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View Full Version : NHC Martin O'Neill (Scotland related)



Sylar
02-11-2014, 04:07 PM
Just read an article that suggests Martin O'Neill intends to sit down with Aidan McGeady and James McCarthy this week to 'prepare them' for the hostile reception they'll possibly receive in Glasgow.

I hope the reception they receive is beyond hostile - ferocious in fact...I hope that hostile atmosphere is unanimous to the entire Republic of Ireland team and that they find it difficult to play in.

That should be the case when you play away from home in a European qualifier...trying to drag some sectarian issue (the journalist) into the fray is pitiful in my opinion as the Scottish support leave club tribalism at the door for the most part.

SmithyHibee
02-11-2014, 04:13 PM
Just read an article that suggests Martin O'Neill intends to sit down with Aidan McGeady and James McCarthy this week to 'prepare them' for the hostile reception they'll possibly receive in Glasgow.

I hope the reception they receive is beyond hostile - ferocious in fact...I hope that hostile atmosphere is unanimous to the entire Republic of Ireland team and that they find it difficult to play in.

That should be the case when you play away from home in a European qualifier...trying to drag some sectarian issue into the fray is pitiful in my opinion as the Scottish support leave club tribalism at the door for the most part.

Don't think its a Sectarian issue at all, the fact both players were born in and brought up in Scotland yet chose to play for Ireland is more the reason why they will be getting a hostile reception, quite right too IMO

Muzzy
02-11-2014, 04:14 PM
I think it has more to do with the fact that they chose to play for ROI over Scotland than anything sectarian to be fair!

SteveHFC
02-11-2014, 04:18 PM
Don't think its a Sectarian issue at all, the fact both players were born in and brought up in Scotland yet chose to play for Ireland is more the reason why they will be getting a hostile reception, quite right too IMO

:agree:

Sylar
02-11-2014, 04:19 PM
I should stress that the notion of 'sectarian abuse' was mentioned in the article - it's not my personal interpretation either!

Billy Whizz
02-11-2014, 04:38 PM
I think it has more to do with the fact that they chose to play for ROI over Scotland than anything sectarian to be fair!

Imagine being Scottish, and playing against them in a European qualifier

scoopyboy
02-11-2014, 04:46 PM
I think it has more to do with the fact that they chose to play for ROI over Scotland than anything sectarian to be fair!

I think if they could chose again they would elect to play for Scotland.

The Republic had a great record of qualifying for years but are now going backwards.

Hopefully Gordon Strachan has got us on the up and its us that qualify regularly.

Pretty Boy
02-11-2014, 05:01 PM
I don't really get the anger aimed at McCarthy to be honest. He was playing regularly for Hamilton 1st team at 16 but was left out of 3 or 4 Scotland under 17 squads in a row. Ireland offered him a route into international football and he took it. He always said if Scotland had asked first he would have played for us but he wasn't going to change allegiance after agreeing to play for Ireland. The fact his Irish grandfather died around the time Ireland came calling probably had an emotional impact on his decision as well.

The McGeady situation is different in that the SFA have a long running policy of not picking players for select squads who don't play school football. Celtic don't allow youth players to play school football. Ireland don't have the same rules and McGeady was asked to play for them, he didn't choose not to play for Scotland at youth level, he wasn't eligible under the rules. I'd imagine once you get experience of, and affinity with, a certain set up it's not easy to turn your back on it.

Diclonius
02-11-2014, 05:34 PM
Sure McCarthy said once in an interview something along the lines of, among other reasons, "I play for Ireland because I support Celtic" or something as equally ridiculous.

marinello59
02-11-2014, 05:42 PM
Sure McCarthy said once in an interview something along the lines of, among other reasons, "I play for Ireland because I support Celtic" or something as equally ridiculous.

I'm not so sure he did. He gave perfectly valid reasons for his decision including family ties. That was his right and I see nothing at all wrong with that.

Scottie
02-11-2014, 05:42 PM
Sorry but I hope they get dogs abuse along with the rest of the Republic team.

They chose who to play for. I hope Darkheid is a cauldron of noise and fear for everyone of them. :saltireflag

marinello59
02-11-2014, 05:44 PM
I think it has more to do with the fact that they chose to play for ROI over Scotland than anything sectarian to be fair!

Spot on.
Their personal choice, I see nothing wrong with that.

lord bunberry
02-11-2014, 05:53 PM
I don't really get the anger aimed at McCarthy to be honest. He was playing regularly for Hamilton 1st team at 16 but was left out of 3 or 4 Scotland under 17 squads in a row. Ireland offered him a route into international football and he took it. He always said if Scotland had asked first he would have played for us but he wasn't going to change allegiance after agreeing to play for Ireland. The fact his Irish grandfather died around the time Ireland came calling probably had an emotional impact on his decision as well.

The McGeady situation is different in that the SFA have a long running policy of not picking players for select squads who don't play school football. Celtic don't allow youth players to play school football. Ireland don't have the same rules and McGeady was asked to play for them, he didn't choose not to play for Scotland at youth level, he wasn't eligible under the rules. I'd imagine once you get experience of, and affinity with, a certain set up it's not easy to turn your back on it.

I'd find it easier to turn my back on a certain set up than I would my own country. The both of them are traitors

marinello59
02-11-2014, 05:57 PM
I'd find it easier to turn my back on a certain set up than I would my own country. The both of them are traitors

Traitors? If I'd emigrated to Australia before my kids were born and they grew up and chose to represent Scotland I'd be absolutely delighted. Would they be traitors?

Keith_M
02-11-2014, 05:59 PM
I'd find it easier to turn my back on a certain set up than I would my own country. The both of them are traitors


I think that's an exagerrated and unhelpful position to take on those players, especially with the explanations given as to why they chose each country.

There are lots of examples of players that have chosen to play for Scotland but previously were more aligned to another nation, e.g. Andy Goram was English.

easty
02-11-2014, 06:01 PM
I'd find it easier to turn my back on a certain set up than I would my own country. The both of them are traitors

:agree:

If I had been lucky enough to excel in something where you could represent your country, I would only represent Scotland. I wouldnt settle for playing for someone elses country just because I wasnt good enough for Scotland, or because for one reason or another I just wasnt being selected for my own. Have some national pride for **** sake.

Thats my take on it anyway.

easty
02-11-2014, 06:03 PM
Traitors? If I'd emigrated to Australia before my kids were born and they grew up and chose to represent Scotland I'd be absolutely delighted. Would they be traitors?

If they grew up considering themselves Australian (not Scotish), then aye.

If James McCarthy grew up in a family, with an Irish background, and grew up feeling he was Irish, then I'd have no issue with him representing Ireland. Thats not the reason he's done it though.

edit - maybe 'traitors' is too strong, but along those lines.

lord bunberry
02-11-2014, 06:32 PM
Traitors? If I'd emigrated to Australia before my kids were born and they grew up and chose to represent Scotland I'd be absolutely delighted. Would they be traitors?

Neither of these 2 players immigrated so it's not the same

marinello59
02-11-2014, 06:36 PM
Neither of these 2 players immigrated so it's not the same

Maybe you need to think about that one. Born and bred in Australia but opting to play for Scotland? Isn't that just the same?
If they identify themselves as Irish then it's really none of my business, it's their right and their own personal decision. Isn't it?

lord bunberry
02-11-2014, 06:41 PM
I think that's an exagerrated and unhelpful position to take on those players, especially with the explanations given as to why they chose each country.

There are lots of examples of players that have chosen to play for Scotland but previously were more aligned to another nation, e.g. Andy Goram was English.
Goram had a Scottish fathet and probably thought his best chance of making the grade in international football was to play for Scotland. He represented England at youth level and i suspect he would have chosen them if he thought he'd have been 1st choice. Most players who play for Scotland who aren't Scottish do so because they wouldn't get a game for their own country, normally England. These 2 turned their back on this country.

lord bunberry
02-11-2014, 06:42 PM
Maybe you need to think about that one. Born and bred in Australia but opting to play for Scotland? Isn't that just the same?
If they identify themselves as Irish then it's really none of my business, it's their right and their own personal decision. Isn't it?

It is their right and it's my right not to agree with.

Pretty Boy
02-11-2014, 06:52 PM
Goram had a Scottish fathet and probably thought his best chance of making the grade in international football was to play for Scotland. He represented England at youth level and i suspect he would have chosen them if he thought he'd have been 1st choice. Most players who play for Scotland who aren't Scottish do so because they wouldn't get a game for their own country, normally England. These 2 turned their back on this country.

But they didn't.

McCarthy was never selected to play for Scotland at any level before Ireland came calling.

McGeady had played for Scotland at under 13s or something when he was at Queens Park, when he signed for Celtic he was left out of the Scotland select set up because of rules and was invited to play for Ireland because the same rules didn't apply there.

Maybe McCarthy felt the same as Goram when he saw Rangers and Celtic 16 year olds who had never been near the 1st team getting into Scotland squads ahead of him.

weonlywon6-2
02-11-2014, 06:55 PM
I really hope we hump the Irish

scoopyboy
02-11-2014, 07:12 PM
Maybe you need to think about that one. Born and bred in Australia but opting to play for Scotland? Isn't that just the same?
If they identify themselves as Irish then it's really none of my business, it's their right and their own personal decision. Isn't it?

Sure is, but as I posted earlier I reckon they thought they would have a far better chance of playing for Ireland in major finals.

Players mature at different rates so just because a player doesn't get schoolboy caps doesn't mean he won't get full caps later (and vice versa).

FWIW I hope they get pelters and it leads to them playing c***.

AgentDaleCooper
02-11-2014, 07:14 PM
Don't think its a Sectarian issue at all, the fact both players were born in and brought up in Scotland yet chose to play for Ireland is more the reason why they will be getting a hostile reception, quite right too IMO

i think it is a sectarian issue, but with the players - that they chose to play for ireland because they are celtic fans is a clear sign of that IMO. this isn't even about being 'traitors' or anything - more to do with them being fannies. i hope they get as hostile a reception as anyone has ever gotten. they are dinosaurs, and their playing for ireland is a symptom of one of the scottish game's greatest problems.

marinello59
02-11-2014, 07:25 PM
It is their right and it's my right not to agree with.

Of course it is. It's the fact that some think it justifies abuse that I don't get though.

Carheenlea
02-11-2014, 07:36 PM
The McGeady situation is different in that the SFA have a long running policy of not picking players for select squads who don't play school football. Celtic don't allow youth players to play school football. Ireland don't have the same rules and McGeady was asked to play for them, he didn't choose not to play for Scotland at youth level, he wasn't eligible under the rules. I'd imagine once you get experience of, and affinity with, a certain set up it's not easy to turn your back on it.

I have never heard of this policy before. What is the rationale behind this?

lord bunberry
02-11-2014, 07:42 PM
Of course it is. It's the fact that some think it justifies abuse that I don't get though.

They should be hung drawn and quartered imo :greengrin

lord bunberry
02-11-2014, 07:49 PM
But they didn't.

McCarthy was never selected to play for Scotland at any level before Ireland came calling.

McGeady had played for Scotland at under 13s or something when he was at Queens Park, when he signed for Celtic he was left out of the Scotland select set up because of rules and was invited to play for Ireland because the same rules didn't apply there.

Maybe McCarthy felt the same as Goram when he saw Rangers and Celtic 16 year olds who had never been near the 1st team getting into Scotland squads ahead of him.

Both of them had the chance to switch to playing for Scotland, both chose not to. They're as irish as their fellow Celtic fans who will be in the Irish end when we play them

marinello59
02-11-2014, 07:50 PM
They should be hung drawn and quartered imo :greengrin

Harsh. :greengrin

superfurryhibby
02-11-2014, 07:53 PM
i think it is a sectarian issue, but with the players - that they chose to play for ireland because they are celtic fans is a clear sign of that IMO. this isn't even about being 'traitors' or anything - more to do with them being fannies. i hope they get as hostile a reception as anyone has ever gotten. they are dinosaurs, and their playing for ireland is a symptom of one of the scottish game's greatest problems.

Utter bollox. Nothing to do with sectarianism. Are they churchgoers? Cathplics? They made choices and for most of us they were strange pnes. That is reason enough. I don't like their decision but nowt to do with which team they may or may not support or which brand of superstitious guff theymay or may not follow.

JimBHibees
02-11-2014, 07:58 PM
They chose to play for Ireland when they were born and brought up in Scotland at a young age it is not like they were not chosen for Scotland at adult level like guys such as Coyle, Coyne and Houghton. Don't understand it and never will and will completely deserve the hostile reception they will get. They have turned their back on their country simple as.

Hibernia&Alba
02-11-2014, 08:04 PM
I'm not so sure he did. He gave perfectly valid reasons for his decision including family ties. That was his right and I see nothing at all wrong with that.

I agree. I don't have an issue with a player choosing one particular country they're eligible to play for. I do think the international eligibility rules are too lax i.e. players representing a country they've never previously visited but have a great grandparent from. Scotland also take advantage of those rules.

hibbysam
02-11-2014, 08:11 PM
I don't really get the anger aimed at McCarthy to be honest. He was playing regularly for Hamilton 1st team at 16 but was left out of 3 or 4 Scotland under 17 squads in a row. Ireland offered him a route into international football and he took it. He always said if Scotland had asked first he would have played for us but he wasn't going to change allegiance after agreeing to play for Ireland. The fact his Irish grandfather died around the time Ireland came calling probably had an emotional impact on his decision as well.

The McGeady situation is different in that the SFA have a long running policy of not picking players for select squads who don't play school football. Celtic don't allow youth players to play school football. Ireland don't have the same rules and McGeady was asked to play for them, he didn't choose not to play for Scotland at youth level, he wasn't eligible under the rules. I'd imagine once you get experience of, and affinity with, a certain set up it's not easy to turn your back on it.

Mcgeady did play school level football, and was outstanding at that level as he played for Glasgow RC schools team and single handedly took the east schools team to bits while doing so, so unless this was from a different period of his school life then he certainly did play school football

One Day
02-11-2014, 08:39 PM
Harsh. :greengrin

Maybe just hung then :na na:

Bishop Hibee
02-11-2014, 08:59 PM
It says a lot about tribal loyalties in the west of Scotland that they felt more loyalty to Ireland, the land of their grandparents birth, than Scotland. While totally within the rules it's quite sad really and they will get more abuse than other Ireland players.

No doubt there will be those who claim it to be sectarian but as a practising RC with paternal Irish roots I want to make it clear I'll be at the game booing them as loudly as the rest :greengrin

snooky
02-11-2014, 10:03 PM
Maybe just hung then :na na:

Show them no quarter then? :wink:

Actually I don't give a monkey's toss about them playing for ROI. It's no big deal.
FFS, we've had Englishmen playing for us who qualified because their grannies had a Skye terriers.

lord bunberry
02-11-2014, 10:13 PM
Show them no quarter then? :wink:

Actually I don't give a monkey's toss about them playing for ROI. It's no big deal.
FFS, we've had Englishmen playing for us who qualified because their grannies had a Skye terriers.

But the English players who represented Scotland didn't chose us over the country of their birth, they only chose us because they couldn't get a look in down south.

Ross4356
03-11-2014, 01:15 PM
Both of them will be getting it tight from me on Friday

Big_Franck
03-11-2014, 01:26 PM
i think it is a sectarian issue, but with the players - that they chose to play for ireland because they are celtic fans is a clear sign of that IMO. this isn't even about being 'traitors' or anything - more to do with them being fannies. i hope they get as hostile a reception as anyone has ever gotten. they are dinosaurs, and their playing for ireland is a symptom of one of the scottish game's greatest problems.

This 100%.

Phannies the both of them.

Crops73
03-11-2014, 06:30 PM
Hate McGreedy.

Good looking guy though...

The Gorf
04-11-2014, 09:01 AM
Don't think its a Sectarian issue at all, the fact both players were born in and brought up in Scotland yet chose to play for Ireland is more the reason why they will be getting a hostile reception, quite right too IMO
I think both players will be a bit p****d that Scotland are playing really well now under Strachan. At the time we weren't that good which may have helped them to come to the decision they did.

Keith_M
04-11-2014, 09:58 AM
Every time Hibs Fans single out an opposing player for abuse, they invariably play better and often score against us.


Just a thought.

:wink:

lord bunberry
04-11-2014, 10:01 AM
I think both players will be a bit p****d that Scotland are playing really well now under Strachan. At the time we weren't that good which may have helped them to come to the decision they did.

I hope so

Eyrie
04-11-2014, 08:34 PM
Every time Hibs Fans single out an opposing player for abuse, they invariably play better and often score against us.


Just a thought.

:wink:
Shame it didn't work on our own players last season :duck:

NAE NOOKIE
05-11-2014, 11:43 AM
Every time Hibs Fans single out an opposing player for abuse, they invariably play better and often score against us.


Just a thought.

:wink:

Apart from Paul Hartley who never seemed to play to form at ER. Scott Brown is another one, but that's probably because we didn't abuse him :greengrin

NAE NOOKIE
05-11-2014, 11:54 AM
Who cares why these two chose to play for Ireland, every Republic player should get dogs abuse at Darkheid just because they aint wearing dark blue.

If any rule pisses me off its the one allowing players to play for a country after 5 years residence, what a crock, it makes a mockery of international football. I don't include the likes of folk who were brought up from childhood in a country in that statement.