Northern Ireland 2125?

blanch152 · 09-09-2025 06:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800239#Comment_123800239

You wouldn't, because you don't amalgamate teams.

You don't amalgamate Leitrim and Sligo to make them more competitive in the All-Ireland.

You don't amalgamate Cliftonville and Linfield so that they can be better in Europe.

You don't amalagamate Celtic and Ranger so that they can compete in the Champions League.

Why? Because football supporters matter. The Northern Ireland soccer team has a support base, a large support base, and you would be taking something away from them if you amalgamated the two teams.

michael-henry-mcivor · 09-09-2025 07:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123799536#Comment_123799536

Sounds like U had a great time-

I seen the away ( Northern ) Ireland fans on a video the other day- they were outside a Irish bar and giving hassle to a Palestinian parade that was passing- Youse were all wearing green shirts- most foreigners would think U lot were Irish and wondering why the Irish were giving abuse to a Palestinian parade-

FrancieBrady · 09-09-2025 07:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800273#Comment_123800273

So if there is a UI, spell out what the future is going to be like and ask the supporters.

Why you are talking about amalgamating club teams ( happens all the tome in the GAA btw) lord knows.

Ardillaun · 09-09-2025 07:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123799878#Comment_123799878

OK let’s have separate Protestant and Catholic teams from Northern Ireland then just to accentuate the absurdity. And this is why I generally avoid these threads. I can feel the tribal whirlpool pulling me in…

Ardillaun · 09-09-2025 07:37PM

In rugby we always made a big effort to overcome sectarian tensions and I think we largely succeeded. Few players for the team have been more celebrated and loved than Willie John McBride and Mike Gibson. On that front, the biggest problem of late has been a lack of stars from Ulster and everyone except Leinster.

FrancieBrady · 09-09-2025 07:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800528#Comment_123800528

Steady stream of talent since Gibson and McBride - Best, Casey, Henderson, Trimble, etc

But the real winners are the supporters, massive numbers willing and happy to get behind an Ireland team.

downcow · 09-09-2025 08:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800340#Comment_123800340

Absolutely Francie, ask the supporters. I’m okay with that and exactly the same principle as the border poll. Ask the two sets of supporters on the same day and if they both vote to unite, then absolutely, unite. Would you agree with that? – because I think we all know exactly how that vote would go?

downcow · 09-09-2025 08:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800318#Comment_123800318

Wonderful time.
It might surprise you, but we almost always set up base in an Irish bar. Would that not be logical to you as we are northern Irish? The local Irish bar had to close on Sunday as it had run out of beer, and that was after a pre-visit by supporters telling them to get plenty of beer in. So it was popular.

There were two rallies in Cologne that day one for Palestine and a counter Israeli one. Northern Ireland supporters stayed away from both.

Then the Palestinian Rally thought it would be a good idea to form up as a March on March through a sea of Northern Ireland supporters. Thankfully, 99% of them ignored it and just enjoyed our drinks, and yes, a small fringe number did react to the anti-semetic chants with some anti-Palestine chants.

The German police seemed very happy with the situation ie hundreds of drunk supporters, allowing an offensive parade through their area and not a single beer glass or bottle of thrown.

And you’re right, clearly they thought we were Irish and therefore assumed that antisemantic chants would be greeted with cheers. I do think they left very confused. I was speaking to a small group of German newcomers a few minutes later and they were being very complimentary towards our fan base. They didn’t mention the incident specifically, but it was minutes afterwards.

downcow · 09-09-2025 08:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800528#Comment_123800528

That is such a naive post. Do a little research on why and when there was an agreement to never play again in Belfast and to never use God save the Queen again.

I think it would help you to do the research.

And also maybe research what the original deal was about where they should play and what anthems they should use.

michael-henry-mcivor · 09-09-2025 08:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800668#Comment_123800668

No problem with ( Northern ) Ireland fans being at a Irish bar and enjoying themselves- i also never heard of any of those fans being arrested so I believe what U said happened that evening-

FrancieBrady · 09-09-2025 08:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800607#Comment_123800607

What will you do if they decide to inify, support the inified team or look for a separatist team?

downcow · 09-09-2025 08:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800749#Comment_123800749

what will you do if you discover the earth is flat.
do you actually believe there is even 1% chance ni fans would vote to unite with ——?

FrancieBrady · 09-09-2025 08:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800762#Comment_123800762

When fans are told funding will have to be split and grassroots will suffer starving the national teams, I think the real football fans will have a mature think about it.
Big happy crowds don’t follow cannon fodder teams it will be an ever downward vicious circle. Sadists do that ****.

downcow · 09-09-2025 09:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800792#Comment_123800792

when we have young lads like Connor Bradley from the nationalist community who love the shirt this much, you’ve got an uphill battle - but you have plenty of those.

Ardillaun · 09-09-2025 09:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800683#Comment_123800683

Northern Irish players have always been welcomed to the Irish team. Thank God there are bigger people than the likes of you up there.

Ardillaun · 09-09-2025 09:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800965#Comment_123800965

I don’t pay much attention to all the squalid details but even I know the history of petty sectarianism NI soccer had. At least be honest about where you have come from.

Ardillaun · 09-09-2025 09:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800579#Comment_123800579

For sure. When I talk to South Africans of a certain age McBride is the Irish player they remember from the Lions tour. Of course it had its own controversies.

FrancieBrady · 09-09-2025 10:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800965#Comment_123800965

Funny he’s a ‘nationalist’ and not someone who identifies as N. Irish when it suits you to hang on to coat tails.

Have never seen a pro footballer showing unhappiness when playing either.

Will his like be so willing when the infrastructure is so depleted the team is starved of resources?
Which is what will happen both organisations.
Real football fans know this.

downcow · 10-09-2025 07:02AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123801087#Comment_123801087

Francie, you live in a fantasy land. Everything for you is always in the future. Why would the resources of the ni football team suddenly be depleted? I just don’t know where your get these ideas.

PS, you forgot to call it ‘soccer’ in that post

downcow · 10-09-2025 07:06AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800986#Comment_123800986

I am very aware of the challenges in football, north and south. I traveled that entire journey with the fans. The transformation carried out by the fans has been simply incredible, not matched anywhere.

I’m not aware of any work going on amongst the Ireland fans to do likewise.

Indeed, from being told that loads of nationalist players from ni would take the opportunity of playing for ROI, we actually now have players switching the other direction, out of the ROI fold to play for NI

FrancieBrady · 10-09-2025 08:42AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123801669#Comment_123801669

Do you think Britain will go on funding the grassroots and infrastructure of the IFA? Have they indicated this?

I doubt they will.

So there will be a pot of money for soccer, GAA, Athletics etc. in a UI

Two sporting associations looking after soccer, with the smaller one naturally getting the smaller share?

Only one thing happening there, decline from the bottom up, strangulation for both the smaller one affected first.

The buzz and euphoria a few fans are getting now from small successes soon dies in that environment, first they stop going abroad in any numbers then the home crowds start to dwindle etc etc

blanch152 · 10-09-2025 09:09AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800340#Comment_123800340

My vision of a united Ireland would allow for a separate Northern Ireland team.

blanch152 · 10-09-2025 09:11AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123800792#Comment_123800792

Oh, so there is a cost to a united Ireland. You have told us for years now that everything would continue on the same. Now you are telling us that one cost would be less funding for soccer.

This is getting laughable now.

FrancieBrady · 10-09-2025 09:23AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123801898#Comment_123801898

There is a cost to running a country - we fund sports infrastructure as does any modern country already so does Britain.
So instead of ONE organisation needing funding you would have two and there would naturally be loss on the double up aspects.
No-one would advocate running two health services as part of one united country, would they?

I suppose anything is possible in a brave new world where Unionists must be appeased.

csirl · 10-09-2025 09:37AM

FIFA will ultimately decide if there are 2 soccer teams. The 4 x UK teams pre-existed current International structures and are an anomoly. The current rules are aligned with olynpic rules. As NI doesnt have an olympic team, I doubt they'll have a soccer team post unification. Look at recent precedents - there's no USSR, East Germany or Yugoslav team.

itsacoolday · 10-09-2025 09:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123801945#Comment_123801945

SF does not seem to be doing much "appeasing the unionists " at the moment when it will not even allow a major state employer have a stand at a jobs fair. It is not appeasing the unionists at the moment when it is pushing Irish language on signs in equal size to letting in English on signs in PUL areas. Here in the Republic the lettering in Irish is usually smaller, to make the signs easier to read at a glance. Up north, it is being done to taunt.

Peregrinus · 10-09-2025 09:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123801945#Comment_123801945

Lots of countries have seprate health services in separate parts of the country — Germany, Italy, for example. Right now, Health and Social Care NI is a separate agency from NHS England, NHS Wales and NHS Scotland. So if we we want to maintain a separate health service in NI after unification, nobody internationally would bat an eyelid, and there is no issue of principle involved. It's just a pragmatic question of utility as to what arrangements will best deliver the outcomes that are wanted.

As for whether there will be one or two bodies to administer soccer — seriously, guys, who gives a stuff? The FAI, the IFA and FIFA can sort this out amongst themselves.

As for sports funding in a united Ireland — there will of course be a larger tax base in a united Ireland than there is at present in the 26 counties, so it's not a question of the same money being spread across a larger population. There'll be a loss of subvention from the UK; the terms on which, and time over which, this will accrue are matters to be agreed in the context of reunification. There'll be a growth in the (combined) tax base as the economically deleterious effects of partition are remediated. All of that means some period of transition which is going to have impacts on public spending that it is hard to model at present — there's a wide range of possiblities. That's likely to have a bigger impact on the public funding of sport than the comparatively trivial question of whether there will be one or two bodies to administer soccer. Note that the total amount of people playing soccer, and therefore the cost of subventions for community soccer and of support for programmes to support and develop elite soccer is not likely to be affected very much by whether there is one administrative body or two.

FrancieBrady · 10-09-2025 10:09AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123802073#Comment_123802073

Probably should have said, countries with similar populations.

Of course you are correct, I really don't care if the IFA stays separate.

I do believe real supporters on both sides, given a chance, will opt for a better and consistent success rate rather than euphoric and temporary buzzes.
That is after all what an Ireland rugby set-up delivered. Consistency and success.

michael-henry-mcivor · 10-09-2025 10:15AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123802053#Comment_123802053

Sinn Féin is in government with the unionists-

We work with them- we don't have to appease them-

U sound like Uncle Tom did-

Peregrinus · 10-09-2025 10:17AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123802101#Comment_123802101

Well, if the supporters want a single administrative body, they can have one. If they prefer two separate bodies, they can have that. I don't think the state needs to get involved, and whatever agreement is made between the UK and Ireland on the question of reunification can be silent on the point.

Northern Ireland 2125?

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