Team Wilshere vs Team Pietersen

[Pavilionaire]

War of words on Twitter. I'm with Pietersen. It's a complex area, far too complex for Puffing Jack to grasp.

 

[drew]

How complex can it be? Football seems to have relatively strict rules, ie play for the country of your grandparents. Personally, think it should just the land of birth of your parents and, obvio usly, where you were born. Also, once you have represented one country in a competitive game then you can't switch. Residency rules should not apply.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

He clarified his stance.

"I said English people should play for England."

Thanks Jack.

He also muddied his bamboozled defence by saying "Great respect for people like KP, Mo Farah and Wilf Zaha - they make the country proud."

Mentioning Zaha with the likes of KP and more importantly, Mo? Moron.

 

[Grombleton]

I see he's blamed the media largely for this, though to be fair it hasn't helped.

Can't help but think he's made himself look a right prat in this though.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I don't generally agree with anything Pietersen says.

But this is a close call, with Wilshere equally brainless.

Fence.

 

[El Presidente]

Wilshere seems to contradict himself, he says he is opposed to people coming over here and playing for England after satisfying residency rules, which infers that he is against the likes of KP, but then says he has great respect for him and what he had done for England.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Using Januzaj as an example, his parents are ethnic Albanian but he's never lived there, he was born in Belgium but hasn't lived there for two years and may never return, he moved to England aged 16 and will probably settle here. In theory he could play for England in a few years but then do a Bale and ply his trade in Spain.

There are cases for him playing for 3 countries, there is a fourth but he's unlikely to want to play for Serbia. I think it's his right to nominate one country. Morally, it should really be Belgium but it's a difficult one. Pietersen had to wait 5 years to play cricket for England and he had an English mother.

 

[churley1]

Shock horror, the media lambast one of our own then create a frenzy when we inevitably "fail" at the World Cup.

F*ck the media, as if any of them know the pressures of playing football or any other sport in front of thousands of people live and millions on TV.

 

[Stat Brother]

Using Januzaj as an example, his parents are ethnic Albanian but he's never lived there, he was born in Belgium but hasn't lived there for two years and may never return, he moved to England aged 16 and will probably settle here. In theory he could play for England in a few years but then do a Bale and ply his trade in Spain.

There are cases for him playing for 3 countries, there is a fourth but he's unlikely to want to play for Serbia. I think it's his right to nominate one country. Morally, it should really be Belgium but it's a difficult one. Pietersen had to wait 5 years to play cricket for England and he had an English mother.

According to the Guardian you are wrong.

Januzaj has turned down Belgium because the one he wants is Kosovo, who are yet to be ratified, although that's not mentioned here, but has been elsewhere:-

The teenager was born in Brussels to Kosovan-Albanian parents and is therefore eligible to represent Belgium, Albania, Turkey, Serbia and Kosovo, who have yet to be recognised by Fifa.

Surely it's all a bit of a moot point, anyway:-

According to Fifa statutes a player is eligible to play for a country if he has "lived continuously for at least five years after reaching the age of 18 in the territory of the relevant association", meaning Januzaj would have to wait until 2018, when he is 23, to be able to represent England

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/08/jack-wilshere-januzaj-england

 

[beorhthelm]

i think Wilshire gets this more than you give credit. Mo Farah came to England when he was 8, he's grown up here, he's English/British. KP has an English mother, so half English. what he's saying is that its not on to be chasing around for people who've no family ties, get them in the country for a few years to meet residency rule and call them english.

the comical thing to all this is Januzaj doesnt even qualify to play for England, he'd need to stay here another couple of years for residency to count. its quite wrong to even be talking about him in the England squad at this point.

 

[Timbo]

Cricket is an absolute mess when it comes to qualification. How can Morgan play against England and for England in internationals?

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

I thought this was all irrelevant due to an agreement between the home nations stating that none of them can take advantage of residency rules...?

 

[User removed 4]

Pietersen is a prime example of why foreigners shouldn't be allowed to play for england, he is south african, and more importantly FEELS south afican, he wouldnt have been texting the opposition on how to get his captain out if he didnt, a great player undoubtedly , but I've seen him quoted as saying 'dont ask me , its your fvcking country' when asked a question on politics , you should have grown up here at the very least to represent england or great britain.

 

[marshy68]

regardless of the pros and cons of residency and qualifying to play for England - it simply highlights the issue we have with home grown talent in this country - this is really what the FA need to address.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Team Jack for sure! Really baffles me this one. Fine if grandparents or born in a country to other nationalities but if I now move to Mongolia for 5 years it doesn't make me Mongolian, nor if I married one!

 

[GoingUp]

I havnt got Twitter, so I havnt read the argument.

Wiltshere hasnt worded right what he said, I do agree with him to an extent. Although we need someone as talented as Januzaj, it would be embarrassing to steal him, he has absolutely no English ties other than living here for 3 years! Barcelona are sniffing around him atm, he could leave United and go there or any other top European team at anytime. Mo Farrah has spent nearly his whole life in England, there is no questioning his eligibility.

If Januzaj has turned down the Belgium national side, which is 100x better than England, why would he want to choose us?

 

[spring hall convert]

Wilshire's allowed an opinion & I don't think he contradicts himself by saying that he has respect for Pietersen's achievements.

Personally I disagree with him but I can see where he's coming from.

 

[shaolinpunk]

I can see his point, and agree to an extent, but it annoys me that he's turned around and blamed the media for twisting his words when the quotes were his answer to a direct question about Januzaj playing for England

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Wilshire's allowed an opinion & I don't think he contradicts himself by saying that he has respect for Pietersen's achievements.

Personally I disagree with him but I can see where he's coming from.

Indeed. We have to remember that he is sitting in an England press conference, talking about England and then is asked about a Belgian kid who plays in England but wants to play for Kosovo (apparently), but could qualify for us.

He's just come out with a blanket statement of "I think you should be english to play for England".
There is nothing xenophobic or whatever about that statement. It's called the England team so to have that viewpoint is completely justified.

I imagine out of the glare of cameras, and in a discussion format he would have a different view on it, ie including people who have lived here since a very young age etc.

Personally I think it should be where your born and then extended to anyone who has lived here since the age of something like 8 or under. If you've lived here, been brought up here and feel english then thats fine to me. I've just picked the age 8 out of the sky. You could probably present me with someone who has been here since 9 and completely considers themselves English and loves the country.

Very difficult.

All I know is I could represent Italy at certain sports as my nan was italian. Would I feel any sense of Italian pride as the anthem was played? nope. probably not...and I bloody LOVE italy as a country...but it's not MY country.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

I'm honestly really surprised that clubs haven't banned players using twitter yet. It's a total recipe for disaster.