Players now eligible for Ireland because of FIFA rule change

IRISHSPORTSGUY · 01-12-2009 01:42PM #1

Yes, we'd all much prefer born and bred Irishmen but it's worth keeping our options open.

Players we now have the power to call up:

Gary Cahill (Bolton)
Mark Noble (West Ham)
Kyle Naughton (Tottenham)
Anton Ferdinand (Sunderland)
Kevin Nolan (Newcastle)
Jamie O'Hara (Portsmouth)
Gary McSheffrey (Birmingham)
Matt Kilgallon (Sheff United)
Matt Connolly (QPR)
Hogan Ephraim (QPR)
Adam Hammill (Barnsley)
Andy Lonergan (Preston)
Kevin McCann (Hibernian)
Zander Diamond (Aberdeen)
Darren Ambrose (Crystal Palace)

Thoughts on this subject? How comfortable are you with it etc? Whilst I don't agree with it, now that it's enforced, I'd be surprised if Trap didn't tap into it and try to call up one or two for the Euro 2012 campaign. Decent strength in depth in prospect for a change?

Headshot · 01-12-2009 01:44PM

wasnt Gary Cahill on the bench for england recently ?

SlickRic · 01-12-2009 01:46PM

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

Mark Noble (West Ham)

well he seems to have been kidnapped or something recently, so he's a no-go.

DSB · 01-12-2009 01:47PM

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

Yes, we'd all much prefer born and bred Irishmen but it's worth keeping our options open.

Players we now have the power to call up:

Gary Cahill (Bolton)
Mark Noble (West Ham)
Kyle Naughton (Tottenham)
Anton Ferdinand (Sunderland)
Kevin Nolan (Newcastle)
Jamie O'Hara (Portsmouth)
Gary McSheffrey (Birmingham)
Matt Kilgallon (Sheff United)
Matt Connolly (QPR)
Hogan Ephraim (QPR)
Adam Hammill (Barnsley)
Andy Lonergan (Preston)
Kevin McCann (Hibernian)
Zander Diamond (Aberdeen)
Darren Ambrose (Crystal Palace)

Thoughts on this subject? How comfortable are you with it etc? Whilst I don't agree with it, now that it's enforced, I'd be surprised if Trap didn't tap into it and try to call up one or two for the Euro 2012 campaign. Decent strength in depth in prospect for a change?

Don't want any of them playing for us. Having said that, Trappatoni won't see it that way, and as a football manager, not a patriot, hes probably right.

Frisbee · 01-12-2009 01:48PM

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

Yes, we'd all much prefer born and bred Irishmen but it's worth keeping our options open.

Players we now have the power to call up:

Gary Cahill (Bolton)
Mark Noble (West Ham)
Kyle Naughton (Tottenham)
Anton Ferdinand (Sunderland)
Kevin Nolan (Newcastle)
Jamie O'Hara (Portsmouth)
Gary McSheffrey (Birmingham)
Matt Kilgallon (Sheff United)
Matt Connolly (QPR)
Hogan Ephraim (QPR)
Adam Hammill (Barnsley)
Andy Lonergan (Preston)
Kevin McCann (Hibernian)
Zander Diamond (Aberdeen)
Darren Ambrose (Crystal Palace)

They'd all be handy to have

Galvasean · 01-12-2009 01:49PM

Jamie O' Hara and Anton Ferdinand would be useful additions to our squad.

BaZmO* · 01-12-2009 01:49PM

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

Kevin Nolan (Newcastle)

How many times has he said he's not interested now?

If a player wants to play for Ireland from the beginning that's fair enough, especially if he has a genuine lineage. But if he has been clear from the beginning that he wants to play for another country, gets rejected and then wants to play for us well then I'm personally not a fan of that.

That_Guy · 01-12-2009 01:50PM

Trap will just say that we're limited and won't even glance at these players.

Come on Trap.. Get them in.

CR 7 · 01-12-2009 01:53PM

We should go all out to sign hogan ephraim. Former west ham youth product as far as i remember, and seems to be a very good player. Very two footed as well, which fits in with trap's reverse winger deployment scheme. I believe he can play any forward role.

IRISHSPORTSGUY · 01-12-2009 01:56PM

Darren Ambrose is an interesting one - released by relegated Charlton in the Championship, Crystal Palace snapped him up and he's setting the Championship alight. His goal tally this season is already in double figures and he's just a midfielder! :eek:

He was a promising youngster once upon a time, I remember Newcastle paid a seven figure sum for him when he was a teen but his career never really took off.

Xavi6 · 01-12-2009 01:59PM

What about that Andy Reid fella? Rumour has it he's eligible......

/leaves thread

premierstone · 01-12-2009 02:03PM

Xavi6 wrote: »

What about that Andy Reid fella? Rumour has it he's eligible......

/leaves thread

Far better Guitar players out there imo

everdead.ie · 01-12-2009 02:06PM

premierstone wrote: »

Far better Guitar players out there imo

Is Brian May now avaliable?

Chardee MacDennis · 01-12-2009 02:10PM

I heard a report Trap has sent scouts out to find all eligible players to improve the squad, so it wouldnt surprise me if we had a new charlton era. also i couldnt give a f*ck if they werent born in Ireland as long as they want to play and are committed.

when did this rule change by the way?

CR 7 · 01-12-2009 02:15PM

I also think it's essential to get Zander Diamond. The allure of his name alone, will earn us some credibility.

Glico Man · 01-12-2009 02:16PM

I would like to add Adam Hammill to the list of wants for Ireland. As a pool fan I used to watch the reserves regularly and this lad is brilliant.

He would have been on the verge of first team action until he went on loan in Scotland.

That being said he was very highly thought of by the Liverpool coaching staff and Rafa Benitez was very reluctant to let him move on to Barnsley where he has put in some great performances

Xavi6 · 01-12-2009 02:17PM

the_pm_of_17 wrote: »

I also think it's essential to get Zander Diamond. The allure of his name alone, will earn us some credibility.

Headline writer's dream.

mink_man · 01-12-2009 02:19PM

what happened noble?

IRISHSPORTSGUY · 01-12-2009 02:21PM

Galvasean wrote: »

Jamie O' Hara and Anton Ferdinand would be useful additions to our squad.

As a bloke who follow Sunderland, I can say Anton is an excellent footballing defender (good distribution) but has the concentration of a goldfish. Needs to stock up on fish oil tabs pronto. He has been in and out of the team. Improvement on what we have? Possibly. At the moment I'd say on par with Sledge.

Haven't seen much of Portsmouth this season, but from watching the highlights on RTE, I note O'Hara takes an excellent set piece.

chughes · 01-12-2009 02:22PM

the_pm_of_17 wrote: »

We should go all out to sign hogan ephraim. Former west ham youth product as far as i remember, and seems to be a very good player. Very two footed as well, which fits in with trap's reverse winger deployment scheme. I believe he can play any forward role.

He's just gone on loan to Leeds so he must be good (MOT):D

SlickRic · 01-12-2009 02:23PM

mink_man wrote: »

what happened noble?

well, no word on an injury or anything, he played pretty much every game for West Ham until 3 games ago, and there hasn't been a sniff of him since.

he's club captain/vice-captain too.

just seems odd.

GavRedKing · 01-12-2009 02:24PM

When Noble re-appears sometime in the future we should try pursue him, although Id say he would have England squad ambitions, was brillant at under 21 level.

Mitch Connor · 01-12-2009 02:25PM

Leaving politics aside, these players would certainly improve the squad.

Gary Cahill (Bolton)
Mark Noble (West Ham)
Kyle Naughton (Tottenham)
Anton Ferdinand (Sunderland)
Kevin Nolan (Newcastle)
Jamie O'Hara (Portsmouth)
Gary McSheffrey (Birmingham)
Matt Kilgallon (Sheff United)

The others might well do too - but i don't know them well enough to comment.

CR 7 · 01-12-2009 02:28PM

chughes wrote: »

He's just gone on loan to Leeds so he must be good (MOT):D

West Ham - QPR - Leeds.
The path of champions.

Xavi6 · 01-12-2009 02:29PM

SlickRic wrote: »

well, no word on an injury or anything, he played pretty much every game for West Ham until 3 games ago, and there hasn't been a sniff of him since.

he's club captain/vice-captain too.

just seems odd.

He was back on the bench at the weekend

everdead.ie · 01-12-2009 02:29PM

You know there's actually a huge Irish ex-pat community in Argentina anyone know messi's lineage and if he has brothers? For example just to prove I'm not nuts;) Che guevara's Grandmother was from Galway and he actually was a very good footballer to ya know before the revolutionary idea's took over him

What i'm trying to say is why confine our search to the UK

SlickRic · 01-12-2009 02:31PM

Xavi6 wrote: »

He was back on the bench at the weekend

cool.

yeah i didn't see much football over the weekend, i just knew he, once again, didn't play.

noodler · 01-12-2009 02:31PM

Xavi6 wrote: »

What about that Andy Reid fella? Rumour has it he's eligible......

/leaves thread

It is a fair bleeding point. He is better than every single one of them and actually want sto play for Ireland. Very few of them I really covet tbh.

Would O'Hara play left back in the future?
Ferdinand seems error prone to me.
Nolan playing would be an embarressment after so many rejections.

No, you need something to play for Ireland. I had no problem with Kilbane, Morrison or any of the other lads who gave 100% and consider themselves Irish at least (publicly) but the majority of those lads wouldn't even be looking at us given we didn't qualify to be brutally honest.

Dickerty · 01-12-2009 02:32PM

aaronh007 wrote: »

I would like to add Adam Hammill to the list of wants for Ireland. As a pool fan I used to watch the reserves regularly and this lad is brilliant.

He would have been on the verge of first team action until he went on loan in Scotland.

That being said he was very highly thought of by the Liverpool coaching staff and Rafa Benitez was very reluctant to let him move on to Barnsley where he has put in some great performances

+1, was surprised he was allowed move on, but I would say he forced the issue.

Dickerty · 01-12-2009 02:36PM

noodler wrote: »

the majority of those lads wouldn't even be looking at us given we didn't qualify to be brutally honest.

Not so, most would have little chance of playing International football otherwise. And being mostly with clubs who don't play in Europe, it's the only non-Domestic opportunity they are likely to have. Chance to travel, play against a higher calibre, and under a respected coach...

MementoMori · 01-12-2009 02:42PM

Not 100% sure but I thought Jamie O'Hara had ruled out playing for the republic a while back.

Couldn't find a link anywhere.

Anyone got any confirmation?

Players now eligible for Ireland because of FIFA rule change

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