IntenseDebate - Kevin8890

10 years ago @ http://www.belfasttele... - Churches urging politi... · 0 replies · +3 points

It would seem that the unionist parties are unhappy about a code of conduct for parades. How could any normal person object to a rule that stops bands playing sectarian tunes outside a place of worship?

10 years ago @ http://www.belfasttele... - Minister gives green l... · 3 replies · +2 points

Like the gasification plant in Scotland that admitted releasing cancer-causing dioxins up to two-and-a-half times permitted levels into the air?
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/environment/ca...

10 years ago @ http://www.belfasttele... - Minister gives green l... · 9 replies · +1 points

It's actually been shown that it can be better in climate terms to landfill stabilised waste than to burn it via a gasification plant.

Gasification is incineration by another name, and with it will come the children cancer causing dioxins & particulates.

Has the Minister given the go-ahead for a similar plant in his own constituency yet?

11 years ago @ http://www.belfasttele... - James McClean right to... · 1 reply · +4 points

Obviously prior to the June 2009 rule change Lee Camp would not have been eligible for NI, as he had represented England at every level, up to U21 level, ironically replacing Maik Taylor, who only qualified for NI due to a loophole that only the british teams could avail of at the time. FIFA never described anything as “unfair, that was an interpretation from CAS. FIFA came to the conclusion that their existing statutes were in fact sufficient to deal with the matter of Irish player eligibility. Lastly, the Gentleman's agreement existed only in the minds of the IFA, and both CAS & FIFA said as much.

11 years ago @ http://www.belfasttele... - James McClean right to... · 0 replies · +11 points

Another lame excuse trotted out by NI fans & NI supporting journalists. "Probably wouldn't have been selected by their own countries...blah!..blah!..." For your information, just a few weeks before McPake was selected to play for NI he was still giving interviews about his hope of getting a Scottish call-up & the feeling among Scottish writers was that the call-up would come. However he was approached by the NI assistant manager at the time and poached from Scotland to replace the ageing, German born NI Goalkeeper (who does not even have a grandparent link to Ni) Maik Taylor.

11 years ago @ http://www.belfasttele... - James McClean right to... · 17 replies · +41 points

I find it very strange that Mr Beacom and other pro-ni sports journalists continually complain about players coached in Northern Ireland deciding to play for the Ireland team. The same people make no mention of players like current NI goalkeeper Lee Camp who was born, bred and coached by England..or James McPake who was born, bred & coached by Scotland?

I think it's a bit rich for NI supporters to complain about James McClean, when IFA squads are being filled full of players born outside NI.

12 years ago @ http://www.belfasttele... - Sunderland\'s James Mc... · 5 replies · +17 points

Terrific to see three Derry players in the Ireland squad. Hopefully Wilson will feature soon. Great to see an all-inclusive 32 county team heading to Poland for the finals in June.

12 years ago @ http://www.belfasttele... - MP Dodds calls to acti... · 0 replies · 0 points

You are aware that you will never get to see 95% of these players as they will never make it to senior international level?

12 years ago @ http://www.belfasttele... - MP Dodds calls to acti... · 2 replies · +1 points

edmondde

Care to explain why Mr Dodds would have any more of a point?

12 years ago @ http://www.belfasttele... - MP Dodds calls to acti... · 6 replies · +41 points

I think you will find that 90% of development and training comes from club sides not via the IFA. The vast majority of James McClean's development came via Derry City, who play in the League of Ireland.

If the IFA are unhappy about players internationals decisions and are intent on being more 'selective' on who they target their resources at, perhaps they are not the right organisation to be managing football development.

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