McIlroy to leave Horizon Management

Probably wouldn't come as a total surprize...
Apart from anything else, it's probably fair to say that Rory is not the easyest guy to manage...

http://www.independent.ie/sport/golf/mcilroy-set-to-go-out-on-his-own-29273764.html

Maybe he could get tigers people to look after him?

"Suggestions that McIlroy might team up with Tiger Woods and his long-standing business manager Mark Steinberg have been firmly dismissed by insiders."

So you read the article before commenting then Mac?

I guess not. Although the denial means nothing, afterall he wasn't going to Nike.

Im sorry but i was always a "Let Rory be who he wants" man but this is very unfair on Horizon. They have been great for and to him.

His position re the Olympics is officially pathetic and completely disrespectful to Ireland. He has stated that he will NOT play in a World Cup with Ireland so that he gives himself a choice to play for the UK in the Olympics - yet when asked about the possibility of playing in the World Cup for Northern Ireland, he said he would be interested.

I think its time for the Golfing Union of Ireland to make the decision for him and say he is not welcome anymore to play for Ireland, and for the Olympic Council of Ireland to do likewise.

The world cup is a pretty meaningless competition. It makes complete sense for McIlroy to prioritize what will probably be a once in a lifetime event at the Olympics. Let's face it, golf will probably be straight off the Olympic agenda after 2016. Personally I think the only thing that stinks about McIlroys stance is that he's arrogant enough to presume he would be chosen for either team in 3 years time. A lot can happen in three years.

Was there a suggestion in the G Mc comments reported by Sky of a bit of a falling out between the two of them? Seemed to be along the lines of "management company don't hit the shots or do the practice"

Have I missed something as I am not currently aware of a link between Rory leaving Horizon and his stance on his country of choice for olympic participation?

You haven't missed anything Mac. A bit of a tangent, but relevant in the sense that it seems the situation could have been managed better in the view of some.

Is it really arrogance when you were No.1 in the world at 23 and are considered the second most marketable athlete on the planet? Such people have a different level of self-confidence than us mere mortals. True, a lot can happen in 3 years, but they just don't think that way. That said, not all of his decisions will be good ones.
One of the biggest challenges young Rory faces is the pressure of everyone elses expectations. The comparisons to Tiger Woods achievements on a year by year basis, the scrutiny of his personal life and the ever present cameras recording every nose and bum scratch for the next twenty years.

John Cregan wrote:Im sorry but i was always a "Let Rory be who he wants" man but this is very unfair on Horizon. They have been great for and to him.

His position re the Olympics is officially pathetic and completely disrespectful to Ireland. He has stated that he will NOT play in a World Cup with Ireland so that he gives himself a choice to play for the UK in the Olympics - yet when asked about the possibility of playing in the World Cup for Northern Ireland, he said he would be interested.

I think its time for the Golfing Union of Ireland to make the decision for him and say he is not welcome anymore to play for Ireland, and for the Olympic Council of Ireland to do likewise.

Rory may be catholic but he's a proud northern irishman and, last time I looked, it was still part of the UK so, I can understand why, I'm given to understand, playing under the irish tricolour at the Olympics would be a problem for him. Seems to me he's being put in a horrible position by those who have a political agenda.

Give him a break and let him sort it out himself.

a proud northern irishman but he had no problem accepting funding from the Golfing Union of Ireland.

incontinentia wrote:a proud northern irishman but he had no problem accepting funding from the Golfing Union of Ireland.

You mean the GUI funds that the players in all affiliated clubs in Ireland, including those in Northern Ireland (like mine, and oh let me see...Holywood where Rory was a member) pay an annual susbscription to? I bank with Santander and it seems to have no effect on my patriotism.

Bob the job- who would you play for if you were in Rory's position?

incontinentia wrote:Bob the job- who would you play for if you were in Rory's position?

Dunno -depends which of the petty minded, sectarian, biased, agenda supporting, violent, interbred, knuckle dragging, sabre rattling, IQ challenged factions would give me the least grief for playing for the other side. Sadly, that's the reality he faces and he's damned if he does and dammed if he doesn't.

BOb, you forgot bomb planting and knee cap smashing too.

super_realist wrote:BOb, you forgot bomb planting and knee cap smashing too.

Quite possibly, but I've concluded recently that the attention span of the average 606v2 reader is about 50 words, so anymore would have been a waste.

Rory and what's believed to be, his new team, practicing yesterday at the GUI headquarters at Carton House...

http://www.irishgolfdesk.com/news-files/2013/5/20/mcilroy-and-team-hit-gui-academy.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IrishGolfDesk+%28Irish+Golf+Desk%29

I think the sore point is that the golfing powers that be recognise Ireland as a 32 County (North & South) entity and Rory has been playing for that team (in one form or another) for many years.

I don't understand why he'd now turn his back on them. By playing in the Olympics for Ireland he would be representing North & South.

NI is obviously part iof the UK, but is not part of GB, so im not sure why he would look to leave the team he's always played for, and also make himself unavailable for the World Cup, in order to manufacture his way onto Team GB for this one event.

As far as im concerned, and while he's entitled to make his own call, he's showing a lack of respect to the GUI here..........................

John Cregan ... if Rory McIlroy chose to play for Ireland, which flag would he be playing under?

here here John

i think Rory wants to jump on the team GB bandwagon, a glory hunter. thats why he's turning his back the GUI and Ireland.

Well, he is a Manure fan so glory hunting is clearly part of his makeup

The GB Olympic team includes Northern Irish athletes as well as those from England, Scotland and Wales. Yes, the name is incorrect, it should be UK, but it dates back to a time when (for whatever reason) Ireland wasn't included in the name. The British Lions rugby team has only recently been called the British and Irish Lions.

If Rory McIlroy plays in the Olympics, it will be either for GB, or Ireland.

gaelgowfer wrote:John Cregan ... if Rory McIlroy chose to play for Ireland, which flag would he be playing under?

The same flag he's always competed for ireland under......................he never had an issue before.

And which flag is that John Cregan?

gaelgowfer wrote:And which flag is that John Cregan?

If it was up to me id have a Tricolour and a NI flag as part of the Team Ireland paraphernalia, and that's what i think our Rugby team should play under - 2 flags.I have no hang-ups on flags - they are meaningless..............

My big issue is that McIlroy is turning his back on the team he has always played for.

Answer the question John Cregan. Goodness knows, it's simple enough. Which flag would this proud northern irishman being playing under if he played in the Olympics?

gaelgowfer wrote:Answer the question John Cregan. Goodness knows, it's simple enough. Which flag would this proud northern irishman being playing under if he played in the Olympics?

the tricolour silly

incontinentia wrote:

gaelgowfer wrote:Answer the question John Cregan. Goodness knows, it's simple enough. Which flag would this proud northern irishman being playing under if he played in the Olympics?

the tricolour silly

And that's precisely the problem for him.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/golf/american-and-european-tour/2013/0502/389938-mcilroy-wants-to-make-olympic-decision-himself/

McIlroy said: “I think it’s rule 41 in the IOC that states that I still have a choice.- Rory McIlroy

“It’s not like they can take it away from me. If you play for a country and then you either change nationality or whatever, if you don’t play for that country for three years you have a choice.
McIlroy has also confirmed that he will not play in the World Cup this year." - Rory McIlroy

“I haven’t played for anyone since 2011, in the 2011 World Cup. And obviously going to the Olympics that would be five years, so I still have a choice.”

He's making it quite clear that the only person who's going to make this decision is him and no-one else and this is why he's not playing in the World Cup.

I really don't think once the decision is made it will be that big a deal. people have other things to think about. What is clear is that his procrastination is not helping matters one iota, the longer it drags on the bigger the debate gets.

Diggers wrote:I really don't think once the decision is made it will be that big a deal. people have other things to think about. What is clear is that his procrastination is not helping matters one iota, the longer it drags on the bigger the debate gets.

He's certainly determind to show that no-one is going to tell him what he can and can't do and I daresay that probably includes the timing of that decision.

gaelgowfer wrote:Answer the question John Cregan. Goodness knows, it's simple enough. Which flag would this proud northern irishman being playing under if he played in the Olympics?

Why do you persist in asking that question .......we all know what flag is carried by the Irish Olympic Team. It's the same flag they use at World Cup golf events that Rory has played at for Ireland.................

Well, clearly he didn't enjoy playing under a foreign flag ...

http://lovebelfast.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/rory-mcilroy-to-play-in-world-cup-of-golf-after-all-for-northern-ireland/

Rory McIlroy To Play In World Cup Of Golf After All- For Northern Ireland!

May 16, 2013

gaelgowfer wrote:

Diggers wrote:I really don't think once the decision is made it will be that big a deal. people have other things to think about. What is clear is that his procrastination is not helping matters one iota, the longer it drags on the bigger the debate gets.

He's certainly determind to show that no-one is going to tell him what he can and can't do and I daresay that probably includes the timing of that decision.

Well that's fine but it certainly means I don't have any sympathy for him the longer it drags on. He alone is making the scenario worse than it needs to be.

Let him play under the OLYMPIC flag.

Then no one is put out.

Diggers is right, he should make a decision now and stop growing the issue. we all know he wants to play for GB anyway.

I am done with the whole torn between two countries melodrama. It is pretty clear that Rory wants to represent the GB&NI team but doesn’t want to alienate and fans who would want him to play for Ireland. There are two ways to pull off a bandaid. You rip it off quick and the pain lasts a second or you do it like Rory. So far it has taken 2 years and we still have three more years to go.

SetupDeterminesTheMotion wrote:Let him play under the OLYMPIC flag.

Then no one is put out.

Why should he have that kind of preferential option. His decision isn't any different to one that many Irish have taken in the past. He has a clear choice to make, he just has make it.

gaelgowfer wrote:Well, clearly he didn't enjoy playing under a foreign flag ...

http://lovebelfast.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/rory-mcilroy-to-play-in-world-cup-of-golf-after-all-for-northern-ireland/

Rory McIlroy To Play In World Cup Of Golf After All- For Northern Ireland!

May 16, 2013

I think this was clarified and they said they meant Ireland not NI. So it seems like Rory wants 2 teams to represent the island - ROI & NI.

So despite his protestations that he's a "world player", i think the main point Rory wants to be known is that he's not "irish"

Ok JC ... I stand corrected.

Nevertheless, Northern Ireland is a country in its own right and, in my opinion, should have the same right to field a team as Scotland, England and Wales. It's one thing to play under A GUI flag, quite another to play under the flag of another country.

Missing the World Cup is no big deal in the grand scheme of things and he's quite right to give himself time to make his own choice which, of course, includes not playing in the Olympics itself.

...i think the main point Rory wants to be known is that he's not "irish"

.

Well, he's certainly not southern irish.

If he had any sense he would take a week off.