Ireland's Derry born international Darron Gibson

 "Darron has a right to play for Ireland, he is an Irish citizen and has the same rights as everyone else on the island. The IFA cannot dictate to us regarding Darron’s right to play for his country .Darron has no interest in lining out for n.i and has always wanted to play for Ireland”

Northern manager Nigel Worthington is continuing the IFA's media assault on Derry born Ireland international Darron Gibson. Worthington has gone running to the sunday papers to tell all about a couple of phone conversations he has had with Gibson about playing for the North at international level.

It's clearly just more of the underhand tactics used by the IFA to discredit any player born in the North who chooses to represent Ireland at international level.

It's a well-worn tactic by the IFA, running to the media to try and inflence players decisions. Gibson's family launched a scathing attack on the IFA in January this year. They questioned the motivation of the IFA in going public with the issue when they had made no contact with him for over 2 years.

His uncle said at the time "Darron has a right to play for Ireland, he is an Irish citizen and has the same rights as everyone else on the island. The IFA cannot dictate to us regarding Darron’s right to play for his country .Darron has no interest in lining out for n.i and has always wanted to play for Ireland”

The issue was adressed and sorted by FIFA in October last year.

"On October 20th 2006, Fifa's Heinz Tannler, Director of Legal Division, and Corina Luck, Head of General Legal, wrote a joint letter to the IFA, which was copied to the FAI, In it, they informed the IFA that 'the existing situation in Northern Ireland allows players to choose whether they wish to represent Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland'."

A spokesperson for the FAI, responding to the Worthington story said " Darron has been with us from under-age level and is completely commited to the Republic set-up. He has no interest in playing for ther North. 

Nigel Worthington said yesterday "He was born in the North so i think its just right he plays for the country he was born in"

Well Nigel, Darron is playing for his country, as are  Ruairi Harkin, Marc Wilson etc.. and for many of us football supporters in the North, we are quite content following our country, be it at home games in Dublin or away in Bratislava, Prague or Cardiff.