[Football] Big Bob Sanchez

[Driver8]

It is relevant, that is specifically the Home Nations agreement. If he gets British residency then he could technically play for Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland as well - this agreement defines who can play for which home nation. It prevented Angel Rangel playing for Wales.

But he would be eligible for England provided the following applied. Not that it matters as he has clearly chosen Spain.

Taking on a new nationality

Article 7 contains the rules for a player to change nationality and thus represent a new national team. This criteria is identical to Article 6.1, apart from item (d) which requires a player to have “…lived continuously for at least five years after the age of 18 on the territory of the relevant association.”

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

But he would be eligible for England provided the following applied. Not that it matters as he has clearly chosen Spain.

Taking on a new nationality

Article 7 contains the rules for a player to change nationality and thus represent a new national team. This criteria is identical to Article 6.1, apart from item (d) which requires a player to have “…lived continuously for at least five years after the age of 18 on the territory of the relevant association.”

Thats the overall FIFA rule. The Home Nations agreement is specific to the home nations, to prevent people switching between England and Scotland all the time, for example, just based on residency. Instead there must be an actual family (or education) link to the country. So as far as FIFA are concerned, yes he can play for England, but England have entered into this agreement which would prevent him doing so, unless we choose to break it.

 

[Bakero]

Immaterial now anyway, but do we know where his grandaparents are from? His paternal surname is Lynch.

I've tried to find that out before but to no avail.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Lad's got a HUGE future in the game. Exactly the kind of keeper The Big Six tend to sign. Except he doesn't come with either the pricetag or the flakiness. One of them's going to pick up an absolute bargain. Tho hopefully not a steal

 

[Eggman]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMvEWM2D_JW/?igshid=19tac667jtbit

 

[vagabond]

Despite all the tabloid articles, he's not eligible to play for England, under the terms of the Home Nations agreement as ratified by FIFA:

(as per Wikipedia)

The home nations have agreed to remove a clause that enables players to gain eligibility for one of the eight national teams due to residency. The FIFA statutes state that "Associations sharing a common nationality may make an agreement under which item (d) of par. 1 of this article is deleted completely or amended to specify a longer time limit". The clause removed is:

(d) He has lived continuously on the territory of the relevant Association for at least two years

The criteria for eligibility to represent a home nation is:

A Player who, under the terms of art. 5, is eligible to represent more than one Association on account of his nationality, may play in an international match for one of these Associations only if, in addition to having the relevant nationality, he fulfils at least one of the following conditions:

a) He was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
b) His biological mother or biological father was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
c) One of his biological grandparents was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
d) He has engaged in a minimum of five years education under the age of 18 within the territory of the relevant association.

— Home nations agreement

According to Paul Barber on Saturday Sanchez turned down an approach from England.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

According to Paul Barber on Saturday Sanchez turned down an approach from England.

No idea how that would have worked, but all immaterial now anyway

 

[Badger Boy]

I've tried to find that out before but to no avail.

No disrespect, but that's because [MENTION=1276]AZ Gull[/MENTION] is the man for these things. If the information is out there, he'll have it.

 

[AZ Gull]

Immaterial now anyway, but do we know where his grandaparents are from? His paternal surname is Lynch.

I've tried to find that out before but to no avail.

No disrespect, but that's because [MENTION=1276]AZ Gull[/MENTION] is the man for these things. If the information is out there, he'll have it.

I haven't ever seen any mention of his familial background (beyond articles like this on the club website). I'm certainly no expert in Spanish naming conventions, but in my limited experience it seems typical that someone will use their paternal surname as their given surname (for instance, just looking at the current Spanish squad, of those listed in Wikipedia with a first name/surname, the surname given is that of their father - with the exception of Big Bob).

So, the fact that he chooses to go by his maternal surname as his given surname MAY be meaningful, or it may not, but this conversation starts to feel unnecessarily personal, and as it now serves little purpose other than speculative tittle-tattle I suggest we leave it there.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

A mate of mine reckons a successful bid for Bob would come from one of the big Spanish clubs, not a Big six club in the Premier league.

 

[AZ Gull]

A mate of mine reckons a successful bid for Bob would come from one of the big Spanish clubs, not a Big six club in the Premier league.

Maybe, but Spanish clubs have big financial issues to contend with too - La Liga Clubs’ Finance: An Overview Of 2020 And What To Expect Next Year

 

[GT49er]

Thats the overall FIFA rule. The Home Nations agreement is specific to the home nations, to prevent people switching between England and Scotland all the time, for example, just based on residency. Instead there must be an actual family (or education) link to the country. So as far as FIFA are concerned, yes he can play for England, but England have entered into this agreement which would prevent him doing so, unless we choose to break it.

The Home Nations agreement is specific between the home nations, surely. It doesn't apply to a player whose other option is not one of the home nations. Anyway, by all indications he thinks of himself as Spanish, has been picked by Spain - and good luck to the (big) lad. Hope he gets a cap.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

The Home Nations agreement is specific between the home nations, surely. It doesn't apply to a player whose other option is not one of the home nations. Anyway, by all indications he thinks of himself as Spanish, has been picked by Spain - and good luck to the (big) lad. Hope he gets a cap.

Not to labour an irrelevant point, but as Sanchez has British residency as far as FIFA are concerned, he is thus potentially eligible to play for ANY of the home nations and thus automatically becomes covered by the Home Nations Agreement (i.e. if England don't call him up, he's transferred to Rangers and spends two years there, he would then be eligible for Scotland under the FIFA rules - but not under the Home Nations agreement)

under Article 6.1 of the Regulations Governing the Applications of Statutes, FIFA Statutes, (Nationality entitling Players to represent more than one Association), if a player was not born in the member associations' territory and does not have a parent or grandparent that was born in the territory, the player is able to represent another member association that shares the same common nationality after two years residency

That is the clause that has been removed as part of the Home Nations agreement, and everything I have read about and around it suggests it applies to overseas players too.

For example, from 2008:

The four Home Nations have agreed to stick by a "gentleman's agreement" that will rule out any approach from Scotland for Spaniard Nacho Novo. The Rangers striker had said he would accept a call to represent Scotland.

And England coach Fabio Capello was thought to be keen on picking Spaniards Manuel Almunia and Mikel Arteta. But the Scottish Football Association has confirmed that the Home Nations would continue to pick players based only on bloodlines. Novo, 29, has spent eight years playing in Scotland and admitted he would consider applying for a UK passport and switching allegiance to his adopted country, if asked.

"There has been some confusion and much debate in recent days about whether or not Nacho Novo can play for Scotland," said SFA chief executive Gordon Smith.

"On one hand, the Fifa regulations say that George Burley can pick eligible players who hold a British passport - and, on the other, we have the gentlemen's agreement with the other Home Associations that says that we will pick players based on their bloodline. I have sought to clarify the issue. We have had discussions with the other associations in the past couple of days and I've found out that everyone is adhering to our agreement and that, subsequently, we're all going down the line that we will use bloodline as the basis for eligibility.

"Now, at some stage in the future, one or more of us may change our opinion on that - we may get together and change our decision and go for the full Fifa regulation - but, at the moment, we're all sticking to our agreement."

And from 2012:

The Football Association of Wales has confirmed Swansea City defender Angel Rangel is not eligible to represent Wales. The 29-year-old has resided in Wales for five years since joining Swansea from Terrassa in June 2007. Rangel has made over 200 games for Swansea and was a regular in the Premier League last season.

The FAW have confirmed Rangel is not eligible under an agreement the four home nations have lodged with Fifa. Other than birthplace, parents or grandparents players can only represent one of the home nations if they have had five years of continuous education up to the age of 18 in that country.

 

[Swansman]

A mate of mine reckons a successful bid for Bob would come from one of the big Spanish clubs, not a Big six club in the Premier league.

Luckily I cant think of one single top club in Europe currently screaming for a new keeper. They all seem pretty happy with what they got. Obviously this will change at some point but I think there is zero risk of losing him this summer.

 

[The Wookiee]

Some good pictures in The Argus from the Spain training camp: Link https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/19179779.robert-sanchez-safe-hands-spain-coach-jose-sambade/

View attachment 135167

I think that’s the first time I’ve seen him smiling!

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Luckily I cant think of one single top club in Europe currently screaming for a new keeper. They all seem pretty happy with what they got. Obviously this will change at some point but I think there is zero risk of losing him this summer.

Phew......thanks Swansman.

 

[willalbion]

I think that’s the first time I’ve seen him smiling!

I thought that too. Poker face Bob.

 

[albionfan37]

I know it's what the cool kidz say but there's more chance of me watching Bob playing for Spain than a Brightonless Kane/Maguire led England.

If big Bob is playing I’ll deffo be watching

 

[albionfan37]

Luckily I cant think of one single top club in Europe currently screaming for a new keeper. They all seem pretty happy with what they got. Obviously this will change at some point but I think there is zero risk of losing him this summer.

What about if oblak left athletico? I thought I read something somewhere recently

 

[Swansman]

What about if oblak left athletico? I thought I read something somewhere recently

Yeah there was a transfer rumour about Oblak and Man United but I think its a bunch of horseshit.