran
Guest
Also: "The practical implication of this is that the Republic of Ireland are allowed to select any NI born player who holds an Irish passport, regardless of whether a player has any relation to Ireland at all." Holy moly. I'd say the relation to Ireland might be in the same sentence there...
John Takemura
Guest
Guys like Joe Dudgeon and Lee Camp have parents that are from Northern Ireland which makes them eligible having not plaed for England at senior level. But certainly agree with you Kevin about young lavery, younger than the other fellows and it seems a tad early to change i think and palying for two countries at youth level i was not sure was allowed. You probably should consider a switch when you don't have much hope of making the senior side of your birth country, which is what camp did.
Ciaran
Guest
Well said Kevin. I'd hope the blog post writers and posters here will read the link before commenting further. To the blog post writer - you declare the rules as fundamentally unfair to NI. But your answer is to deny thousands the opportunity to play for the country of their birth, as enshrined in legislation voted democatically by the people of Ireland (and NI, if people want to play the separation game). In fact, we can leave the GFA out of it since it only affirmed the right of these people and confirmed that FIFA's rules and their application in regards Ireland have always been right. So how is that a 'fair' solution? The answer is surely for the IFA to continue their community efforts in attracting those from the nationalist community to play for NI. But, conversely, not to throw their toys out of the pram if they exercise their absolutely right choice to play for the ROI. Such hysteria only proves to the nationalist community that the NI team's talk of inclusivity is just that - talk. Railroading players into turning out for a team they do not identify flies in the face of all the bridge building rhetoric the IFA like to engage in and is ludicrously unfair. To suggest it as some sort of solution is flat-out madness. As a Northern Irish born ROI supporter, I have no affinity with the NI team. That's not to say I don't wish them well or respect those who choose to turn out for them. and i actually have quite a bit of sympathy with this issue, particularly in regards bringing players through underage ranks. But, overall, the rules are being applied correctly, as affirmed by FIFA and the Court of Arbitration of Sport (where the IFA took an utterly unwinnable case against Daniel Kearns. The CAS judgement is must-read material for anyone unsure of the rules and their application). The IFA and NI fans would be better off focusing on attracting players who want to play for them and making their team a more appealing choice, than having a collective whinge and throwing around ridiculous words like 'apartheid' and 'sectarian' over this issue.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
FIFA's regulations clearly dictate how players become eligible to play for a National Team and a classic case in 2010 relating to a dispute between the IFA & FAI was heard on appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. It's definitely worth reading if you have an interest in this issue ... Irish Football Association v Football Association of Ireland, Daniel Kearns and FIFA Source: http://www.tas-cas.org/d2wfiles/document/4385/5048/0/Award%202071.pdf ------------- Playing International Football is every footballer's dream - it's certainly never about money or business ... it's all about emotion, loyalty, the bonds created by family, friends and belonging.
Kevin
Guest
I don't understand why the IFA are 'poaching' players who are part of other associations, yet complain when the FAI pick players from within their juristiction. Caolan Lavery, Oliver Norwood,Joe Dudgeon and Lee Camp have recently been 'recruited' by the IFA to join their association, without any thought given about the impact for example on, the Canadian football Association who nurtured,trained and developed Caolan Lavery, only to see him join the IFA set up. There is a lot of misinformation surrounding the whole eligibility issue and i found this recent article that seems to set the record straight on many of the unthruths out there - http://oneteaminireland.blogspot.com/2011/06/northern-media-fail-to-grasp-basics-of.html
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
JohnB You are absolutely correct. There are actually two exceptions to the rule that all countries must be "independent state recognised by the international community". Exceptions: 5. Each of the four British Associations is recognised as a separate Member of FIFA. 6. An Association in a region which has not yet gained independence may, with the authorisation of the Association in the country on which it is dependent, also apply for admission to FIFA. --------- So, as long as the "conquering" country allows, the dependent countries can also be admitted ... I wonder if we may even see Tibet applying for admission to FIFA in the future .. surely China would allow that? ;-)