Pat H.

Cork, Arsenal, Castlehaven, Rockies , genealogy buff. Interested in education - particularly SEN. Professional tour Guide.

[IFB Media @IFBMedia]

Finn Azaz💚

Finn could have played for England, Israel or Ireland. He chose Ireland. "It was always Ireland."

Don’t let anyone try to argue and tell you otherwise!

His father Tim grew up in Cork, and Finn came visited Ireland often as a child. His great uncle is Brian Murphy, the Cork dual star who won All-Irelands in hurling and football.

Growing up in Birmingham, Finn was as sharp off the pitch as on it. Nine A*s at GCSE at King Edward's School, then A-Levels in French and Business while a scholar at West Brom. He even kept studying French and Spanish afterwards, just for his own personal development.

On loan at Plymouth, he quietly volunteered once a week at St Luke's Hospice. After he left the staff
spoke, describing him as having "a heart of pure gold." He gave patients VIP treatment and walked one young fan onto the pitch as a mascot.

That's who Finn is. Yet there’s always been this uncomfortable criticism of Finn which has been amplified in recent weeks.

He’s been treated like something else entirely. Not because of anything he did. Because of who his family is.

His loyalty doubted, his heritage thrown at him like an accusation. Some of it from people who should know better, including a former Ireland centurion.

Heimir described him recently as one of "the people I admire the most in all of this." Then on Thursday he stood up again.

Against Austria, he had more touches than any other Ireland player. Starting deeper alongside Coventry, he was exceptional, driving us forward with the kind of passing we've been crying out for in that position. His cross-field ball helped create the penalty for our second goal.

He was later pushed further forward into the #10 role, where he he’s most effective at club level.
His influence on the game faded with the switch.

With Ireland he’s more effective deeper, in attacking midfield Ireland need a more “direct energy” which doesn’t suit him. But he can give us the control and quality on the ball we've lacked from deep.

Whatever your view on the wider debate, no player should be made to feel unwelcome in the green jersey because of his family.

Finn chose us. Now it's our turn to back him💚

[Pat H. @hego45]

@urlofcork It’s Irish for me - also did it in ‘79- must be that year!

[IFB Media @IFBMedia]

Adam Idah💚

Constantly doubted, always bounces back.

Raised by his mam Fiona and helped by her parents, Kevin and Kathleen Hayes. Grandad Kevin worked in the machine room of the Irish Examiner, and he's the one who got Adam into sport.

Athletics, long jump, hurling, Gaelic, soccer with College Corinthians. Kevin was there for all of it.

Just before Adam's first ever Ireland game at U15 level, Kevin passed away. Two days later, Adam pulled on the green jersey, scored, and dedicated the goal to his grandad.

Asked who he admired most, he named Kevin, for his "amazing attitude to life."

At 16 he left home for Norwich where it was never easy. He scored his first and only Premier League goal on the 15th of January 2022 in a 2-1 win over Everton.

He played 116 times for the club but fought for genuine minutes only amounting to 49 full games across which he scored 17 times and assisted 4.

In September 2020, he made his senior Ireland debut. The next day, he shared a photo of himself as a toddler Ireland jersey, with the caption: "Just a kid with a dream."

He signed for Celtic his boyhood club and even scored 90th minute winner against Rangers in the Scottish Cup final. But hate never escaped him. He later admitted the hate was relentless: "You might have a bad game and it's torture."

He played 76 times for Celtic, equating to 38 full games where he scored 29 goals and assisted 3.

Prolific

At Swansea he’s continued with 3 goals, 1 assist in just 488 minutes..

It's been the same in green. He's been left on the bench, doubted and written off more times than most.

And every time, he answers. Left unused in the first leg against Bulgaria, he came in for the second and scored the winner. Days after leaving Celtic, he headed a stoppage time equaliser against Hungary.

On Sunday, amid reports of racist chants from the stands, he scored again.

Through it all, he's never forgotten home. Adam is an ambassador for the Down Syndrome Centre in Cork, where his young cousin gets vital support. "a place that means so much to me and my family."

And still, as he puts it, "just a normal guy from Douglas and I know everyone back home."

Kevin would be proud 💚

[Pat H. @hego45]

@Gunnersc0m Had the pleasure of bumping into him at the Emirates last season…absolute Gentleman and a damn fine photographer to boot!

[Smaller Fish @SmallerFishGAA]

I was reading in the Southern Star, Mark Collins has started 94 consecutive championship games for Castlehaven

He made his debut all the way back in 2008

He has played in the forwards, midfield and wing back

Some club man

[Novara @mellownovara]

This just made my day 😅😅

[Soccer Facts @Soccer_Stats]

All-Time English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Football Top Flight Table from Season 1888-89 to 2026-27 after Matchday 5

https://t.co/m6c0Es5l7d

[TV Football 1968-92 @1968Tv]

It’s 22 years ago today since Brian Clough passed away.
I believe this was his best interview with John Motson.
RIP Brian Clough

[AW @afc_cat]

couldn't resist posting this cute video of a son taking his mum to an Arsenal game at the Emirates for the first time 🔅
it's about the game against Chelsea, but it was only published yesterday

slkfootball

[Ajoje⚽⚖️ @israel_ajoje]

Who actually makes the rules of world football?

Ask any football fan who makes the rules of football. They'll say FIFA, instantly, without blinking. And they'll be half wrong.

Here's why. FIFA speaks for 211 countries. And yet FIFA cannot change the offside rule on its own. Not by one word. Sounds impossible, so let me show you who actually holds the pen.

There are two completely different kinds of "rules," and FIFA only owns one of them.

The first kind is the Laws of the Game. Offside, handball, how long a match lasts, what counts as a foul, when VAR steps in. The way football is actually played. FIFA does not own those. A body most fans have never heard of does- The International Football Association Board. The IFAB. Founded in 1886, which makes it older than FIFA itself, which only joined in 1913.

Now here is the part that shocks people. The IFAB has eight votes. FIFA, speaking for all 211 of its member associations, holds four of them. The other four are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. One vote each. Four small nations where the game was first written down, sitting level with the entire rest of the planet.

And to change one single Law of the Game, you need six of those eight votes. Do the math. FIFA can't do it alone, cos four isn't six. The four British FAs can't do it alone either, cos four isn't six. Nobody moves without the other side agreeing.

That deadlock has been the system since 1958, and it is completely deliberate. It exists so the fundamental rules of football can't be rewritten on the whim of one power, and any change that does pass takes effect on a single fixed date, the 1st of July, the same for the whole world.

So what does FIFA actually control? The second kind of rules. Not how the game is played, but how the industry is run. Transfers, contracts, agents, eligibility, the protection of minors, the clearing house that moves money between clubs. That machinery is FIFA's kingdom, written down in the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.

And even there, FIFA doesn't rule alone. Below it sit the confederations. UEFA in Europe, our own CAF in Africa. They run their own competitions with their own rules. Below them, national associations and domestic leagues add another layer, and the Premier League's rulebook is not FIFA's. And above all of it sits actual conventional law. Employment law. Competition law. EU law.

So next time someone says "FIFA makes the rules," smile. FIFA runs the industry. But the way the game is played on the grass? That's decided by a five-member board where four tiny nations still hold half the power, and where nobody, not even FIFA, can change a thing on their own.

Wild, right?

My name is Ajoje. I am a FIFA Licensed Agent and International Sports Lawyer. I write on the Law and Business of Football, a lot. Repost and Follow if you want to read more posts like this.

[Mikey Sanchez @Mikeysanchez27]

This is exactly how Arsenal were reffed in the Sunderland game....

[Pat H. @hego45]

@ThatG4m Goals for

[Pat H. @hego45]

@ZzVvbbbbn @Irishchutzpah Not everyone though

[The Classified Football Results @JAGresults]

🎙️ Saturday's football results read by the recreated voice of the legendary radio broadcaster James Alexander Gordon.

[Football Away Days @FBAwayDays]

Absolutely love this from Trabzonspor.

Salah picked the right club. 🥹👏

[Castlehaven GAA @CastlehavenGAA]

The O'Duffy Cup in Castlehaven.
Meabh & Orlaith Cahalane arrived down to Castletownshend with the cup this evening.

[Jagiellonia Białystok @Jagiellonia1920]

Correct WiFi password 🛜

#RANJAG #UEL

[Arsenal @Arsenal]

Coming together to celebrate Irish Arsenal ❤️

📍 Guinness Storehouse, Dublin

[Brendan Boyle @BrendyBoyle]

Lovely Real Betis tribute in Dublin to former manager Patrick O’Connell 🍀

[Pat H. @hego45]

@Utd__max10 Football