Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Brazil remain top of FIFA rankings
Brazil remain top of the FIFA rankings issued today but world champions Italy are closing in fast. One other small thing, Northern Ireland are now ahead of the Republic of Ireland, in 45th place as opposed to 49th for Staunton’s team.
George @ 09:16 AM
T.Ruth
“If NI finish fourth in their group with 18 points that would be success indeed and be a good basis for futher development”
I agree with you 100%. anything better than this would be surprising, as it is a monster of a group.
I have been there through the great and the bad, it really isn´t news that football fans are the most fickle. I went to Denmark a few years ago we had about 150 fans compared to the recent 4000. But hey that´s football, to coin a cliche.
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 01:04 PMWho, Where or What is mali ??
Mali is a country in West Africa with about 8 times the population of NI and over three times the population of the Free State. It’s where Timbuktu is. They’ve been in the semis of two of the last three African Nations Championships and came within a goal of qualifying for this year’s world cup.
This reminds me of Gazza on ITV after Senegal beat France in the 2002 World Cup - “Segal?”, says Gazza, “I’ve never heard of Segal. Is it something to do with Stephen Segal?”
That having been said, the FIFA world rankings do discriminate against European teams and towards North American and Oceanian teams in particular - e.g. the USA and Mexico get a lot of points every time they beat St. Kitts and Nevis (pop. 40,000 and they all play cricket) 19-0 or whatever.
Some people prefer the unofficial ELO rankings but they have their problems too - is Northern Ireland really worse than Oman? They have the Republic at 35 and Northern Ireland at 78 and climbing.
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 01:10 PMPosted by Doctor Who on Oct 18, 2006 @ 01:40 PM
You have a brass neck Mick. look at he disgusting diatribe aimed at myself on the stan and lawrie thread and then point out where you intervened.
Sorry it took so long to reply, was reading said thread (hard going).
I have to back Mick up here, there (and i have had my disagreements with his consistancy in my short time on here).
There is alot of shit being thrown in all directions on that thread but as well as being fired in your direction there is an awful lot of it coming from you as well.
In football the ref would prob note it and wave play on, seems this is the line Mick took on it.
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 01:20 PMTRuth
“Football has so much to learn from Rugby and GAA”Well, the GAA have no problem charging high prices too so I don’t think it’s just a “football” problem.
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 01:25 PMTime for an All_ireland team.
We could make, urm, maybe 41st in the rankings....Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 01:28 PMSteaky
Where on that thread did I call anyone “dumb fuck”, “cock rash” “ni team uvf xi” etc etc etc.. and then to cap it all imply I had a desire for young boys.
I have been censored on this site for a lot less, but then agian I am not a republican. On the Gerry Adams Kop Killer thread recently, posters thought that it was perfectly acceptable to praise Gerry Adams for being a cop killer. Nevermind that either of the two deceased RUC mens families could have been reading.
Mick and the other bloggers practice censorship when they want to. It is any wonder a lot of the long term contributors have chose to blog off.
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 01:33 PMDr Who, Apologies!
Serves me right for replying when I had got to page 10 of the thread!The personal stuff was way out of line, UVF XI kinda seems in keeping with the general tone of the thread though. Missed it first time round thank god!
Mick,
I am back to disagreeing with policy! lolPosted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 01:38 PMdoctor do you go to away games with realist ??
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 01:39 PMJames
I don´t know who realist is, because we use anonimity on this site. Realist is like me in the sense as he simply wants to see his side play with as much passion as possible.
If you think our posts are similar have a read over the tripe posted by Nationalists on this and the Stan and Lawrie thread and you would be forgiven for thinking that it was all crap being blown from the same arsehole.
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 01:47 PMOne team in Ireland, there’s only one team in Ireland. Suck it up bog-trotters
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 01:50 PMAnother team from the north is about to overtake their rivals in the south.
The candystripes are on a roll too.
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 01:56 PM“I don´t know who realist is, because we use anonimity on this site. Realist is like me in the sense as he simply wants to see his side play with as much passion as possible”
Doctor Who,
Have witnessed every single minute, at great expense, of our Sammy Mac world record beating goal drought, I can assure you that my pride in out team has rarely been higher than it is at present.
I think of Jim Boyce coming onto our supporters bus in Armenia only a couple of years ago to apologise for the team letting us down - to often apologies, too often let down.
In the words of “Sweet Norn Iron” - good times, never seemed so good.
Keep believing.
Onwards and Upwards.
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 02:06 PMThese football threads are a little dividing eh?
Not that I came on here expecting to hear a riveting debate about the merits of 4-4-2 vs 5-3-2.
I support the Republic (as is my right) and while I still think the players are vastly superior to those at the disposal of the North, I cant help but admire the way Northen Ireland have turned themselves from a “cant buy a goal joke” to a team that international side would not fancy facing, esp at home.
I also have alot of respect for Lawrie Sanchez as a manager and as a man. Its very difficult to understand the lack of support he percieved from the press as he truely has worked wonders with (lets be honest) an, at best, average group of players.
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 02:10 PMTrue, Steaky,
Laurie has done wonders, it’d take less proof of a miracle for purposes of sainthood!
Does Northern Ireland (North of Ireland for the benefit of Willowfield) have another International Airport knocking around? :)
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 02:25 PM“One team in Ireland, there’s only one team in Ireland. Suck it up bog-trotters”
Mick,
Has this site lowered it’s standards to the point where blatant sectarianism is allowed to prevail? The “genius” who posted this, should be aware that this situation will only last for 1 month because the Republic play San Marinio next month, while N.I. dont play, meaning the Republic will automatically jump back ahead in the rankings. I’ll let him get back to studying rocket science then…
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 02:45 PMmacswiney,
Do you get many points in the, rather complicated, FIFA ranking system for beating teams like San Marino?
“meaning the Republic will automatically jump back ahead in the rankings”
I’m not so sure that’ll be the case, but we can do the sums now, if you like?
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 02:49 PM“Ireland doesn’t poach players from the north. Irishmen from the north choose to play for their country. Simple as that. Pity the IFA can’t get their head round it.
Posted by pacman on Oct 18, 2006 @ 12:55 PM”
Wrong on so many levels.
1) There is no such football team as Ireland.
2) Whether they consider the Republic to be their country or not, it certainly isn’t under FIFA rules. We’re not talking GFA here. FIFA permits players to play for the association governing the area they are born in. The exceptions to this are the parent and grandparent rule, and two years residency in a country for which you hold a passport (again this is entirely dependent on the jurisdiction of the governing association). FIFA recognises the FAI’s jurisdiction only in regards to the Republic of Ireland, it certainly doesn’t recognise some notion of the southern state representing a greater ideal of Irishness because it has independence.Northern born players have no right by FIFA’s rules to play for the ROI unless under the above provisions. We simply need someone from the IFA to grow a set of balls and point this out.
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 03:27 PMPoor old pacman
People can say what they like, still doens’t stop players or supporters from the freedom fo deciding whether they wish to play for Northern Ireland or the Republic.
Inclusive? You betcha.....
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 03:39 PMI only have to read the garbage above to understand why I can never go back to that moment of sheer wonder and shocked joy when Gerry slotted it through the keeper’s legs.
If you want your football team to be a haven of sectraian hatred, fair enough. But don’t expect any respect if you are not prepared to give any in return.
Unionists say they want an audience on the world stage and yet, when it comes to something as mundane as soccer so many of you cannot resist rubbing “the minority“‘s noses in it. Have you people learnt nothing from the last 40 years? I’m no unionist, but if I was I would be condemning you types at the top of my voice for the way you behave.
By the way, Ziznivy is right about the ‘legal’ position. Players born in the North have, by FIFA rules, to play for the North. They have no right to play for the Republic.
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 03:41 PMThe blatant sectarianism of “There’s only one team in Ireland”? - how so?
I take it you don’t go to any football matches with such a plate glass constitution! - What an outrage indeed - call the internet police!!Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 03:41 PMZizivny,
“Whether they consider the Republic to be their country or not, it certainly isn’t under FIFA rules. We’re not talking GFA here. FIFA permits players to play for the association governing the area they are born in.”You are wrong. May I point you in the direction of the Stan and Lawrie thread for further details but in a nutshell, FIFA Statutes Article 15:
“Any person holding the nationality of a country is eligible to play for the representative teams of the Association of his country”?
If you hold the nationality of the Republic of Ireland, you can play for the country. The emergency statute wheeled out by others deals with the issue of naturalisation.
The GFA is actually relevant because it is an international agreement which enshrines the right of people from Northern Ireland to have Irish nationality.
FIFA have already backed down on this issue when the Irish government confronted them with the GFA legal card.
As long as people from Northern Ireland aren’t stopped from being allowed Irish nationality they can’t be stopped from declaring for the Republic of Ireland.
It’s nothing to do with balls. See you in court if you want to lose money.
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 03:41 PMSammy Moore: ‘Free State’.
Do you own a time machine?
The name of the country is the Republic of Ireland.
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 03:42 PMFIFA permits players to play for the association governing the area they are born in.
There are a number of young players from Derry playing for Ireland at underage level.
Derry City play in a league governed by the FAI but within a region governed by the IFA.
Kevin Deery for example, has played only within the FAI set up but lives in Derry.
Just an example, as Deery has already represented Ireland at u17,u19 & u21 levels.
The young Blackburn & Portsmouth players involved have both been named previously in Ireland u19 squads, with Wilson having already played for the u19’s. The other player Darron Gibson has been playing for Ireland for the last couple of years
Why no complaints 6 or 12 months ago ??
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 03:43 PM“Rubbing the minority noses in it” - who is doing that and how? - and who is the minority exactly?
I’m sorry C.S. Parnell - you aren’t making much sense.
If you wanted to see the minority getting their “noses rubbed in it” why not check the archives here to see some of the posting when Northern Ireland were suffering their goal drought - though to be fair I’m sure you posted the same sentiments then too eh?Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 03:55 PMZiznivy
“There is no such football team as Ireland.”There is also no such team as “GAWA” but that doesn’t stop many NI fans from referring to your team by that name. “Ireland” is what we often call our team because they represent ... well ... Ireland (the state).
Posted by on Oct 18, 2006 @ 05:03 PM
