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World Cup 2018 Qualifiers

To not wear a poppy considering his background is perfectly understandable. There are plenty of other abstainers that don't have as valid a reason.
I can't argue with the tackles thing though. He can be brutal.
I've read his reasoning.

They should have stapled one to his fudging forehead.
 
I was a big big Dutch fan!
But loved watching Italy for the sheer passion and fervour! (great national anthem also!) This Italian team are just poorly managed.
Loved watching England last night also bodes well for the future and had the Erik 'Masterclass' on the Ipad! :) not bad for an international night....


The Holland team of the early 70"s was the best i have seen that never won the WC, They do not have a very good side now but over the years they have had great sides, world class players and play the game with style. As for the Italian side they have always been cynical, defensive and play boring football ( imo).

As for England i tend to agree with you, we have several young players who IF allowed to progress look promising for the future.
 
The Holland team of the early 70"s was the best i have seen that never won the WC, They do not have a very good side now but over the years they have had great sides, world class players and play the game with style. As for the Italian side they have always been cynical, defensive and play boring football ( imo).

As for England i tend to agree with you, we have several young players who IF allowed to progress look promising for the future.

If “they” want the fans back behind England they have to get these promising newbies in the squads.
The fans will get right behind the youngsters win loose or draw! IMO
 
To not wear a poppy considering his background is perfectly understandable. There are plenty of other abstainers that don't have as valid a reason.
I can't argue with the tackles thing though. He can be brutal.

Only background I’m aware of is him changing his national allegiance
 
Dirty clam who makes horrendous tackles a lot
Refused to wear a WBA shirt with a Poppy on it to name but 2

To not wear a poppy considering his background is perfectly understandable. There are plenty of other abstainers that don't have as valid a reason.
I can't argue with the tackles thing though. He can be brutal.

I wouldn’t call him an abstainer. Some nice photos around of him smiling happily with ex-IRA warlord Martin McGuiness. Read some of the things he’s said. He’s not a likeable individual in any way. His stance on not wearing a poppy has little to do with principle and everything to do with propagating a militant Irish republicanism that is well past its sell-by date.

In my opinion, of course. :D
 
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Nearly 80,000 turned up to watch the Aussies qualify against Honduras last night. They won 3-1 in an intercontinental play off. Glad they qualified from a personal point of view, it means they WC will have more attention.

Aussies are very average at the moment, not enough talent to get out of the group stage. Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield) is their best players by miles and the Brighton keeper looks to have good distribution.
 
I wouldn’t call him an abstainer. Some nice photos around of him smiling happily with ex-IRA warlord Martin McGuiness. Read some of the things he’s said. He’s not a likeable individual in any way. His stance on not wearing a poppy has little to do with principle and everything to do with propagating a militant Irish republicanism that is well past its sell-by date.

In my opinion, of course. :D
I don't know the guy nor can I comment on any past affiliations but republicanism and all that come with it par for the course as a catholic growing up where and when he did I would imagine. I'm not here to paint the guy in good light but it makes the choice of refusing to wear the poppy even more understandable, and it is to do with principle, in my opinion of course.
 
I don't know the guy nor can I comment on any past affiliations but republicanism and all that come with it par for the course as a catholic growing up where and when he did I would imagine. I'm not here to paint the guy in good light but it makes the choice of refusing to wear the poppy even more understandable, and it is to do with principle, in my opinion of course.
He can choose to live and earn a living in the country he considers an oppressor of his nation or he can have his principles, not both.

If he wants to go and earn the square root of fudge all hurling then fine, or he can wear the poppy like a good little boy.
 
He can choose to live and earn a living in the country he considers an oppressor of his nation or he can have his principles, not both.

If he wants to go and earn the square root of fudge all hurling then fine, or he can wear the poppy like a good little boy.
I doubt he'll see it like that but I'll send him an email.

Im done with this anyway. If you want to continue this in the politics thread then I can ignore it in there much easier.
 
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I doubt he'll see it like that but I'll send him an email.

I done with this anyway. If you want to continue this in the politics thread then I can ignore it in there much easier.

At a point in Irish history at which the Taoiseach (the Irish PM) feels comfortable enough to wear a poppy, and lay a wreath at the Belfast cenotaph these last two years - in order to honour the tens of thousands of Irishmen from BOTH sides of the border who died in the world wars - I do struggle to get McClean’s point. He needs to grow up and realise it’s not 1975 anymore.

Anyhow, done wasting my time discussing him too. He’s definitely not worth it.
 
jLESmq

He can choose to live and earn a living in the country he considers an oppressor of his nation or he can have his principles, not both.

If he wants to go and earn the square root of fudge all hurling then fine, or he can wear the poppy like a good little boy.

Or he can not wear the poppy and earn big bucks like he is doing now.

Is this poppy hysteria comparable to the "snowflake" argument. When they make the Cookie monster wear the Poppy on british TV you know it has gone to far.
 
jLESmq



Or he can not wear the poppy and earn big bucks like he is doing now.

Is this poppy hysteria comparable to the "snowflake" argument. When they make the Cookie monster wear the Poppy on british TV you know it has gone to far.
I actually don't care if someone doesn't want to wear a poppy because they don't want to wear one - I never wear one. I have charities I donate to and that won't be altered by chuggers, no matter how good the cause.

I do object to someone making a political objection to wearing a poppy because it makes them both wrong and a clam. Whelan's a fudging turd for letting him get away with it too.

If it's his belief that the British were wrong in Northern Ireland then what the fudge is he doing living here? If our actions offend his sensibilities so much how could he possibly bear to work and live among us?
 
I actually don't care if someone doesn't want to wear a poppy because they don't want to wear one - I never wear one. I have charities I donate to and that won't be altered by chuggers, no matter how good the cause.

I do object to someone making a political objection to wearing a poppy because it makes them both wrong and a clam. Whelan's a fudging turd for letting him get away with it too.

If it's his belief that the British were wrong in Northern Ireland then what the fudge is he doing living here? If our actions offend his sensibilities so much how could he possibly bear to work and live among us?

1) he didn't raise the political objection - he didn't wear one everyone got their knickers in a twist and he gave reasons - it was not a overt political act.
2) you can be against the historical actions of a country and not want to pay homage to those causing them while not against the current country.
3). If he did hate the country what better way for him to legally "get one over" than take as much money from the country as possible.
4). I am sure he is sorry that his (supposed) political objection upsets you snowflake.
 
He played under 21s for the north
Then went to play for the south
Their facts
That's true but it is also a fact that anyone born in NI has defacto dual citizenship and can play for either country. They are not really changing nationality as you put it. So it is not quite as clear cut as players switching country just because they have a better chance of success or more chance to play. What is more curious is that he played for NI at all considering his background.


Edit: Gah why did I jump back into this discussion
 
That's true but it is also a fact that anyone born in NI has defacto dual citizenship and can play for either country. They are not really changing nationality as you put it. So it is not quite as clear cut as players switching country just because they have a better chance of success or more chance to play. What is more curious is that he played for NI at all considering his background.


Edit: Gah why did I jump back into this discussion

Exactly... he could argue he learned more as he got older

But i found it and stop do find it odd to see players change nationalities
 
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