Republic of Ireland Team Talk/News/Rumours 2017

noodler

Its a guarantee Walters will be up front on his own - other 5 will be interesting.

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Whelan

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Hendrick

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Arter----McCarthy----McClean

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Walters

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I'm just assuming Wes won't start btw.

yabadabado

noodler wrote: »

Its a guarantee Walters will be up front on his own - other 5 will be interesting.

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Whelan

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Hendrick

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Arter----McCarthy----McClean

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Walters

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I'm just assuming Wes won't start btw.

Will McCarthy be fit ?
Walters should start up front and I wouldn't be surprised if McClean is pushing high up as well.

eire4

yabadabado wrote: »

Will McCarthy be fit ?
Walters should start up front and I wouldn't be surprised if McClean is pushing high up as well.

It is not looking goof for McCarthy to be fit in time. But he is not ruled out for sure yet.

The Talking Bread

Says it all...................


http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37853386

tayto lover

noodler wrote: »

Its a guarantee Walters will be up front on his own - other 5 will be interesting.

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Whelan

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Hendrick

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Arter----McCarthy----McClean

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Walters

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I'm just assuming Wes won't start btw.

Will Arter and McCarthy make it?

average_runner

The Talking Bread wrote: »

Says it all...................


http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37853386

It's wasn't a fifa event, it was a uefa tournament

The Talking Bread

average_runner wrote: »

It's wasn't a fifa event, it was a uefa tournament

It was a friendly against Switzerland.

FIFA are over friendlies.



Anyway, I actually agree with The FA here. The double standards thing, not the ban of political emblems. I dont think jerseys should carry them, But as far as I know England haven't worn the poppy before in November internationals? Could be wrong here but they didn't against Spain last year. So why they are requesting it now seems odd?

Perhaps the FAI just went ahead with it and didn't even request it. Seems like something the FAI would do.

pablomakaveli

average_runner wrote: »

It's wasn't a fifa event, it was a uefa tournament

Hopefully the Brits get told to jog on. Though I reckon some of their politicians would be spiteful enough to want to complain to UEFA.

Mr.Nice Guy

This poppy hysteria is becoming tiresome. England played Scotland in November '99 and there was none of this nonsense.

England managed to get through the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s without poppies on their shirts but now it's an 'outrage' that they can't wear them.

weldoninhio

The Talking Bread wrote: »

Says it all...................


http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37853386

Isn't there rules about national parliaments interfering with the national team??

dr.kenneth noisewater

The Talking Bread wrote:

Anyway, I actually agree with The FA here. The double standards thing, not the ban of political emblems. I dont think jerseys should carry them, But as far as I know England haven't worn the poppy before in November internationals? Could be wrong here but they didn't against Spain last year. So why they are requesting it now seems odd?

Its because they're playing on armistice day this year and there playing Scotland

yabadabado

poppy fascism at its best.
A complete load of bollix.

Alfa Quadrifoglio

Delighted to see both Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle of Dundalk make the squad which is due recognition after their outstanding performances in, first, the Champions League and now the Europa League Group stages.
Strong performances against Zenit St Petersburg tomorrow night might ensure a place in the last 23 for one or both of them.

Ferris_Bueller

yabadabado wrote: »

Republic of Ireland Provisional Squad
Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday), Colin Doyle (Bradford City), Ian Lawlor (Manchester City), Danny Rogers (Falkirk*)

Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Cyrus Christie, Richard Keogh, Alex Pearce (Derby County), John O'Shea (Sunderland), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Paul McShane (Reading), Shane Duffy (Brighton & Hove Albion), Andy Boyle (Dundalk), Stephen Ward (Burnley)

Midfielders: Aiden McGeady (Preston North End*), James McClean (West Bromwich Albion), Jeff Hendrick (Burnley), James McCarthy (Everton), Stephen Quinn (Reading), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), Harry Arter (Bournemouth), Eunan O'Kane (Leeds United), David Meyler (Hull City), Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City), Conor Hourihane (Barnsley), Robbie Brady, Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City), Callum O'Dowda (Bristol City), Jonathan Hayes (Aberdeen), Daryl Horgan (Dundalk)

Forwards: Jonathan Walters (Stoke City), Adam Rooney (Aberdeen), Kevin Doyle (Colorado Rapids), David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town)

That would be my final squad assuming everyone is fit. Big question marks over Ward, O'Shea & McCarthy however. If the 3 of them are injured I can see McShane, Pearce & Quinn or O'Kane being the replacements. Must be disappointing for John Egan to miss out on the 35 man squad, he surely can't be too far off a call up. I would definitely have Horgan in my final squad but I don't think he will be picked and MON will probably opt for O'Dowda instead. I am also surprised we haven't named another left back in the squad, if Ward is injured I would guess Brady will start there but I thought someone like Cunningham might be named in an extended squad instead of one of the centre backs.

The Talking Bread

No way Quinn will be ommitted from the squad. He is definitely ahead of Meyler in pecking order. Wouldn't be at all surprised if O'Neill only brings Walters and McGoldrick

Alfa Quadrifoglio

Daryl Horgan does it again, a goal of sublime quality for Dundalk against Zenit, a giant European club, in their own back yard, O'Neill needs him in Vienna. Dundalk still second Group D and can qualify for the knockout stages for sure.

yabadabado

I'd say there is little chance Horgan will get any time in Vienna. MON is a very conservative manager and won't shake things up much.
Probably 5 players ahead of Horgan at the moment ,great thing is Horgan keeps putting in good performances.

Alfa Quadrifoglio

yabadabado wrote: »

I'd say there is little chance Horgan will get any time in Vienna. MON is a very conservative manager and won't shake things up much.
Probably 5 players ahead of Horgan at the moment ,great thing is Horgan keeps putting in good performances.

Horgan would be a great option on the bench if we are chasing the game against Austria

AgileMyth

We're a little short on wingers for this. Walters will play up front and Brady left back.

Would like to see O'Dowda or Horgan start rather than playing Hendrick wide, we'll need him in the middle. Wont happen though. More likely to see Mcgeady.

BullBlackNova

AgileMyth wrote: »

We're a little short on wingers for this. Walters will play up front and Brady left back.

Would like to see O'Dowda or Horgan start rather than playing Hendrick wide, we'll need him in the middle. Wont happen though. More likely to see Mcgeady.

If Ward is fit, he's at left-back. The only change we will see from the previous games (barring any more injuries) is that Walters will be up top and McClean starts out wide instead of coming from the bench I'd say.

Randolph
Coleman - Duffy - Clark - Ward
Whelan - McCarthy
McClean - Hendrick - Brady
Walters

This is gonna be a bit of an eye-bleeder I reckon. Austria will want to get 3 points being at home, whereas a point is a good result for us in the grand scheme of it. I expect 10 men behind the ball with McClean playing off the shoulder attempting to break into space.

That's not the tactic that I'd use, but I expect MON to go for it.

I've said before on here that a 4-3-3 with Arter, Hendrick, McCarthy/Walters, Long, Brady is my preference, but you wouldn't expect it to be tried out for the first time in an important qualifier. If MON did go for it and it didn't work, he'd be hung out to dry.

yabadabado

I would agree with the above selection not the team I'd like to see but it's the most likely.
Arter should be starting he's our most inform player but I doubt MON will give him his first start away to Austria.

SantryRed

At this stage it'll be an absolute disgrace if Horgan doesn't make the final 23 for the Austria game.

We have a player scoring and assisting in one of the Premier European Competitions. What more do you want? Judging by O'Neill's comments, it really does seem like he values a player half playing in the Championship over a player getting experience in Europe against the type of continental players we'll actually be facing next Saturday...

noodler

SantryRed wrote: »

At this stage it'll be an absolute disgrace if Horgan doesn't make the final 23 for the Austria game.

We have a player scoring and assisting in one of the Premier European Competitions. What more do you want? Judging by O'Neill's comments, it really does seem like he values a player half playing in the Championship over a player getting experience in Europe against the type of continental players we'll actually be facing next Saturday...

I guess its the Celtic argument to a degree.

Do you play someone getting European experience a few times in a season but playing at a much lower standard in their league for the most part?

Or someone who plays championship all year round?

All that being said, I'd absolutely find a place for Horgan. I'm seriously curious to see.how.far he could go.

Pighead

AgileMyth wrote: »

We're a little short on wingers for this. Walters will play up front and Brady left back.

Would like to see O'Dowda or Horgan start rather than playing Hendrick wide, we'll need him in the middle. Wont happen though. More likely to see Mcgeady.

That's some turnaround! A month ago you said Horgan shouldn't be anywhere near near the Ireland squad!

SantryRed

noodler wrote: »

I guess its the Celtic argument to a degree.

Do you play someone getting European experience a few times in a season but playing at a much lower standard in their league for the most part?

Or someone who plays championship all year round?

All that being said, I'd absolutely find a place for Horgan. I'm seriously curious to see.how.far he could go.

But I'd say any Celtic player performing like he is would be straight in the squad at this stage. I just don't know how one can value Championship experience over EL group stage experience, and then when you also look at his actual performances in these games too.

Regardless, O'Neill won't be giving him a run out until the Iceland game but he deserves his squad place. He's done much more than McGeady this year.

wardides

SantryRed wrote: »

But I'd say any Celtic player performing like he is would be straight in the squad at this stage. I just don't know how one can value Championship experience over EL group stage experience, and then when you also look at his actual performances in these games too.

Regardless, O'Neill won't be giving him a run out until the Iceland game but he deserves his squad place. He's done much more than McGeady this year.

I do. Based off two reasons;

A) Daryl Horgan has played 8 (excluding the early rounds of europa qualifying as it's awful) games of european football. 4 in the Europa League. Compared this with players playing every week at Championship level. They've built fitness, they have developed a need to be consistently performing at this level. LOI form isn't worth a dime in comparison to Championship football (Richie Towell would probably be an example). So for 80% of the season Darly Horgan is playing in a standard of football well below Championship (not just football, but how to deal with facilities, training schedules etc). What's to say when he arrives for Ireland, training at international level of football won't be that little bit tougher and (as he hasn't built that consistency tolerance) he might underperform? That's the big risk.

Even when we look at the games they have played in Europe. Bate, Legia, Zenit, Az Alkmar & Tel Aviv. All, apart from Zenit, would be (in my eyes) championship level standard. And you can say Legia drew with Real Madrid & what not, but again I'm talking consistency. If you were to place Legia Warsaw in a league in england they would be Championship level. So when people say Dundalk are playing European level of football - they're not really. They are playing Championship level of football in a European competition.

Cantona's Collars

FIFA charging us over the 1916 commemoration symbol we had on the shirts.

Captain Havoc

wardides wrote: »

I do. Based off two reasons;

A) Daryl Horgan has played 8 (excluding the early rounds of europa qualifying as it's awful) games of european football. 4 in the Europa League. Compared this with players playing every week at Championship level. They've built fitness, they have developed a need to be consistently performing at this level. LOI form isn't worth a dime in comparison to Championship football (Richie Towell would probably be an example). So for 80% of the season Darly Horgan is playing in a standard of football well below Championship (not just football, but how to deal with facilities, training schedules etc). What's to say when he arrives for Ireland, training at international level of football won't be that little bit tougher and (as he hasn't built that consistency tolerance) he might underperform? That's the big risk.

Even when we look at the games they have played in Europe. Bate, Legia, Zenit, Az Alkmar & Tel Aviv. All, apart from Zenit, would be (in my eyes) championship level standard. And you can say Legia drew with Real Madrid & what not, but again I'm talking consistency. If you were to place Legia Warsaw in a league in england they would be Championship level. So when people say Dundalk are playing European level of football - they're not really. They are playing Championship level of football in a European competition.

How can you say a European competition is not at a European level?

wardides

Captain Havoc wrote: »

How can you say a European competition is not at a European level?

Because playing "european football" is, in my head, reserved for getting the chance to pit yourself against some of the better teams in Europe. And people are using this phrase to argue that this "level" is better then what players are facing whilst playing in the Championship. My point is, I don't think anyone out of the teams Dundalk have played have been anywhere close to being above a Championship standard making the comparison of European vs Championship level redundant.

Dirty Dingus McGee

zerks wrote: »

FIFA charging us over the 1916 commemoration symbol we had on the shirts.

Fully deserved in fairness.

Rules are rules.

bmcc10

wardides wrote: »

Because playing "european football" is, in my head, reserved for getting the chance to pit yourself against some of the better teams in Europe. And people are using this phrase to argue that this "level" is better then what players are facing whilst playing in the Championship. My point is, I don't think anyone out of the teams Dundalk have played have been anywhere close to being above a Championship standard making the comparison of European vs Championship level redundant.

So if they had of drawn United would your opinion differ? Not much difference in the AZ team and the Feynoord team that beat United, He's doing it on the big stage whatever the standard he's up against more that a lot of our current squad have even gotten the chance to do

TheCitizen

wardides wrote: »

Because playing "european football" is, in my head, reserved for getting the chance to pit yourself against some of the better teams in Europe. And people are using this phrase to argue that this "level" is better then what players are facing whilst playing in the Championship. My point is, I don't think anyone out of the teams Dundalk have played have been anywhere close to being above a Championship standard making the comparison of European vs Championship level redundant.

You don't think Zenit are above English Championship standard?

SantryRed

wardides wrote: »

I do. Based off two reasons;

A) Daryl Horgan has played 8 (excluding the early rounds of europa qualifying as it's awful) games of european football. 4 in the Europa League. Compared this with players playing every week at Championship level. They've built fitness, they have developed a need to be consistently performing at this level. LOI form isn't worth a dime in comparison to Championship football (Richie Towell would probably be an example). So for 80% of the season Darly Horgan is playing in a standard of football well below Championship (not just football, but how to deal with facilities, training schedules etc). What's to say when he arrives for Ireland, training at international level of football won't be that little bit tougher and (as he hasn't built that consistency tolerance) he might underperform? That's the big risk.

Have you seen this Dundalk team? They are by far and away the fittest team this league has ever seen. The work they do on their fitness is second to none. Richie Towell hasn't played this year because he's basically been injured for the majority of it. So what if 80% of the season isn't against the same level of opposition? If he has now proved it 10 times in Europe that he can match it at that level, how can that be an issue? He's shown he can play at a higher level. Also, there's a chance he might underperform?! Have you seen Aiden McGeady's recent Irish performances? The bar isn't very high for the right wing position.

Even when we look at the games they have played in Europe. Bate, Legia, Zenit, Az Alkmar & Tel Aviv. All, apart from Zenit, would be (in my eyes) championship level standard. And you can say Legia drew with Real Madrid & what not, but again I'm talking consistency. If you were to place Legia Warsaw in a league in england they would be Championship level. So when people say Dundalk are playing European level of football - they're not really. They are playing Championship level of football in a European competition.

BATE Borisov = a team who are made up of Belarus players who beat a second string Ireland side in a friendly before the Euros. The same BATE players who Horgan looked brilliant against.

Dundalk are not only playing at a European level, they are PLAYING CONTINENTAL FOOTBALL. The style of football here is key. He's used to playing against this too more than anyone else on the whole Ireland squad would be.

There literally isn't a reason for him not to be called up any more other than O'Neill's bias to players in England. Of the strikers and wingers in that squad, I don't think any of them would have taken the goal against Zenit much better. We have a player here, who can run at defences and cause panic, why that wouldn't be wanted in our set up I don't know, even for a late cameo.

Captain Havoc

Who was the last LoI player to win a competitive cap, Pat Byrne?

howiya

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

Fully deserved in fairness.

Rules are rules.

Why not charge us at the time then? I don't disagree with the rule but it's pathetic by FIFA to charge us now

Dirty Dingus McGee

howiya wrote: »

Why not charge us at the time then? I don't disagree with the rule but it's pathetic by FIFA to charge us now

They probably didn't even know about it until it was raised as part of the poppy issue.

The Talking Bread

howiya wrote: »

Why not charge us at the time then? I don't disagree with the rule but it's pathetic by FIFA to charge us now

Clearly they threw a blind eye to it after the friendly (possibly didn't even enter their administrative radar at the time, maybe not even until now!!) as I would imagine FAI were incompetent enough not to even apply for permission. They had enough bad publicity at the time so they probably, in their own way of thinking said "fk it, no point doing anything now, especially to little old loveable Ireland"

But England game, being a "tournament qualifying" game involving a much more high profile team in a huge local derby, the attention would be far higher and, remember, they actually applied to wear the poppies so FIFA had time to make a decision.

The only reason they are punishing Ireland now is to ensure this "double standards" aspect doesn't come into play.

Seems like the only way to solve it all at this stage.

Stupid by The FAI also, you have to remember. They are well aware of the rules about political embelms and I envisage the only reason The FA decided to chance their luck was after seeing Irish "getting away with breaking the rule"

ShooterSF

Did I not read that FIFA require someone to actually register a complaint so it only became an issue when the English FA brought it up? So that's why the charge happens now.

The Talking Bread

ShooterSF wrote: »

Did I not read that FIFA require someone to actually register a complaint so it only became an issue when the English FA brought it up? So that's why the charge happens now.

I couldn't imagine that's how it works. I imagine it is FIFA, themselves, who have responsibility of administering the penalties and that therefore they don't have to rely on waiting for some other Association to complain about another Association's regulation breaking.
Or, perhaps, you are speaking about the match officials? They would possibly be responsible for registering the complaint?
I imagine, as I said before, FIFA just threw a blind eye to Ireland's jersey as they may not have found out what Ireland's decision was after the event (owing to FAI's incompetence in the whole situation, ie not even applying for (what would have been an ultimately rejected) permission to have the embelm.

As has also been touted, they may not have even found out about Ireland's jerseys until this week when England brought them up (bloody snitches!!!)

Fk it let FIFA have their greasy fine. Another example of both FAI and FIFA's incompetence.

wardides

TheCitizen wrote: »

You don't think Zenit are above English Championship standard?

In my original post I did call out Zenit as being the one exempt from that statement, I just forgot to put it in there.

For what it's worth I'd have him in the squad. My point was specifically focusing on the original statement that someone was saying how can you put championship football over EL group stage. And my thoughts on that are, Zenit aside, the standard of teams they have come against is no better then Championship football.

For me, I'd have him in the squad ahead of McGeady. But that is because McGeady is absolute rubbish. But it is what it is. I think just as big a travesty is Paddy Madden not getting in the squad, with the current state of our strikeforce.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Corholio

wardides wrote: »

In my original post I did call out Zenit as being the one exempt from that statement, I just forgot to put it in there.

For what it's worth I'd have him in the squad. My point was specifically focusing on the original statement that someone was saying how can you put championship football over EL group stage. And my thoughts on that are, Zenit aside, the standard of teams they have come against is no better then Championship football.

For me, I'd have him in the squad ahead of McGeady. But that is because McGeady is absolute rubbish. But it is what it is. I think just as big a travesty is Paddy Madden not getting in the squad, with the current state of our strikeforce.

When you say Championship level standard are you just making out higher than that to be the really top teams like Man City, Chelsea etc? Because teams like AZ and Bate would certainly hold their own in the Premier League, not saying they'd be near the top but stating they are only Championship is really falsely trumpeting the standard of mid-lower level Premier League teams.

A_Sober_Paddy

Corholio wrote: »

When you say Championship level standard are you just making out higher than that to be the really top teams like Man City, Chelsea etc? Because teams like AZ and Bate would certainly hold their own in the Premier League, not saying they'd be near the top but stating they are only Championship is really falsely trumpeting the standard of mid-lower level Premier League teams.

I think the adjustment from LOI to full timer footballer in England is a big change in itself. I do think a lot of the players who go over and don't make it, is because their is a massive adjustement and generally if you don't adjust fast enough your released.

On the field Horgan is defo a championship player, maybe a premiership player, but think for his developemnt a move to championship would be better. Get 6 months with Leeds, Fulham or Brentford. Pushing for playoffs but still with changes for himself to get game time, 2 of those clubs are pretty big clubs and brentford seem like a well oil'd club who are really on an upwards curve

Corholio

A_Sober_Paddy wrote: »

I think the adjustment from LOI to full timer footballer in England is a big change in itself. I do think a lot of the players who go over and don't make it, is because their is a massive adjustement and generally if you don't adjust fast enough your released.

On the field Horgan is defo a championship player, maybe a premiership player, but think for his developemnt a move to championship would be better. Get 6 months with Leeds, Fulham or Brentford. Pushing for playoffs but still with changes for himself to get game time, 2 of those clubs are pretty big clubs and brentford seem like a well oil'd club who are really on an upwards curve

It wasn't really about where Horgan will go. It was about the teams that Dundalk played against in Europe, and their standard.

wardides

Corholio wrote: »

When you say Championship level standard are you just making out higher than that to be the really top teams like Man City, Chelsea etc? Because teams like AZ and Bate would certainly hold their own in the Premier League, not saying they'd be near the top but stating they are only Championship is really falsely trumpeting the standard of mid-lower level Premier League teams.

Honestly, from what I've seen (and with Bate that is fairly limited) I don't think so. There's a massive difference to holding your own in a one/two off game in Europe, to doing it on a consistent basis every 5 days over 38 games. Ron Vlaar might be able to come to the front against Zenit in the Europa League, but if we put him into the premier league again over 38 games I think his age and injuries may find him out. Isn't he captaining that side?

It goes back to consistency for me. This is a massive game next week. Huge. There's got to be some basis to the thought process that Horgan could be some what overcome with the weight of expectation, the intensity of training, media scrutiny etc which McGeady and the likes could be used to. As I said, I would have him in the squad, but I'm sure O'Neill has his reasons. To see some just say it is pure bias towards players who play in England - it's not bias, it may just be his opinion that someone playing professional football is more equipped to deal with the pressures of International football.

MD1990

The championship apart from Newcastle is not that high of a standard Sky would want you to believe.
AZ & Maccabi would beat most Champioship clubs.
It is tough league because of the schedule not because of its quality.

wardides

MD1990 wrote: »

The championship apart from Newcastle is not that high of a standard Sky would want you to believe.
AZ & Maccabi would beat most Champioship clubs.
It is tough league because of the schedule not because of its quality.

I'd watch a fair amount of dutch football, and they really would not. Last year Jack Byrne was one of the shining young talents in the league, albeit with a very poor side. He can't even get into a Blackburn side who are looking like they will go down to league 1 this year. This year feyenoord looking in good shape - led by Brad Jones who couldn't get into Bradford squad, a 36 year old Dirk Kuyt & a Danish Striker who's never played anything higher than Danish Superliga football. Last year PSV scraped the title thanks to Luuk De Jong (And Ajax bottling it) - Couldn't get into a poor Newcastle side.

Dutch football is nowhere near what it used to be. I love it because of it's open ended football, but the standard is awful.

AgileMyth

Pighead wrote: »

That's some turnaround! A month ago you said Horgan shouldn't be anywhere near near the Ireland squad!

Ideally he wouldn't be but we are stuck right now and he's in form. There are none better than him in this provisional squad. That doesn't mean there are none better than him.

I'd rather a left back was called up and our best player (Brady) played in his best position. But since that won't happen we need a winger.

ShooterSF

The Talking Bread wrote: »

I couldn't imagine that's how it works. I imagine it is FIFA, themselves, who have responsibility of administering the penalties and that therefore they don't have to rely on waiting for some other Association to complain about another Association's regulation breaking.
Or, perhaps, you are speaking about the match officials? They would possibly be responsible for registering the complaint?
I imagine, as I said before, FIFA just threw a blind eye to Ireland's jersey as they may not have found out what Ireland's decision was after the event (owing to FAI's incompetence in the whole situation, ie not even applying for (what would have been an ultimately rejected) permission to have the embelm.

As has also been touted, they may not have even found out about Ireland's jerseys until this week when England brought them up (bloody snitches!!!)

Fk it let FIFA have their greasy fine. Another example of both FAI and FIFA's incompetence.

Sorry this is where I got the idea. From Secretary General of FIFA

Asked if the teams could be punished for defying the ban, she said: "It is not really my ambition to punish anybody.

"They just have to recognise themselves that they are part of the rules of the game and they should be ready to face any kind of sanctions or measures."

She added any potential punishment could depend on whether a complaint is made.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37853386

So yeah no so much that they have to wait for a complaint but perhaps that one could affect it. And maybe the British MP that complained is the reason now. As silly as that seems.

Dempsey

Very petty stuff by the British if they decided now to complain about Ireland's jersey now. Surely FIFA should throw out the case because of the motivation for the complaint.

The inability of the British to even consider that countries where the British Forces occupied and/or committed atrocities would see it as a political gesture is quite staggering tbh. Then the media circus shifts the headlines to the FA versus the corrupt FIFA debate is laughable tbh. Its not like the FA or British Governments have ever applied their own laws consistently to be even attempt a angle like that. The desire to put the poppy on football jerseys even if punished show how problematic the poppy fascism has become in Britain.