Press Release Author: Littelewoodspoker.com by Holyrood Partnership
Industry: Internet & Online
Press Release Summary: Football legend Tony Cascarino reveals that he could have qualified to play for Scotland on the day he travel to Dublin to take his seat at poker’s Irish Open 2008 as part of the Littlewoodspoker.com team
Press Release Body: FOOTBALL legend Tony Cascarino who won 88 caps with the Republic of Ireland has revealed how he could have played for Scotland.
The towering striker, who is now a professional poker player, is about to return to Dublin, where he is a folk hero for the part he played in Ireland’s 1990 and 1994 World Cup runs.
Now the former Celtic and Chelsea star has followed up the 2001 bombshell that his mother’s adoption meant he had no blood ties in Ireland by revealing that he could actually have qualified for the Scottish national team instead.
The big hitman, will be travelling to Irish capital with his sponsors, Littlewoodspoker.com and said: “What’s ironic is that I could just as easily have qualified to play for Scotland.
“My grandparents on my father’s side are Italian, but my dad was actually born in Edinburgh and lived there until he was five. I’ve always tried to keep that quiet because my dad wouldn’t really talk about it, so I couldn’t be absolutely certain.
“But now I’ve seen his birth certificate any doubts are gone. It still seems unbelievable, but I suppose I could just as easily have qualified for the Scotland national team. But with an Italian surname and my Irish family background, I don’t suppose the Scottish FA were ever likely to come calling.”
The certificate shows that his father, Dominic, was born in Edinburgh in 1939. He later split from Cascarino’s mother, Theresa and is now remarried and living in the United States.
Cascarino qualified to play for Ireland through his Irish grandfather and scored 19 times for the national team. But In 1996, his mum revealed that she was adopted and therefore not a blood relative to Cascarino’s grandfather.
The news stunned the player, who wrote in his critically acclaimed autobiography: \"I didn\'t qualify for Ireland. I was a fraud. A fake Irishman.\"
The Irish football authorities were unfazed and made it clear that adoption granted his mother Irish citizenship and he was still eligible – while the adulation of fans was undimmed.
Tony is now itching to take his seat at poker’s Irish Open 2008 along with 1000 other professionals competing in one of Europe’s biggest events with a €3 million prize pot. He flies into Dublin today (Thu) to join the six-day event.
He added: “Dublin’s always going to be special for me and it’s never made a blind bit of difference to the supporters that I was born and bred in south London – as far as they’re concerned I’m as Irish as they come.
“I can’t wait to get back to Dublin, because in my playing days it was like a second home to me and I always have a fantastic time there. So even if I don’t do well in the competition, I can’t really lose.
“When we flew back into Dublin after the 1990 World Cup there were 200,000 people there. I always said there wouldn’t have been 200,000 if it was The Beatles that arrived. We were lucky and certainly players who I now play poker against remember the 1990 years with great feelings about it.”
Since retiring from football in 2000 Cascarino has reinvented himself as a poker pro with a six-figure sponsorship deal with Littlewoods, one of the most trusted names in gaming. He hopes success in the Easter tournament will further deepen his love affair with Dublin.
Tony added: “Even poker in Dublin has fond memories for me. I’ve played twice before and though I didn’t finish in them money I got very deep in both competitions. One year I went really deep and eventually got knocked out in the later stages by the guy who came second.
“I’ve got a mad month this month, because there’s Ireland, Monte Carlo and I’m going to San Remo in Italy. So at times like this it’s a very busy schedule – but I love it. How bad does it get? Ireland, Monte Carlo and Italy all in the space of a month?”
Father-of-five Cascarino spent a memorable period of his footballing career in France with both Olympique de Marseilles and Nancy. He also met his second wife, Virginie, in France, though they now live in South London with their three children.
Bruce Martin, Head of Operations with Littlewoodspoker.com said: “As a Scotsman I’m gutted that we never managed to sign up big Tony when we had a chance. Scotland’s loss was most definitely Ireland’s gain.
“However, he’s with us now and we’re delighted to have him on the Littlewoodspoker.com team. We’ve got high hopes that he’ll do well in the Dublin event. We know it would be very special indeed for him to enjoy any sort of success in Ireland.
“Tony earned 88 caps with Ireland – we’d love him to go even further with his poker career and get to 100 professional poker wins with Littlewoodspoker.com.”
ENDS
Issued on behalf of Littelewoodspoker.com by Holyrood Partnership, 0131 561 2244. Contact Scott Douglas on 07980 598 762
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Contact Details: Issued on behalf of Littelewoodspoker.com by Holyrood Partnership, 0131 561 2244. Contact Scott Douglas on 07980 598 762
2022
