Read the note at the bottom with regard appearances and bonuses, itâs about 5%.
Iâm sure if they didnât really want to be there then theyâd trade that 5% for an extra 5 weeks holidays. Iâd also imagine there were plenty of players who could have played international football in that era who just didnât have their heart in it and couldnât be bothered with the hassle of going away during their holiday period.
Houghton is on record as saying that Scotland would have been his first choice international team to play for. It was a career decision for him to play for Eire.
From 13:53 here:
Thanks Sidney. Not at all relevant to my point but I hope you enjoyed sitting through some old video nobody else is going to bother watching.
A reply that was as predictable as it was inaccurate.
Of course you donât consider things that you donât agree with to be relevant.
Thatâs the way you âdebateâ. You run away when something doesnât suit you.
Houghtonâs decision to represent Eire was every bit as career-motivated as any rugby player you can name. His own words prove it. His first choice was Scotland.
Seth Johnsonâs wages at Leeds would still be bonkers even by todayâs standards, though.
I think Iâve said it here before and I canât remember the details properly now, but around that time there was a lad who had the fourth fastest 1500m in the World in the year at the time and was only the 3rd fastest in Munster!!!
It was probably early enough in the year or something but it shows the depth of Irish running around then.
Not even you can seriously believe that an average professional footballer would rather mooch round at home than play in a major international tournament. Comparing your job, or almost any other, to playing in a World Cup is laughable.
Ill back up ray bought on (predictive text :-)), if Scotland was his first choice, he should not be playing for Ireland. Grandparent rules are a fucking joke entirely, and far more farcical than residency ones. That kiwi prop being case in point, straight from the airport to the Irish base.
I never said all, pay attention.
I said to some people, playing for your country is a chore - eg. Stephen Ireland and Roy Keane who had little interest in being on international duty. To others it is the greatest honour that can be bestowed on them.
My point was that financial reward is a frivolous factor for most footballers when it comes to playing international football.
So if you never got something that was first choice then you would abandon all pursuit of any alternative. If you didnât get the job you want that youâd never work?
Thatâs nonsense, Houghton has Irish roots in him and if he feels Irish and wants to help the country by all means do so.
âHelping the countryâ, well thatâs a broad church. International competition is , in principle, adversarial is it not? The ramifications are obvious.
He did help the country.
He would prefer to have helped another country, and it would have been his stated preference to play for said country, and give of his best to beat everyone he played against.
My point is obvious.
Heâs still has Irish blood in him and we wanted him and obviously he wanted us back. If he didnât then why would he play?
Nembo, Enda McNulty is on Pat Kenny shortly, should be a good laugh, maybe youâd consider ringing in?
Heâs a 21st century witch doctor charlatan and his brotherâs a Stoop.
Could you ring in with that?
christ, he is on praising the Irish rugby team, the calmness of the leadership group etc etc
An intolerable gimp.
A snake oil salesman
some good points there but dude, why was Warren G pushed aside for Eddie O Sullivan? Warren G has led wales to grand slams and the Lions to a superb series win. We behaved like spoilt children about Drico being dropped but yet the Lions tonked the Aussies. so Warren G was right! Is it time for top brass to clear out of IRFU ? Why the sense of entitlement with rugby followers? Rugby has lost itâs integrity this world cup . referee chased off a pitch, hung out to dry by the authorities. One suspension for top tier teams, different for lower teams. the leinster rugby coach O Connor was hounded out like soccer thugs would do. Why do so many rugby fans dwell on Connell not getting the send off he deserved. The general theme in sport is you donât get to decide how it ends. Thatâs sport. Why did drico pick out one player after the Pumas destroyed us. Who? the guy that plays in his old position.shoulder to shoulder my hoop !