Sir, - Emmet Malone is undoubtedly correct in his belief that Mick McCarthy has no intention of giving Glen Crowe (or any other home-based player) a chance at international level (Sport, August 21st). I, like most National League fans, find this infuriating. However, it is a matter of opinion whether any player is good enough for the international team, and McCarthy's opinion is currently the one that counts. So be it. However, I cannot accept the fact that Clinton Morrison and Andy O'Brien should be selected for Ireland, regardless of how much (or how little) talent they may have.
Morrison initially required an age to think about whether he would grace the Irish squad with his presence. Apparently he needed to seek advice from certain people. This in itself should have been the end of the matter, as it made it perfectly clear that his heart did not lie with Ireland. To add insult to injury though, during this period of reflection he appeared on Sky Sports to implore Sven Goran Eriksson to select him for England. It was only when it became clear that his plea had fallen on deaf ears (and after a dramatic decline in his form), that he finally decided to play for Ireland after all.
O'Brien, meanwhile, actually pulled out of the Irish under-18 squad in order to answer a call-up from England. He went on to represent England at both under-18 and under-21 level, but McCarthy still happily welcomed him back when England cast him aside.
Both players have treated Ireland with utter contempt. No-one should have to be persuaded to play for Ireland, nor should they be allowed to carry out a very public pursuit of more attractive options before declaring for us. If a player considers himself Irish then he is welcome, regardless of birthplace, but it is plain that neither of these players fall into that category.
The FAI needs to start behaving with some dignity. If it continues to allow itself to be treated like this, the honour of playing for Ireland will become meaningless, and our reputation abroad as a laughing stock will continue for evermore. - Yours, etc.,
Kilian Kelly, Partickhill, Glasgow.