North want compensation if young guns opt for Republic

NORTHERN IRELAND U21 manager Steve Beaglehole fears the Republic of Ireland’s qualification for Euro 2012 could tempt more of his young players to switch their international allegiance.

A FIFA ruling allows players born in the North to declare for the Republic regardless of blood ties, and James McClean, Dan Devine, Shane Duffy, Daniel Kearns and Paul George have all switched countries.

Beaglehole is concerned the qualifying success could exacerbate that problem and called for FIFA to fix compensation fees for players who switch.

“I think the Republic’s qualification could make things a lot harder,” he admitted.

“The FAI are spending more money on recruitment, on scouting, they go away three or four days earlier than we do when they meet up and they put them in top hotels.

“Now they will have even more money and their budget will go up again.

“Northern Ireland not qualifying means our budget remains the same or even goes down. For them that can mean extra training days or a couple of new members of staff.

“And in terms of the attractiveness of playing for the Republic, it’s something their recruitment people can use.

“They can say, ‘look at us. look at the success we’ve had’.

“It’s like the academy system in club football; if your first team is doing well it’s easier to keep people and get others to come.”

Beaglehole admits he would be tempted to cast an eye over the best Northern Ireland-born youngsters if he was involved with their neighbours, but feels a payment should be made to the rival association.

“I don’t blame the Republic for wanting to look at Paul George or Shane Duffy. If I was working for them I would want to because they would improve the team,” he said.

“The thing I can’t understand is that there is no compensation. When they are getting richer and richer and we’re getting poorer it would be nice to get a set figure for someone like that who has had three or four years with us.”