SO Tony Cascarino isn't Irish after all. But then who has been since the Republic's rise to prominence as a major footballing force?

John Aldridge, Ray Houghton, Andy Townsend, Mick McCarthy?

The difference is they all had a drop of Irish blood in them somewhere along the line according to their family tree.

Cascarino, it now appears, didn't. The big Irishman, sorry Cockney, admits in his new book that he was never eligible to win any of his record 88 caps or score any of his 19 international goals.

His mother Teresa was in fact adopted by an Irish family and didn't take up citizenship. Cascarino's initial passport application in 1985 was therefore rejected. But with the Irish presumably in need of a big front man, the former FAI secretary told then national team boss Eoin Hand that the Gillingham striker could play.

By the time FIFA finally tried to tighten up the loop holes in 1996, Cascarino, who subsequently moved to Millwall, Aston Villa and then French football, was granted a passport presumably for services rendered through his first 64 caps.

Personally, I've always had a lot of time for Cascarino who more than maximised his natural ability, was totally committed and drained every last drop out of a career that has lasted almost to his forties.

But his situation merely highlights the ludicrous rules and regulations governing eligibility for national sides.

I'm not questioning the commitment of any of the aforementioned players to the Irish cause and watching their success on the international stage has been a pleasing antidote to England's travails.

But playing on a passport courtesy of a grandparent's heritage is pushing things a bit. In my book you should only be able to play for the country where you or your parents were born.

And if Cascarino's case is anything to by I'm thinking about a holiday in Gibralta next year in the hope that a fortnight on the British colony along with my passport might get me a game in the World Cup qualifiers if their campaign for international status wins the day.

STAYING with eligibility, has anyone studied the teams currently playing in the Lincoln Rugby League Club.

Scotland don't have a single player born north of the border and they don't even play the game in the Lebanon. However, with plenty of spare Aussies kicking about they have soon made up the numbers.

AND so it's come to this. The Swede Sven Goran-Eriksson is set to be appointed as ENGLAND'S new coach.

The FA should hang their heads in shame. And without being too hypocritical, so should the tabloid media.

Between them they have decided there's no-one English good enough to do the job and made the position so unwanted that we will have a foreigner leading the nation. It's enough to make you support Scotland.

FINALLY to end on an upbeat note. The Paralympics have been an inspiration to us all with Burnley's Mark Brown contributing to a record medal haul for Great Britain. All the athletes competing in Syndey have proved what can be achieved with determination and desire.

And who can say now that they aren't a Games to be taken seriously by serious athletes -- there were more positive drug tests in the Paralympics than the Olympics itself.

Don't let that remove any gloss, though. These people are genuine sporting stars.