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22nd March 2018
02:33pm GMT

Mr Shannon's motion states: "That this House expresses concern over the pursuit of Northern Ireland (NI) born football players by the Football Association Ireland; and calls for the chief executive of the FAI, John Delaney, to send out a clear message that there will be no poaching of NI players, that the boundary lines will be respected and honoured, and that the game will be played fairly and within the rules."Jeffrey Donaldson, Paul Girvan, Gavin Robinson, David Simpson are the other DUP MPS to have signed the motion.
Michael O'Neill's frustration stems from the IFA training players from a young age only to have them taken away before they reach senior level. While the 48-year-old Portadown native understands that some players would wish to represent the Republic over Northern Ireland, he expressed frustration at footballers around the age of 16-18 'having to make a decision on his international future.'
“I don’t have a problem with James McClean who was 22 years of age, he knew what he wanted,” O'Neill said.
“I have a problem when it’s a 16, 17 or 18 year-old having to make a decision on his international future. What is the point in asking a player to change his international 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 with us. Only he can’t play for Northern Ireland as he’s signed an international transfer. I can list you 10 players who have made that decision and have never represented the Republic.”
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