O’Neill accuses FAI of targeting Catholic players

MICHAEL O’NEILL is irritated with the FAI for targeting Northern Ireland players from a nationalist background to switch allegiances to the Republic of Ireland. ‘The FAI ever only approach one type of player: Catholic,’ observed O’Neill, who believes Sunderland defender Paddy McNair, a Protestant, was considered by the FAI chiefly because of his name. The five players born in the North currently in the Republic ranks are Catholic: James McClean, Shane Duffy, Darron Gibson, Marc Wilson and Eunan O’Kane. On becoming manager of the North in early 2012, O’Neill spoke to Derry-born McClean about switching back, as he still eligible do so, as was Wilson, who declined to meet him. ‘I don’t have a problem with James McClean. He was 22 years of age, he knew what he wanted. I have a problem when it’s a 16, 17 or 18-yearold having to make a decision on his international future,’ he said. ‘What is the point of asking a player to change his allegiance, to make a decision about his whole international future, and then not pick him?’ ‘Daniel Devine of Partick Thistle is a West Belfast boy

and would have gone to the Euros (2016) with us. Only he can’t play for Northern Ireland as he’s signed an international transfer.’ ‘I can list you 10 players who’ve made that decision and have never represented the Republic.’ QPR striker Paul Smyth, a Belfast GAA fan, could switch ranks under the contentious FIFA rule which allows players born on the island declare for either the North or Republic. ‘You can’t assume because a player from the North watches GAA that he wants to play for the Republic of Ireland. ‘I liked the GAA, so did Jim Magilton, and Martin O’Neill,’ said O’Neill. ‘I don’t have a huge fear of Paul going anywhere,’ added O’Neill who intends to elevate the Under-21 international for the end of season tour to Panama and Costa Rica. To help prevent further Northern exposure, O’Neill intends to speak to Irish manager Martin O’Neill, a former captain of the North. ‘I hope that Martin and I can get some sort of gentleman’s agreement whereby if a young boy has represented Northern Ireland at aged 17 to 21, the FAI don’t ask him to change,’ said O’Neill. If a young player from Northern Ireland explodes on the scene and ‘turns out to be a superstar’, O’Neill points out that ‘the FAI can get him before I cap him, they just have to stay on top of it.’ The FAI were contacted for comment yesterday.