[parker kent]

Originally Posted by ush

Better still just abandon international football or turn it into a bastion of amateur sport. Not that FIFA would sacrifice their cash-cow. But CL football is played at a much higher level.

I couldn't disagree with that any more. Yes the Champions League is played at a higher level but international football will always mean more to me. Ireland qualifying in November was a great, great moment. Almost all of my top football memories involve the Irish national team.

[ush]

Originally Posted by ArmaniJeanss

Unless you are also qualified via one of the other methods (birth, parents, granny rule, where you were brought up) then you have to wait 5 years.

Fine, but I was already assuming that it takes at least 5 fives to become a naturalised citizen of another country. I was never implying that once you move to a country you should be allowed a passport, simply to represent the country in football. The FIFA rule allows naturalised citizens to represent their adopted countries and avoids nasty arguments about who is what and from where.

[ArmaniJeanss]

Originally Posted by ush

Fine, but I was already assuming that it takes at least 5 years to become a naturalised citizen of another country. I was never implying that once you move to a country you should be allowed a passport, simply to represent the country in football. The FIFA rule allows naturalised citizens to represent their adopted countries and avoids nasty arguments about who is what and from where.

But the key thing is that you can become a naturalised citizen (with a passport) for some countries 'overnight'*, but cannot play for that country.

Whereas when you said "If you've got the passport, then you're part of the tribe and can represent that country" you seemed to think that the passport was the key thing for qualification. Whereas in fact the qualification rules are way beyond 'passport'. You can have a passport but if you don't meet FIFAs qualification rules then tough.

* overnight is obviously an exageration, but it was literally just weeks for Qatar back in 2002.

[ush]

Originally Posted by ArmaniJeanss

You can have a passport but if you don't meet FIFAs qualification rules then tough.

FIFA requires a period of residence in the country for naturalisation. Many countries have 5 years as a requirement before applying for naturalised citizenship. Which is only fair.

But besides that, FIFA qualification rule isn't gonna stop a team of Brazilians lining out for someone other than Brazil. They just have to wait 5 years from the start of their residence.

Not that that would be a positive thing. But the other scenario, where people automatically question naturalised citizen's loyalties, is far uglier and more corrosive.

[Coillte_Bhoy]

Originally Posted by ush

Did Babb and Kilbane support loyally support Ireland as kids? How would anyone know that?

Dont know about Babb but Kilbane certainly did to the extent that he turned up for an England underage trial in Irish gear.