Surprising level of interest from both sides for an All-Island team

To misquote dragnet... The soccer Ma'am. Nothing but the soccer.


https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/45-of-ni-people-in-favour-of-all-island-football-team-40379968.html


We could surely do with the greater choice of players.

My opinion. Have the HQ in Belfast (FAI a loss... anyone?) and play most games in Dublin.

LuckyLloyd

I want nothing to do with their fanbase, the ethos of that fanbase and its hatred for us and our existence. I always find people proposing this idea don’t know the first thing about Northern Irish soccer and its fans.

The 21% against it are *really* against it.

population

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I want nothing to do with their fanbase, the ethos of that fanbase and its hatred for us and our existence. I always find people proposing this idea don’t know the first thing about Northern Irish soccer and its fans.

The 21% against it are *really* against it.

Exactly. We should just be really proactive in pursuing all their promising players. You are almost guaranteed to get the Catholic players and could probably persuade some Protestant players too. Stay as Republic of Ireland but a stronger version. Let that 21% you speak of have their team that they identify with.

LuckyLloyd

We should absolutely be aggressively pursuing Catholic players north of the border. We’ve actually been quite lackadaisical about it over the years.

osarusan

I seem to recall reading somewhere that some time ago, the FAI reached a gentleman's agreement with IFA not to make first contact with NI players who might be interested in switching allegiance, and instead wait for the players to contact them.

GarIT

At a minimum we should be using the name of the country as the team name and not the name Britain gave us.

The J Stands for Jay

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I want nothing to do with their fanbase, the ethos of that fanbase and its hatred for us and our existence. I always find people proposing this idea don’t know the first thing about Northern Irish soccer and its fans.

The 21% against it are *really* against it.

I'm guessing that the people from NI in favour of a combined team aren't really welcome in Windsor Park.......

Morzadec

A shared football team that qualified for a world cup...

Could that ease some of the tensions up north? Could the euphoria of football help northern unionists feel an affinity for the whole country, help them feel they belong, help them feel less threatened, less of an identity crisis?

I'm not in favour of a United Ireland at the moment but i think i am in favour of an all island team. We're slowly moving towards a united Ireland, we need to start assimilating this large group and their culture if it's not going to be a total **** show.

That might mean adopting some unpalatable things though... Ireland's call as the national anthem perhaps, or a small union Jack or red hand in the flag...

population

Morzadec wrote: »

A shared football team that qualified for a world cup...

Could that ease some of the tensions up north? Could the euphoria of football help northern unionists feel an affinity for the whole country, help them feel they belong, help them feel less threatened, less of an identity crisis?

I'm not in favour of a United Ireland at the moment but i think i am in favour of an all island team. We're slowly moving towards a united Ireland, we need to start assimilating this large group and their culture if it's not going to be a total **** show.

That might mean adopting some unpalatable things though... Ireland's call as the national anthem perhaps, or a small union Jack or red hand in the flag...

Some good points here. I am not a rugby fan and genuinely have no idea how Northern Unionists feel about the united Rugby team. Are they supportive of it or would they be happier to see a Northern Ireland rugby team?

population

osarusan wrote: »

I seem to recall reading somewhere that some time ago, the FAI reached a gentleman's agreement with IFA not to make first contact with NI players who might be interested in switching allegiance, and instead wait for the players to contact them.

Of all the things the FAI should choose to have morals about.

The_Kew_Tour

We would be the only team to segregate the home fans.

That 1993 game is still raw. Remember the monkey chants Phelan and Mcgrath got. Can easily hear it if watch full game version.

I would love to see it myself, but I know it just a pipe dream and it won't happen in my lifetime anyway.

Peregrine

population wrote: »

Some good points here. I am not a rugby fan and genuinely have no idea how Northern Unionists feel about the united Rugby team. Are they supportive of it or would they be happier to see a Northern Ireland rugby team?

The all-island team is widely supported among unionists. There's virtually no appetite for a Northern Ireland rugby team.

We wouldn't segregate home fans. A lot of NI supporters just wouldn't support a UI team I'd guess.


Also, whenever it happens please don't use that ridiculous Rugby anthem!

doncarlos

population wrote: »

Some good points here. I am not a rugby fan and genuinely have no idea how Northern Unionists feel about the united Rugby team. Are they supportive of it or would they be happier to see a Northern Ireland rugby team?

Rich Protestants don't really care about Unionism as much so I'd imagine most rugby fans are happy to have a winning team

The J Stands for Jay

Morzadec wrote: »

That might mean adopting some unpalatable things though... Ireland's call as the national anthem perhaps, or a small union Jack or red hand in the flag...

Does anyone actually like Ireland's Call? I'd say NI fans hate it too.

Fr Tod Umptious

doncarlos wrote: »

Rich Protestants don't really care about Unionism as much so I'd imagine most rugby fans are happy to have a winning team

It's not so much that rich Protestants don't really care about Unionism it's more about rich or elite Catholics not really caring bout nationalism.

Rugby has it roots in and is still largely influenced by the boarding schools.
Many of which are run by Catholic religious intuitions.
The Catholic hierarchy were never great fans of nationalism, back in the day they liked the status quo where the British could be the civil authority and they could be the spiritual authority.

Thus there was never much of a difference between the elites that came out of the Catholic boarding schools or the Protestant ones, and thus there was never much of a difference between the rugby supporter from either side of that religious divide.

Soccer is completely different where they grassroots was primarily industrial, urban working class where the divide was greater.

The Golden Miller

A united Ireland team won't happen unless theirs unification.

What should happen though, due to the special circumstances of the statelet, is the FAI pushing for representation of the 6 counties in an official capacity.

Both organisations working in the north, regardless of what the IFA want. Easier access for nationalists to the Ireland set up from a younger age. Can be hard for Belfast kids to get involved as more cut off from the set up logistically than Derry. Teams from a more nationalist persuasion could also join League of Ireland. If players can choose, why can't clubs? I'd wager Cliftonville would like to grow in a bigger league. Belfast Celtic would still exist today.

Our team already represent the 6 counties as much as the IFAs team does, about time it's made official. Southern media outlets should also stop referring to the team as "Republic of". We represent all the counties of Ireland

population

McGaggs wrote: »

Does anyone actually like Ireland's Call? I'd say NI fans hate it too.

Ireland's Call is a load of boll**s, but it's a necessity right now. I think in 50 years it'll be seen as some arcane silliness.

The Golden Miller

population wrote: »

Ireland's Call is a load of boll**s, but it's a necessity right now. I think in 50 years it'll be seen as some arcane silliness.

How many unionists actually support the Irish rugby team? Not many from any I spoke to. They have Ulster, so see that as their team from any I spoke to

Fr Tod Umptious

The Golden Miller wrote: »

How many unionists actually support the Irish rugby team? Not many from any I spoke to. They have Ulster, so see that as their team from any I spoke to

I'd say the likes of the Davey Tweed or Edwin Poots hardcore unionist would not support them but I'd say they get plenty of support from the more moderate Protestants who would not be to hung up about politics and the teams they like but at the same time would vote for unionist parties over nationalist ones in NI.

Peregrine

The Golden Miller wrote: »

How many unionists actually support the Irish rugby team? Not many from any I spoke to. They have Ulster, so see that as their team from any I spoke to

While I'm sure there are some Ulster fans who don't support Ireland, I've never come across any.

Historically, most of the Ulster players who play or aspire to play for Ireland are from unionist backgrounds.

Pauliedragon

Surely the leagues would have to be amalgamated first? Can't see FIFA/UEFA tolerating 1 national team with 2 leagues.