Just wondering when the english soccer team play in the north, do they play god save the queen twice? Do they sing the first one and boo the second rendition???

The Scots and Welsh are both British, yet they play their own anthems and it’s rear to see a Union flag at their internationals. The tribalism of the Northern Ireland set-up it bound to intimidate even the most luke warm of catholic players & potential supporters. Just look at what they did to Neil Lennon.. just because he played for Celtic. A disgrace. These suggestions would make sense to most moderate people but I fear the IFA & its supporters harbour a hardcore Loyalist “No surrender” mindset which is not for turning. Their narrow-mindness is The Republics gain. Enjoy next summer in Belfast lads.

They should continue playing it in my opinion, to ensure that all the best Irish Players continue to declare for Trappatoni and The Ireland Soccer Team.

I remember in the 1060’s in Belfast , when one visited a cinema, that a lady with a flashlight came around all those seated in the theatre, to ensure that we would stand up for ‘God Save The Queen’.
They would threaten to throw us out, or bar us, if we didn’t cooperate with their bigoted hypocrisy.
Of course we sat and ignored them.
Incidentally , to get up our noses , it was played before and after each movie , when there was a double Bill.

No doubt that there will , in any case , be only one Team on the Island of Ireland in a few years time , as those type of bigots will never learn.

Fair dues to the all of the other All Ireland sporting Organisations , who have used common sense to ensure that we put out the best United Teams in this Country.

It is indeed odd the the IFA should want to play Englands Anthem at it’s home games. ther is a misconception in the North that “God Save the Queen” is Northern Ireland’s national anthem. It is not. It is the national anthem of England and also the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northen Ireland. Northern Ireland is not England nor is it the United Kingdom. It is a semi automonus province of the UK.

It is time the grew up and, like Wales and Scotland, came with an anthem that reflects their separate identity.

If they want to be inclusive and have catholics play for them, then the suggestion to drop GSTQ is a good idea. It just gets people’s backs up and they choose to play for the Republic of Ireland.

could we not send ireland’s call further afield.

Northern Ireland already has its own national anthem, its called Alternative Ulster

God hasn’t saved any of their Kings or Queens yet. ! He won’t save Betty either. Let the English sing it, it is their anthem, you can say it is the British anthem etc etc but it’s the English anthem, why would anyone else want to sing it.?

I think Northern Ireland used to play “Danny Boy” as their anthem during 1982 & 1986 World Cups.

Funny thing sport and politics. Brings out the a**hole is so many people. Let the provence sing whatever they want. It’s the results in the pitch that matter.

As for players born in the north if they have an Irish passport and choose to play for the republic, their choice, the argument that they player for the provence at underage is rubbish. Of course they did! They had to get a lift from the folks!!!! They were kids.

I remember something in the paper about Maik Taylor giving out about this? Is he not German and hadn’t even set foot on Ireland until he declared for the provence! Pot Kettle BLACK.

Their decision! Even better if they are a good footballer ;-)

@Martin McCormack I would have to say the same does not apply to Scotland or Wales on the basis that they wave their own national flags and sing their own anthem whereas NI sing the English anthem and wave the Union Jack/Ulster flag, which is almost a replica of the English flag of St George. To an outsider it wound be difficult to distinguish between both sets of supporters. That’s why Catholics feel the NI national team is a Protestant/Loyalist institution which is alien to their identity. Imagine a Rangers or Hearts player with Irish roots declaring for the Republic and being issued death threats by ROI supporters. That’s fascist stuff.

heard they’re changing it next year to God save the King

Could we perhaps stop having a go at the folks up north and be generous by giving them Ireland’s Call ! It could become Northern Ireland’s Call & we’ll use our National Anthem for all sport down south! It’s almost the season for giving !!

Yes Graham. As an Antrim man I can take full responsibility for that !

This doesn’t exercise me at all. The six counties are not a ‘country’ and it’s a case of let’s pretend pending reunification of the country. I couldn’t care less what they sing as I look at them with a mixture of bewilderment and pity.

When you think about it it’s two-sided in a way. We are complaining about the bigotry in the North about them singing God Save the Queen and not encouraging Catholics to join yet in all GAA games there we only sing Amhran na bhFiann and do the same to Protestants

@Steve Herron. I would welcome any improvement which allows the likes of McGinn to represent his country of birth free from fear of bigotry. Calling my rants sectarian is crazy. If you read what I’ve been saying I fully support the idea of a NI team which represents both communities. How on earth is that sectarian my friend. Maybe you believe in the keep them out policy?

It would make sense for Northern Ireland and ROI to join and have a unified team, just like in rugby. When was the last time Northern Ireland or ROI have achieved anything of note in football?

It should be like the rugby.look at the success they had. Although Chris brunt is the only player that would make the ROI team

@ Peter Carroll: you’re wrong when you say that NI isn’t part of the United Kingdom. Officially it’s United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Dave Reilly…one of the most sensible posts in this topic thread…lots of pontificating on here.
The North has done a lot of work to be more inclusive, a fact not missed by FIFA.
Being Devil’s advocate, would anyone be happy to drop the Irish national anthem to include Protestants?

Good team Northern Ireland !!!!!!

No I don’t get it cos ur talking rubbish.

Meh

MEH!!