We need to talk about Northern Ireland.
Michael O’Neill has turned down the regularity of club football to take things forward with Northern Ireland to 2032 .
A moment worth celebrating.
I’ll be honest I’ve never been a fan of returning managers. It never goes quite as well second time around.
I am prepared to say something rarely seen on the internet.
<taps mic>
<clears throat>
I was wrong.
O’Neill has put together a young squad, playing good football and playing to their strengths. Shea Charles, Isaac Price and Ethan Galbraith the young guns running the show is one of my current footballing joys. Upcoming friendlies with Guinea and France will see more uncapped names take to the field and the future looks bright.
Part of the paradox of that however is that while the future may be bright, the darkness must still linger.
Recent times have seen criticism of the IFA/Northern Ireland social media account for congratulating Martin O’Neill on his recent league win with Celtic.
This did not sit well with some.
An affront to the very notion of being a Northern Ireland account that congratulations could be given to one of its legendary players (64 by the way), on one of our most iconic teams (Spain 82) and indeed captain of that team.
Congratulate a Celtic manager??
Congratulate a former Republic of Ireland manager??
Some were and continue to be incensed by such an idea!
Totally ignoring the congratulations by the same account to our players who were successful in their recent EFL playoff victories.
Perhaps thought it’s harder to be not so subtly sectarian views when someone plays for Bolton Wanderers?
That sound you can hear by the way, is them reaching for the ‘some of my best friends are…’ card that they put down for such accusations.
Likewise a recent appearance by Northern Ireland women’s legend and ex captain Marissa Callaghan received some chat in the comments section as she said it was ‘quite sad that Northern Ireland don’t have its own anthem and flag’ on a recent Give My Head Podcast appearance.
Let’s skate past the fact that Marissa is so clearly proud of where she is from and what she represented for us all in her club and international career. Instead comments from both sides, underneath the video would have made you want to turn the internet off for at least six months!
In 2002 Neil Lennon received a death threat on the day he was due to lead out a Northern Ireland team as captain. Playing for Celtic at that point in his career, some felt this was a step too far and whether or not the threat was legitimate, Lennon opted not only to not play that night but called time on his international career.
We were going to the game that night against Cyprus.
I told my Dad I didn’t want to go.
It didn’t feel right.
I didn’t want to be part of that crowd.
My Dad sat beside me and said ‘we have to go’.
I must have looked confused by this.
‘We have to go. If we don’t it becomes their team. We can’t let that happen.’
In that moment I understood.
It took a while, but things got better after this.
Work was done to fix things in all sorts of ways by the IFA and supporters groups.
It’s not like it used to be at games these days, and even as I type I know some may not believe me, but I
There is still the anthem.
There are still union flags and Ulster banners.
There are still a small pocket of ‘no surrender’ anthem bigots who are thankfully decreasing as the years roll on.
There is still work to be done.
We need to talk about identity as fans and being legitimately for everyone.
It can’t just be words, it must also be in deeds.
The future is bright.
We can’t let the darkness linger.
If I could steal from the Northern Ireland social accounts for one final sign off.
Maybe it’s time we think outside of the pitch, tournament qualification or results on the pitch.
Maybe it’s time to #daretodream of something bigger.
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