iwasthere2012 wrote:As regarding choosing Rep of Ireland over Northern Ireland, I think you’ve got that one wrong as well Mase. Given his background I think it was always going to be his preferred option.
Another aspect of that is the fact that Northern Ireland's FA still call themselves the 'Irish Football Association', which is a massive imperial hangover. I'm not sure why it's not been changed in the past near-century, but it might have something to do with IFAB statutes, or it might be partisanship.
In athletics and many other sports, people from Northern Ireland have the option of competing for 'Ireland' (i.e. the island) or 'Great Britain'. I wonder which would be the 'correct' choice for him to represent in that case, as he wasn't born in Great Britain...