Social media headache for Northern Ireland football bosses

Following the axing of two players ahead of Northern Ireland’s Nations League game against Kosovo on Saturday, Ulster Unionist councillor and Glentoran shareholder Mr Rodgers said the Irish Football Association is now in an unenviable position.

Cllr Rodgers was commenting after a video was circulated on social media in which Kyle Lafferty appeared to be using sectarian language.

The Kilmarnock striker was sent home from the Northern Ireland training camp when it emerged his club had launched an investigation into the incident.

Then, just hours before the Kosovo match, another video surfaced, appearing to show Glentoran winger Conor McMenamin, 27, singing a pro-IRA chant a number of years earlier.

With less than an hour to go before kick-off, it was announced that McMenamin had “been withdrawn from the squad,” causing further disruption to the Northern Ireland team’s preparations.

Both incidents resulted in difficult press conferences for team manager Ian Baraclough.

Cllr Rodgers has called for a “complete, unqualified apology” from McMenamin, and says he doubts Lafferty, now 35, will play for Northern Ireland again.

The east Belfast representative said the situation will require careful handling to avoid further disruption within the Northern Ireland international set-up.

“Big decisions are obviously required from the Irish Football Association, and Kilmarnock.

“This has got to be handled very sensitively... but fans will give their views.

“There are people who say ‘look this happened but it shouldn’t have happened – let’s forgive them and move on,’ but not all football supporters think that way.”

McMenamin won three caps for Northern Ireland following his first call-up this summer.

Lafferty is Northern Ireland’s second highest goal scorer, netting 20 times in 89 appearances.

After the 2-1 victory over Kosovo at Windsor Park, Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough said: “It is a distraction you would rather not have. And to happen so close to kick-off time. I thought we did the right thing in pulling Conor out of the squad.

“It needs to be looked at. Clearly it is a historical video on social media from when he was 16. I am not sure where it is going to go at this time.”

Cllr Rodgers said: “This is a really difficult one. In the case of McMenamin, quite clearly someone has raked this up, but I would hope that he would make a complete, unqualified apology.

“Whenever we are young we do things without giving it any real thought.”

Cllr Rodgers also said “people need to wise up” in this era of social media, and to choose their words carefully as it can “come back to haunt you”.

He said: “I know Kyle. He’s a nice guy, at times a bit foolish.

“I don’t think Lafferty will be allowed to play again, maybe for the rest of his career, at international level.

“But if you only deal with one and not the other then people are going to say you are victimising or discriminating.

“I would not like to be responsible for coming to a decision on this one, because no matter what you do you’re not going to please everybody.”