West Ham legend Kevin Nolan has humorously revealed that he couldn’t play for the Republic of Ireland due to talkSPORT’s Tony Cascarino. Despite featuring for England at youth level, Nolan never made a senior appearance for his country. However, reports suggested that he could have played for Ireland or the Netherlands due to his ancestry. But according to Nolan, Cascarino is to blame for him not joining the former.
Cascarino, who played for Ireland, had Irish ancestry through his adoptive grandfather. However, he later admitted in his autobiography that he was a ‘fake Irishman’ after discovering he was adopted. The Football Association of Ireland confirmed his eligibility, and Ireland managers Brian Kerr and Steve Staunton were keen for Nolan to join the team. Nolan considered it but was hesitant until they assured him that they could provide him with a passport.
Nolan’s Irish roots come from both sides of his family, making him potentially eligible. However, he jokingly blames Cascarino for ruining his chances. According to Nolan, Cascarino’s book caused a change in the eligibility rules. Andy Goldstein even suggested that Cascarino wasn’t Irish at all, to which Nolan responded with a joke about Cascarino simply going to Ireland and having a drink of Guinness.
Despite his Irish roots, Nolan was unable to represent Ireland at the international level. He explained that it was because of one generation too far. Although he thought that both sides of his family could have made it happen, the authorities refused it. Similarly, there were claims that Nolan could have played for the Netherlands due to his Dutch relations. However, he clarifies that he couldn’t because it was only one generation through his Nan’s Dad.
Throughout his career, Nolan made 401 Premier League appearances without earning a cap for England. His record was later surpassed by Mark Noble with 414 appearances. Despite his quality as a player, Nolan was never capped at the international level.
In conclusion, Kevin Nolan’s chances of playing for the Republic of Ireland were hindered by Tony Cascarino’s revelations about his own eligibility. While Nolan had Irish roots from both sides of his family, the authorities refused his eligibility due to one generation too far. Similarly, his Dutch relations couldn’t secure him a spot in the Netherlands team because it was only one generation through his Nan’s Dad. Despite not representing his country at the senior level, Nolan had a successful career in the Premier League and remains a West Ham legend.