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24th February 2017
07:44pm GMT

"It was common knowledge at the time that he would probably lean towards going to the Republic and it wasn't easy at that time to do it - he sort of forced it through," McCullough, who is still part of the IFA club licensing committee, told SportsJOE. "Kenny [Shiels] felt he was ready to play for 17s, which was fair enough, but I did say to Kenny that I reckoned when he was selected that he wouldn't play and that's exactly what happened. He played friendlies but he wouldn't play the qualifying games. "If you get that inkling [that a player is thinking of a move to the Republic], it's very, very difficult. My view at the time was to try and leave him in with the 16s which would've had the like of Johnny Evans and there were a few others in there who have gone on to do quite well. I thought: leave him in with that group, try and bring him through with his own group and then maybe try to bring him through the whole way so he would stay. "It still might've been a bit of a long shot but I thought that would've been the best approach. "He was happy to play for me at under-16 level and, when he was a year young, he was brought into the under-17s. When he was selected to play a representative game for the 17s in UEFA competition that would've tied him to Northern Ireland at the time, he cried off. "It's understandable for the players themselves. They don't want to tie themselves down when they may have another opportunity. Even pragmatically, recent history would show that they will have more chance of qualifying for a major tournament with the Republic. They'll play on a bigger stage, they'll play in a bigger and better stadium and even those things - setting aside all sorts of political ideals - they'd be a factor in players' minds as well."
Of course, the politics and the ideals and the culture does come into it and it's fair to say that some of the values that the north's football team might be seen to stand for are not representative of almost half the community.
It's not to say that it hasn't changed. Northern Ireland has seen a seismic shift in its attitude and welcome approach to players since the days of Neil Lennon. Paddy McCourt and Niall McGinn were heroes of Windsor Park whilst they were playing for Celtic. Massive strides have been made and there's still a massive opportunity there.
"You have the like of Niall McGinn, for example, who has professed that he's a Republic of Ireland fan but he's ended up with 50+ caps for Northern Ireland," McCullough explained. "He's been to the Euros, he's performed absolutely brilliantly and I'm sure he would probably say himself that it's been a highlight of his career. He's very, very well liked by the Northern Ireland fans. "For his own personal career, it's been an absolute benefit to represent Northern Ireland. He did have the choice [between Northern Ireland and the Republic] but I think, pragmatically, he probably realised that he wasn't going to get into the Republic of Ireland team."There are, however, still some problems.
"There are other guys, the likes of Michael O'Connor who played for me at youth international level and went to the Republic but came back again, because he didn't get the opportunity," the independent member of the IFA youth development committee said. "I know Michael and others had an issue standing for the national anthem, for the queen, and whatever, and there are practices that certainly legislate against young players from nationalist communities. "I think the big elephant in the room is the national anthem. I know the IFA are aware of that - everyone's aware of it - but it's a really difficult one. I think rather than tackle it, they choose to just leave it alone and it hasn't been dealt with. "Maybe for some as well, there was an opportunity to move away from Windsor Park and that wasn't done for a number of reasons. Basically now, the IFA have moved lock, stock and barrel into Windsor Park and all the 'where it is' and the attachment to Linfield maybe doesn't send out the right message to people from a nationalist community. "There are lots of issues in and around that, albeit it should be said that the IFA have done fantastic work in the cross-community work that they have done. It's been absolutely first class. They do have a team that represents both sides of the community. The support has changed in terms of the singing and the atmosphere and all of that - it's much, much more positive."
But as it is, with the choice, with the FIFA ruling, with everything that comes with the profile and bigger stage of the Republic, you're still going to continue to get this problem.
And the only ones losing out are the north. The north and the players at the centre of it.
"I completely sympathise with the IFA and that particular plight and the investment that they make, but the rules are such and I think sport and football is so ruthless that any of these countries anywhere will exploit loopholes, and that's what's happening," McCullough said. "If there's a special player who can add to your team and you can get him, why not? "I think the political sensitivities have died down on it a little but that's just the nature of sport at the minute, it's very cutthroat. "One thing you can do is you can reach a gentleman's agreement which would be the FAI, for example, agreeing that they won't do this but that's not in their interests so I don't think that's going to happen. Politically and ethically, it probably would be a very good gesture on their part but, pragmatically, they want the best team and they want the best players. "The other thing is that the IFA could address issues that have put players from a nationalist background off. That would be things like God Save The Queen and other elements that obviously legislate against them coming forward and the perception that the IFA favours people from unionist backgrounds which is not true when you look at the make-up of the team. "I still think you'll have instances where players will move regardless because, if we look at it, the majority of nationalists living in the north probably support the Republic so kids coming through will have a real hankering to play for the Republic rather than play for the north. However, if they're going to be lower league players and they may get into the Northern Ireland squad but not the Republic, they will take the option of playing for Northern Ireland. "The likes of the playing of God Save The Queen - those types of things, I think, can really get the backs up of players and, in some cases, can maybe drive them away. "It might even be worth going and chatting to Darron Gibson and chatting to these other guys and say, 'well, we're sorry you went but what could we have done to maybe tried to convince you otherwise'."
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